I’d argue that a central bane of civilization is an obsession with purity. Captivating the human imagination, purity grounds folly, death and misery. How much money have empires, kingdoms, kings, ...

Hanukkah isn’t for everyone. This has been true since its beginnings, as it celebrates victory in internecine military conflict and a triumph over assimilation. Even so, the majority of the 15 million ...

“If you want to study cultural syncretism, you need to go to Bangladesh,” historian Mushirul Hasan told me during a freewheeling conversation many years ago. The idea stuck. Much later came the urge ...

The Rigveda enumerates 33 devas or ‘shining ones’, representing primarily the forces of nature. Of these, three were important: Agni or fire, Indra or rain, and Soma, a plant. The popular deities ...

Syncretism means the bringing together what may seem disparate but in reality are elements that forge a stronger alloy or combination. It also might be termed work to complement substitutes or ...

The 2026 India Design ID facade by artist Ashna Malik; and Vitra Design Museum director Mateo Kries. (Photo of Kries by Gaëtan Bally; both images via Instagram) 2026 India Design ID is centred around ...