On a wing and a prayer

On August 10, 50 Israeli rabbis and Jewish mystics offered prayers and sounded the ram's horn to ward off the swine flu. Nothing unusual. Diseases usually bring out the best in holy men. But this time they took to the skies. The Jewish daily Yediot Ahronot said a plane with 50 holy men circled Israel.

Tribals celebrate Sendra

Give forest guards the slip to hunt deer on festival day

Opening to the past

An annual fair in a cave is a rallying point for Gond tribals

Noodly creator

http//www.venganza.org In the debate on how life was created on earth, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is a relatively new entrant. It claims that all living things were created by the Flying Spaghetti Monster-a tangled mass of pasta, with two generous meatballs, and googly eyes. It was revealed in 2005. On www.venganza.org.

Astronomy's orginal rebel

Galileo upturned the Biblical theory of the universe On February 13, 1633, Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before the Catholic Church's inquisition committee. In 1609, the Italian astronomer had turned his spyglass to the skies and provided empirical proof for the Polish astronomer Nicolai Coppernicus' theory that Earth revolves around the Sun. This was heretical. Most people in Europe believed the Biblical theory that the Earth was the centre of the universe.

Water is not for all

Colonial court ruling communally divided nature's hot spots Mulk Raj Ahmed runs a tea-stall near Rajgir's famous Brahma Kund. But he cannot use this hot water spring. Eleven of the 12 hot water springs in Rajgir in Bihar are out of bounds for Muslims.

Not a matter of religion

The reasons why Indian Muslims lag in education need to be understood The recent terrorist attacks have again led to fingers of accusations being pointed at Muslims. And when the spotlight is on the community, its educational backwardness inevitably becomes a matter of discussion. Some hold that the root of Muslim educational backwardness is Islam

For urban joy

In Kolkata's landmark high-rise housing, Hiland Park, which stands on what were once swampy lowlands and green paddy fields, Durga puja celebrations harked back to the area's days of yore. The theme was Gram Bangla (rural Bengal).

Bull to bull's eye

Tribals remodel hunting festival for solar lamps

Living with lions