Innholdsfortegnelse for October 14, 2024 i India Today

The world and India are not short of problems. War, regime change, elections, corruption scandals, we have all of that running in spate. What, then, is a humble laddoo, you may ask. Well, in India, anything that relates to religion is highly inflammable material. Moreover, this is not just another laddoo from the neighbourhood halwai. The sweet that has soured the air recently is the sacred prasadam you get at Tirupati. This temple in Andhra Pradesh is a giant magnet for Hindu pilgrims across the land, drawing an astounding 30-40 million devotees annually. Therefore, national headlines were dominated for days by a question that may stump outsiders: was ghee contaminated with animal fat used in the Tirupati laddoo? It got so much traction after Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu aired the…

₹500 CRORE TTD’s annual earning from laddoo sales 120 MILLION Laddoos sold per annum 250,000-300,000 Laddoos rolled in a day THE PROCESS… Ingredients are procured through e-tenders and supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’s marketing office in Tirupati. From there, they are transported uphill to the Tirumala store where samples are checked before being sent for use DID YOU KNOW? ↘ The TTD has acquired the Geographical Indication tag for the Tirupati laddoo ↘ It procures about 2,700 tonnes of ghee through e-tenders every six months ↘ A 85,000-litre ghee tank has been built near the temple complex ↘ A modern flour mill has been installed that can grind up to 15,000 kg of Bengal gram (chickpea) QUALITY CHECK There have been instances where ingredients were identified as substandard. Each…

On September 17, around 3.30 pm Beirut time, thousands of pagers used by members of the Hezbollah, the Shia militant group, started exploding across Lebanon. The explosions killed 11 and injured 2,700. The next day, it was the turn of walkie talkies they used to blow up, killing over 20 and injuring 450 people. The mass electronic sabotage, presumed to have been orchestrated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) along with the country’s spy agency, Mossad, represents a new chapter in electronic warfare. The pager/walkie talkie attacks raise the spectre worldwide of the potential widespread weaponisation and targeting of personal gadgets. Though putting explosives in phones and detonating them is an old art in the secret agent’s toolbox, what makes the alleged Israeli attack unique is the deep supply chain…

1985 Raja Bahadur Sardar Singh, the last titular head of Khetri and an heirless divorcee, executes a will at Tis Hazari court, Delhi, leaving all his moveable/immoveable properties to a newly-formed Khetri Trust 1987 Sardar Singh dies. Acting on a plaint of internal purloining of valuables, Rajasthan invokes the Escheats Act of 1956, which gives the State the right to take over unclaimed properties without any heirs Khetri Trust files a case for grant of probate—i.e. for the will to be validated—so as to get ownership. At least seven self-proclaimed ‘cogn-ates and agnates’ (heirs) claim title 2016 Revenue Court Ajmer stays last favourable decision for state, a collector’s order on Escheats. Then, Rajasthan HC overturns a 2012 order, and holds the state’s invoking of the Escheats doctrine to be invalid…

Mercedes-Benz has launched the EQA which comes in as the company’s entry-level EV, slotting in below the EQB. The EQA is a derivative of the GLA and hence the design looks similar. However, being electric, it gets its own set of design highlights. The grille is unique and gets intricate details along with the large Mercedes-Benz logo. The EQA also gets the company’s high-performance LED light package. In profile, one can spot the new 19-inch 10-spoke AMG alloys and a generous ground clearance of over 200mm. At the back, the EQA looks even better thanks to the connected tail light unit and a bit of chrome embellishment. The EQA is the first model from Mercedes-EQ whose aerodynamic development has been undertaken entirely digitally. Inside, the instrument panel consists of…

Two Pakistani citizens have won Nobel Prizes—Malala Yousafzai, who shared the Peace Prize in 2014 with Kailash Satyarthi, and the great physicist Abdus Salam, who in 1979 became the first scientist from a Muslim country to win a Nobel. Considered the ‘father’ of Pakistan’s programmes in mathematical and theoretical physics and space research, Salam was commemorated on a stamp in 1998, released after Pakistan’s first public tests of nuclear weapons in 1998. But in 1974, five years before he won the Nobel Prize for Physics, Salam quit Pakistan for London in protest, when the constitution was amended to declare Ahmadis, the sect to which he belonged, to be ‘non-Muslim’. In Everything There Is, the Canadian writer M.G. Vassanji, born in Kenya to Indian parents in 1950, fictionalises Salam’s life, imagines…

Mumbai’s classical music scene is about to witness an extraordinary event as the world-renowned British pianist Peter Donohoe makes his Indian debut. He will perform with the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) Chamber Orchestra on October 17, followed by a solo piano recital on October 18 at the Tata Theatre. These performances mark a significant cultural milestone, introducing one of the most acclaimed pianists of our time to the Indian stage. Donohoe, a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and a former student of Olivier Messiaen, has spent over four decades building a career defined by technical brilliance, deep musical insight and stylistic versatility. He has collaborated with leading orchestras such as the Berliner Phil-harmoniker and the Royal Concertgebouw, and his recordings of Mozart, Brahms and Grieg…

Foldable phones are the VIPs of the smartphone world, combining futuristic design with cutting-edge tech. On one side, we have the sleek and stylish Vivo X Fold 3 Pro (`1,59,999), and in the other, the AI-powered multitasking beast, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (`1,64,999)—let the foldable showdown begin. Design & Display The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is the supermodel of foldables—slim, sleek, and effortlessly elegant. With ultra-bright displays and a lightweight design, it’s a tech marvel in your hand. The Galaxy Z Fold 6, with its sturdy metal body and smooth hinge, offers a vivid 7.6-inch display, but Vivo’s thinner, more polished look edges it out for design. Performance Both boast Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but Vivo’s 16GB RAM adds serious muscle, making gaming a breeze and the camera…

Along Europe’s Alpine slopes, some ski resorts are great for newbies, others for hardcore enthusiasts; while glam and luxury take centerstage in others. But no matter which postcard perfect getaway you choose—whether in Italy, France, Switzerland or Austria—the heart-stopping beauty of these wondrously white pistes is the icing on the cake and the after-ski action a major draw. FRANCE Courchevel Along Courchevel’s glistening slopes, skiing is not just a winter workout, it comes wrapped in layers of glamour. Part of Les 3 Vallées, the world’s largest ski area, the immaculately groomed pistes spanning 150 kilometers are set against a backdrop of lavish hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and designer evel. There are more than 50 ski lifts and over 100 ski runs—perfect for both beginners and experts. Celebrity spotting is almost guaranteed…

Take an old iPhone, give it a crash course in AI, add dollops of personality and voila you have Apple iPhone 16 Pro. It’s the familiar iPhone you love, now smart enough to anticipate your next move—sometimes before even you do. This is what we could make of the new iPhone 16 Pro. Bigger Screens, Bigger Smiles Apple has embraced the "bigger is better" philosophy with the iPhone 16 Pro sporting a 6.3-inch display. Its bigger brother (Pro Max) comes with a 6.9-inch display. Despite its size, a slimmer chassis keeps it surprisingly manageable—even with a case. The new desert titanium finish is a standout, subtly shifting to a blush rose hue under certain lighting, as if the phone itself is flattered by your attention. Reduced bezels make the expanded…

Made-to-measure (MTM) is midway between bespoke and ready-to-wear and offers the best of both worlds. While in bespoke you start from scratch and go through several fittings, in MTM we cut some of those steps out by manipulating a pattern that’s ready and making it specific to you. Also, being measured with a try-on garment is far better than just using a tape measure. So, you save time and get a great fit. Do keep these things in mind when going in for MTM Come Prepared It’s best to have a little bit of an idea about what you want because when your options are so great it can be confusing. Occasion Think about the occasion and how formal you want to look, so whether you’re looking for a tuxedo…

The Indian automotive market is currently shaped by two major trends: electrification and the growing demand for SUVs and crossovers. As a result, the arrival of any traditional saloon, hatchback, or two-door car is met with excitement from enthusiasts. The Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 Cabriolet breathes fresh air into this landscape, bridging the gap left by the discontinued C-Class and E-Class Coupes. Positioned between the two in size, the CLE offers a stylish middle ground. With fewer four-seater convertibles available, the CLE stands out, delivering a refreshing blend of style, practicality, and luxury. The Mercedes CLE is all about hitting that sweet spot between size and style. Sitting comfortably between the C-Class and E-Class, it’s more than just a middle child, it’s a showstopper. The bold lines and soft curves give…

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has always been a stickler for courtroom decorum, making it clear that the hallowed chambers are no place for shoddy behaviour. On September 30, when a petitioner replied “yeah” at a hearing, the CJI retorted, “This is a court, not a coffee shop. I am a little allergic to people saying yeah.” In July, a senior counsel who kept interrupting another midargument almost found himself escorted out: “You will not address the gallery. Summon security.” In January, another lawyer who raised his voice got a sharp rebuke: “Lower your pitch. This has not happened in 23 years of my career, and it will not happen in my last year.” Last year, the CJI even ordered a lawyer’s mobile phone confiscated: “Is this a market…

TELECOM NETWORKS India’s communications networks depend largely on Chinese and foreign hardware and software, making them vulnerable to cyber attacks CIMs Cellular IoT Modules use cellular networks to enable connections between devices and amongst critical installations. Firmware updates can plant malwares/activate embedded explosives CCTVs With over 90 per cent of government installations having Chinese devices, there is a clear and present danger of surveillance, data theft and sabotage through malware AVIATION Fly-by-wire flight control systems and in-flight Wi-Fi can be compromised by malware and can trigger failure/explosions…

↘ Bhopalgarh Fort: Built by Bhopal Singh in 1765 and one of Rajasthan’s top forts, settlers’ houses dot its hilly, 60-acre campus. It contains two palaces: Naya Mahal and Moti Mahal. Both lie in ruin ↘ Naya Mahal: Built in 1895 by Ajit Singh, with a commanding view of the town below, its pillared halls boasted exquisite Shekhawati frescoes, sculptures and intricately painted mirror-work. Most of it now badly damaged ↘ Moti Mahal: Of 18th century vintage, and renovated in 1861, another gem of Shekhawati architecture now left to ruin. Its ceilings, bearing intricate circular brick patterns known as kharanja, lie broken and defaced ↘ Khetri Mahal: The original ‘Wind Palace’ built in 1770. A complex, interconnected series of open, colonnaded halls and patios on multiple levels, this was the…

BAJAJ FREEDOM Bajaj Auto has launched the world’s first CNG motorcycle, the Freedom 125. It comes with dual-fuel capabilities, which means a 2-litre auxiliary petrol tank and a 2kg (12.5-litre) CNG tank. This gives the Freedom 125 a claimed combined range of 330km and a claimed fuel efficiency figure of 65kmpl in petrol mode and 102km/kg in CNG mode. The Freedom 125 is powered by a horizontally-inclined 125cc single-cylinder motor that churns out 9.5bhp of peak power and 9.7Nm of peak torque. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Ground clearance sits at 170mm. Engine 125cc petrol/CNG Power 9.5 bhp Price Rs 1.1 lakh (ex-showroom) HERO GLAMOUR Hero MotoCorp’s new Hero Glamour has a 125cc engine, which develops 10.8bhp of maximum power and 10.6Nm of peak torque. The engine…

In her intergenerational novel set in New Delhi, Radhika Oberoi hurls a Molotov cocktail wrapped in a satin scarf embroidered with the words from a consortium of dead poets. It detonates gently. If this were a Pedro Almodóvar film, it would rain down like red rose petals on the marble domes of the Lotus Temple that finds mention in the text. Oberoi’s muse is however Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Like Almodóvar, the poet’s preoccupation with the themes of love-death-desire have made him the go-to icon for the oppressed. As the lines of his famously misunderstood poem ‘Hum dekhenge’ resonate through the text with a certain savage beauty, the words turn into the shreds of ancient velvet and satin worn by the women from the inner city marching to revoke the…

In the Scottish Highlands, heritage is honoured as a sacrament, and tradition is inextricably bound to the romance of nature and nurture. In keeping with this Scottish spirit, legendary Scotch whisky brand, The Macallan, has released the limited edition TIME : SPACE collection to commemorate its 200th milestone. Encased in a bespoke dual chamber vessel, the outer chamber holds the oldest whisky released by The Macallan, at 84 years old, while the inner chamber houses their youngest, bottled at 5 years—the first from their new distillery. As the past coddles the present, this is the brand’s interpretation of time travel. With only 200 bottles in existence, it is no surprise that The Macallan’s TIME: SPACE is available to purchase only by invitation from the brand, with price available upon application.…

Sony PlayStation 5 Pro Sony just dropped the PlayStation 5 Pro, and it’s flexing some serious gaming muscle. With a turbocharged GPU, AI-driven upscaling, and lightning-fast ray tracing, this console promises to make your eyes pop and your games fly. It’s not just an upgrade; it’s a leap into next-gen visuals. Whether you’re hunting down dragons or racing in virtual worlds, the PS5 Pro is designed to leave you slack-jawed. Dropping on November 7, it’s here to give your gaming setup a serious glow-up. Are you ready to level up? Price To be announced (buzz is it will be upwards of ₹75,000) MSI Creator A16 AI+ Laptop MSI’s Creator A16 AI+ notebook is the ultimate tool for creators who demand power and style. With up to AMD Ryzen AI 9…

It’s an ambitious opening, at a prestigious address. Nestled inside the venerable Hotel Diplomat on a leafy lane in the capital’s enclave of international intrigue, NOE brims with promise. Firstly, the venture is backed by Sandeep Bishnoi, co-founder of Perch and Hoots. Chef Dhruv Nijhawan, an alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu, India who has worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in France in his early days, is at the helm. Finally, the décor and design by studio LDC evoke a lush colonial vibe with rich oak panelling, vintage flooring and lime-washed walls, balanced by contemporary elements like long-grid mirrors, neutral hues and lots of natural light. NOE, named after the Hebrew word for ‘repose’ and ‘quiet’, is a purveyor of ‘elevated comfort food’, which lies somewhere between homestyle and the cutting-edge…

BEING TYPECAST IS not something a legacy brand worries about, especially in the haute horology space. For, it is in the cache of its familiarity that its fame is interwoven. The Type XX 2067 Rose Gold from Breguet, a fine inheritor of the new-generation Type XX, launched in June 2023, incorporates ceramic. This new timepiece too, uses yesterday’s inspiration for today’s design, drawing on the emblematic watches dating back to the collection’s origins. Back in 1955, gold was reserved for very rare timepieces such as the Breguet No. 1780. There were only three gold timepieces in this small series—Type 20 (military version) or Type XX (civilian version). As for contrasting bezel and cases, this design began with the second generation of Type XXs dating from the 1970s. For this new version,…

The Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh is the holiest of holy shrines for a vast number of Hindus. And almost as famous as Lord Balaji, as the resident deity is popularly known, is the temple prasad, the ‘Tirupati laddoo’. Legend has it that one of the earliest forms of the prasad was documented way back in 1715. Today, so coveted is the sweet offering that the temple produces some 300,000 daily, contributing Rs 500 crore to the annual kitty of the world’s richest Hindu shrine. Rice, chickpea flour, cashew, cardamom, raisins, sugar candy and ‘pure cow’s ghee’…these are some of the 10-odd ingredients used to make the laddoo. But it’s the last mentioned item that has now created a huge controversy. On September 18, Andhra Pradesh chief…

Two months after the Supreme Court stayed a police order in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand asking eateries on the Kanwar yatra route to display the names of owners, UP is taking a circuitous route to bring it up again. Broadening the focus to food adulteration, the government has issued a statement, asking that ‘necessary amendments be made in the Food Safety and Standards Act to ensure compliance in this regard’. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also ordered all food establishments to instal CCTV cameras. A statewide verification process will also be started soon by a joint team of the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA), police and local administration to make sure that compliance is total. As in the previous instance, the Opposition and civil society have reacted sharply to…

Frequency of charging: There seems to be a misconception that one needs to plug in an EV at every single opportunity. Some people, if they had it their way, would be satisfied if their EV were plugged in all the time—even while being used! It’s somewhat like keeping a power bank connected to a phone constantly. However, it neither has to be that way nor is it good for the battery, as its life diminishes after each charge cycle. I have driven EVs off and on for over two years now and, for normal use, I charged them once a week on average and, at most, twice a week. I know many users who charge their EVs once every two weeks, and others who do so even less frequently for…

Tensile Dimensions is on till October 26 at Nature Morte Gallery, New Delhi A new exhibition in Delhi highlights the ability to transform recycled plastics—specifically polypropylene bags—into art pieces. Blurring the lines between painting, sculpture and textile, Aaditi Joshi’s artworks continue her earlier series, where she explores the versatility of repurposed polypropylene woven bags used for transport of sand and concrete. The material is intrinsically connected to the Mumbaibased artist’s observations of the city’s rapidly industrialising landscape, its physical transformation as well as the underlying tensions between industrial progress and ecological responsibility. “The evolving urban sprawl, the juxtaposition of development and decay, and the changing relationship between humans and their environment have all inspired this body of work,” she says. Joshi treats polypropylene with a free expression, allowing paint to flow…

Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance Armin Strom’s Dual Time GMT Resonance First Edition is a technical marvel, combining a dual-movement design with resonance technology. Limited to just 25 pieces, it allows wearers to track two time zones with its distinct twin sky-blue dials. The white gold case and resonance system elevate this piece to next level haute horology. Price CHF 106’778 arminstrom.com Unlike larger fairs such as Watches & Wonders, Geneva Watch Days thrives on its decentralised format, offering an intimate environment for collectors and enthusiasts to discover unique timepieces. This year’s edition had several remarkable releases. Spice picks the top five. H. Moser & Cie x Studio Underd0g Passion Fruit Collaboration This collaboration blends Moser’s minimalist design with Studio Underd0g’s playful creativity. The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit…

“In Lisbon, people go to see the city’s historic trams… I wonder why they shut this one down…” she says. “Too much traffic maam,” responds our guide, “And it was very slow, even pedestrians would walk faster,” he adds. While it’s valid for visitors like us to lament the loss of what we see as heritage (the railway ran from 1899–2020), the people of Gwalior probably feel very differently. You can’t blame them: what’s a 124-year-old tram when you’ve got a surfeit of temples, forts and sundry relics that date back all the way to the 7th century. And this, the winter capital of the erstwhile princely state of Gwalior, has those in spades. We tend to use the term, ‘treated like royalty,’ rather loosely these days. It’s only when…