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‘Jago Banaras’ – A Campaign To Clean India’s Spiritual Capital

A great citizens’ initiative in Varanasi is trying to awaken a sense of civic awareness among the residents and tourists, and taking steps to bring local issues to the notice of the authorities in charge. This is ‘Jago Banaras’ – and it would be so easy to implement it in your city or neighbourhood as well!

February 25, 2013 / 1 Comment / Read More

TBI Photo Essay: Mera Gao Power – Providing A Brighter Future, Two Solar Panels At A Time

February 6, 2013 1 Comment

As a social enterprise committed to providing some of the poorest households in India with solar power, Mera Gao Power is making great inroads. Starting from Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh, the venture has reached out to more than 3500 customers in just over a year. In this lovely photo essay, Anna Da Costa shows us some of the impact when people living off the grid are finally included in the growth story and shown the possibilities.

TBI Heroes: Protecting Daughters In Patriarchy’s Heartland

November 5, 2012 No Comment

Amid all the depressing news we have been receiving of late on the state of the girl child in India, especially from the northern patriarchal states like Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, here are a few stories that give us hope. These are women, and also some men, who have adopted and cared for abandoned little girls despite their own dire conditions, and many times against the wishes of their family. This is courage and compassion in its purest form.

TBI Photo Essay: The Varied Hues of Indigenous Art in India

July 20, 2012 No Comment

Elegant black stone pottery from Manipur. Karnataka’s intriguing Chittara paintings. The intricate weaves and stitches of Kashmir. These were some of the items on display and sale at the annual Craft Mela (fair) hosted by Kala Madhyam, a Bangalore based non-governmental organization (NGO) that promotes traditional artisans and their work. This colourful fiesta was held [...]

Protected: TBI Travel: 51 Offbeat Destinations in India – Part 1

May 25, 2012 Enter your password to view comments.

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Nutrition Gardens And Seed Banks: Women Farmers Adapt To Climate Change

March 16, 2012 1 Comment

Innovative measures by women farmers across India are helping several poor families adapt better to climate change and keep hunger at bay. As Sursati from village Janakpur, district Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, explains, “Earlier, we could not produce enough food for a year because our village would get water-logged by the flood waters. Now, using [...]

Voice of Talbehat: How a town council connected with its people

November 4, 2011 No Comment

Bundelkhand region is known for its droughts, poverty and demand for a separate statehood. Governance and political structures are weak and not delivering at the grass-root level. Elected and selected representatives seem to make little effort to connect with people. However, an initiative called “Voice of Talbehat” in a local town council in one of [...]

Reducing plastic pollution in Pilibhit Forest Division

November 3, 2011 No Comment

WWF-India works with Uttar Pradesh state Forest Department to provide alternatives to plastic. Forests and religious beliefs in India The people of India associate forests with more than the usual bounties – pure air, clean water and lush greenery, that nature provides man with. Across this huge country, there is a deep religious sentiment and [...]

Varanasi: Where liberation starts with a well-made paan

September 6, 2011 6 Comments

So where are my countrymen? I’m in foggy Delhi, finally boarding a flight to Varanasi/Benares/Kashi. And my co-passengers seem to originate entirely from Coloradoor Japan. A polite, professorial type is thoughtfully touching a dog-eared translation of the Upanishads. A pretty woman from Liverpoolcarefully adjusts her spotless white kurta as she settles down next to me. [...]

How Shachi Made Lucknow’s Charbagh Station Child Labour-Free

August 31, 2011 No Comment

Ten years ago, a young woman happened to be at the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh’s state capital, when a young boy of around 10 came up to her. Dressed in tatters, his face streaked with mud, he tried to sell her a bottle of water. “I felt pained to see this helpless [...]