Can we find a connection between رسہ کشی 'rasaa-kashii' (tug of war), پنجہ کشی 'panjah-kashi', and دلکشی 'dil-kashii' (captivating the heart)? Yes, indeed. These words share a common thread - the Persian-origin word 'kash', meaning 'to pull' or 'to ...continue reading

Words are not merely inanimate objects; they possess their own essence and a life of their own, marked by a myriad of ups and downs. Within them lies a unique drama and a form of romance. Behind words, astonishing stories, traditions, and historical ...continue reading

The renowned Urdu poet Daagh Dehlvi, whose ghazals have been sung by numerous illustrious artists, says about Urdu language, in one of his much quoted shair ...continue reading

In the formation of compound words in Urdu, the word that precedes is called saabiqa (سابقہ), or the prefix, while the word that follows is called laahiqa (لاحقہ), or the suffix ...continue reading

The ancient Indian army comprised four elements: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. Because of this, the army was called "Chaturanga" (चतुरंग) in Sanskrit, meaning "the one with four organs, limbs, or parts." Chatur means "four," and Anga me ...continue reading

It is intriguing to follow how languages can have multiple layers of meaning and nuance, and how words can evolve over time to take on different connotations and associations ...continue reading

The range of vivid colours that adorn the world are one of the many marvels of nature. All these colours not only beautify the world but they play a symbolic role as well. In every culture, certain concepts, beliefs, biases and taboos are associated ...continue reading

An example of how words evolve over time is your familiar attire, 'Pishvaaz,' پشواز which is now making waves in the world of fashion. If we trace the history of this word, we get a glimpse of the changing forms of language and culture. Pishvaaz is ...continue reading

Food stories are like the spice of life—always fascinating, whether they’re about how a dish travelled across the globe to land on a plate far from its origins or about the inventive (or accidental) chef who whipped up a mouth-watering masterpiece ...continue reading

The most distinctive feature of the fabrics produced in India is the beautiful and poetic names they have earned over the past couple of centuries. In this brief write-up, we will traverse the world of some of these fascinating names and traditions a ...continue reading