In 1834, the philosopher John Stuart Mill discovered that, although he had signed a contract with his publisher to produce a general history of the French revolution, he was actually too busy…
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Adi Shankaracharya: Philosopher-poet-saint-scholar-teacher
One day, while walking through the streets of Varanasi (Benares), Adi Shankaracharya, India’s celebrated Vedic scholar, philosopher and teacher of the 8th century, encountered a chandala (an untouchable) carrying a load of…
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Immanuel Kant: The philosopher sage of Königsberg
Here is a famous anecdote about the German philosopher Immanuel Kant: Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was known for his rigorous routine and punctuality. Every day, at exactly 3:30 PM, he would take a…
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Hippocrates: Father of modern medicine
Way back in the year 430 BC, a plague struck the ancient city of Athens. Arriving via the port, the deadly epidemic quickly spread through the crowded city, without sparing any segment of the…
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Srinivasa Ramanujan: A self-taught genius in maths
Srinivasa Ramanujan, a self-taught Indian mathematician, is renowned for his extraordinary contributions to number theory. Here’s a fascinating account of his journey: Ramanujan was born in 1887 in Erode, India. Growing up,…
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Kekulé’s dream
August Kekulé, a German organic chemist, is famous for his work on the structure of benzene. Here’s how he arrived at it: Kekulé was struggling to understand the structure of benzene, a…
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The story of Dhruva
Dhruva is a devotee of Vishnu, a Hindu god, in the Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana. Dhruva’s story is often told to Hindu children as an example of perseverance, devotion, and fearlessness. Manu, the…
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Meeting the dervish
I only long to meet a true friend of God.And wish to reach the presence of this friend.From grief, my heart won’t openWithout seeing the face of the friend. Many people wanted…
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The centuries-old tradition of Basant Panchami at Nizamuddin Dargah is so heartwarming!
Synopsis Basant Panchami, the Hindu festival that marks the onset of spring, is dedicated to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and art. On this auspicious day, devotees adorn themselves in…
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Si Malakas at Si Maganda (The strong and the beautiful)
Here is a beautiful folktale about creation from the Philippines islands: Before Time began, the dwelling of God was a vast empty universe. He became lonely for there was nothing to hear…