Aurangzeb is controversial because of India’s present, not because of its past: Audrey Truschke

This portrait of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb mounted on a horse, and ready for battle, was originally produced circa 1660. In 1700, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was arguably the richest, most powerful man in the world. He ruled for nearly 50 years, from 1658 until 1707, over a vast empire in South Asia that boasted a population exceeding the entirety of contemporary Europe. Today, he has been forgotten in the West. In modern-day India, however, Aurangzeb is alive in public debates, national politics, and people’s imaginations. From Mumbai to Delhi…

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Friends Union Joshi Club: Home-Style Gujarati Thali at its Best

  It’s not easy trying to find Friends Union Joshi Club – it’s tucked away on the first floor of a nondescript building in Narottam Wadi, situated in one of Kalbadevi’s busy warren of streets. If you’re coming to it from Crawford Market, it will fall to your right. My suggestion would be to turn on Google Maps; first-timers will need it. Nobody goes to Friends Union Joshi Club for its salubrious decor. There’s no fawning wait staff, or air conditioning. You won’t find fussy foods, frills and fripperies. What…

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Technology Is Taking Away Jobs, But It’s Also Creating Them

Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn says it’s really happening. On Microsoft acquiring LinkedIn, he had a lot to say to his employees but some of the key things that stood out were his thoughts on how technology and automated processes are really changing the future of employment. Apart from all the wide-ranging effects it will have on our lives and society, in general, he says that technology is really beginning to displace millions of people from their jobs. So what should we do? What should really define our time? Weiner…

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The NSW Department of Education commissioned a $300,000 scripture review, but rejects its major findings | poll

THE NSW Department of Education has rejected major recommendations of a $300,000 taxpayer-funded review of scripture in NSW schools, including the need for more information on scripture providers to “identify radical groups or cults”. The 238-page review, completed in 2015 but not released until Tuesday, found scripture providers did not “consistently produce good quality curricula from an educational perspective”, the system of authorising scripture providers lacked transparency, and some scripture teachers were using authorised, but age-inappropriate materials, while others used non-authorised materials. The review found the Department of Education and scripture providers…

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What is a Patiala Peg and How Did it Get its Name?

  If you have partied in North India, or even gone out with friends for a few drinks, there is a good chance you would have heard the term ‘Patiala Peg’ being used. Accompanied by loud banter and an attempt to outshine or exhibit bravado, the Patiala peg has come to signify more than a measure of whisky, it is almost a sign of ‘masculinity’ in Punjab. The rough volume of a Patiala peg is around 120ml. This is roughly four ‘smalls’ or two ‘large’ drinks in colloquial terms. However,…

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What is Epilepsy: Its Causes and Treatment

The word “epilepsy” comes from the Greek word, “epi” which means “upon” and “leptos” which means “seizure”. People with epilepsy tend to have recurrent seizures (fits). The seizures occur because of a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain. This causes a temporary disturbance in the messaging systems between brain cells. During a seizure the patient’s brain becomes “halted” or “mixed up”. Every function in our body is triggered by messaging systems in our brain. What a patient with epilepsy experiences during a seizure will depend on what part…

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