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Education and knowledge have always been central to Hinduism. Learning forms a deeply rooted part of Hindu culture and literature. The religion reveres education in the form of gods: Lord Saraswati, associated with knowledge, learning, speech, and the arts, and Lord Ganesha, the god of wisdom, intellect, and new beginnings. Lord Ganesha is also revered as the remover of obstacles and a patron of learning.

Lord Ganesha is considered an ideal role model for students. To succeed academically, students need qualities such as wisdom, intellect, and knowledge — all of which Lord Ganesha symbolizes. He is known as Vidya Daata (giver of knowledge) and Buddhi Pradaayaka (giver of intellect). It is customary to invoke Lord Ganesha’s blessings at the start of any academic or creative endeavor.

He also inspires focus and concentration. His small eyes represent deep focus, while his large head symbolizes broad thinking and understanding. His large ears encourage students to be attentive listeners and absorb knowledge carefully. His broken tusk signifies sacrifice and the ability to let go of ego for a greater purpose. Additionally, his simple posture reflects humility rather than extravagance.

The mind of a student requires calmness and emotional stability. Lord Ganesha’s peaceful expression encourages patience and emotional control, even under academic pressure. An ideal student faces exams, projects, and challenges with confidence and maintains emotional balance throughout.

Worshipped as Vighnaharta (remover of obstacles), Lord Ganesha teaches us to overcome difficulties with wisdom. He encourages students to solve problems through intelligence and perseverance rather than avoidance. At the same time, he embodies a balance between playfulness and discipline—“childlike yet wise”—showing that fun and responsibility can coexist in a student’s life.

Lord Ganesha serves as an ideal role model for holistic growth, nurturing intellectual, emotional, and moral development. He promotes humility, dedication, and spiritual grounding. Embodying the perfect blend of wisdom, focus, and humility, Lord Ganesha inspires every student to overcome challenges with courage and grace, guiding them on their path to success.

By Jishnu Mukherjee

Bollywood star's eco-friendly initiative uses creativity to sow seeds of kindness in young minds

With increasing competition and conflict at a time when the world is already in a state of chaos, actor Ananya Panday is changing the spotlight to empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence — all through the art. On Tuesday, she formally launched the 'Kindness Curriculum', a pioneering education program that seeks to instill the values of kindness and emotional intelligence in little children through the art of creative expression.

Developed by teachers, mental health professionals, and child psychologists, the curriculum incorporates drawing, music, storytelling, and drama to instruct and reinforce empathy — not just for other individuals, but for the world around them and for themselves as well.

"Kindness is strength and not weakness," stated Ananya at the launch. "We always speak about academic success but forget that emotional well-being and sensitivity are equally important. I wanted to introduce something that teaches children to care — for people, animals, and the planet."

The Kindness Curriculum will first be launched in selected government and private schools of Maharashtra and Delhi, with national expansion plans. Modules involve environmental acts of kindness like planting saplings, painting on eco-friendly surface, and writing to nature, in a bid to build both emotional intelligence and environmental sensitivity.

Teachers who attended the pilot workshops said the kids were actually enthusiastic. "They began expressing their emotions and being more respectful of their peer students and surroundings," said an Indian-based primary school teacher. "It was a relief.".

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), are strongly aligned with this project.  By offering a comprehensive framework for sustainable and values-based education that advances both the mind and the planet, it goes beyond emotional literacy.

While the #KindnessIsCool movement gathers steam on social media platforms, Ananya Panday's 'Kindness Curriculum' is turning into more than an initiative driven by a celebrity. It is becoming a timely and powerful movement to turn classrooms into learning spaces that are ecologically aware, emotionally supportive, and empathic.

As the climate crisis worsens and mental health concerns grow among young people, this empathy-based curriculum might well be the quiet revolution that today's schools — and students — require.

Mahavatar Narsimha is India’s first major 3D animated mythological film that is breaking box office records with its epic storytelling and innovative animation. Explore the film’s story, success, and impact on Indian cinema.

There’s something subtly bold about Mahavatar Narsimha. On the surface, it’s a retelling of a familiar myth,Vishnu’s fourth avatar, the half-lion, half-man deity who descends to destroy the tyrant Hiranyakashipu. But this isn’t another religious animation made just for a small group of viewers. Directed by Ashwin Kumar and backed by Hombale Films (the studio behind KGF, Kantara, and Salaar), Mahavatar Narsimha positions itself as something much larger, India’s entry into high-concept, large-scale mythological animation with global ambition. And for once, the results live up to the goal.

When was Mahavtar Narsimha Released? 

Released theatrically on July 25, 2025, across five Indian languages,and expanding to overseas markets like the UK, Europe, and Australia on July 31,the film is India’s first major 3D animated mythological epic. And while that sentence might read like marketing copy, the scale and seriousness of the project are hard to deny. Developed over nearly four and a half years, the film isn’t just an adaptation. It’s a carefully updated version of how Indian mythology is shown on screen.

What is the Story of Narsimha?

The story, drawn from the Vishnu Purana, is basic but powerful. Hiranyakashipu, a demon king who believes himself to be invincible and divine, seeks to eradicate worship of Vishnu. His young son, Prahlad, remains devoted despite growing threats. The climax, inevitable yet powerful, comes in the form of Narsimha, a being that is neither a man nor beast, appearing at sunset to keep a promise and set things right.

Why is Narsimha Movie trending? 

What makes it work on screen is the discipline with which the film builds up to its most powerful moments. The animation is very life-like, but not too perfect. There’s a noticeable weight to the environments, a clear purpose in the way lighting is used and moments,especially in the Varaha and final Narsimha sequences,where the scale isn’t too much, but still makes it feel epic.

Ashwin Kumar, also credited as co-editor, keeps the pacing deliberate. The film doesn’t rush to its set pieces, which makes them land harder. When it falters, it’s usually in the quieter stretches, where some explaining weakens the emotional impact . But even those moments carry a kind of conviction. The storytelling isn’t afraid to slow down, which, in animation especially, is a risk not often taken.

Who were a part of this movie?

The voice cast-Aditya Raj Sharma, Haripriya Matta, Sanket Jaiswal, among others,delivers measured, unfussy performances across languages. The music by Sam C. S. avoids being overly emotional, and instead creates mood and tension. The production never leans too hard into grandeur for its own sake. There’s reverence here, yes, but also control.

Response and Reaction 

Critics responded with a mix of respect and guarded optimism. The Times of India called it a “grand visual odyssey,” noting its technical ambition while acknowledging the occasional emotional flatness. India Today emphasized the film’s spiritual tone, praising its compassion and clarity, and gave it a solid 3.5 stars. On platforms like Reddit, the film earned praise from viewers who appreciated its “fantastically presented climax” and “essence-capturing dialogue,” with some rating it as high as 8.5/10.

But perhaps the film’s remarkable achievement lies in its box office numbers. On Day 1, it opened modestly at ₹1.75–2.29 crore. By the end of its opening weekend, it had surged to ₹15.85 crore—an almost 400% jump. By Day 6, it had reached ₹37.05 crore, making it the highest-grossing Indian animated film to date, surpassing Hanuman. Importantly, it did this with a budget of only ₹15 crore. By the sixth day, it had nearly doubled its investment, creating its status not just as a cultural event, but a commercial success.

Regional Breakdown Of Narsimha Movie

The regional breakdown is also notable,Hindi and Telugu versions drove the bulk of earnings, with Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam versions contributing solidly. Occupancy rates were high,81% in Chennai, 72% in Bengaluru, 59% in Hyderabad signaling genuine audience interest beyond the traditionally niche animation demographic.

And this is where the film’s real impact starts to take shape. Mahavatar Narsimha isn’t just an animated success story; it’s a reframing of what Indian animation can be. The film marks the start of the Mahavatar Cinematic Universe, a planned seven-film series spanning Vishnu’s Dashavatara, culminating with Kalki by 2037. It’s an ambitious roadmap, and it wouldn’t matter if this first film had stumbled. But it didn’t. It landed, and it landed hard.

What sets it apart is not the spectacle, but the intent. The film doesn’t pander, doesn’t dilute, and doesn't try to make mythology “relatable” by dressing it in pop-culture shorthand. It respects the source material, It uses modern tools to tell an ancient story without flattening its spiritual dimension. In doing so, it challenges the long-held assumption that Indian animation is inherently second-tier,technically or thematically.

Apparently, Mahavatar Narsimha isn’t the best 3D animation movie. There is indeed space for improvement and enhancement; A few sequences feel over-edited, and the dialogue occasionally veers into functional rather than evocative. But these aren’t failures of imagination; They’re growing evidence of a creative team pushing against the boundaries of what’s been done before.

And pushing matters. Because now there’s a precedent. Now audiences know this is possible. Now studios know it can work.

If Indian cinema has always had the stories but not always the tools to tell them at scale, Mahavatar Narsimha changes that equation. It isn’t the end of a journey. It’s the beginning of one. And if future entries in this cinematic universe hold their nerve the way this one does, we may look back on this not just as a hit film, but as the moment Indian animation found its voice.

 By Aditi Sawarkar

Guenon/Rogers: Multi-award-winning music director AR Rahman recently marked a family milestone—graduation of his daughter Raheema from Switzerland's Glion Institute of Higher Education. The composer who won his first Oscar a year ago is generally a family privacy defender but put up a graduation photo on Instagram. Raheema is standing with her graduation attire at the terminal end of her Hospitality, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation academic tracks.

Addressing her as his "little princess," Rahman was happy to share her academic success with the social media post, for which he had good wishes from the general public and well-wishers. The episode provided an insight into the composer who is highly well known for his internationally recognized contribution in films like Roja, Rockstar, and Slumdog Millionaire. 

Educational Background and Qualifications

Raheema Rahman has been educated with a combination of innovation and entrepreneurship. Her LinkedIn profile indicates she has a Master of Science in Hospitality, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation from the Glion Institute of Higher Education (Sep 2024 – Jan 2026) in Switzerland. She also holds a diploma in Patisserie from the International Centre for Culinary Arts in Dubai (Feb – May 2024).

Her academic life also includes a five-week Music Performance Intensive at Berklee College of Music in 2018, which reflects her interest in performing arts from the initial level. She pursued school-level education as an individual candidate under the Cambridge International Examinations system and had studied earlier at Lady Andal and Sir Mutha Schools in Chennai.

Early Career Experiences

Raheema's career experience reflects her interest in a variety of creative pursuits. Her LinkedIn page is a demonstration of the fact that she was an independent event planner, organizing a wedding event for a few days in 2022. She also interned in 2022 at Nayla Al Khaja Films in Dubai and was involved in directing and production. She got her initial known experience in 2019 as an intern social media marketer at Qyuki Digital Media.AR Rahman's daughter graduates from Switzerland college: Her education, qualification, career

Family Life and Recent Trends

Raheema is the third of three children of AR Rahman and Saira Banu. The family has been in the spotlight very rarely, the last being in 2022 when her sister Khatija Rahman married audio engineer Riyasdeen Shaik Mohamed in an undercover wedding.

Rahman and Saira Banu announced their divorce in 2024 after marriage for years after being haunted with emotional distress. The remark was made by a family member, as per different media sources. Saira, however, clarified to ANI this year that the two are not divorced legally and requested that individuals cease referring to her as Rahman's ex-wife. She had stated the remark while wishing him well while he recovered after battling chest pain and angioplasty.

Open your phone, put on your earphones, and you’re seconds away from entering someone’s mind. That’s what a podcast is,unfiltered, unhurried, and surprisingly intimate. Unlike video content that fights for your attention or text that demands your eyes, podcasts meet you where you are. Cooking, walking, commuting, zoning out at 2 AM,there’s always a place for them.

What started as a niche corner of the internet has become one of the most democratic forms of media today. With a mic, a voice, and an idea, anyone can start a podcast,and many have. As a result, the space isn’t just growing, it’s fragmenting. Which is good news for listeners: there’s now a podcast for every mood, ideology, and attention span.

Some people listen to unwind, some to learn, some to eavesdrop on conversations they’ll never be invited to. And that’s the charm. Podcasts don’t try to impress you with heavy editing or polished scripts (well, most don’t). They linger. They digress. They feel like thoughts unfolding in real time, because they often are.

In India, the scene is growing fast,and weird in the best way. Genre boundaries are loose. One episode might be political commentary, the next a rant about dating apps. The hosts don’t always sound “professional,” but that’s not the point. The point is that it feels real.

Take Untriggered with Amin Jaz, a show that never pretends to be anything it’s not. Or Prakhar ke Pravachan, which feels like your elder brother got philosophical and won’t shut up, but somehow, you’re still listening. Chaar Yaar delivers that exact group-chat energy, except in audio form. And The Having Said That show  balances cynicism with curiosity.  

Here are a few others worth checking out:

1. Dostcast – Long-form, raw, and unpredictable. Feels like stumbling into a conversation you didn’t know you needed.
2. Rumours by Bound – Deep dives into viral stories and internet mysteries—fact-checked, thoughtful, and gossip-friendly

     3.The Internet Said So – Stand-up comics discuss random internet stuff, shower thoughts, and childhood trauma (in a funny way).

     4.Chaar Yaar Podcast – Four friends, four mics, endless laughter and banter. Like a hostel conversation that got recorded.

     5.Having Said That – Chill conversations with comedians and creators that casually veer into surprisingly deep stuff

6. All About Now – Politics, pop culture, and layered context. Think of it as the opposite of hot takes.

There’s a reason podcasts keep growing while other forms of media feel stuck. They don’t need to sell you something every second. They’re allowed to be quiet, slow, or even a little boring,because sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. Another reason podcasts hit differently? Anyone can make one. You don’t need a million-dollar setup. Heck, half the podcasters you follow probably started with a Phone and a dream. (And maybe a chai and some good ‘ol friends)

That’s the beauty. Podcasts democratize voice. They allow people with perspectives,not necessarily clout to share stories. The girl rants about capitalism. The guy decoding Freud( with swear words). The chaotic duo fighting over pineapple pizza. It’s all there. Raw. Funny. Unfiltered.If you're tired of corporate-speak, marketing filters, and AI-generated “inspiration” posts, podcasts are your rebellion.

Podcasts for Every Personality (You Pretend to Have)

Not into interviews? Cool. Prefer absurd comedy? Done. Want soft Hindi poetry? Covered.Want to hear friends talk? Done.

There’s a podcast for literally every mood, niche, and personality

Podcasts offer presence, not performance.

There's space for rambling. For context. For nuance. When was the last time you got that on a reels?

So if you haven’t already fallen down the rabbit hole, maybe it’s time. Not every episode will change your life. But a good podcast will make you feel less alone inside your own head. And that’s no small thing.

By Aditi Sawarkar 

In recent years, online spaces have blurred the lines between humour and harm. Jokes about women’s safety, harassment, or assault aren’t new but their steady spread across meme pages, comment sections, and even influencer content points to something deeper. A cultural reflex. A discomfort masked as humour.

At first glance, it might seem harmless, a flippant comment, a sarcastic reel, a “dark joke” shared in the replies of a woman’s post about feeling unsafe. It’s “just humour,” they say. “Don’t be so sensitive.” But if you stop scrolling for a second, something deeply unsettling emerges.

Why is it so common, even normal to see men make jokes when women talk about their own safety?

You don’t have to dig deep. A tweet about catcalling gets quote-tweeted with, “Should’ve taken pepper spray lessons instead of makeup classes lol.” A video on stalking is met with, “Maybe stop thinking everyone’s obsessed with you.” A comment about fear while walking home alone becomes an opportunity for a guy to post a clown emoji or crack a joke about “attention-seeking feminism.”What’s scary is how little it takes for real fear to become a joke.

 These aren’t faceless trolls. These are boys you went to school with. The guy in your building who waves at your parents. The friend of a friend who sends reels and says “u up?” at 2 a.m. These are regular men, smart, “chill,” usually the ones described as “harmless.”

But the minute a woman opens up about her discomfort, their instinct is not empathy. It’s sarcasm. They’ll mock her tone. Question her experience. Minimise her fear. Not because they’re heartless but because it’s easier to dismiss a problem than to accept that you might be part of it. And if you call them out? The defence is instant: "It was just a joke."

But here's the thing, when jokes only go one way, they're not jokes. They're power plays. They're a way of reminding women, “You’re not supposed to take up this space. You’re not allowed to be loud about your pain.”

Being a woman online means being hyper-aware of tone. It means writing and rewriting captions to avoid being called out. It means double-thinking your stories, knowing there’s always someone waiting to laugh at you.

It means waking up to a message from a guy saying, “You’re making a big deal out of nothing.” It means having to defend why a “casual grope” in a crowd is not supposed to be casual. It means constantly being told, “Don’t think too much.”

Whenever a woman shares her story, you’ll hear it - “Not all men.” Of course, not all men. That was never the point. The more urgent, more heartbreaking truth is that all women, at some point, have felt the need to be afraid of all men. Not because they want to, but because they’ve had to. Because they’ve been followed, touched, stared at, harassed, sometimes by strangers, sometimes by people they trusted. 

The point is that enough men joke about these stories to make women scared to tell them. Enough men turn pain into jokes. Enough men are silent when their friends joke about rape or stalking in a group chat. Enough men mock women, then post "Justice for her" when a tragedy goes viral. The point is that if you’re a man reading this and your first instinct is to get defensive instead of curious, maybe you're not listening at all.

The truth is, most women don’t expect every man to be an activist. But they do hope (deeply) that the men around them will, at the very least, believe them;

That they’ll stop laughing.

That they’ll start noticing.

That they’ll speak up when it matters 

even if it's just in a comment section.

Humour is not harmless when it punches down. Mocking women’s fear doesn’t make you edgy. It makes you part of the problem.

And if that makes you uncomfortable? Good. Sit with it. That’s how change begins.

By Aditi Sawarkar