Quizzes
Quiz: Ancient Indian Scripts
Ancient Indian scripts hold the key to secrets from our past that still being unravelled today. Take our quiz learn about these rich texts
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Saturdays at Sarmaya
Custodians of Culture
On 25 May, we hosted a full house for Saturdays at Sarmaya at our archive in Mumbai. Our guests enjoyed getting up close with contemporary art, archival photos and historical documents relating to the courtesans of India. It was a delighted group of art-lovers who gathered for this session, which included interactive activities that encouraged… Read more »
Talks
‘Morality, Diplomacy, and Power Dynamics: Courtesans of India’ by Madhur Gupta
“These courtesans were artists who were carriers of the nation’s enormous history, creating cultural movements by their strokes and the turnings of their wrists. At the core of the institutionals values of courtesans lay a deeper, divine purpose of uplifting the mundane world of mortals, allowing them to envision the bigger picture.” Madhur Gupta on… Read more »
Spotlight
How to read history that hasn’t been written yet
Inspired by a 150-year-old sepia photograph, a museum professional explores how to fill in the blanks of history through an anti-caste perspective
Quizzes
Indian monuments that time forgot
Take our quiz on forgotten, sidelined or destroyed monuments and acquaint yourself with an unseen India.
Talks
‘Music Makers in the Gramophone Era: The Women on Record Project’ by Vidya Shah
“In the beginning, many artists had an inhibition that acoustic technology, or later the microphone, could secretly siphon off all the goodness and power of their voice, just as ‘making soup out of meat and vegetables robs them of their nutrients!” Vidya Shah delivered a lecture for Sarmaya Talks on 26th April 2024, at Jaan Joss,… Read more »
Spotlight
Is this the first ever ‘rupee’ coin?
A silver coin issued by Mughal ruler Akbar is likely the first ever coin to carry the word ‘rupee’
Talks
‘The Unknown Story of the First INA’s Espionage Wing’ by Vijay Balakrishnan
“The story of the Indian National Army (INA), and its secret espionage wing is relatively unknown. My purpose in writing this book is to let the world know of the extraordinary unsung sacrifices of men like my grand-uncle as they navigated a shadowy hall-of-mirrors with blurred lines between friend and foe, while hastening the end… Read more »
Talks
‘The Ahom Dynasty: Genesis, Continuity and Legacy’ by Arup Kumar Dutta
‘In 1228 CE, some Shan or Tai warriors, led by a brave leader named Sukapha, left their homes in northern Myanmar and journeyed to Upper Assam. Here they set up the nucleus of what would become the powerful Ahom empire. For nearly six centuries, the Ahom kingdom spanned a greater part of the Brahmaputra Valley.… Read more »
Spotlight
“These women were the Madhuri and Sridevi of their times”
Accomplished Odissi dancer Madhur Gupta narrates the history of India’s courtesans, once the most glamourous celebrities of the land
Library Catalogue
The library catalog at Sarmaya is a meticulously curated collection designed to facilitate research and exploration into India’s rich cultural heritage. This digital archive spans a diverse array of materials, including rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and maps, each meticulously cataloged for easy access. The catalog not only serves as a gateway to Sarmaya’s physical collections… Read more »
Spotlight
A feminist modern art maestro
The paintings of B Prabha capture the hopes and anguish of a woman making art in a newly independent India
Saturdays at Sarmaya
Celebrating women
On 16th March 2024, we invited a group of participants to celebrate women from the Sarmaya collection who have carved their own identities by breaking boundaries. For this session, we focused on subversive female voices by exploring the fascinating world of a few courageous women such as Razia Sultan, Nur Jahan, Fanny Parkes, Lena Lowis, Umrao… Read more »
Sarmaya @School
SARMAYA X PRADIGI CREATIVITY CLUB – MADHYA PRADESH & MAHARASHTRA
This year, Sarmaya Education kicked off our on-ground collaboration with Pratham Education Foundation as part of their initiative, PraDigi Creativity Club. So far, Sarmaya has created memorable learning experiences through art for students in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Pratham Creativity Club offers three levels of engagement: All, Some and Few. Based on digital resources… Read more »
Talks
‘Bombay to Basra: On the Highways of World War One 1914-21’ by Dr Radhika Singha
“The talk narrates the dense, ceaseless movement of Indian Army followers from Bombay to Mesopotamia (Iraq) and back, and the political consequences of this first mass circulation of South Asian labour into the Persian Gulf.” Dr Radhika Singha on her lecture for Sarmaya Talks on 9th February 2024, at Durbar Hall, The Asiatic Society of… Read more »
Talks
‘True To Their Salt’ by Ravindra Rathee
“The British held India by an army predominantly comprising Indian soldiers, and relied on their fidelity. This loyalty stood the test of time but was eventually breached during the Second World War, leading to India’s independence. True to Their Salt is a radical retelling of how India came to be colonized by a handful of… Read more »
Quizzes
Forgotten names on India’s map
India has seen the names of cities, rivers and even roads changed to reflect political realities, contemporary national narratives and the drawing of new borders. Take our quiz to see how well you know some of these forgotten monikers from the past
Spotlight
Forgotten Files
For the 39th issue of Spotlight, we’re bringing you some vanished traditions, unsung artists, lost scripts and other surprising facets of Indian history and art
Spotlight
Who paints Pichwais & other mysteries
Let’s start with the fact that the word ‘Pichwai’ itself is a misnomer
Collections
Copper-Plate Inscription, Madurai
This is an eighteenth-century copper plate with a village grant inscribed in Tamil. In 1733 CE, villages named Suriyan Kuttam and Sembikuttam from Kuruchikadu in Madurai mandalam (province) were granted to Anand Iyengar, son of Narayana Iyengar from Nettoor by Kumaramuthu Ragunatha Sethupathikatha Thevar, the son-in-law of Ragunatha Sethupathi (r. 1713-1725 CE), who ruled the… Read more »