Food
This iconic Gujarati snack, made of gram flour and steamed into soft spirals, has a name that means "swirls."
What is Khandvi?
This 1997 Tamil film by Mani Ratnam presents a thinly-veiled retelling of the rivalry and friendship between two of Tamil Nadu's most iconic political figures. It uses a layered narrative style to depict the evolution of cinema and politics in South India from the 1950s to the 1980s. The film’s bilingual dialogues were written by Vairamuthu and Suhasini Mani Ratnam, adding linguistic depth, while A. R. Rahman's soundtrack underlined the political drama’s grandeur. It is also notable for being the debut film of a now-famous Bollywood actress.
What is Iruvar?
Created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, this private investigator is a famous Bengali detective known for his keen observation skills and rationality.
Who is Byomkesh Bakshi?
This is what you would call VM if you were from Surat?
What is Babuchak?
This tangy and sweet dish is often referred to as the “King of Gujarati Pickles.”
What is Chhundo?
This Bollywood epic from 1960 took almost 15 years to complete and was the most expensive Indian film at the time. It featured real rose petals and elaborate costumes, and its set design included an entire glass palace. The film depicted a tragic romance between a Mughal prince and a court dancer.
What is Mughal-e-Azam?
The rules include Matla, Radif, Qafiya, Maqta and Bahr.
What are the rules for composing a ghazal?
This Bengali ghost lives near village ponds/lakes and requests passers-by to give him fish, in a nasal tone.
What is Mechho Bhoot?
This Bengali sweet, was created in the 19th century in honor of Lady Charlotte Canning, the wife of Lord Canning, the then Governor-General of India. Today, it is widely popular across Bengal under a different derived name.
What is ledikeni?
Directed by Guru Dutt, this 1957 film is often hailed as one of the greatest pieces of Indian cinema, depicting the struggles of a rejected poet. The film is a stark portrayal of unrequited love, art, and the disillusionment of an artist, and features songs that remain iconic even today.
What is Pyaasa?
This Bengali word is infamous for not being translatable. However, it comes close to meaning coy, coquettish, scheming, la di da.
What does ‘nyeka’ mean?
They are believed to be an ethnic group that descended from the Bantu people in East Africa and currently live in isolated villages on the fringes of the Gir National Forest.
Who are the Siddis?
This popular drink comes in saffron, sitaphal and angoor flavors and is usually made for festivals like Kali Chaudas and Bhaubeej.
What is Basundi?
This 1981 film, directed by Kundan Shah, was one of the first to be funded by the National Film Development Corporation of India. Known for its black comedy approach, it satirizes middle-class aspirations, bureaucracy, and the television industry, capturing the struggles of an unemployed youth with absurd humor.
What is Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro?
Rabindranath Tagore experimented with this new poetic form in “Balaka” which breaks the traditional meters to create a flowing, rhythmic verse style.
What is Rabindra taal (Tagorean Rhythm)
This dance form of the shepherd community is inspired by the movements of two sheep ramming their crazy heads and uses umbrella as props.
What is the Hudo dance form?
This exotic Bengali spice, also known as wild celery seed, is used in the traditional Bengali spice mix ‘panch phoron’.
What is radhuni?
This 1994 film, an adaptation of a Gujarati play, was one of the first Bollywood movies to address LGBTQ+ issues, focusing on the emotional turmoil of a man who loves another man. Its bold narrative was ahead of its time, challenging the heteronormative storyline prevalent in the 1990s, and paved the way for future conversations on gender and sexuality in Indian cinema.
What is Bomgay?