Podcasts about South India

కొంతమంది పరిస్థితులను చూసి, వెనకడుగు వేస్తారు...మరి కొంతమంది ఎలాంటి పరిస్థితులు వచ్చినా తమకు అనుకూలంగా మార్చుకుంటారు!సరిగ్గా ఇలానే ఆలోచించి, సమస్యలు మనల్ని ఆపలేవు... మనపై మనకు ఉన్న నమ్మకమే మనల్ని ముందుకు నడిపిస్తుంది… అంటూ ఎన్నో విషయాలను ఈ పాడ్కాస్ట్ లో మనతో పంచుకున్నారు… కల్యాణి గారు.South India's CSR Summit వారి భాగస్వామ్యంతో TALRadio నిర్వహిస్తున్న ఈ “Charcha With Real Leaders” కార్యక్రమంలో... 'SIRA Prosperity Foundation' వ్యవస్థాపకులు కల్యాణి విప్పగుంట గారి ప్రయాణం వారి మాటల్లోనే మీకోసం!శారీరక పరిమితులను బలహీనతగా భావించకుండా, ఆత్మవిశ్వాసాన్ని ఆయుధంగా మార్చుకుని తనదైన గుర్తింపును సంపాదించుకున్నారు. HR పనిచేసిన ఆమె, ప్రస్తుతం SIRA Prosperity Foundation ద్వారా ఎన్నో ప్రభుత్వ పాఠశాలల పిల్లల్లో ఆత్మవిశ్వాసాన్ని నింపుతూ, వారి భవిష్యత్తుకు సరికొత్త దారులు చూపిస్తున్నారు.తల్లిదండ్రులు నేర్పిన విలువలు, జీవితంలో ఎదురైన సవాళ్లు, వాటిని అధిగమించిన విధానం, సేవ పట్ల ఆమెకున్న అభిరుచి గురించి ఈ ప్రత్యేక ఇంటర్వ్యూలో తెలుసుకోండి.తప్పక వినండి… మిస్ అవ్వకండి!Some people look at situations and step back…while others turn every situation in their favor!In the same way, believing that problems cannot stop us and that self-confidence is what drives us forward, many inspiring thoughts were shared in this episode by Kalyani garu.In collaboration with South India's CSR Summit, TALRadio presents this “Charcha With Real Leaders” program, featuring the journey of Kalyani Vippagunta from SIRA Prosperity Foundation, told in her own words.Without treating physical limitations as weaknesses, she transformed self-confidence into her greatest strength and built a unique identity for herself. From working in HR, she now empowers school children in many government schools through the SIRA Prosperity Foundation, helping them build confidence and shaping their future paths.In this special interview, learn about the values taught by her parents, the challenges she faced in life, how she overcame them, and her passion for service.Don't miss it… tune in now!Guest: Kalyani VippaguntaHost: Vinil Reddy#TALRadioTelugu #CharchaWithRealLeaders #TALRadio #CSR #Leadership #Inspiration #WomenLeadership #KalyaniVippagunta #SIRAFoundation #MotivationalStory #SuccessStory #Empowerment #Confidence #SocialImpact #EducationForAll #InspiringJourney #TALRadio #TouchALifeFoundation

"ఈరోజే మనది… రేపు మనది కాదు" అంటూ తన జీవితాన్నే, సమాజ సేవకు అంకితం చేశారు ఈయన!South India's CSR Summit వారి భాగస్వామ్యంతో నిర్వహిస్తున్న “Charcha With Real Leaders” మొట్టమొదటి కార్యక్రమంలో... 'అభయ ఫౌండేషన్' వ్యవస్థాపకులు బాలచంద్ర సుంకు గారు మన మనసుల్ని హత్తుకునే ఎన్నో విషయాలను మనతో పంచుకున్నారు!ఒక వైపు కంపెనీ సెక్రటరీగా బాధ్యతలు నిర్వర్తిస్తూనే..మరోవైపు 1,20,000 మందికి పైగా దుప్పట్ల పంపిణీ,2,000 మందికి పైగా ఉచిత డ్రైవింగ్ శిక్షణ,పేద విద్యార్థులకు ఉన్నత చదువుల కోసం ఆర్థిక సాయం..ఇలా ఎన్నో సేవా కార్యక్రమాలు చేశారు."సమాజంలో అడిగేవారు, ఇచ్చేవారు లేని ఒక సమానత్వ ప్రపంచం రావాలి" అనే అద్భుతమైన విజన్‌తో... బాలికల భద్రత, మానవ విలువల కోసం ఆయన ప్రారంభించిన సరికొత్త పోరాటం గురించి తెలుసుకోవడానికి ఈ స్ఫూర్తిదాయక పాడ్కాస్ట్ ను అస్సలు మిస్ అవ్వకండి!తప్పకుండా వినండి!“Today belongs to us… tomorrow is never guaranteed” with this powerful thought, he dedicated his life to social service!In association with South India's CSR Summit, the first edition of “Charcha With Real Leaders” brings an inspiring conversation with Mr. Balachandra Sunku, founder of Abhaya Foundation, who shares deeply moving insights with us.While managing responsibilities as a Company Secretary, he has also carried out remarkable social service initiatives..distributing over 1,20,000 blankets,providing free driving training to more than 2,000 people,and supporting underprivileged students financially for higher education.With a powerful vision of creating a world with equality where there are no “haves and have-nots,” he has also initiated impactful work towards girls' safety and human values.Don't miss this inspiring episode that truly moves hearts.Make sure to listen!Guest: Balachandra SunkuHost: Vinil Reddy#TALRadioTelugu #CharchaWithRealLeaders #BalachandraSunku #AbhayaFoundation #CSRIndia #SocialService #InspiringStories #TeluguPodcast #LeadershipTalks #HumanValues #NGOIndia #MotivationalStory #RealLifeHeroes #SocialImpact #CommunityService #CSRInitiatives #InspirationalInterview #TALRadio #TouchALifeFoundation

In this raw, unfiltered conversation, we sit down with Dr. Ravikanth - Surgical Gastroenterologist and one of the foremost Bariatric & Metabolic Surgeons in South India - for a conversation that goes far beyond medicine. From snake bites in rural fields to the broken backbone of medical education, from the food on your plate to the fat your body stores - this episode will make you rethink everything.What we cover:-Snake bites - what actually happens inside your body & the truth about treatment-NEET & the collapse of medical education - paper leaks, suicides, and a 50-year-old syllabus-Corruption in medical education & the harsh reality of doctor salaries-Why entry-level doctor salaries don't match the sacrifice - and what needs to change-The weight of high-risk operations - what it takes to make life-or-death decisions-Parenting mistakes no one talks about - and why kids are becoming robots-Vaping, addiction, and why eating can be just as dangerous as smoking-Bariatric surgery, liposuction, Monjaro - what works and what doesn't-Insulin resistance & inflammation explained simply-A deeply personal tribute to his father

I'm recording this from a small town in Kerala, South India, somewhere I didn't expect to learn something so meaningful about language. Watching people communicate here without worrying about perfect grammar made me reflect on a story involving a friend of mine and a Japanese sake bar. It's a bit of a surprising one. If you've ever felt like you need to get your Japanese perfect before you speak, this episode is for you!

Get your hand-picked playbook here: https://www.figuringout.co/pdf/fo-516Guest Suggestion Form: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/bnaeY3FpoFU9ZjA47⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Disclaimer: This video is intended solely for educational purposes and opinions shared by the guest are his personal views. We do not intent to defame or harm any person/ brand/ product/ country/ profession mentioned in the video. Our goal is to provide information to help audience make informed choices. The media used in this video are solely for informational purposes and belongs to their respective owners.(00:00) - Intro(02:17) - A Shocking Insight Related to India & Alcohol(04:35) - Is Alcohol Consumption Declining in India?(08:10) - His Entrepreneurial Journey(19:29) - How Much Did He Invest in the Beginning?(20:15) - What Changed in Alcohol Acceptance Over the Last 40–50 Years?(26:18) - Did Constant Shifting Cost Him Sales?(36:06) - State-Wise Consumption & Prices(41:33) - Is Taking Alcohol Across States Illegal?(43:25) - How the Alcohol Business Operates State-Wise(1:00:26) - Should the Government Shut Down the Alcohol Business?(1:03:57) - How to Identify Legitimate Liquor(1:04:52) - Is the Glass Bottle Crisis Costing Him Money?(1:07:03) - 5-6 Things He Considers Before Opening a Store(1:09:49) - Living Liquidz: India's First Online Liquor Retail Store(1:16:04) - How Big Is the Duty-Free Business?(1:17:10) - What He Understands About Alcohol Consumers(1:28:57) - Top 3 Things That Make Alcohol Expensive(1:30:53) - The Most Expensive Bottle He Has Sold(1:34:49) - How Do People Discover a Brand Without Marketing?(1:37:36) - Why Celebrities Work With Him(1:42:15) - Is He Scared of the Giants?(1:42:41) - The Biggest Challenge in His Business(1:43:39) - How He Convinced Sanjay Dutt to Become a Partner(1:50:41) - One Business Opportunity People Can Start Today(1:58:42) - BTS(1:59:21) - OutroIn today's episode, we sit down with Mokksh Sani, Co-founder and Director at Living Liquidz & Cartel Bros Ltd to understand the business of alcohol in India and the trends shaping the industry.The conversation also covers the most consumed alcohol brands in India, why South India drives significant alcohol sales & the economics behind premium liquor pricing. We talk about India's massive illegal alcohol market, the difference between Scotch and whisky & some of the most expensive bottles ever sold.Subscribe for more such conversations.Follow Mokksh Sani here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mokksh_saniLinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/mokkshsaniFollow Living Liquidz here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingliquidzofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-liquidz-india-pvt-ltd-official/Follow Cartel Bros Ltd here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cartelbros_indiaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cartel-and-bros/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠About Raj ShamaniRaj Shamani is an Entrepreneur at heart that explains his expertise in Business Content Creation & Public Speaking. He has delivered 200+ speeches in 26+ countries. Besides that, Raj is also an Angel Investor interested in crazy minds who are creating a sensation in the Fintech, FMCG, & passion economy space.

Check out BeerBiceps SkillHouse Courses Here - https://www.bbskillhouse.comFor all BeerBiceps vlog content Watch Life Of BeerBiceps - https://www.youtube.com/@LifeOfBeerBicepsCheck out my Mind Performance app: Level SuperMindLink:- https://level4665.u9ilnk.me/d/F1ZOZV4OnTShare your guest suggestions hereMail - connect@beerbiceps.comLink - https://forms.gle/aoMHY9EE3Cg3Tqdx9Join the Level Community Here:https://linktr.ee/levelsupermindcommunityFollow BeerBiceps SkillHouse's Social Media Handles:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeerBicepsSkillHouseInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beerbiceps_skillhouseWebsite : https://beerbicepsskillhouse.inFor any other queries EMAIL: support@beerbicepsskillhouse.comIn case of any payment-related issues, kindly write to support@tagmango.comFollow Dr. Niraj Rai's Social Media Handles:-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirajbiotechgju X: https://www.instagram.com/nirajbiotechgjuIn this special episode 506th of The Ranveer Show, we are joined by Dr. Niraj Rai, a leading scientist in genetics, who shares deep insights on DNA, Human Evolution, Indian Ancestry, and Health. This episode takes you into the mysteries of our genetic code, the history of Indian populations, and how our environment shapes our biology.In this conversation with Dr. Niraj Rai, we talk about the 98% Mystery DNA, the impact of inbreeding in Indian communities, the "Heart Attack Gene" specific to South Asia, and the future of CRISPR technology. We also understand how genetics can reveal our true history, from the Indus Valley Civilization to the migrations that shaped modern India.This episode also covers the Gut Microbiome, the science behind the Gotra system, the evolutionary role of proteins, and how stress and happiness affect our genetic expression. We explore the differences between ancient and modern humans and the possibility of superhuman traits hidden within us.(00:00) – Start of the episode(01:59) – Dr. Niraj Rai Returns to TRS(02:55) – The Infinite Mystery of Human DNA(05:15) – Secret of the "Warrior Clan" Proteins(08:27) – Are we 99.9% the same?(11:49) – Why Chimpanzees are 6x Stronger than Humans(14:08) – AI & the Future of Genetic Engineering(16:52) – Epigenetics: How Mood changes your Biology(19:39) – Is the Indian Genetic Code deteriorating?(21:47) – Biohacking with Stem Cells & CRISPR(25:46) – The Harsh Truth about Caste-based Inbreeding(28:30) – Why Indians are prone to Heart Attacks(32:33) – Natural Selection & Virus Outbreaks(35:52) – What did Ancient Indians really eat?(42:54) – Is Autism the next stage of Human Evolution?(47:27) – Why Humans are losing Physical Strength(51:13) – The Genetic selection for Fair Skin in India(55:26) – CRISPR: Technology to create Super-Humans(1:07:27) – Why Punjabis have "Milk-Digesting" Genes(1:11:28) – Ancient Invasions & Genetic Mixing(1:18:33) – Scientific Logic behind the Gotra System(1:22:32) – Roman & Persian DNA in South India(1:26:14) – Criminal Genes & Inherited Trauma(1:28:37) – Hypoxia Therapy for Depression(1:34:25) – End of the episode

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Maya Tiwari reflects on a recent journey through South India, using the experience to discuss humanity's shift away from a restrictive "3D Matrix" toward a higher "5D frequency." She describes a massive cosmic upgrade to the human operating system, facilitated by galactic forces, which allows humanity to shed dualistic thinking, reclaim its sacred design, and step into a unified, enlightened state of consciousness.Key Talking Points & Themes1. Breaking Free from the Matrix and DualismThe "Matrix Weave": Tiwari describes the current societal system as an iron-clad matrix of darkness, rules, and divisionism that keeps the human mind ensnared.The Illusion of Separation: She opens up about her own recent internal struggles, realizing how dualistic thinking ("us vs. them") and the hidden ego can stunt our natural creative gifts, causing disease, decline, and despair.Surviving on "Smithereens": Despite these distortions, humanity has miraculously retained its sanity and created beauty, art, and joy from mere fragments of our original sacred design.2. Cosmic Recalibration via the Central SunSolar Transmissions: The Central Sun is rapidly increasing its solar output, sending heightened energetic frequencies, electromagnetic patterns, and adaptive radiation to Earth.Nervous System Upgrade: This influx of energy is actively altering human biology and emotion, forcing the nervous system to recalibrate, the heart portal to open, and the mind to unlearn false information.3. The Galactic Alliance and the 5D Operating SystemA Universal Effort: Highly advanced, enlightened universal forces—including the Galactic Federation of Light, Arcturians, Pleiadians, Andromedians, Sirians, and Lymans—have aligned to orchestrate this transition.Carbon to Light: At great peril to themselves, these forces are delivering a tech-vibrational upgrade to humanity's internal operating system, transitioning humans from carbon-based matrix prisoners to liberated, 5D Light Beings.4. Reclaiming the Role of the "Sorcerer"Tiwari urges individuals to move beyond being mere scholars of life and instead become sorcerers and magicians.For the first time in 26,000 years, humans are "frequency-armed" and capable of consciously weaving their own magical tapestries of grace, beauty, and compassion.Action Items & Practices for AscensionTiwari notes that this spiritual birthing process is "messy and gory," requiring deep commitment rather than tedium. To successfully anchor this new luminous operating system, she recommends the following daily practices:Vacuum the Mind: Actively clear away 3D mental clutter and detritus.The Violet Flame: Visualize a violet flame cleansing the container of the mind.Mindful Breathing: Maintain conscious awareness of your breath throughout the day.Share Vulnerability: Reach out to those who are lost and share personal struggles and clearing methods to help them feel less isolated.Simplify Meals: Align dietary choices with high-frequency light by practicing compassion and abstaining from eating animals.Contemplate and Bow: Create dedicated daily space for meditation, contemplation, and honoring the Divine Light.Final Takeaway: “We are the magician, the magic and the magical tapestry all woven into the One... Let us invite and embody this higher frequency and together strive to be the light to those struggling to find their way in darkness.”Support the showMay Peace Be Your Journey:Maya's approach transcends modern feminism by advocating for a holistic restoration of balance, moving beyond the fight for basic rights to reclaiming the innate power of the divine feminine, which includes procreation, forgiveness, nourishment, and cosmic creativity. She stresses the importance of kindness, inner stillness, and compassionate self-  tools for healing individuals and society. www.mayatiwari.comwww.facebook.com/mayatiwariahimsa.Buzzsprout.comMothermaya@gmail.comGet Maya's New Book: I Am  Shakti:https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/o-books/our-books/I-am-shaktiAmazon.comBookshop.org

This is the second gathering in SAND's ongoing series on AI and the human spirit — and it takes a deliberately different rhythm. Rather than asking "is AI safe?" or "will it take our jobs?", Tiokasin Ghosthorse and Pooja Prema invite us to slow down and ask the deeper questions: What cosmology is AI extending? What is intelligence, really? And what happens when the earth-based, organic, living intelligence of Indigenous and ancestral ways of knowing gets replaced by a synthetic one? A spacious, felt-sense conversation that asks us to remember what a living mind actually is. Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome & framing the deeper questions 00:04 — Opening body practice: tuning into felt sense before speaking 00:07 — Tiokasin: AI as the latest ship on the shore — colonization in a new form 00:17 — "There is no artificial intuition" — what technology cannot replace 00:18 — Pooja: the cosmology behind AI — colonial linearity vs. the curving motherboard of Earth 00:25 — AI as the latest savior narrative — and why that story keeps repeating 00:45 — Who owns the data? Who controls the intelligence? The politics of AI 01:05 — AI as therapist, AI replacing elders — the cost to young people and mental health 01:10 — Ghost in the Machine: how to resist empire over the long game 01:15 — Closing: "Our body is the mystic" — an invitation to make this a living inquiry Guests Tiokasin Ghosthorse is a member of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation and lifelong Indigenous activist. He is the founder and host of First Voices Radio, which broadcast for 33 years before its final episode in July 2025. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016, is a National Native American Hall of Fame nominee, and a master musician who performs worldwide. He describes himself simply as "a perfectly flawed human being." He is also featured in SAND's film The Eternal Song. Pooja Prema is a first-generation Indian American writer, multidisciplinary artist, and ritualist from Kerala, South India. Her work weaves ecofeminism, decolonial somatic practice, and animistic cosmologies. She is the founder of The Rites of Passage Project and The Ritual Theatre. Her work has been featured at the Kennedy Center, Ebony Magazine, and NPR. Resources & Links Tiokasin Ghosthorse Akantu Intelligence — website First Voices Radio — archive Featured in The Eternal Song — SAND film Pooja Prema Website: poojaprema.com The Rites of Passage Project The Ritual Theatre Instagram: @thecabinwitch Film referenced Ghost in the Machine — documentary directed by Valerie Veatch, Sundance 2026 — traces the buried history of AI and its roots in eugenics, racism, and colonial power. Featuring Tasheka Lavann on how indigenous nations are resisting data centers and how we resist empire over generations. Concepts discussed Conspecific aggression — Tiokasin's term for what happens when a species competes so aggressively over shared resources that it turns on itself Present-phobic language — technology as a tool for escaping the present into an imagined future The real motherboard — Pooja's framing of Earth and cosmos as the original curving, relational, non-linear intelligence that AI's linear grid cannot replicate SAND series context Part 1 of The Great AI Unraveling — with Tristan Harris The Eternal Song — SAND film series Contact SAND podcast@scienceandnonduality.com Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member

Just outside Madurai, beneath the scorching southern sun, the excavations at Keeladi have unsettled long-held ideas about India's ancient history. Since its discovery in 2014, the site has emerged as one of the country's most contested digs: celebrated by some as evidence of a thriving urban civilisation in South India, and questioned by others as political mythmaking. In her book The Dig, journalist and author Sowmiya Ashok traces this journey from serendipitous find to cultural flashpoint, traveling from Iron Age Tamil Nadu to Harappan Rakhigarhi, revealing how battles over the past shape our understanding of India's layered identity today. Sowmiya will be joined by archaeometallurgist Dr. Sharada Srinivasan whose pioneering work has brought to light insights into ancient mining and metallurgy, having also worked on Iron Age-Early Historic sites especially in Tamil Nadu. They will be in conversation with Pooja Prasanna, of The News Minute. Together they will explore how archaeology, science, and power intersect: revealing an ancient diversity that continues to shape contemporary India. In this episode of BIC Talks, Sowmiya Ashok and Sharada Srinivasan will be in conversation with Pooja Prasanna. This is an excerpt from a conversation that took place in the BIC premises in Jan 2026. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible, and Amazon Music.

How does a man transition from a "flogged prince" to a revolutionary sovereign? Ramjee Chandran explores the formative trauma and brilliant administrative mind of Tipu Sultan. Following the death of Hyder Ali, Tipu inherited a state designed for perpetual war and set about the impossible task of making it thrive in peace. From the public humiliation that defined his sense of discipline to the creation of a "modern" bureaucracy that even the British would eventually copy, this episode reveals Tipu as a "scientist-king" operating in a feudal world—a ruler who demanded absolute obedience because he had felt the lash of it himself. Key Details from the Script: The Public Flogging: In 1771, a teenage Tipu was publicly whipped on Hyder Ali's orders for disobeying military commands during a battle. The act was calculated "theatre" to prove that military discipline superseded blood loyalty. Fiscal Revolution: Tipu systematically dismantled the palegar system—hereditary chieftains who had acted as semi-independent despots—and replaced them with a salaried, accountable bureaucracy. The Peasant's Win: By removing middleman corruption, Tipu nearly doubled state revenues while actually reducing the tax burden on individual peasants. The British Debt: British officials like Thomas Munro were so impressed by Tipu's revenue system that they used it as the foundation for the colonial Ryotwari settlement across South India. The Scientist-King: Unlike his illiterate father, Tipu was an intellectual who spoke four languages, owned a 2,000-volume library, and entertained (or terrified) British officers with demonstrations of electricity and physics. Ending the Fiction: In 1786, Tipu abandoned the charade of Wadiyar rule, formally declaring himself sovereign and eventually winding up the institution of the Maharaja altogether by 1796. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to hob@explocity.com. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.

How does a man transition from a "flogged prince" to a revolutionary sovereign? Ramjee Chandran explores the formative trauma and brilliant administrative mind of Tipu Sultan. Following the death of Hyder Ali, Tipu inherited a state designed for perpetual war and set about the impossible task of making it thrive in peace. From the public humiliation that defined his sense of discipline to the creation of a "modern" bureaucracy that even the British would eventually copy, this episode reveals Tipu as a "scientist-king" operating in a feudal world—a ruler who demanded absolute obedience because he had felt the lash of it himself. Key Details from the Script: The Public Flogging: In 1771, a teenage Tipu was publicly whipped on Hyder Ali's orders for disobeying military commands during a battle. The act was calculated "theatre" to prove that military discipline superseded blood loyalty. Fiscal Revolution: Tipu systematically dismantled the palegar system—hereditary chieftains who had acted as semi-independent despots—and replaced them with a salaried, accountable bureaucracy. The Peasant's Win: By removing middleman corruption, Tipu nearly doubled state revenues while actually reducing the tax burden on individual peasants. The British Debt: British officials like Thomas Munro were so impressed by Tipu's revenue system that they used it as the foundation for the colonial Ryotwari settlement across South India. The Scientist-King: Unlike his illiterate father, Tipu was an intellectual who spoke four languages, owned a 2,000-volume library, and entertained (or terrified) British officers with demonstrations of electricity and physics. Ending the Fiction: In 1786, Tipu abandoned the charade of Wadiyar rule, formally declaring himself sovereign and eventually winding up the institution of the Maharaja altogether by 1796. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to hob@explocity.com. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.

In this episode, we perceive a moment of clarity at the end of a dilemma, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 245, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents surprising details about a particular animal in this domain. ‘உயிரினும் சிறந்த ஒண் பொருள் தருமார்நன்று புரி காட்சியர் சென்றனர், அவர்’ எனமனை வலித்து ஒழியும் மதுகையள் ஆதல்நீ நற்கு அறிந்தனைஆயின், நீங்கி,மழை பெயல் மறந்த கழை திரங்கு இயவில்,செல் சாத்து எறியும் பண்பு இல் வாழ்க்கைவல் வில் இளையர் தலைவர், எல் உற,வரி கிளர் பணைத் தோள், வயிறு அணி திதலை,அரியலாட்டியர் அல்கு மனை வரைப்பில்,மகிழ் நொடை பெறாஅராகி, நனை கவுள்கான யானை வெண் கோடு சுட்டி,மன்று ஓடு புதல்வன் புன் தலை நீவும்அரு முனைப் பாக்கத்து அல்கி, வைகுற,நிழல் படக் கவின்ற நீள்அரை இலவத்துஅழல் அகைந்தன்ன அலங்குசினை ஒண் பூக்குழல் இசைத் தும்பி ஆர்க்கும் ஆங்கண்,குறும் பொறை உணங்கும் ததர் வெள் என்புகடுங் கால் ஒட்டகத்து அல்கு பசி தீர்க்கும்கல் நெடுங் கவலைய கானம் நீந்தி,அம் மா அரிவை ஒழிய,சென்மோ நெஞ்சம்! வாரலென் யானே. In this trip to this harsh domain, we get to glimpse at many unique sights, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart: “If you know very well that she has the strength to say, ‘Wishing to bring back that radiant thing, which has more worth than life, having the wisdom to do the right things, he has left', and remain at home, then, parting away, you may go, O heart, to those spaces, which the rains have forsaken and where dried bamboos abound. And here, attacking merchants, who tread these paths, those men with sturdy bows live a life lacking culture. When night falls, their leader reaches the gates of homes, which belong to maiden, with thick bamboo-like arms having radiant lines, and bellies with beauty spots many, who sell filtered toddy. Not finding that drink of ecstasy, he would return home, and pointing to the white tusk, which had come from a wild elephant with moistened cheeks, he would caress the coarse-haired head of his son, playing around the house. In such a wild community, stay the night, and leave by morning, to those places, where upon the swaying branches of the silk-cotton tree, with a thick trunk, one which renders an exquisite shade, radiant flowers bloom, akin to flames fluttering, and bees buzz around like flutes. Nearby upon a short boulder, lies drying white bones, which satisfies the deep hunger of camels with fast legs. Traversing these stony, long paths in the scrub jungle, leaving that beautiful, dark-skinned maiden here, you may go, O heart! I shan't come!” Let’s walk on and explore those barren spaces! The man starts with an ‘if clause’ to his heart. He tells his heart, ‘If you know one thing for sure, you may leave, and that is if you know the lady has the ability to remain at home and understand the logic and importance of the journey to be taken in search of wealth’. Then, he launches into a description of the place where he is asking his heart to leave, and to do that, he focuses on the denizens of the said place. First, we catch a glimpse of merchants walking here and then robbers attacking them. The man decides to zoom on the leader of this rowdy gang and follows him as he walks in the late evening hour, towards the home of toddy sellers, who happen to be women with bamboo-like arms and beautiful bellies. Here’s a subtle indicator that women had a hand in handling trade in those times.  Returning, we learn that all that toddy is sold out and the man returns home, and he points to the white tusk, which he had taken for the barter, which had come from an elephant in musth, and caresses the head of his young son, as a way of inspiring the lad to aim for great things in life, like hunting down an elephant. Leaving aside the animal rights implications, let’s just appreciate this moment of bonding between a robber father and his son. The man had been telling this story only to predict that the heart would end up staying in such a community, and then in the morning, it would leave to a place, where silk-cotton trees were in full bloom, and their flowers would appear like spots of flames atop the branches. When we are delighting, ‘Oh! What a pretty sight!’, the man turns our attention to some white bones lying scattered on nearby rocks. Remember how some merchants got attacked in the beginning of this tale? Perhaps all the scavengers have had their fill and only the drying, white bones of those dead merchants are left. Now the man talks about something fascinating. He says a camel would come that way and feed on those bones to allay its burning hunger. Here lies not one but two things that stunned me no end! My first question was, ‘What is a camel doing in South India?’. Next question, okay maybe there’s some reason that there are camels, but aren’t they herbivores and why is this verse saying they are eating bones? Surely the Sangam folk must have got their animals mixed up! Turns out they have not! Though it’s true that camels are not native to Tamil land, it shows evidence of trade with other regions, and it seems like a sound idea of those merchants to bring this animal with steady legs for their journeys through the drylands. Next, coming to the bones, I learnt that camels do eat bones and assorted other things like leather and skin, whenever their calcium and phosphorus levels dip down. Apparently, it’s a phenomenon called ‘osteophagia’. As it is these animals are wandering about desert landscapes and guess it makes sense that these animals have to make do with what they get and not be strict about their vegan diets!  Back from our consorting with camels, we see that the man has been talking to his heart, asking it to leave to such arid landscapes, leaving the lady, and concluding that he was not planning on accompanying his heart. In essence, a clear decision in favour of staying at home, against the nudge of his heart, which was pushing him to part with the lady. This is yet another case of the man separating his heart from himself! What is the heart if not a part in the man’s mind, which was provoking him to choose a different path? This demarcation of the man and his heart in two thousand year old poem makes me connect the same principle to modern psychological techniques like ‘Internal Family Systems’, which ask the ‘Self’ in the mind to separate from the emotional parts to truly understand what’s going on in the psyche! A valuable lesson in dealing with dilemmas, as sensed intuitively by our ancestors with their deep understanding of the human mind!  

This episode explores the realities, challenges, and strength of women in South India, connecting current affairs with lived experiences. It highlights issues of safety, identity, culture, and empowerment while recognising the everyday resilience of women. Through reflection and discussion, the program amplifies voices that are often unheard and celebrates women as agents of change.

What does it actually take to run a multi-brand dealership group? In the latest episode of Boss Talks, we have Vasanthi Bhupathi, Dealer Principal, Kun Exclusive BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and Anup Venkatesh in conversation with Ed, Sirish Chandran. The Kun group represents 12 brands across 110 touch points, sold nearly 38,000 cars last year, and serviced half a million vehicles, making them the largest dealership group in South India and one of the most respected in the country.In this episode, the guests talk about how Kun group started with one Hyundai dealership 27 years ago and grew to Rolls-Royce, BMW, Mini, Porsche and beyond. The real margins in the car business and why service is not the goldmine people think it is. How EVs will fundamentally change the dealership model and what happens to service revenue when cars stop needing oil changes. The brutal truth about starting a dealership today, from the capital required, why so many fail, and what manufacturers actually look for in a dealer partner. Vasanthi also shares a special story about Hyderabad Gold, how one customer's Rolls-Royce colour is now in the official Rolls-Royce global catalogue. How Kun kept all 6,000 employees on full salary through COVID and why that decision changed everything. Career paths inside a dealership group, from receptionist to top BMW salesperson, from Hyundai fresher to luxury brand CEO. And the one thing every outsider gets completely wrong about the dealership business. If you are considering buying a car, working in the automotive industry, or thinking about starting a dealership, this is the most honest conversation about the business of owning and running a car dealership you will find anywhere.

Scholar, Serpent, Yogin, and Devotee: The Many Faces of Patañjali in Indian Traditions (Brill, 2025) illuminates the many faces of Patañjali in Indian traditions. Often regarded as an incarnation of the cosmic serpent Ādiśeṣa or Anantanāga, Patañjali is celebrated, in both story and art, as a grammarian, scholar and practitioner of yoga, physician-alchemist, medical authority, teacher, ascetic, and devotee of the Dancing Śiva (Naṭarāja). The first three chapters examine the literary works attributed to Patañjali, explore legendary accounts and beliefs associated with this multifaceted figure, and survey temples and shrines dedicated to the sage. The following five chapters trace the development of Patañjali's iconography from its earliest forms in Tamilnadu, South India, to contemporary examples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Scholar, Serpent, Yogin, and Devotee: The Many Faces of Patañjali in Indian Traditions (Brill, 2025) illuminates the many faces of Patañjali in Indian traditions. Often regarded as an incarnation of the cosmic serpent Ādiśeṣa or Anantanāga, Patañjali is celebrated, in both story and art, as a grammarian, scholar and practitioner of yoga, physician-alchemist, medical authority, teacher, ascetic, and devotee of the Dancing Śiva (Naṭarāja). The first three chapters examine the literary works attributed to Patañjali, explore legendary accounts and beliefs associated with this multifaceted figure, and survey temples and shrines dedicated to the sage. The following five chapters trace the development of Patañjali's iconography from its earliest forms in Tamilnadu, South India, to contemporary examples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

Scholar, Serpent, Yogin, and Devotee: The Many Faces of Patañjali in Indian Traditions (Brill, 2025) illuminates the many faces of Patañjali in Indian traditions. Often regarded as an incarnation of the cosmic serpent Ādiśeṣa or Anantanāga, Patañjali is celebrated, in both story and art, as a grammarian, scholar and practitioner of yoga, physician-alchemist, medical authority, teacher, ascetic, and devotee of the Dancing Śiva (Naṭarāja). The first three chapters examine the literary works attributed to Patañjali, explore legendary accounts and beliefs associated with this multifaceted figure, and survey temples and shrines dedicated to the sage. The following five chapters trace the development of Patañjali's iconography from its earliest forms in Tamilnadu, South India, to contemporary examples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

Scholar, Serpent, Yogin, and Devotee: The Many Faces of Patañjali in Indian Traditions (Brill, 2025) illuminates the many faces of Patañjali in Indian traditions. Often regarded as an incarnation of the cosmic serpent Ādiśeṣa or Anantanāga, Patañjali is celebrated, in both story and art, as a grammarian, scholar and practitioner of yoga, physician-alchemist, medical authority, teacher, ascetic, and devotee of the Dancing Śiva (Naṭarāja). The first three chapters examine the literary works attributed to Patañjali, explore legendary accounts and beliefs associated with this multifaceted figure, and survey temples and shrines dedicated to the sage. The following five chapters trace the development of Patañjali's iconography from its earliest forms in Tamilnadu, South India, to contemporary examples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Learn how real travel experiences can transform the way you see impact, responsibility and your role in the world. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE In Part 3 of this conversation, Priyanka Surio shares how her travels across Antarctica, South India, and Costa Rica reshaped her understanding of what it means to travel responsibly. She reflects on how the fragile ecosystems of Antarctica shaped her blueprint for “sustainable travel,” and how participating in a community-led travel caravan in South India demonstrated what regenerative travel looks like in practice. Priyanka also recounts her experience engaging with Indigenous communities in Costa Rica and how those encounters challenged her to rethink tourism, reciprocity, and the role of travelers in local ecosystems. Along the way, she explores how music can create meaningful cross-cultural connection and explains how she builds community in an itinerant nomadic lifestyle. This episode offers a grounded look at how real-world travel experiences can transform the way we think about impact, responsibility, and connection across cultures. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that's not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally You can buy me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

Religion, Spirituality and Public Health: Competing and Complementary Epistemes (British Academy, 2025) focuses on exploring the role of different 'ways of knowing' or arriving at truth, i.e. epistemes, particularly those found in religious and alternative health milieus. While biomedical solutions offer a dominant narrative, these are articulated differently in global contexts. Moreover, individuals often draw upon alternative framings that are sometimes oppositional to and at other times engaged with directives from medical and governmental authorities. The focus of this volume is worldviews and epistemes that are often marginalised or rejected in dominant discourses -- from shamanism in Korea to African Pentecostalism in Britain, and from global online 'AntiVax' narratives to traditional Siddha medicine in South India. Detailed case studies explore the contested, competing and strategically aligned relationships between mainstream and marginal epistemes; between religious healing, spirituality and biomedicine; and between politics and belief. These explorations promote greater insight into how marginalised religious epistemes are employed. Which beliefs and practices are drawn upon to create meaningful and effective responses? And how can we better understand the depth and breadth of these reactions to design more successful public health strategies for future global health crises? Links Inform: here  Book: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Religion, Spirituality and Public Health: Competing and Complementary Epistemes (British Academy, 2025) focuses on exploring the role of different 'ways of knowing' or arriving at truth, i.e. epistemes, particularly those found in religious and alternative health milieus. While biomedical solutions offer a dominant narrative, these are articulated differently in global contexts. Moreover, individuals often draw upon alternative framings that are sometimes oppositional to and at other times engaged with directives from medical and governmental authorities. The focus of this volume is worldviews and epistemes that are often marginalised or rejected in dominant discourses -- from shamanism in Korea to African Pentecostalism in Britain, and from global online 'AntiVax' narratives to traditional Siddha medicine in South India. Detailed case studies explore the contested, competing and strategically aligned relationships between mainstream and marginal epistemes; between religious healing, spirituality and biomedicine; and between politics and belief. These explorations promote greater insight into how marginalised religious epistemes are employed. Which beliefs and practices are drawn upon to create meaningful and effective responses? And how can we better understand the depth and breadth of these reactions to design more successful public health strategies for future global health crises? Links Inform: here  Book: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

Religion, Spirituality and Public Health: Competing and Complementary Epistemes (British Academy, 2025) focuses on exploring the role of different 'ways of knowing' or arriving at truth, i.e. epistemes, particularly those found in religious and alternative health milieus. While biomedical solutions offer a dominant narrative, these are articulated differently in global contexts. Moreover, individuals often draw upon alternative framings that are sometimes oppositional to and at other times engaged with directives from medical and governmental authorities. The focus of this volume is worldviews and epistemes that are often marginalised or rejected in dominant discourses -- from shamanism in Korea to African Pentecostalism in Britain, and from global online 'AntiVax' narratives to traditional Siddha medicine in South India. Detailed case studies explore the contested, competing and strategically aligned relationships between mainstream and marginal epistemes; between religious healing, spirituality and biomedicine; and between politics and belief. These explorations promote greater insight into how marginalised religious epistemes are employed. Which beliefs and practices are drawn upon to create meaningful and effective responses? And how can we better understand the depth and breadth of these reactions to design more successful public health strategies for future global health crises? Links Inform: here  Book: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

Religion, Spirituality and Public Health: Competing and Complementary Epistemes (British Academy, 2025) focuses on exploring the role of different 'ways of knowing' or arriving at truth, i.e. epistemes, particularly those found in religious and alternative health milieus. While biomedical solutions offer a dominant narrative, these are articulated differently in global contexts. Moreover, individuals often draw upon alternative framings that are sometimes oppositional to and at other times engaged with directives from medical and governmental authorities. The focus of this volume is worldviews and epistemes that are often marginalised or rejected in dominant discourses -- from shamanism in Korea to African Pentecostalism in Britain, and from global online 'AntiVax' narratives to traditional Siddha medicine in South India. Detailed case studies explore the contested, competing and strategically aligned relationships between mainstream and marginal epistemes; between religious healing, spirituality and biomedicine; and between politics and belief. These explorations promote greater insight into how marginalised religious epistemes are employed. Which beliefs and practices are drawn upon to create meaningful and effective responses? And how can we better understand the depth and breadth of these reactions to design more successful public health strategies for future global health crises? Links Inform: here  Book: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Religion, Spirituality and Public Health: Competing and Complementary Epistemes (British Academy, 2025) focuses on exploring the role of different 'ways of knowing' or arriving at truth, i.e. epistemes, particularly those found in religious and alternative health milieus. While biomedical solutions offer a dominant narrative, these are articulated differently in global contexts. Moreover, individuals often draw upon alternative framings that are sometimes oppositional to and at other times engaged with directives from medical and governmental authorities. The focus of this volume is worldviews and epistemes that are often marginalised or rejected in dominant discourses -- from shamanism in Korea to African Pentecostalism in Britain, and from global online 'AntiVax' narratives to traditional Siddha medicine in South India. Detailed case studies explore the contested, competing and strategically aligned relationships between mainstream and marginal epistemes; between religious healing, spirituality and biomedicine; and between politics and belief. These explorations promote greater insight into how marginalised religious epistemes are employed. Which beliefs and practices are drawn upon to create meaningful and effective responses? And how can we better understand the depth and breadth of these reactions to design more successful public health strategies for future global health crises? Links Inform: here  Book: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As US President Donald Trump threatens to destroy Iran's “whole civilization” we take a look back at Iran's heritage over the centuries. Also, opposition politician Cheng Li-wun visits China to bolster Taiwan's ties to the mainland as the war in Iran raises concerns about the US's military bandwidth. And, people in South India are creating mechanical elephants to replace real ones during Hindu religious services. Plus, a visit to Akira Comics in Spain, which attributes its success to immersive fantasy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In this episode, we perceive the wonder in a mother’s heart, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 207, penned by Madurai Ezhuthaalan Senthampoothanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse portrays the formidable nature of this domain. அணங்குடை முந்நீர் பரந்த செறுவின்உணங்கு திறம் பெயர்ந்த வெண் கல் அமிழ்தம்குட புல மருங்கின் உய்ம்மார், புள் ஓர்த்துப்படை அமைத்து எழுந்த பெருஞ் செய் ஆடவர்நிரைப் பரப் பொறைய நரைப் புறக் கழுதைக்குறைக் குளம்பு உதைத்த கல் பிறழ் இயவின்,வெஞ் சுரம் போழ்ந்த, அஞ்சுவரு கவலை,மிஞிறு ஆர் கடாஅம் கரந்து விடு கவுள,வெயில் தின வருந்திய, நீடு மருப்பு ஒருத்தல்பிணர் அழி பெருங் கை புரண்ட கூவல்தெண் கண் உவரிக் குறைக் குட முகவை,அறனிலாளன் தோண்ட, வெய்து உயிர்த்து,பிறைநுதல் வியர்ப்ப, உண்டனள்கொல்லோதேம் கலந்து அளைஇய தீம் பால் ஏந்திக்கூழை உளர்ந்து மோழைமை கூறவும்,மறுத்த சொல்லள் ஆகி,வெறுத்த உள்ளமொடு உண்ணாதோளே? In this trip to the drylands, we get to hear mother say these words, at a time when her daughter had eloped away with the man: “In fields that spread near divine seas, flourishes that elixir of white salt with a well-dried texture. Gathering these and intending to take it to regions in the west, biding their time for the right bird omens, organising into groups, men of efficient action traverse along with their donkeys, laden with sacks of salt on the beasts’ white backs, and tread along the stony paths, with pebbles scattered by worn-out hooves of these beasts. Through the same formidable paths in the scorching drylands, treads a male elephant, with long tusks and musth-flowing cheeks, swarming with bees, distressed by the heat, and searches for water, amidst a pit with its long and coarse trunk. From this very pit, digging up brackish water that fills only half a cup, that graceless man, renders unto her. Letting out a hot sigh, as her crescent-moon-like forehead sweats, did she drink that up? When I used to offer honey-infused sweet milk, caressing her tresses and speaking sweet words, she would say ‘no' and with dislike in her heart, would never drink that up. How could she do this now?” Let’s brave those scorching spaces once again and know more! Mother starts by describing salt fields near the shore, talking about how people there harvest this much sought-after elixir. Then, she describes these harvesters of salt are not content in keeping their produce for themselves, and wish to take it to regions in the west… this line tells us the salt-making is happening on the eastern coast of present-day South India, near the Bay of Bengal. The vehicles these men use for their journey are donkeys and the backs of these donkeys are heavily laden with sacks of salt, mother describes, and she zooms on to the worn-out hooves of these beasts of burden, and the pebbles they scatter on the stony paths. Mother ends this scene here and after an interval of time, on that same pebble-scattered, stony path, we see heavy footprints of an elephant in musth, running crazily in search of water, roving here and there, and locating a pit, it tries to gather the salty water from there. Once more, this scene with the elephant goes curtain down, and after some time, we see the man digging up the same pit to find some water for his beloved. Now mother concludes by asking how the lady was able to drink this foul liquid, adding that this girl was someone, who would refuse to drink even a portion of honeyed milk, offered with tender care and sweet words by her!  Yet again, it’s that awe that strikes many a mother, when their children seem to grow up and do never-before things independently, why because, a part of their mind will always be etched with the memory of that helpless being they held so protectively in their arms, a while ago!

Since its discovery in 2014, the Keeladi excavation near Madurai has emerged as one of India's most contested archaeological sites – celebrated by some as evidence of an early urban civilisation in South India, and dismissed by others as an exercise in political mythmaking. In her latest book, The Dig: Keeladi and the Politics of India's Past, journalist Sowmiya Ashok traces the accidental unearthing of this ancient settlement and the political storm that followed. Her journey moves across India's archaeological landscape – from early Iron Age sites in Tamil Nadu to the Harappan site of Rakhigarhi in Haryana, and the lost port of Muziris in Kerala. Along the way, she speaks with archaeologists while enduring the blazing heat, clings to precarious platforms at a roaring jallikattu arena, and even samples fragments of ancient pottery at an excavation site. Sowmiya Ashok speaks to Kulasegaram Sanchayan about The Dig. - 2014ஆம் ஆண்டு கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டதிலிருந்து, மதுரைக்கு அருகிலுள்ள கீழடி அகழாய்வு, இந்தியாவின் மிக அதிகமாக விவாதிக்கப்படும் தொல்லியல் தளங்களில் ஒன்றாக மாறியுள்ளது. தென்னிந்தியாவில் ஒரு நகர்மயமான பண்டைய நாகரிகம் இருந்ததற்கான சான்று என சிலர் இதை போற்றினாலும், மற்றவர்கள் இதை அரசியல் நோக்கமுடைய வரலாற்றுக் கற்பனை என நிராகரிக்கின்றனர். இந்தப் பின்னணியில், The Dig: Keeladi and the Politics of India's Past என்ற தலைப்பில் சமீபத்தில் ஒரு நூலை வெளியிட்டுள்ள பத்திரிகையாளர் சௌமியா அஷோக், கீழடி என்ற பண்டைய குடியிருப்பு எவ்வாறு தற்செயலாக வெளிப்பட்டது என்பதையும், அதனைத் தொடர்ந்து எழுந்த அரசியல் புயலையும் விரிவாகப் பதிவு செய்கிறார். தமிழ்நாட்டின் இரும்புக் காலத்திற்குரிய ஆரம்பகால தளங்களிலிருந்து, ஹரியானாவின் ஹரப்பா நாகரிகத் தளமான ராக்கிகடி, கேரளாவின் மறைந்துபோன துறைமுக நகரமான முசிறி வரை – இந்தியாவின் பல தொல்லியல் நிலப்பரப்புகள் வழியே அவரது பயணம் விரிகிறது. அந்தப் பயணத்தில், கொளுத்தும் வெயிலில் அகழாய்வு தளங்களில் தொல்லியலாளர்களுடன் உரையாடுகிறார்; ஆர்ப்பாட்டமான ஜல்லிக்கட்டு அரங்கில் நடுங்கும் மேடைகளில் தன்னை நிலைநிறுத்திக்கொள்கிறார்; அகழாய்வுத் தளத்தில் கிடைத்த பழங்கால பானைச் சில்லுகளையும் சுவைத்துப் பார்க்கிறார். ‘The Dig' என்ற அவரது நூல் குறித்து, பத்திரிகையாளர் சௌமியா அசோக், குலசேகரம் சஞ்சயனுடன் உரையாடுகிறார்.

In this episode of “RKD Group: Thinkers,” we sit down with Mallory Martin, founder and CEO of Mended, a social impact business partnering with survivors of human trafficking to create hand block–printed textiles. Mallory's journey spans professional sports, international nonprofit fundraising and now entrepreneurship. What connects each chapter is purpose. From selling six-figure sponsorships for the Dallas Stars to fundraising for the International Justice Mission (IJM), and ultimately launching her own mission-driven brand, Mallory's path reveals how nothing is wasted when calling and capability align. Her story is one of tension and transformation: loving the for-profit business world while feeling drawn to humanitarian impact, navigating motherhood and career shifts, wrestling with the emotional weight of confronting modern-day slavery and eventually stepping away from stability to build something new. Today, Mended employs 23 survivors of bonded labor slavery in South India who create hand block–printed tea towels, table linens and textiles. Each product carries a story of restoration. What stands out most about Mallory is her clarity. She knows what she's good at, what she's not good at and why she's building what she's building.

18th Feb 2026 In this Satsang, Sanjay shared his experiences from the retreat, including meeting with members of the group in Delhi and South India. The group discussed their upcoming retreat to celebrate Bhagavan's Advent Day in Arunachala. Several participants, including Jonas and Star, shared their experiences and gratitude for the retreat. The conversation ended with Sanjay delivering a spiritual teaching about the nature of awareness, consciousness, and bliss, encouraging the group to remain present in their true nature rather than being controlled by the mind.These are teachings and pointers from ongoing NDA(Non-duality awareness)/Advaitic Satsangs held at Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Arunachala Ramanaya !

"Health is very simple. It's disease that's complicated."Join Dr. Muktan Sullivan as he shares his incredible spiritual journey from backpacking across Europe and India in the 1970s to becoming a devoted disciple of Swami Satchidananda. Discover how yoga, Buddhism, and Ayurveda transformed his life, including firsthand stories of selfless service, karma yoga, and the power of a true guru. Perfect for anyone seeking inspiration on meditation, health, and living with purpose.In this episode:- Travel adventures in India and Thailand- First encounters with yoga and meditation- Life at the ashram and teacher training- Insights on Ayurveda as a lifestyle for balance and wellness- Lessons on unconditional love, ego, and divine guidanceTimestamps:00:00 - Intro & Meeting Gurudev00:36 - Backpacking to India in 197301:53 - Living in a Buddhist Monastery03:08 - Discovering Hatha Yoga & First Retreat05:07 - Introduction to Ayurveda08:14 - Power of Selfless Service14:56 - Gurudev's Presence & Impact19:10 - Relationship with the Guru22:38 - Practical Wisdom & Curiosity26:53 - Divine Guidance in Life30:52 - Overcoming Ego & Fear35:12 - Unconditional Love & Self-Realization37:05 - Defining Ayurveda: Science of Life39:36 - Health as a Lifelong Journey46:57 - Illness, Karma, & Honesty49:10 - Closing Thoughts & GratitudeDr. Michael Muktan Sullivan, is a Chiropractor and yoga instructor for the past 45 years. He is a diplomat from the International Ayurvedic Institute and has studied and worked at the Ayurvedic Hospital in Caimbatore, South India and completed Advanced Studies in Pune, India. He is a lecturer and workshop leader in back care, Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda.For more information and to get in touch with Dr. Sullivan, visit: riverviewspa.com--If you're into yoga stories, spiritual growth, Ayurveda tips, or Swami Satchidananda teachings, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and turn on notifications for more inspiring podcasts!#YogaJourney #Ayurveda #SwamiSatchidananda #SpiritualAwakening #SelflessService Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bengaluru beats to a pulsing rhythm. Change is the only constant here. Innovation is its lifeblood and migration has shaped its character into a thriving metropolitan. As the city draws new age settlers, residential offerings must rise to meet the demand of buyers who expect nothing but the best. Real estate, however, has a reputation of being slow to evolve. In this episode of Unusual Suspects, host Gaurav Choudhury speaks to P Ravindra Pai, the Managing Director of Century Real Estate which is regarded as one of the oldest and most respected real estate companies in South India. Listen in to know how a legacy company keeps delivering housing projects that resonate with buyers - whose profiles are as diverse as India's population.

Hyderabad -Telangana, February 8, 2026: South India States Nirankari Sant Samagam -Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

Dr. Monty Pal and Dr. Atul Batra discuss the PLANeT study from India, which evaluated low-dose pembrolizumab in addition to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer, and its place among a growing body of international research on improving efficacy while reducing costs and toxicity with lower doses of immunotherapy. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Monty Pal: Hello and welcome to the ASCO Daily News Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Monty Pal. I'm a medical oncologist, professor, and vice chair of academic affairs at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles. My guest today, I think, is going to be a really riveting one. It's Dr. Atul Batra, who is an additional professor of medical oncology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, or AIIMS, in New Delhi. And he's also the senior author of the PLANeT study. It's a very compelling study that evaluated low-dose pembrolizumab in addition to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer. And it's really a big part of a growing body of research that's showing balanced efficacy when we use lower doses of immunotherapy instead of standard doses to reduce cost, as well as potentially toxicity. I think this has huge implications for our global audience, and I'm so thrilled to have you on the podcast today, Dr. Atul Batra, welcome. Dr. Atul Batra: Thank you, Dr. Pal. Dr. Monty Pal: And we'll just take it with first names from here since we're both friends. I have to give the audience some context. Atul, I had the great honor of visiting AIIMS New Delhi. For those that don't know, this is really, you know, the Harvard Medical School of India. It's the most competitive institution for medical training. And on the back end of that, there's also incredible resources when it comes to clinical trials and infrastructure. I just wanted to have you give the audience sort of a scope of the types of trials that you've been able to do at AIIMS New Delhi. Dr. Atul Batra: Thank you, Monty. So, I work at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and we had the honor and pleasure of having Monty here this month. And people are still in awe of his lectures that he delivered there. Coming back to our institute, so it's kind of a medical college. It's one of the oldest ones, it was built in 1956. We are lucky enough that we get the best of the residents and fellows because they have to go through an exam, a competitive exam, and mostly it's them who come to us and we're able to do some good work out here. Regarding the trials that we have conducted, we do conduct some investigator-initiated studies, and we try to answer the questions where we can help our own patients. Like, for example, this PLANeT study. Every other patient in the clinic was almost not able to afford Keytruda at the full dose, pembrolizumab, and we had a lot of evidence creeping in that a lower dose might be helpful. And that's how we planned this study. Before that, there are certain cancers that are peculiar to India, like gallbladder cancer, head and neck cancers. These are much more common in India as compared to the U.S., and there are some good studies that have been conducted from our own institute by our senior colleagues which have been presented at ASCO and published in the JCO. We also did the capecitabine hand-foot syndrome study that was known as the D-ToRCH study: 1% diclofenac gel that became the standard of care to prevent hand-foot syndrome.  So, that's kind of a brief overview of investigator-initiated studies. India is slowly and steadily becoming a partner of the global registration trials. And it's more recently, the last five years or so, we have seen that the number of phase 2 and phase 3 trials are increasing and we are able to offer now these trials as well to our patients. Dr. Monty Pal: That was a terrific overview. I just want to highlight for the audience, as we go through some of your discussions today around specific trials, the speed at which this can be done. Just for context, for me to accrue a clinical trial of 30 patients – I think many people have probably come across some of the work that I've done in the microbiome space – at a single institution, 30 patients, right, takes me about a year and a half, two years. We're going to go through some trials today where Dr. Batra and his team have actually, in fact, accrued close to 200 patients over a span of just a year, which is just remarkable by, I would say, any American standard. So, I see a real need for partnership and Atul, I'll kind of get back to that at the end. But without further ado, the focus of this podcast today, I think, is really this terrific presentation you gave in an oral session at ESMO and subsequently published in Annals of Oncology related to the PLANeT study. Would you give the listeners some context around what the study entailed and population and so forth? Dr. Atul Batra: So, we know the KEYNOTE-522 became the standard of care for triple-negative breast cancer, where Keytruda, when added at 200 mg, the standard dose every three weeks with neoadjuvant, increases the pCR from around 51% to 64% by a magnitude of around 13%. However, in India and other low-middle income countries, less than 5% of the patients actually have access to this dose of pembrolizumab. So, our standard of care was actually just chemotherapy till now. And this kind of led us to design this trial. There are data that come from previous trials conducted in India, from the Tata Memorial, done in head and neck space, some other studies done in Hodgkin's lymphoma, that a much lower dose, probably around one-tenth of the dose, works well in these cancers. So, that's where we designed the PLANeT study, where we gave the standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the control arm, and in the experimental arm we added 50 mg of pembrolizumab. This was given every six weeks for three doses. So, that's a total of 150 mg over the neoadjuvant period as compared to 1,600 mg that was given in the KEYNOTE-522 study. So, this was almost one-tenth of the study. Dr. Monty Pal: So, a tenth of the dose, which is just remarkable. I mean, that's just such an interesting concept. Dr. Atul Batra: And the results, when we – the primary outcome, this was a phase 2 study. We just wanted to see, is there a signal of activity? And to even our surprise, when we looked at the pathological complete response rates, in the control arm this was 40.5%, and in the experimental arm this was 53.8%. So, a difference came to around 13.3%; it was numerically, I mean, so much similar to what KEYNOTE-522 had with just these many doses. So, this was around 160 patients randomized over one year. We could randomize them in one year because of the load that we see. And the primary endpoint was met, and we could see that the path complete response did show a remarkable increase. We are still following these patients to see whether there is a difference in event-free survival at a longer follow-up. Until now, it's a small follow-up, so the number of events absolute, are different: four events in the experimental arm and 11 events in the control arm. So, we are seeing some signal even in this much short follow-up period as well. But we need to see more of what happens in the longer term. Dr. Monty Pal: That's so impressive. I wonder, with this lower dose, do you attenuate toxicity at all as far as you can gather? Dr. Atul Batra: So, although we shouldn't be doing kind of cross-trial comparisons, but if you look at thyroid dysfunction, we saw that around 10% of our patients had this thyroid dysfunction. This was compared to 15% in the KEYNOTE-522, that was a larger sample size though. But we're seeing that all the toxicities are somewhat less as compared to those in the standard dose. So, the exposure is less, but I mean, I can't really commit definitely on this. For this we would need much more data to say this with more confidence. Dr. Monty Pal: Yeah. I'm going to ask you a really tough question to follow up, and this is probably something that's on everyone's mind after reading a study like this. Is this something that is disease-specific that needs to be replicated across other histologies? The reason I ask this is, you know, you think about paradigms like, for instance, in the States we're toying between intravenous versus subcutaneous delivery of checkpoint inhibitors, and we have studies focused in specific histologies that might justify use across all histologies. With this particular phenomenon, do you think we need to do dedicated studies in renal cell or in colon cancer and other places where, you know, in selected settings we might use checkpoint inhibitors and then decide whether or not there's this dose equivalence, if you will? Dr. Atul Batra: That's a real tough one, though. But I'm happy to share that there are several ongoing studies within India currently. At our institute, my colleagues are leading studies in lung cancer space, cervical cancer. There was already a publication from Tata Memorial Hospital in head and neck cancers and we see that the signal has been consistent throughout. Regarding renal cancer, there was one study that was presented for sure at ASCO from CMC Vellore, that's again a center in South India. That was in RCC at a much lower dose. And for patients who cannot take the full dose, we actually are offering lower dose nivolumab in such patients and we are seeing responses. I mean, we haven't done those randomized trials again because the numbers are much lower in kidney cancers, we know. We could do this trial in triple-negative ones because we had support and we had numbers to conduct this trial. But I'm sure this should be a class effect. I mean, when we can get tumor-agnostic approvals, then some real-world data has come up in almost all tumors, we have seen that consistent effect across tumors. And as we speak of today, I'm also delighted to share that in India, yesterday, we had the first biosimilar of nivolumab and that's now available at a much, much lower price than the original patent product. There was a long ongoing lawsuit that was there, that's over now, and from yesterday onwards, I'm so happy to share here that we would have the first biosimilar of nivolumab that's available. That's going to bring the cost to almost like one-tenth already. Dr. Monty Pal: Wow. That's huge.  I'm going to be very selfish here for a second and focus on a study that is in the renal cell space that your group has done. You know, when it came out, I was really sort of intrigued by this study as well and it reflects sort of a different capability, I think, of AIIMS New Delhi, and that's in the, what I'm going to call, biomarker space. This, for the audience, was a prospective effort to characterize germline variants in patients with advanced kidney cancer. And it's something that we talk about a lot in the kidney cancer literature, whether or not we're missing a lot of these so-called hereditary patterns of RCC. Can you tell us a little bit about that study too? Dr. Atul Batra: Yeah, so that was led by one of our fellows, Chitrakshi Nagpal, and she's just completed her fellowship. And two years back we published that. So, that was done in almost 160 consecutive patients that we recruited over the span of just one year and we saw, apart from the common known mutations in RCC, that was around 5% or so, but a lot of other mutations were also seen that we don't generally see in kidney cancers and we see in other cancers like BRCA1, BRCA2 and others. We are still, I mean, doing those analyses to see whether we get more things out of there in the somatic: is there a loss of heterozygosity or was it just present and in there? Dr. Monty Pal: I thought it was a terrific study and again, I was just so blown away at the pace. I mean, as I look at 140 patients accrued over a span of one year, this is something that would take us perhaps three times as long at City of Hope, and that's with a very sort of, what I consider to be large and dedicated kidney cancer program. So, it really underscores, I think, the need for collaboration. And ever since I came back from my visit to you at AIIMS Delhi, I think I've just been sort of transformed in the sense of trying to think of better ways for us to collaborate. One tangible thing that I'm going to get cracking on is seeing whether or not perhaps we can form some partnerships through SWOG or what we call the NCTN, the National Clinical Trials Network here within the U.S. Talk to me about collaboration. I mean, you've been really terrific at this. How do you sort of envision collaboration enhancing the global landscape of oncology? Dr. Atul Batra: That's really amazing, Monty. That's what we need. We have the infrastructure, we have the manpower, we have patients. I mean, these are all high-volume centers. Unfortunately, we are a little less in numbers, so we are more clinically occupied as well. So, sometimes it's kind of tougher, but again, when it comes to helping out the patients, global collaboration, we need to kind of take you guys along with us and have our patients finish trials earlier. This is a win-win situation for patients, one, because they also get exposure or an option to participate in the clinical trials, and second, we can answer all these scientific questions that we have at a much faster pace. All those things can be done within a much shorter span of time for sure. We are so happy to hear that, and with open hands we are ready to collaborate for all these efforts. Dr. Monty Pal: That's awesome. You know, I came back thinking, gosh, this would be so ideal for some of these rare subtypes of kidney cancer. Prospective clinical trials that I'm running in that space where really we're threatened with closure all the time. And if we just sort of extended a hand to, you know, our partners in India and other countries, you know, I'm sure we could get this research done in a meaningful way and that's got to be a win for patients. Atul, I had such a terrific time chatting with you today. I'm looking forward to seeing lots more productivity from your group there. By the way, for our viewership here, take a look and see what AIIMS New Delhi is doing under the leadership of Dr. Batra and others. It is just a real powerhouse and I think that after doing so, you'll be enticed to collaborate as well.  I'm hoping this is the first of many times that we have you on the podcast. Thank you so much for joining. Dr. Atul Batra: Thank you so much for having me here, Monty. It was a pleasure as always speaking to you. And thank you again. Dr. Monty Pal: You got it.  Well, and thanks to our listeners. I encourage you to check out Dr. Batra's paper. We'll actually have a link to the study in the transcript of this episode.  Finally, if you value the insights that you heard today on the ASCO Daily News Podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. More on today's speakers:     Dr. Monty Pal   @montypal Dr. Atul Batra @batraatulonc Follow ASCO on social media:          ASCO on X    ASCO on Bluesky         ASCO on Facebook          ASCO on LinkedIn          Disclosures:       Dr. Monty Pal:      Speakers' Bureau: MJH Life Sciences, IntrisiQ, Peerview     Research Funding (Inst.): Exelixis, Merck, Osel, Genentech, Crispr Therapeutics, Adicet Bio, ArsenalBio, Xencor, Miyarsian Pharmaceutical     Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Crispr Therapeutics, Ipsen, Exelixis     Dr. Atul Batra: Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Zydus Pharmaceuticals, Glenmark, Caplin Point Laboratories, Laurus Research Funding: AstraZeneca, Astellas Pharma, Alkem Laboratories

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has also cited the Cāturmāsya-māhātmya of the Skanda Purāṇa concerning the necessity of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa in this age: tathā caivottamaṁ loke tapaḥ śrī-hari-kīrtanam kalau yuge viśeṣeṇa viṣṇu-prītyai samācaret “In this way the most perfect penance to be executed in this world is the chanting of the name of Lord Śrī Hari. Especially in the Age of Kali, one can satisfy the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu by performing saṅkīrtana.” (Purport, SB 12.3.52) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #kirtan #spiritualmusic #spiritualsongs #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously. (SB 6.3.31) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #kirtan #spiritualmusic #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Why Muslims in South India observe hierarchical intra-communal relationships despite the egalitarianism of their religionIn Seeking Allah's Hierarchy: Caste, Labor, and Islam in India (U Pennsylvania Press, 2025), P. C. Saidalavi provides an ethnographic study of a Muslim barber community in South India, unraveling how these barbers negotiated concepts of hierarchy through Islamic values of piety, genealogy, morality, and wealth. Through this close-drawn study, Saidalavi argues that Muslim hierarchy exists and it works on its own terms. It both draws upon Islamic jurisprudential and moral discourses and is shaped by the larger economic, cultural, and political environment, including that of Hinduism. Yet ultimately, Muslim hierarchy is neither a replica nor a watered-down version of caste in Hinduism.Seeking Allah's Hierarchy contends that the Islamization process in South Asia cannot be reduced to conceptual schemas or patterns dictating religious practice. Instead, this process works within a “lived tradition,” in which Muslims attempt to infuse and rationalize their practices using their interpretations of Islamic values, meanings, and purpose. In this case, barbers challenged other Muslims' perception of them as hierarchically inferior by emphasizing their religious piety. Yet those same Muslims also drew on Islam to provide a rationale for categorizing barbers' work as morally obligatory but undignified, thus rendering the barbers “lower.”P. C. Saidalavi is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR. Khadeeja Amenda is a doctoral candidate at the National University of Singapore.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Why Muslims in South India observe hierarchical intra-communal relationships despite the egalitarianism of their religionIn Seeking Allah's Hierarchy: Caste, Labor, and Islam in India (U Pennsylvania Press, 2025), P. C. Saidalavi provides an ethnographic study of a Muslim barber community in South India, unraveling how these barbers negotiated concepts of hierarchy through Islamic values of piety, genealogy, morality, and wealth. Through this close-drawn study, Saidalavi argues that Muslim hierarchy exists and it works on its own terms. It both draws upon Islamic jurisprudential and moral discourses and is shaped by the larger economic, cultural, and political environment, including that of Hinduism. Yet ultimately, Muslim hierarchy is neither a replica nor a watered-down version of caste in Hinduism.Seeking Allah's Hierarchy contends that the Islamization process in South Asia cannot be reduced to conceptual schemas or patterns dictating religious practice. Instead, this process works within a “lived tradition,” in which Muslims attempt to infuse and rationalize their practices using their interpretations of Islamic values, meanings, and purpose. In this case, barbers challenged other Muslims' perception of them as hierarchically inferior by emphasizing their religious piety. Yet those same Muslims also drew on Islam to provide a rationale for categorizing barbers' work as morally obligatory but undignified, thus rendering the barbers “lower.”P. C. Saidalavi is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR. Khadeeja Amenda is a doctoral candidate at the National University of Singapore.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/islamic-studies

Why Muslims in South India observe hierarchical intra-communal relationships despite the egalitarianism of their religionIn Seeking Allah's Hierarchy: Caste, Labor, and Islam in India (U Pennsylvania Press, 2025), P. C. Saidalavi provides an ethnographic study of a Muslim barber community in South India, unraveling how these barbers negotiated concepts of hierarchy through Islamic values of piety, genealogy, morality, and wealth. Through this close-drawn study, Saidalavi argues that Muslim hierarchy exists and it works on its own terms. It both draws upon Islamic jurisprudential and moral discourses and is shaped by the larger economic, cultural, and political environment, including that of Hinduism. Yet ultimately, Muslim hierarchy is neither a replica nor a watered-down version of caste in Hinduism.Seeking Allah's Hierarchy contends that the Islamization process in South Asia cannot be reduced to conceptual schemas or patterns dictating religious practice. Instead, this process works within a “lived tradition,” in which Muslims attempt to infuse and rationalize their practices using their interpretations of Islamic values, meanings, and purpose. In this case, barbers challenged other Muslims' perception of them as hierarchically inferior by emphasizing their religious piety. Yet those same Muslims also drew on Islam to provide a rationale for categorizing barbers' work as morally obligatory but undignified, thus rendering the barbers “lower.”P. C. Saidalavi is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR. Khadeeja Amenda is a doctoral candidate at the National University of Singapore.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Why Muslims in South India observe hierarchical intra-communal relationships despite the egalitarianism of their religionIn Seeking Allah's Hierarchy: Caste, Labor, and Islam in India (U Pennsylvania Press, 2025), P. C. Saidalavi provides an ethnographic study of a Muslim barber community in South India, unraveling how these barbers negotiated concepts of hierarchy through Islamic values of piety, genealogy, morality, and wealth. Through this close-drawn study, Saidalavi argues that Muslim hierarchy exists and it works on its own terms. It both draws upon Islamic jurisprudential and moral discourses and is shaped by the larger economic, cultural, and political environment, including that of Hinduism. Yet ultimately, Muslim hierarchy is neither a replica nor a watered-down version of caste in Hinduism.Seeking Allah's Hierarchy contends that the Islamization process in South Asia cannot be reduced to conceptual schemas or patterns dictating religious practice. Instead, this process works within a “lived tradition,” in which Muslims attempt to infuse and rationalize their practices using their interpretations of Islamic values, meanings, and purpose. In this case, barbers challenged other Muslims' perception of them as hierarchically inferior by emphasizing their religious piety. Yet those same Muslims also drew on Islam to provide a rationale for categorizing barbers' work as morally obligatory but undignified, thus rendering the barbers “lower.”P. C. Saidalavi is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR. Khadeeja Amenda is a doctoral candidate at the National University of Singapore.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

Celebrations are strange, but some are stranger than fiction. Hunter takes a look at a relatively small, but highly viral Indian celebration called Gorehabba. -- Connect: www.privy-cast.com Social and Contact Links: linktr.ee/privycast Follow Hunter -- Give Thanks, Give Back: Wounded Warrior Project Living Water International -- Privy is proud to be hosted by Podbean. Looking to start a podcast? Learn more at: https://www.podbean.com/Privycast -- Music:  Intro and Outro Derived from: Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Hunter's Anecdotes Music:  "Claudio the Worm" by The Green Orbs Youtube Media Library https://www.youtube.com/@thegreenorbs - Transition Music: "Alpine Bierhalle" by Aaron Kenny YouTube Media Library https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVAggfwI4hnkA2WO6-xC06Q - Sources: Gorehabba - Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorehabba Gorehabba Cow Dung Festival: A Theme Based On Throwing Cow Dung - SwadeshiVIP blog – https://swadeshivip.com/blog/gorehabba-cow-dung-festival-a-theme-based-on-throwing-cow-dung/ Gorehabba In Karnataka And Tamilnadu - DiwaliFestival.org –  https://www.diwalifestival.org/gorehabba.html This village in South India celebrates a unique 'cow poop festival ... - The Times of India – https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/travel/things-to-do/this-village-in-south-india-celebrates-a-unique-cow-poop-fest/articleshow/ Indian village celebrates end of Diwali with cow dung fight - Al Jazeera – https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2025/10/24/indian-village-celebrates-end-of-diwali-with-cow-dung-fight A Festival of Faecal: Gore Habba - Summiters Adventures Blog – https://blog.summitersadventures.com/a-festival-of-faecal-gore-habba Indian village marks end of Diwali with massive cow poo fight - ABC News (Australia) – https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-08/cattle-royale-dung-fight-marks-end-of-diwali/100601634 'Gore Habba': Villagers Celebrate Unique Post-Diwali Festival By Throwing Cow Dung - ETV Bharat – https://www.etvbharat.com/en/offbeat/villagers-celebrate-unique-post-diwali-festival-by-throwing-cow-dung-in-chamarajanagar-enn2… Don't poo-poo it! Indian dung festival celebrates end to Diwali - The Jakarta Post https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/11/19/dont-poo-poo-it-indian-dung-festival-celebrates-end-to-diwali.html Tyler Oliveira releases 29-minute 'Poop throwing festival ... - Indiatimes article – https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/tyler-oliveira-releases-29-minute-poop-throwing-festival-documentary-after-pump-faking-every… YouTuber Tyler Oliveira cancels his India cow dung-throwing festival documentary ... - The Times of India – https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us-streamers/tyler-oliveira-cancels-his-india-cow-dung-throwing-festival-documentary-a… US YouTuber Faces Backlash For Filming India's Cow Dung Festival ... - India Today – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1tdcHUIIjw Tyler Oliveira releases India 'poop-throwing festival' documentary amid doxxing and threats - The Express Tribune  https://tribune.com.pk/story/2576788/tyler-oliveira-releases-india-poop-throwing-festival-documentary-amid-doxxing-and-threats "Not Racist": US YouTuber Defends Filming Karnataka Cow Dung Festival - NDTV https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/not-racist-us-youtuber-defends-filming-karnataka-cow-dung-festival-9523314 Cow dung fight - that's how this village in Tamil Nadu marks the end ... - India Today article – https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cow-dung-fight-village-karnataka-end-diwali-pictures-1874025-2021-11-07

Overview In this episode, Michael D. Levitt sits down with Dr. Abraham George, founder of the Shanti Bhavan Children's Project in South India. For more than 30 years, Abraham has dedicated his life to transforming the futures of children from families earning less than $5 per day. His school provides a 14-year residential education that begins in preschool and continues through college, ensuring students have the tools to break the cycle of poverty. Each graduate is asked to help 100 others, multiplying the impact of Shanti Bhavan's mission and creating a ripple effect across generations. The results speak for themselves: graduates have attended Ivy League universities and now hold positions at leading global companies. From Finance to Philanthropy Abraham shares his extraordinary transition from a successful finance career to social entrepreneurship. A pivotal experience in the Himalayas inspired him to dedicate his life to education and equality. He reflects on the meaning of true purpose and how many professionals eventually seek a deeper mission beyond financial success. His forthcoming book, Mountains to Cross, captures these lessons through dialogues with children, making profound life lessons accessible and deeply human. Redefining Philanthropy Abraham emphasizes that real philanthropy requires personal involvement, not just financial contributions. He outlines three types of wealthy individuals—those still building their wealth, those with moderate means who can start small projects, and those with great wealth who often contribute only financially. His message is clear: leadership and personal connection are vital in driving meaningful change. Even limited time spent with those in need can bring immense satisfaction and measurable impact. Resources and Upcoming Work Dr. George's story has been featured in the acclaimed Netflix documentary Daughters of Destiny, which earned both Academy and Emmy Awards. His upcoming book Mountains to Cross will be released in January. Learn more about his life's work at drabrahamgeorge.com. Listen and Learn: The power of education to lift entire communities How to align personal success with social purpose Practical wisdom on giving back meaningfully For more leadership and purpose-driven conversations, visit BreakfastLeadership.com/blog and tune in to the Breakfast Leadership Show wherever you listen to podcasts.   In this inspiring episode of the Breakfast Leadership Show, Dr. Abraham George joins Michael D. Levitt to explore how purpose-driven leadership can transform lives and communities. Before founding the renowned Shanti Bhavan Children's Project, Dr. George built a successful career in international finance and investment management. His time in the corporate world shaped his understanding of ethical leadership, global inequality, and the moral responsibilities that come with success. Those insights would later compel him to dedicate his life and resources to social change. For nearly three decades, Dr. George has led Shanti Bhavan, an award-winning educational initiative that empowers children from India's most disadvantaged backgrounds to become leaders, innovators, and changemakers. His journey from the high-stakes world of finance to a life devoted to service offers profound lessons on compassionate leadership, perseverance, and purpose-driven transformation. In this conversation, Dr. George also shares insights from his upcoming book, Mountains to Cross, which explores the courage to lead with humanity and the unwavering belief in what's possible when we align success with service. Key Takeaways: How ethical leadership can drive meaningful social change. The intersection of financial success and moral responsibility. Lessons from three decades of empowering youth through education. The courage it takes to shift from ambition to altruism. Why hope and perseverance remain at the heart of true leadership. Links Mentioned: Learn more about https://www.drabrahamgeorge.com/about https://www.instagram.com/dr_abraham_george?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D https://www.facebook.com/dr.abrahamgeorge?mibextid=LQQJ4d https://www.linkedin.com/in/abraham-george-519315274/  

Jay Vardhan Singh is currently doing his PhD in Ancient Indian History at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. His area of interest includes the Ancient and early medieval history of the Indian subcontinent.

If you go around India, or even around Silicon Valley or London, you may find churches, temples, mosques—places where people are pointing their attention in worship. You know, the word comes from the word "worth" (W-O-R-T-H). When something is "worth" something, you consider it most valuable; that's where you put your attention. When you put "-ship" on the end of the word "worth," you get "worth-ship," which means it's a noun. It's something you do because you consider it valuable where you place your attention. Because of Sandhi rules, from "worth-ship," you get "worship." So, people are investing their attention in various places and worshiping various entities in this world. Sūta Gosvāmī says (SB 1.2.23): sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair yuktaḥ paraḥ puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ He mentions Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva. He says that these are different entities, and by worshiping them, you will get different results. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 9.25): yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām Basically, this means that as free souls with free will, we can go wherever we wish. But if we don't know where we're going, any road will take us there—we'll just be pulled by the whims of our senses. If one wants the ultimate goal of life, Sūta Gosvāmī is saying in this verse (sattvaṁ rajas tama iti...), you should put your attention on the Para-puruṣa, the Supreme Person. This is echoed in another verse that comes up which says: bhejire munayo 'thāgre bhagavantam adhokṣajam sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ kṣemāya kalpante ye 'nu tān iha (SB 1.2.24) Previously, all the great sages—and you can see from the evidence here in South India, they built these temples to Lord Viṣṇu because they understood the clear indication of the Vedic literature that Viṣṇu is to be worshiped ultimately. So it says, "bhejire munayo 'thāgre": the munis—sages, agre means in previous ages, bhejire—they worshiped Viṣṇu. Why? Because He is Bhagavantam Adhokṣajam—He is the infallible Lord who is beyond the senses and the modes of material nature. 'Sattvaṁ viśuddham kṣemāya': they knew that they would achieve the highest benefit by thinking of Viṣṇu and worshiping Viṣṇu through the nine methods of bhakti employed in the service of Lord Viṣṇu. 'Kalpante 'nu tān iha' —and here is what is in it for us: the verse says that regardless of one's current position, whatever situation you are in now, if you also worship Lord Viṣṇu, then you are eligible for the same result that those previous sages achieved by worshiping the Supreme Lord, who is beyond the modes of material nature. .------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #globalyouthretreat #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons

Whenever a kīrtana of pure devotees takes place, the Lord is immediately present. By chanting the holy names of the Lord, we associate with the Lord personally. (Cc Madhya 1.126) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Evening Prayer for Friday, January 2, 2026 (The First Sunday of Christmas; Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, Bishop in South India, Evangelist, 1945).Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter):Psalm 7Jeremiah 1Galatians 2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for the Daily Office at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to support The Daily Office Podcast with a one-time gift or a recurring donation.

Morning Prayer for Friday, January 2, 2026 (The First Sunday of Christmas; Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, Bishop in South India, Evangelist, 1945).Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter):Psalms 5-6Genesis 2John 1:29-51⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for the Daily Office at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to support The Daily Office Podcast with a one-time gift or a recurring donation.

So, not only do we get to walk around and see the various forms of the Lord and relish the places where Caitanya Mahāprabhu walked, but also we can participate in the same activity that he emphasized when he went to South India—which is teaching people how to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Back then, Caitanya Mahāprabhu had found a couple of books in South India. Does anybody remember which books he found? He found Brahma-saṁhitā, fifth chapter. What was the other one? Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. And he had them copied. He got the original manuscripts, and he had them copied. It was a little more difficult to get stuff copied back then because scribes had to do them by hand; but we have this best of modern technology, such that we mass-produce these books and we're able to distribute them here, there, and everywhere—wherever we go. So, we'll be doing that, and we can expect Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special blessings from doing that. After all, that's what he did. Going back to Prabhupāda's article in the back of the Back to Godhead magazine, we're following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Our battle cry for this Yātrā is—what does it say back there? 'Nobody is better than Lord Caitanya.' You can't find anybody better than Lord Caitanya. He's the best of the best. He's Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa combined. He's the deity of the Paramahaṁsas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu distributes love for himself—love for Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. So, there's nobody better than Lord Caitanya. Ask Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī; he'll tell you the same thing. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when he lived in Vṛndāvana, would walk from Akrūra Ghāṭa every morning and sit down at Imlitalā tree and he would chant japa from early morning into the late morning. Similarly, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to South India, he made special arrangements for his japa. It says here, from our reading last night: "Since your two hands will always be engaged in chanting and counting the holy names, how will you be able to carry the water pot and external garments?" That's Nityānanda Prabhu trying to induce Caitanya Mahāprabhu to take somebody with him. Why? So he could have his hands free and chant Japa. From this verse (Cc Madhya 7.37), it is clear that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was chanting the holy names a fixed number of times daily. The Gosvāmīs used to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura also followed this principle. Considering the Gosvāmīs—Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrīla Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī—Śrīnivāsa Ācārya confirms: saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. In addition to other duties, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced the system of chanting the holy name of the Lord a fixed number of times. As confirmed in this verse, Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to count on his fingers; while one hand was engaged in chanting, the other hand kept the number of rounds. This is corroborated in the Caitanya-candrāmṛta and also in Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's Stava-mālā, which is quoted. Prabhupāda says: "Therefore, devotees in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu must chant at least 16 rounds daily. And this is the number prescribed by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Haridāsa Ṭhākura daily chanted 300,000 names; 16 rounds is about 28,000 names. There is no need to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura or the Gosvāmīs, but chanting the holy name a fixed number of times daily is essential for every devotee." So, this is the foundational principle of the practice of devotional service, and we get constant confirmation of how important it is. https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/7/37/ ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #makejapagreatagain #mantrameditation #globalyouthretreat #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Sidney Gantt, Maddi Mays, and Miranda Meadows join Zac Amico to discuss a McDonald's manager who passed out while working, the worst jobs they've ever had, Miranda open-air pooping in South India, looking after wiping, pooping strange colors, the best chicken spots, Jenna Jameson finding religion, white women diseases and much more!(Air Date: November 17th, 2025)Support our sponsors!SmallBatchCigar.com - Use promo code: GAS10 for 10% off plus 5% bonus points!YoKratom.com - Check out Yo Kratom (the home of the $60 kilo) for all your kratom needs!Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/ZOO and use code ZOO and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup!Zac Amico's Morning Zoo plug music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMgQJEcVToY&list=PLzjkiYUjXuevVG0fTOX4GCTzbU0ooHQ-O&ab_channel=BulbyTo advertise your product or service on GaS Digital podcasts please go to TheADSide.com and click on "Advertisers" for more information!Submit your artwork via postal mail to:GaS Digital Networkc/o Zac's Morning Zoo151 1st Ave, #311New York, NY 10003You can sign up at GaSDigital.com with promo code: ZOO for a discount of $1.50 on your subscription and access to every Zac Amico's Morning Zoo show ever recorded! On top of that you'll also have the same access to ALL the shows that GaS Digital Network has to offer!Follow the whole show on social media!Sidney GanttTwitter: https://twitter.com/SidneyGanttInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidneyganttMaddi MaysInstagram: https://instagram.com/MaddiMaysMiranda MeadowsInstagram: https://instagram.com/MirandaMeadowsZac AmicoTwitter: https://twitter.com/ZASpookShowInstagram: https://instagram.com/zacisnotfunnyDates: https://punchup.live/ZacAmicoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Narrator: Thomas Jones