Hahaha. This is so funny.

Pollution is not only air pollution but also sound pollution.

Real green firecracker should mean not only without hazardous pollution but also totally silent at the same time. Just colourful light in sky, without any noise whatsoever. Like what we see in many western countries. A beautiful colourful sky with various patterns...

But I don't think that is what is under consideration here. The focus of media, court and govt is only on air pollution. People still want to make loud noise. It will end up disturbing elderly people, infants, ill people, hospitals, students... as well as animals and birds.

Such an unempatheric and anti social discourse. That too in the name of religion and celebration. When will we be civilized?

- Nikhil

When Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after twelve years of exile, having vanquished Ravana and rescued Sita, the entire city erupted in joy. It was a moment of boundless celebration — the first Diwali.

However, there were no firecrackers in ancient India, for gunpowder had not yet been invented. The people of Ayodhya celebrated by lighting diyas and sharing sweets, filling the city with warmth and light.

Firecrackers came much later, after the invention of gunpowder. It reached India only in the medieval period — not in the age of the Ramayana.

Had such noisy and polluting fireworks existed then, perhaps even the monkeys, eagles, bears, and squirrels who helped Lord Ram would have been terrified. Surely, Lord Ram himself would never have permitted anything that disturbed the peace of nature.

Wouldn't you agree?

- Nikhil

This is how they informed her about the Nobel Peace Prize 2025. What an incredible moment to witness.

Alert

HOT500 2.0 batch for 2026 starting tomorrow.

The sacred Relics of the Buddha enshrined in the National Museum, New Delhi will travel to Russia’s Kalmykia Republic for an exposition, accompanied by a high-level delegation of 11- senior Indian monks who will Bless the local devotees.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2177324

Is Gandhiji still significant? UPSC likes to ask questions on Gandhiji almost every year.

Here is the answer by the recent Nobel Peace laureate Maria Machado. Gandhi is still significant. See the image.

Incidentally, Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most iconic figures of non-violence in the 20th century, was widely considered a deserving recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Gandhi was nominated several times (1937, 38, 39, 47, 48) but was never awarded the prize.

Do you know why the greatest Peace advocate of the 20th century didnt get the greatest Peace Prize of the 20th century?

The suicide of an IPS officer has justifiably caused a storm.

What is noteworthy is that people are discussing caste angle everywhere. Which is definitely a major dimension and should not be denied.

But no one is discussing the other part of the story which is also important. Its the strained mental health of bureaucrats. Scientifically, suicide is always connected to mental health.

At larger level, mental health is a major issue faced by a lot of bureaucrats.

And yet, there is still hush hush about it. People need to speak up. We need to speak up. Until we recognize its existence, we cannot respond to it in a supportive way.

- Nikhil

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/y-puran-kumar-suicide-dalit-atrocities-in-bureaucracy-cji-gavai-10300770/lite/

Now the book has reached Fareed Zakaria show.

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/india/story/world-forgot-how-ancient-india-shaped-it-william-dalrymple-tells-fareed-zakaria-2802693-2025-10-14

Deobandi is very powerful. One can choose to see it the way one wants.

Deobandi movement was created post suppression of 1857 to go back to pure Islam. It opposed the modernist/westernizing trend of Aligarh movement.

While Aligarh movement ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan, deobandis had consistently opposed the partition of India in 1947. They opposed Jinnah and supported Akhand Bharat, yes. But why? Because they considered this entire country is supposed to be the country of Muslims also, and they should not be confined to one corner of the subcontinent.

Nonetheless, India was still partitioned. Consequently, a lot deobandi madrasas were left in Pakistan. And then came Taliban movement. This Taliban movement was the outcome of students from the Deobandi madrasas in Pakistan and Afghanistan in 1980s.

Cut to 2025. Recently, the Taliban minister visited the Deobandis during his India visit. Its very much like visiting his alma mater.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/web-only/2025/Oct/13/muttaqis-deoband-visit-and-the-soft-power-lesson-it-holds-for-india

There was a time when Indian colleges offered very modern affordable education to third world leaders/their families. Our universities used to be the alma maters of many state leaders from Nepal/Bhutan and Myanmnar to many countries from Africa. That was our soft power. It was in 1950s-70s. And it did help our diplomacy during that phase.

That era is long gone. We dont prefer to send our own children to our colleges anymore. And then this Deobandi alma mater news has come up.

Is it a soft power we should be proud of? I am not so sure.

- Nikhil

There is a controversy over the terms: Lal Ded and Lalla Arifa, which are the names of the same person. Interestingly, TheHindu has covered the full news without informing the readers what is the whole controversy about.

In our syllabus, we study her contribution in the name of Lal Ded or Lalleshwari. She was a prominent Kashmiri Bhakti saint-poet, esp Shaiva.

UPSC has already asked a full subjective question on her in History Optional: Bhakti and mysticism of Lal Ded emerged as a social force in Kashmir. Comment. [2013, 10 Marks]

However, I had not heard of the term Lalla Arifa before this controversy. It seems that Lalla Arifa is the Islamized version while Lal Ded is the local Kashmiri term.

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The Third Episode of Akhyan Diaries Podcast...!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOtskk8Td-U

Five Years of life just passed away. I wouldn't say it was easy. It was not. But it was, as they say in American south, 'one hell of a ride'...!

Apparently, aspirants preparing for Pakistan civil services examination, which is equivalent to our UPSC, are also watching my lectures now.

Having cross border fans, how would you feel about it?

The third Episode is public now.... A lot of insightful observations.
Watch, Take notes, Enjoy.

https://youtu.be/uvs51HPz55s