Karina Pandya

  Often known as Mumbai’s very own ‘Varanasi’, Banganga Temple Tank at Walkeshwar is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites for devotes in the city. A sacred water tank, there is a lot of mythology surrounding the origin of this temple. As I reached the Walkeshwar Bus Depot, I wondered what was the story behind Banganga as I heard so much about it.    At the beginning of the walk, I met my guide from Khaki Tours and a middle-aged woman who would be accompanying me on the walk. As I looked all around me there were narrow and sneaky lanes and a side of Mumbai I had never explored before. Dating back to AD 1127  when the tank was constructed, the entire Banganga area is full of 10-20 small-sized temples, over 50 dharamshalas and one main temple which has been reconstructed over time.   Surrounded by mythology and history, it is believed that the temple at Banganga came into existence when Lord Rama – the exiled hero of the epic Ramayana stopped at this site to seek the...

Previously an island with a mangrove swamp, inhabited by Koli fishermen; Dharavi’s history goes back to 1884 when the city saw a huge migration of people from rural areas to urban Mumbai.     Once known as the village of Koliwada, Dharavi is the third-largest slum in the world and the largest slum in Asia; Having an informal economy, Dharavi is home to mainly 4 industries, namely the leather industry, the pottery industry, the textile industry and recycling of plastic.   On 11th August, I made a trip here with a tour guide from Mumbai Dream Tours. On arriving there, it was not only eye-opening but also thought-provoking how people survived here.  In this small and cramped area, a population of over 1.5 million reside and work. However, it is this labyrinth settlement which forms the microcosm of humanity in the city. With Mahim and Bandra to the west and the polluted Mithi River to the north, Dharavi is also neighbouring Kurla and Sion.     ...

   With over 1,200 tornadoes hitting the US every year, Oklahoma sits within the heart of Tornado valley, one of the world’s most tornado-prone areas with at least 59 tornadoes hitting every year. It is in fact known as the Tornado Capital of the World !    This is the setting the American disaster film, Twisters with six storm chasers – Daisy Edgar Jones (Kate Carter), Javi ( Anthony Ramos ), Addy ( Kiernan Shipka ), Praveen ( Nik Dodani ), and her boyfriend, Jeb ( Daryl McCormack ) in it.    Beading into a tornado, the team launches barrels of sodium  polyacrylate  in hopes of reducing the intensity of the tornado and  securing funding for further research. However, finding themselves amidst an EF5 ( Enhanced Fujita scale) which Is rated as one of the strongest tornadoes. Once the storm calms down and the amount of chemicals is found to be insufficient to stop the tornado,  Addy, Praveen, and Jeb   are killed, leaving only Kate an...

In an age where reaching new audiences is very important, Candlelight Concerts has found a winning formula for itself. Attracting people from all backgrounds, these concerts involve lighting up a venue with a huge amount of LED candles and having a group of talented musicians performing classical music. By making use of flameless candles, it is easy to turn on all the c andles in unison.   The Instagram Phenomenon Illuminates Indian Cities https://youtu.be/_UQNDyZF2Ac?si=RLW-E_sq9KhBKdT2   Present in over 100 cities across the world, candlelight concerts attracts more than 3 million attendees. Musicians perform on a raised platform in front of hundreds of candles. With their warm glow, it is easy to fall prey to being mesmerised by these concerts. Dating back to 2011, these concerts have originally been founded in Spain by Fever – a global entertainment platform.    These intimate and multi-sensory live musical experiences have captivated India with its first perform...

   Being the seventh incarnation of   NBC's long-running- The Tonight Show Franchise,  The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has been running from  February 17, 2014 up till now ((July 2024). Its predecessors    include The Tonight Show hosted by  six comedians:   1.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Steve Allen (1954–1957), 2.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Jack Paar   (1957–1962),   3.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Johnny Carson (1962–1992), 4.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Jay Leno   (1992–2009 and 2010–2014),   5.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Conan O'Brien  (2009–2010) 6.       The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014-Present)   Besides this there have been guest hosts on the show s...

  In this thought-provoking film about the co-dependency of marriage, Revolutionary Road examines some very critical issues of marriage such as the conflict between our duties and desires, the dream of a suburban family life, the sudden drift apart between husband and wife post-marriage, the dreams a couple aspires to have upon the start of their marriage, their professional goals, infidelity and abortion.   The romantic-drama film that was directed by Sam Mendes (British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter ) and  Justin Haythe  (American  novelist ,  short story  writer, and  screenwriter ) the film is based on the  1961 novel of the same name  by  Richard Yates  ( American fiction writer).   The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio (Frank Wheeler) and Kate Winslet (April Wheeler) in the lead along with other actors and actresses such as  Michael Shannon ,  Kathryn Hahn ,  David Harbour , and...

  “ Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” – The Bhagavad Gita     From  Vinyasa yoga , Iyengar yoga, Hatha yoga, Kundalini yoga, Bikram yoga., Ashtanga yoga, Restorative yoga and Yin Yoga; yoga is a physically challenging practice or a meditative and relaxing experience.    Working on the level of one’s body, mind, emotion and energy, yoga is also classified into karma yoga, where we utilise the body; bhakti yoga, where we utilise the emotions; gyana yoga, where we utilise the mind and intellect; and kriya yoga, where we utilise the energy.   Yoga is essentially a branch of religious and spiritual traditions that have been derived from Hinduism. Yoga is also known to be one of the six systems of Vedic philosophy’ the others being Vaishesika, Nyaya, Samkhya, Purva Mimansa and Vedanta or Uttara Mimansa .   Sages such as Konada, Gotama, Kapila, Patanjali, Jaimini and Vyasa, respectively are said to have ...