Made in India: Cultural innovations that rocked the world
Big ideas in music, food and architecture that were born in India
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Man & material: The lasting genius of Jangarh Singh Shyam
From the yellow clay of his village to the rOtring pen discovered during a trip abroad, Jangarh approached each medium with curiosity and courage
‘Ornamenting the Walls of an Imperial Capital: Fathpur Sikri and its surface decorations’ by Nadeem Rezavi
“The wall paintings at Fathpur were first catalogued by E W Smith in 1895. Exactly a century later, I photographed them. Some that Smith saw have since disappeared; some not recorded by him, are now visible. What survives gives us a good idea of the Mughals’ worldview and their attempts at founding an all-inclusive culture.”… Read more »
‘Mansur: A novel in twenty-four miniatures’ by Vikramajit Ram
“Set in Agra, 1627, Mansur: A Novel reimagines a day in the life of an imperial Mughal atelier. Ustad Mansur belonged to a distinguished group of master painters in the service of Jahangir. He specialised in watercolour life-studies—of unmatched realism and finesse—of flora and fauna, both native and exotic.” – Vikramajit Ram for Sarmaya Talks.… Read more »
Object story: A coin die with a message from 1857
Understanding the politics of 19th-century Mewar through a rare coin die
Talking Heads: When coins began to talk
Over 2,000 years ago, a new technique of minting coins was introduced to India. We still use it today, both to study history and write it
World Photography Day 2023
On 19 August 2023, on World Photography Day, we opened our archive to a group of photography enthusiasts to explore the journey of early photography in India.
‘Dakhni: A language hiding in plain sight’ by Yunus Lasania
“Contrary to popular perception, it is not Urdu but Dakhni that is spoken widely in the south, especially by Muslims. Dakhni is deeply rooted in the cultures of Chennai, Bengaluru and parts of Andhra Pradesh.” – Yunus Lasania for Sarmaya Talks. Yunus Lasania is a Hyderabad-based journalist with over a decade of experience in reporting.… Read more »
‘Qutb Shahi Necropolis: Conservation and Landscape Restoration’ by Ratish Nanda
“The necropolis of the Qutb Shahi Sultans at Golconda, Hyderabad, is a unique collection of 100+ monuments across a 106-acre landscape. Since 2013, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture has partnered with a host of agencies to conserve the monuments and restore their gardens.” – Ratish Nanda for Sarmaya Talks. Ratish Nanda is a conservation… Read more »
Quiz: History of Photography
Take our quiz to test your knowledge and maybe discover a new favourite photo factoid!
History meets AI – In conversation with Arpan Mukherjee
“I use the latest cutting-edge AI technology as well as 19th-century techniques to create images unique to my aesthetic and understanding of the world”
Special issue – Commemorative coins of India
For numismatists or coin collectors on a budget, commemorative coins are a great way to get started. Here’s what makes them special
Animal coindom: The symbolism of numismatic flora and fauna
Let’s look into the legends of three animals frequently found on old Indian coins.
Object story: Why Indian soldiers fought a war in Kabul
Between November 1878 and October 1880, the British army in India fought a series of battles for geo-political control over Afghanistan. One photographer followed along
What is disruptive tech?
From minting money to printing books, and from taking photographs to making art, technology has dictated the evolution of many a human endeavour
‘Ilkal Chronicles: A 7th-century weave in modern India’ by Vrunda Sekhar
“Ilkal sarees are the most affordable staple wear of the women of North Karnataka and Southern Maharashtra. This heritage weave is now on its way to being recognised nationally.” – Vrunda Sekhar for Sarmaya Talks. Vrunda Sekhar is a handloom specialist from Karnataka. She has been working with weavers in the research, revival and marketing… Read more »
‘Lost and Found: Three centuries of hand-block printing in India’ by Ritu Sethi
“Through this illustrated talk we will cover the reasons for the deleterious decline of hand-block printing traditions in the 18th Century and their revival and regeneration in the India of today.” – Dr. Ritu Sethi for Sarmaya Talks. Dr Ritu Sethi is the editor of Global InCH, the online international journal of intangible cultural heritage,… Read more »
Eggs, salt & the delicious decades of albumen print photos
How albumen, a sticky substance found in egg whites, took the elite European hobby of photography and turned into a global phenomenon
Take The Indian Railways Quiz!
Test your knowledge about the earliest days of Indian railways and some milestone train journeys
‘A New History of India’ by Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Shobita Punja & Toby Sinclair
For this special edition of Sarmaya Talks, our founder Paul Abraham was in conversation with two of the three authors of A New History of India – From Its Origins To The Twenty-First Century, Prof. Rudrangshu Mukherjee and conservationist Toby Sinclair. Art historian Dr Shobita Punja lent her brilliant insights to A New History…:… Read more »