Prayas Theatre, New Zealand's largest South Asian theatre group, recently staged 'Micchakaika', a Sanskrit play by draka, at The Auckland Performing Arts Centre.

Set in the monarchic era of Ujjayin in the 5th century CE, this production became my fortunate endeavour. While reading the script by playwright Shekinah Jacob, visuals of the 1984 Bollywood movie Utsav flooded back. This film, directed by Girish Karnad, produced by Shashi Kapoor and starring Rekha, beautifully depicted the richness of ancient Indian literature.

Boasting a global performance history since the 19th century, 'Micchakaika' has translations dating back to 1826 by Horace Hayman Wilson as 'The Toy Cart' and A.F Stenzler's German translation in 1847.

It found its way into Bengali and Marathi, and in 1850, 'Le Chariot d'enfant' premiered in Paris. Renowned artists, including Raja Ravi Varma, featured the central character, Vasantsena, in their art.

The story follows the journey of Vasantsena, a captivating courtesan or nagarvadhu, and Charudatta, a destitute young nobleman. Despite their mutual passion, their lives and love encounter threats from the persistent advances of a vulgar courtier, Samsthanaka.

Amid intricate relationships, love, loyalty, politics and humour, their story unfolds against the backdrop of a revolution seeking to overthrow an unjust, tyrannical King Plaka.

This age-old story, like Shakespeare's but written over two millennia ago, remains relevant in the cultural milieu of 2023 New Zealand, reflecting on universal human experiences, making it a timeless tale, even for those unfamiliar with Indian culture.

Imagine a world where sexuality is openly embraced and celebrated. Perhaps, in a world where courtesans or devadasis mirrored the 'myth' of Apsaras as beautiful and erotic manifestations of pleasure.

This was ancient India, circa 500 BC. Women, affluent, educated and masters of the arts, stood as custodians of temples and traditions, their lives entwined with the divine, shielded from the shadow of widowhood making them akhanda saubhagyavati. One such example was Amrapali, the royal nagarvadhu of Vaishali.

However, history turned its pages to the medieval era, marking the eclipse of this revered tradition. The onslaught by Islamic invaders laid waste to temples sanctuaries of these devadasis, marking the beginning of their decline. The British colonial period further exacerbated their plight, conflating them with prostitution, leading to their marginalisation and ostracisation.

Similarly, until the Vedic era, gender-based discrimination was nonexistent. Archaeological excavations present evidence of Goddess worship dating back to the Vedic era. Yet again, a melancholic shift ensued toward the medieval period, marred by foreign invasions.

Choosing this subject was not an inclination to dwell in the past but an expression of increasing recognition of the significance of intercultural exchange and dialogue. The prospect of ancient literature gaining relevance stimulates collective learning, growth and connection.

Its not just Indian culture that offers us such treasures. Mori culture has a rich and diverse collection of equally valuable stories.

Stories that have the power to inspire us, teach us and help us understand the world in new and profound ways, stories that should be discussed, danced to, sung and passed on through generations as precious and incredible sources of knowledge and inspiration.

The author is a Mumbai-based producer and actor, and producer of The Clay Cart- Mricchakatika

Link:

Prayas Theatre Enacts Sanskrit Play 'Micchakaika' - Indian Weekender

CBSE Board Exam 2024: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is set to hold the Class 12 Hindi Core, Hindi Elective, and Class 10 Sanskrit examinations today, February 19. According to the schedule, the exam will start at 10:30 am and conclude at 1:30 pm. Candidates must bring the board exam admit cards along with their identity cards. Here, candidates can check the CBSE board exam day guidelines.

Students will get 3 hours to attempt the question paper and 15 minutes prior to the exam, the question papers will be distributed to the students. Candidates must reach the exam centre at least half an hour before the commencement of the exam.

This year, over 39 lakh students registered to appear for CBSE Class 10, 12 exams. The class 10 12 exam started on February 15. The Class 10th exam will conclude on March 13 and the Class 12th exam will end on April 2.

Also Read:CBSE Board Exam 2024: Last Minute Preparation Tips To Secure Good Marks In Class 12 English Paper

- Be at the exam center by 10 am, as exams start sharp at 10:30 am.

- Question papers will be handed out at 10:15 am.

- Bring along a valid ID proof like Aadhar ID, Voter Card, PAN, or other essential documents.

- Candidates must bring their CBSE admit card for entry, candidates who fail to bring the admit card will not be allowed to enter the exam hall.

- Bring your pencil box, pens, pencils, and any other required items.

-Bring your water bottle.

- Leave electronic gadgets like smartphones, smartwatches, and Bluetooth devices at home.

- Avoid bringing metal items or jewelry to the exam center.

Also Read:JEE Main 2024: NTA Provides Clarification Amid Student Concerns Over Discrepancy In JEE Main Results

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CBSE Board Exam 2024 Class 10th 12th Sanskrit And Hindi Papers Today; Check Guidelines And Other Important Details - Jagran English

How did a retired businessman in his 60s end up rescuing ancient Sanskrit manuscripts, taking crumbling pages and preserving them in digital form?

It is a story that began with a retirement plan. At 51, Sanjaya Singhal decided he would give his career another nine years, then step away from his electronic metering company, Secure.

He would study Sanskrit so that he could read the Mahabharata in the original. Then, I wanted to pick an area of interest within the language, and do a PhD. The target was to complete my studies by 70, says Singhal, who is 68 and lives in Udaipur.

Right on schedule, in 2017, Singhal began to study and translate shlokas. Along the way, he stumbled into the world of computational linguistics. With my technological background, I found this field fascinating. It could help preserve manuscripts that were crumbling across the country, he says.

To better understand the potential for this, Singhal made his way to the World Sanskrit Conference, which was being held in Canada in 2018. Here, his mission was reaffirmed. Speaker after speaker discussed how precious manuscripts were crumbling and uncared-for.

Singhal had found a new mission, an urgent one.

Over the next century, we will begin to lose the oldest manuscripts, Singhal says. These ancient texts were usually inscribed on palm leaves, endowed with a remarkable longevity of up to 700 years. But many are already more than 500 years old.

Not knowing where to begin, Singhal turned his focus to the Vaidika Samshodhana Mandala (VSM) research library in Pune, which he had frequented as a student. It houses 15,000 Vedic manuscripts. Singhal had met then VSM director Bhagyalata Pataskar at the World Sanskrit Conference in Vancouver. He crafted a proposal, laying out his plan for digitisation of the librarys archive. The library signed on.

About 6,000 manuscripts had already been scanned and digitised and saved on two hard discs. Regrettably, one of these discs had become corrupted, Singhal says. We enlisted the services of a forensic lab, and retrieved about 40% of the data (equivalent to 2,500 manuscripts). The rest, despite their fragile state, would have to be scanned again.

The library had also preserved some manuscripts on microfilm. Given how easily this material degrades, Singhal decided to digitise the 900 microfilm rolls too. He and his team of 30 four IT specialists and 26 Sanskrit scholars also worked to develop a software program for VSM in 2019, which now acts as a library management system.

Now that things were rolling, Singhal decided to give the project a name, and enlarge its scope. He reached out to libraries across India, to tell them about his Project Sangraha (Sanskrit for collection or the act of organising).

The open-access portal sangraha.org currently features 7,000 digitised manuscripts from across seven libraries. The entries can be searched using keywords and filters. Each of the participating libraries determines its own norms for access (some manuscripts are downloadable as free PDFs; some cost 100 per page).

We lost about two years to the pandemic, as operations were put on hold. But Project Sangraha aims to catalogue 2.5 million manuscripts by 2045, Singhal says.

This endeavour will grant global access to Indias abundant heritage of knowledge, adds Saroja Bhate, chairperson of the VSM managing committee. Manuscripts from across India, carefully preserved in closed racks and cupboards for many years, are now accessible worldwide in digital format, thanks to the Sangraha initiative.

Singhal is now looking to expand his team, with more Sanskrit scholars and specialists in subject such as the Vedas, astronomy and grammar. This ancient language must embrace the digital age, he says. I envision projects like this as stepping stones toward establishing a robust digital platform for Sanskrit, ultimately attracting a new generation of enthusiasts.

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Sanskrit scrolls with the time: A digital project races to preserve a rich past - Hindustan Times

After smashing the game with its successful Chandrayaan-3 moon mission and crossing off milestones for its Aditya-L1 sun explorer, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is getting set for yet another major spaceflight endeavor: Gaganyaan.

The Gaganyaan mission, which translates from Sanskrit to "celestial vehicle," will be India's attempt to launch at least three astronauts to low-Earth orbit before the end of 2024, though a concrete timeline for liftoff hasn't been shared yet. What has been shared, however, is the date of Gaganyaan's upcoming test flight that'll look at the efficacy of the crew capsule's emergency escape system.

On Oct. 21, ISRO will launch an empty module from Satish Dhawan Space Center in India before bringing it safely back to Earth, deputy minister for science and technology, Jitendra Singh, said on Tuesday (Oct. 11), according to Reuters.

"The success of this test flight will set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and unmanned missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan mission with Indian Astronauts," ISRO said in a statement released on Oct. 6.

Related: India tests parachutes for Gaganyaan crew capsule using a rocket sled (video)

The test Crew Module (CM), according to the statement, will be akin to the pressurized module that'll hold crew members during their ascent to space this version, however, will be unpressurized. It will be launched via a single-stage liquid rocket specifically developed for this mission that will simulate an abort scenario; the true CM, by contrast, will ride atop a 143-foot-tall (43.5-meter) Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) rocket with a solid stage, liquid stage and cryogenic stage. The latter recently received human safety certifications, R. Hutton, project director of the Gaganyaan mission, said during a conference last month.

ISRO says the test module will explore various other components of the mission, too, including drogue parachutes designed to stabilize and slow the spacecraft during reentry as well as "recovery aid actuation systems." A Crew Escape System (CES) tested during the demonstration and "CM fairing and Interface Adapters" will help the agency assess the emergency escape system that'll be used to eject astronauts if need be.

"This flight will simulate the abort condition during the ascent trajectory corresponding to a Mach number of 1.2 encountered in the Gaganyaan mission," the statement reads. "Subsequently, the abort sequence will be executed autonomously commencing with the separation of CES and deployment of the series of parachutes, finally culminating in the safe touchdown of CM in the sea."

Upon return to Earth, the CM will be recovered by a diving team from the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal using a dedicated vessel. Eventually, another test flight will follow this one, Singh said, which will carry a robot to outer space. That robot is named Vyommitra, which translates from Sanskrit to "space's friend," and has a humanlike face, can speak like a human and possesses robotic arms but no robotic legs.

So far, the CM has undergone various forms of electrical testing in Bengaluru and is yet to experience vibration tests with the CES and be integrated with the vehicle on the launch pad, ISRO's statement says.

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India to launch test flight on Oct. 21 for future Gaganyaan astronaut ... - Space.com

One leaders thesis quoted the name of the wrong author when she wrote about a literary work. Even her guide did not notice that. Plagiarism and lack of substance are quite often alleged. Now, the latest issue is the alleged 3,000 errors in a DYFI leaders PhD thesis. And interestingly, she is a Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) Member designate. Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC) has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the thesis, of serious errors, from the Shodhganga website and it should undergo re-scrutiny. The Shodhganga@INFLIBNET Centre provides a platform for research students to deposit their PhD theses and make them available to the entire scholarly community in open access.

SUCC has submitted a memorandum before the Vice Chancellor of the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit demanding the cancellation of the Dean status of the former Vice Chancellor Dharmaraj Adatt and the permanent debar of the evaluators from that assignment. The memorandum says it is a shame on the university which is named after Adi Sankaracharya when it approves a PhD thesis which shows the life period of Sankaracharya erroneously. It is believed that Adi Sankaracharya lived during eighth ninth centuries whereas Princys thesis says, he lived in eighteenth nineteenth centuries. SUCC alleges that Princy does not know the life period of Sankaracharya and the time when untouchability existed in the country. And, the 210 page thesis contains 3,000 grammatical and spelling errors. Plagiarism cannot be traced with the help of computer software, thanks to such a huge number of grammatical and spelling errors. Princy got PhD, in 2018, on A comparative study of Vedic concepts of Shankaracharya and Chattambiswamy in 2018

SUCC has requested the State Governor Arif Mohammed Khan not to accept the recommendation to appoint Princy as the KPSC member.

SUCC further alleged that the research student prepared the thesis in English; but she lacks basic knowledge of English grammar. SUCC says that an experts panel appointed by them (SUCC) had opined that even though the student had passed MA in Sanskrit literature, herself and her guide Dharmaraj Adatt do not have the basic qualification to carry out research in Sanskrit Vedanta.

The thesis saying that Sankaracharya lived in eighth ninth centuries and that the caste discrimination and untouchability started in mid-19th century had caused controversies much earlier.

Princy, a SFI leader, is a former students union chairman of the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit. She has worked as the Ernakulam district president of DYFI. She had also served as the Youth Commission member when Chintha Jerome, another DYFI leader, was its chairperson. Jeromes PhD thesis was controversial too. Her thesis quoted the name of a wrong author when she wrote about a literary work.

Even her guide did not notice that. She was drawing a salary of Rs 1 lakh per month as the chairperson of Youth Commission. Originally it was Rs 50,000. After drawing it for two years it was hiked to Rs 1 lakh. Even though she said, she had not written to the government for the hike, some channels had telecast the letter she allegedly wrote to the Principal Secretary demanding the salary hike. Hike was reported to have implemented with retrospective effect.

Reports suggest, Princy is going to get Rs 2.5 lakhs as a PSC member and will be entitled to have a pension package of Rs 1 lakh when she turns 38. It is also reported that it is first time a student-youth leader gets appointed to such a significant Constitutional position.

SUCC chairman R.S. Sasikumar and convener Shajer Khan alleged that the state government stands for politics-based appointments.

There are numerous allegations against SFI and DYFI leaders in connection with the manipulations in the academic matters. One leader reportedly passed the examinations which he had not even appeared for. When the controversy erupted, software system was blamed. Another leader faked an experience certificate, from the college where she studied, but never had taught, and got jobs in two colleges as guest lecturer based on the above certificate. Another comrade got MCom admission in the very same college where he studied BCom and failed. A DYFI leader was arrested for forging the NEET examination mark list for MBBS admission and for trying to cheat the court. SUCC alleged about a comrade who tried to get MA (English Literature) admission on sports quota after passing BCom.

In another words, a series of never-ending stories. God alone knows where is the end.

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Kerala: 3,000 errors alleged in DYFI leaders 210 page PhD thesis - Organiser

Dussehra 2023: Shardiya Navratri has started and people are all out celebrating with full grandeur and religious fervour. Dedicated to the nine avatars of Maa Durga, Navratri is celebrated over the span of nine nights and concluded in the 10th day of Shukla Paksha of the Ashwin as Dussehra. This festival is also known as Vijayadashami. Vijaya Dashami is celebrated at the end of the nine-day Navratri festival.

For many people, Dussehra marks the beginning of the preparations for Diwali, which is a festival of lights that celebrates the victory of good over evil. In 2023, Vijayadashami will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 24th. The festival is celebrated by Hindus all over the world, and it commemorates the victory of good over evil.

Navratri 2023: What Is The Difference Between Dussehra, Vijayadashami And Dashain? | Freepik

The word Dussehra comes from the Sanskrit words, 'Dasha' and 'hara.' Dasha means ten (Ravana had ten heads) and hara means defeat (Lord Rama defeats Ravana). The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil.

Vijayadashami or Dussehra and Dashain are different names for the same Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. Dussehra is primarily celebrated in North India, Vijaya Dashami is celebrated in South India, and Dashain is celebrated in Nepal. Some of the rituals that are followed on the day of Vijayadashami such as - Shami Puja, Aparajita Puja, and Seema Avalanghan.Why Vijayadashami Is Celebrated After Navratri?

The terms "Dussehra," "Vijayadashami," and "Dashain" are all related to Hindu festivals, but they are celebrated differently and hold distinct cultural and regional significance.

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is a Hindu festival celebrated in various parts of India. The name "Dussehra" is derived from two Sanskrit words, "Dasha" meaning ten and "Hara" meaning defeat, symbolising the victory of good over evil.

Dussehra is called by different names across the country Durga Puja or Vijayadashami in the East and North-east, Dussehra in Northern and Western states. There are many mythological stories behind the celebration of Dussehra but the most famous story associated with Dussehra is the battle between Lord Rama and the demon king Ravana.

Navratri 2023: What Is The Difference Between Dussehra, Vijayadashami And Dashain?

On Dussehra, the effigies of Ravana along with his brother Kumbhkaran and son Meghnad are burned in public bonfires. This is a symbolic way to celebrate the victory of good over evil.

Happy Navratri Wishes & Quotes

Why is Sendha Namak allowed during Navratri?

Dos And Donts During Navratri

Differences between Durga Puja and Navratri

Vijayadashami is another name for Dussehra and is often used interchangeably. It also signifies the victory of good over evil, with Lord Rama's triumph being the central theme.

The celebrations of Vijayadashami are similar to Dussehra, involving the burning of Ravana effigies, processions, and cultural performances. The name "Vijayadashami" emphasises the victorious aspect of the festival.

Dashain is the longest and most significant festival in Nepal. While it shares some similarities with Dussehra, it is a distinct cultural celebration.

Dashain is celebrated to commemorate the day the goddess Durga killed demons known as Mahishasura - who were killing the world of the gods, the devaloka. After ten days of battle, Durga was victorious and from then on, Dashain has been celebrated over fifteen days to symbolise the fight of good against evil.

Dashain is marked by various rituals, including the flying of kites, worshipping of goddess Durga, and receiving tika from elders as a blessing. Dashain typically lasts for 15 days and is a time for family reunions and cultural activities in Nepal.

Navratri 2023: What Is The Difference Between Dussehra, Vijayadashami And Dashain? | Freepik

What is the significance of Dussehra?

Dussehra symbolises the victory of good over evil, with its roots in the epic Ramayana, where Lord Rama defeated the demon king Ravana.

How is Dussehra celebrated in different parts of India?

Dussehra is celebrated with regional variations. In the North and West, it's marked by Ravana effigy burnings, while in the South, it celebrates the victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari over Mahishasura.

What is the Ayudha Puja?

Ayudha Puja, observed mainly in Karnataka, is a day to honour and worship one's tools and instruments, recognizing their role in one's livelihood.

What is the significance of the Golu doll display in Tamil Nadu?

The Golu doll display is a cultural tradition in Tamil Nadu, where families arrange an elaborate exhibit of dolls representing various deities and aspects of Indian culture.

What message does Dussehra convey to society?

Dussehra conveys the message of the enduring triumph of truth, unity, and hope, inspiring people to stand up against injustice and evil.

(Note: Dates/timings may be subject to change; details mentioned here are as per the information available.)

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.

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Navratri 2023: What Is The Difference Between Dussehra, Vijayadashami And Dashain? - Indiatimes.com

Panaji: The Goa University (GU) plans to introduce a programme on the ancient language, Pali, at its newly established School of Sanskrit, Philosophy and Indic Studies (SSPIS). To begin with, the SSPIS which was formed by integrating the universitys department of philosophy and school of Sanskrit and Indic knowledge systems will offer courses in Sanskrit. In the near future, the SSPIS will offer programmes in Sanskrit language and literature, computational linguistics, Buddhist studies, philosophy, and Pali. Through these, SSPIS wants to build a cosmopolitan knowledge community capable of addressing societal challenges from the perspective of the humanities discipline, said an official. Currently, SSPIS offers masters and doctoral courses in philosophy, encompassing both the Indian and Western philosophical specialisations. At present, GU is in the process of recruiting faculty so that it can offer a masters degree in Sanskrit. Any graduate will be able to pursue this programme, provided they studied Sanskrit in school and have basic knowledge of the language. The masters programme will cover literature, poetry, and philosophy in the classical language, while Indic knowledge systems pertain to the study of texts, traditions and analytical systems of the ancient Indic civilisation covering modern-day India as well as the surrounding regions. Plans are also afoot to introduce a postgraduate programme in Ayurveda as a complementary programme. It is felt that the knowledge of Sanskrit will enable translation of texts on Ayurveda and research of such texts.

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Pali language course on the anvil at GU - IndiaTimes

It doesnt take a scientist to know that a Facebook post bursting with party popper emojis or angry face symbols gets more reactions and shares than a flat, factual account of a childs graduation or an airlines villainous customer service.

But, University of Maryland researchers trying to understand why posts go viral on social mediaincluding ones with misinformation and conspiracy theorieswould like to understand the best methods for tracking emotions on platforms to create the most accurate predictive models.

In a new article in Science Advances, the team uncovered that when a post expresses highly specific emotionsfrom anger and love all the way to kama muta (Sanskrit for being moved or heartwarming), wonder, pride and amusementthere is a significant and predictable impact on whether it gets shared. However, tracking broader characteristics of emotions within posts, like the degree to which they were positive or negative, led to less accurate predictions of post sharing.

There has always been concern about the spread of social media posts, said lead author Susannah Paletz, associate professor at the College of Information Studies and an affiliate at UMDs Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS). The purpose of this study was to understand the emotion theories that play into social media sharing.

Co-authors included Ewa M. Golonka, Nick Panda, C. Anton Rytting and Devin Ellis of ARLIS, Michael Johns of the Institute for Systems Research, Egle E. Murauskaite of the ICONS Project and Cody Buntain of the College of Information Studies.

The team developed a research method to understand emotions in social media posts, also recently published at Behavior Research Methods. Both projects are part of the greater Emotions in Social Media UMD project, funded by the Minerva Research Initiative and the Office of Naval Research.

Independent judges analyzed more than 4,000 posts on Facebook in Poland and Lithuania for more than 20 emotionsexamining the entire spectrum of multimedia contentand then compared different models that drew from three different theories of emotion to predict how many times a post would be shared.

Overall, the models that included specific emotions performed better in explaining sharing behavior on social media compared to models that grouped emotions differently. However, the model that included more than 20 different emotions was the most informative.

Controlling for number of followers and other variables, posts with anger, contempt, love, admiration, cute/kama muta, wonder, pride, sadness, and amusement were associated with an increase in post sharing, whereas sexual attraction and happiness in posts were associated with a significant decrease.

In other words, as everyone on social media knows, jokes, cute things, amazing things are all shared more, Paletz said.

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A Grin Emoji for Advance in Predicting Viral Facebook Posts - Maryland Today

The 5th and the 6th convocation of Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University will be held on Wednesday and 102 students who passed out of the varsity are eligible to receive their degrees.

The convocation is for students who passed out of the varsity during the academic year 2019-20 and 2020-21. The Vice Chancellor of the varsity Prof. Nagesh V. Bettakote, said the convocations could not be held then due to the pandemic. While 83 students of both batches have cleared the examination in different streams, there are 19 medals, and cash-prize awardees who have topped in their respective streams and six others who are eligible to receive D.Litt degrees, said Prof. Bettakote.

The varsity is also conferring honorary doctorates to Vidhushi D. Shahikala, Madhusudhan Sai and Pt. Vinayk Torvi in the 5th convocation while Sri Ganapathi Sacchidananda Swamiji, Prof. S.C. Sharma, and Pt. Sripada Hegade Kampli will be conferred the honorary doctorate at the 6th convocation.

The D.Litt degrees will be conferred to Hamsalekha, A. Lokesha, and M. Manjunath who are on the Faculty of Performing Arts, S. Soumya of Faculty of Instrumental Music, K.N. Hiranaih, Faculty of Theatre Arts, Ms. A.R. Shalini, Faculty of Dance.

The Governor, Thawar Chand Gehlot who is also the Chancellor of the varsity will preside, Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Minister for Higher Education and Pro-Chancellor, will be present and Prof.Mallepuram G Venkatesh, former Vice Chancellor of Karnataka State Sanskrit University, will deliver the convocation address. The venue is Vijnana Bhavan, Mansagangotri campus, University of Mysore and the convocation will begin at 4 p.m.

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Music university convocation on October 18 - The Hindu

On World Food Day, a look at 69 world-famous foods from ghee to Jalfrezi that originated in India or were reinvented here.

In 2022, Indian food emerged as the second most popular cuisine on social media and had the fastest growth rate of 41 percent. According to a Brief Mood Introspection Study (BMIS) by German food ordering company lieferando.at, Indian food emerged as the "happiest food" that increased happiness by 83 percent.On World Food Day, lets look at 75 Indian dishes that have made it to the global plate.

1.Chutney: Borrowing from the Sanskrit word chaatni (to lick), Indian chutney was subsequently adopted by the Romans and British, thanks to their encounters and contacts with the Indian subcontinent.

Samosa and chutney (Photo by Zis Food & Nature Art via Pexels)

2. Samosa: The earliest mention of the samosa was by Abbasid-era poet Ishaq al-Mawsili, praising the sanbusaj. Recipes are found in 10th13th-century Arab cookery books, under the names sanbusak, sanbusaq, and sanbusaj, all deriving from the Persian word sanbosag. It came to India during the Delhi Sultanate period.

3. Papadum: The origin of the papadum (poppadom) is India and it has made way across other South Asian countries.

4. Biryani: The word Biryani is derived from the Persian word Birian, which means 'fried before cooking', and Birinj, the Persian word for rice. There are several stories about biryani beginning in India, one of them being that the Turk-Mongol conqueror, Timur, brought the precursor to the biryani with him when he arrived at the frontiers of India in 1398.

5. Punch: It is considered to be the worlds earliest cocktail and seems to have originated in India. Some accounts suggest that the name Punch is derived from the Sanskrit word paanch, since the cocktail typically comprises five elements alcohol, citrus, sugar, water and spice (mainly nutmeg).

6. Gin & Tonic: Tonic water originated in India in 1825, when British Army officers stationed in India began blending quinine with sugar, water, and gin to create a multi-tasking, malaria-fighting, accidentally delicious sundowner.

Gin and tonic (Photo by Toni Cuenca via Pexels)

7. Chai: There are many theories about the origins of chai infusions, one of them being that nearly 5,000 years ago, a king in what is now India ordered a healing spiced beverage to be created for use in Ayurveda.

8. Naan: Developed nearly 2,500 years ago, naan was invented after the arrival of yeast in India from Egypt. To be sure,leavened breadsare still eaten in many parts of the world. But the Naan has travelled the globe as part of "Indian Mughlai" cuisine.

9. Ganja: Ganja is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana in the English language and its usage in English dates to before 1689.

10. Curry leaves:The name is a derivation ofthe Tamil word Kari which means 'spiced sauce. Theuse of curry leaves dates back to early 1st to 4th century, as mentioned in Tamil and Kannada literature. This is how it's known in other languages: Burmese: Pindosine; Danish: Karrry bald; Dutch: Kerriebladeren; English: Curry leaves; French: Feuilles de cury; German: Curryblatter; Indonesian: Daun kari; Italian: Fogli de Cari; Spanish: Hoja.

(Photo by Roman Odintsov via Pexels)

11. Chicken tikka masala: Story has it that a British Pakistani chef, Ali Ahmed Aslam, invented chicken tikka masala in Glasgow by improvising a sauce made from a tin of condensed tomato soup, and spices.

12. Toddy: Derived from the Hindi word taddy, which translates as a drink made with fermented palm sap. In 1786, the word was officially used to describe an alcoholic drink made with hot water, spices, and sugar.

13. Mulligatawny: A Tamil word meaning pepper water, Mulligatawny was originally used to cure digestion issues and then adopted by Indian cooks for a soup with vegetables and spices for the British.

14. Payasam: Made with milkand starch in the form of rice, sago or vermicelli, this dessert is said to haveits roots in south India or Odisha - depending on which origin story you believe.

The first mention of it in ancient Indian literature is as a mixture of rice, milk and sugar, a formula that has endured for over 2,000 years.

15. Dal: According to The Oxford Companion to Food, technically the word dal denotes simply a split pulse, but in India it has come to encompass dried beans and peas as well as a thick pure-like stew or soup made from lentils.

16. Curry powder:At the end of the 18th century, the British officially formalized spice blends known as curry powders to recreate their favourite dishes consistently in the absence of their cooks.

17. Bhelpuri: Bhelpuri is said to have been first created in Sangli (Maharashtra) and got famous through migrants in Mumbai.

Bhelpuri (Photo by Rashmeet Kaur via Wikimedia Commons 4.0)

18. Kedegree: According to Larousse Gastronomique, kedgeree originated from a concoction of spiced lentils, rice, fried onions and ginger known as khichiri dating back to 14th century India.

19. Dosa: It is believed that the dosa was found initially in the Temple streets of Udupi (Karnataka). Chalukya King Somesvara III first referenced dosa in Tamil literature in 1054 AD.

20. Chaat: Chaat originated in northern India (now Uttar Pradesh) in the late 17th century during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.

21. Tandoor: The tandoor may have originated in Rajasthan where archeologists have found tandoor remains dating from 2600 B.C. The first tandoors were used to bake flatbread.

22. Kebab: Kebab was invented by medieval soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires.

Kakori Kebab: Created for the Nawab of Kakori.

Galawti kebab: Created for the ageing Nawab of Lucknow who had lost his set of teeth, but not his appetite for meat! At his behest, the royal kitchens came up with this easy to chew kebab.

23. Paneer: The National Dairy Research Institute states that paneer was introduced into India by Afghan and Iranian invaders. Based on texts such as Charaka Samhita, it is believed the earliest evidence of a heat-acid coagulated milk product in India can be traced to 75-300 AD, in the Kushan-Satavahana era.

24. Garam masala: The blend is thought to have originated in Northern India and some have traced its first use to the Mongol Empire in the 13th century.

25. Ghee: Also known as liquid gold or sacred fat, ghee originated in India, where the heat was not conducive to storing butter for long periods.

26. Kofta: According to The Oxford Companion to Food, kofta appears in some of the earliest Arabic cookbooks. Nearly every major culture has its own version of the meatball: Spanish albondigas, Dutch bitterballen, Chinese lions heads, South African skilpedjies, Kofta in India.

27. Paratha: The Hindi word paratha is derived from Sanskrit and recipes for various stuffed wheat puranpolis (parathas) are mentioned in Manasollasa, a 12th-century Sanskrit encyclopaedia compiled by Someshvara III, who ruled from present-day Karnataka.

28. Kulfi-falooda: The word kulfi comes from the Persian qulfi (covered cup). The dessert likely originated in the Mughal Empire in the 16th century.

Falooda: Originated centuries ago, in Persia, Falooda travelled to South Asia with Persian merchants and rulers who invaded the region.

29. Pilau (also pilaf or pulao): Certain historical records suggest that the word pulao, in fact, traces its roots from the Sanskrit word Pulla (meaning rice and meat).

30. Vindaloo: Originally from Goa, based on the Portuguese dish carne de vinha dalhos, it is known globally in its British Indian form as a fiery, spicy dish.

31. Butter chicken: Butter chicken originated in Delhi sometime during the 1950s.The curry is said to have been developed by Kundan Lal Jaggi and Kundan Lal Gujral, founders of the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi.

32. Kahwa: Many believe it originated during the Kushan empire in the first and second century AD.

33. Rogan josh: The dish was originally brought to Kashmir by the Mughals, whose cuisine was, in turn, influenced by Persian cuisine.

34. Dhansak: Roots in the Persian Khoresh (stew), this particular stew that evolved into dhansak was made with plums, lentils, spinach and meat, and was served on rice. After the migration of Persians to the sub-continent, khoresh came to be known as dhansak.

35. Bebinca: The 7-layered Goan cake was first made by a nun called Bebiana in the Convent of Santa Monica in old Goa, who baked seven layers to symbolise the seven hills of Lisbon and the old city of Goa.

36. Turmeric: The use of turmeric dates back nearly 4,000 years to the Vedic culture in India. It probably reached China by 700 AD, East Africa by 800 AD, West Africa by 1200 AD, and Jamaica in the 18th century.

37. Curry Powder: Curry powder, a commercially prepared mixture of spices marketed in the West, was first exported to Britain in the 18th century.

38. Shahi Paneer: Born in the Mughal royal kitchens. Shahi means royal in Urdu, a language commonly used by the erstwhile Muslim rulers of the Indian subcontinent.

39. Rosogolla: Odisha and West Bengal have been squabbling as the inventors of Rosogolla. Bengalis claim that it was developed in Calcutta by Nabin Chandra Das in 1868 while Odiyas say that the rosogolla is another version of the khira mohana which they had invented in the 11th century.

Gulab Jamun (Photo by Sarayu via Pexels)

40. Gulab Jamun: Said to have been invented by Bhim Chandra Nag on the occasion of a visit by Lady Canning, the wife of Charles Canning, the Governor-General of India during 185662.

41. Basmati rice: Basmati is a Sanskrit word that means perfumed one or fragrant. For millennia, it has been grown in the foothills of the Himalayas.

42. Pav:Vada pav, Keema pav, Misal pav, Pav Bhaji: Pav in Marathi means one-fourth, so a quarter of a loaf was equal to a pav. Most believe that pav is just a local adaptation of the old Portuguese word 'po' which means bread.

43. Jalebi: The Persian name is zalibiya/Zulabiya but the Indian jalebi is a global sweetheart.

44. Pakora: History tells us that in the 16th century, en route to Japan, Spanish and Portuguese ships would stop in India and would onboard cooks from India who created different ways to consume vegetables, with pakoras being one of the dishes served.

45. Keema: The word Keema is probably borrowed from the Turkish word Kyma, which means minced meat. Keema was a popular breakfast staple in the Awadhi cuisine during medieval India.

46. Chhole (Chickpea Curry): Originating in the Indian sub-continent, the first dish dates back to almost the 1940s.

47. Palak Paneer: Saag and palak (since its arrival in the subcontinent) was the rural peoples food and is now on many fine-dining menus around the world.

48. Vadouvan or vadagam: A spice ball invented in Pondicherry for the French who wanted to eat the local cuisine but, in less spicy way.

49. Pez: A rice gruel commonly eaten in Goa and other coastal areas, evolved into the Portuguese canja de galinha.

50. Thepla: Originated in Gujarat and the Gujaratis took it with them wherever they emigrated.

51. Lassi: One of the first smoothies ever created, lassi is believed to have originated somewhere around 1000 BC in Punjab and Multan.

52. Korma: Korma has its roots in the Mughlai cuisine of the Indian subcontinent and can be traced back to the 16th century.

53. Raita: A portmanteau of the Sanskrit word rajika or the derivative Hindi rai (black mustard seed), and tiktaka (sharp or pungent), the word raita first appeared in print around the 19th century.

54. Chapati: Some say that Chapati came from the Egyptian Indus Valley civilisation 5,000 years ago. Others claim it was first made in East Africa and brought over to India. Chapatis were introduced to other parts of the world by immigrants from the Indian subcontinent.

55. Pani Puri: Gol Gappe, Phuchka, Pani ka Bataasha or Patasha, Gup Chup, Phulki, Pakodi. There are many names to the dish invented in Delhi. Some say, Draupadi was the first one to make pani-puri after her mother-in-law gave her some dough and leftover potatoes and asked her to create a dish for her five husbands!

Pani Puri (Photo by Rathaphon Nanthapreecha via Pexels).

56. Dal Makhni: The original dal makhni was made by the Peshwaris in what is now part of Pakistan. The dal makhni we know is said to have been reinvented by Delhis Kundan Lal Gujral who later owned the Moti Mahal chain of restaurants.

57. Malai Kofta: Widely believed that Malai Kofta became popular during the Mughal rule in India. In the early days, this dish formed an integral part of the South Caucasian, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian cuisines.

58. Thali: Used to serve food in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, Thali is also used to refer to a meal made up of a selection of various dishes which are served on a platter. The idea behind a thali is to offer all the 6 different flavours of sweet, salt, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy on one single plate.

59. Bhindi fry/masala: Grown first in Eritrea and the highlands of Sudan, the Bantu tribe travelled with it during they migration from Egypt in 2000 BC. Soon it was growing along the great river valleys of India and China. Charaka, called bhindi, the lotus of the earth but it was the Arabs or Africans who probably made the first Bhindi fry/masala. The transatlantic slave trade carried bhindi to the Americas.

60. Dhokla:Made with besan (gram flour), the dhokla is seeing a resurgence along with other fermented Indian foods.

61. Chicken 65: In 1965, Chicken 65 was invented by A.M. Buhari of Buhari Hotel (Tamil Nadu). The origin is debatable but it has found its place on the global menu.

62. Malpua: Originally made of barley, the most prolific grain eaten by the Aryans of the Vedic period, malpua is vey popular in Nepal, Bangladesh and a staple during Ramadan.

63. Jhal Muri: It became popular in London when a British chef named Angus Denoon tried this snack in Kolkata and started selling it on streets of London.

64.Achar: Achar (Indian pickles) has been a part of the Indian food culture and history for 4,000 years.

65. Chicken Chettinad: Part of the cuisine of a group of people known as the Nattukotai Chettiars, or Nagarathars, who live in the Chettinad area of Tamil Nadus Sivagangai district (Tamil Nadu).

66. Aloo Gobhi: Traditional Indian dish with its origins from Punjab, the humble cauliflower and potatoes got a culture nod in Gurinder Chadha's Bend It Like Beckham

67. Jalfrezi: Stemming from Bengali term jhl (spicy food) and porhez (suitable for a diet), Jalfrezi recipes appeared in cookbooks of British India as a way of using up leftovers by frying them with chilli and onion.

68. Moilee: Story goes that when the Portuguese arrived in Kerala, they could not digest the spicy food. A lady named Molly added coconut milk to the fish dish to reduce the heat.

69. Aloo tikki burger: Once the domain of street food vendors and college canteens, the cheap but delicious potato patty burger used global food chains like McDonald's as a springboard toconquer the world.

Preeti Verma Lal is a Goa-based freelance writer/photographer.

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World Food Day 2023: 69 Indian dishes on the global plate - Moneycontrol