Researchers from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom have managed to decode a centuries-old Gujarati navigational chart, revealing how Indian Ocean sailors found their way without modern maps or instruments. For nearly two centuries, the ancient Indian map sat quietly in the archives of Britain's Royal Geographical Society, admired as an unusual old map but never fully understood.Now, researchers have unlocked its hidden language and discovered that the delicate paper scroll wasn't just a map. It was a sophisticated navigation guide that helped Indian sailors cross the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden long before GPS, compasses became widespread, or European-style charts dominated the seas.The scroll, created by Kachchhi or Gujarati seafarers in the late 18th or early 19th century, offers rare evidence that Indian Ocean mariners developed their own highly effective navigation system based on local knowledge, stars and memory.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/india-s-next-terror-threat-may-not-cross-the-border-it-may-enter-through-your-phone-wion-decodes-1784346117443">India's next terror threat may not cross the border. It may enter through your phone | WION Decodes</a><h2>The map that wasn't meant to look like a map</h2>To modern eyes, the chart appears distorted. In it, the Red Sea is angled differently from modern maps, coastlines seem compressed, and there are no obvious latitude-longitude grids. For decades, scholars assumed these were flaws, concluding the chart lacked scientific precision.The new study, however, has revealed that it was an "effective aide memoire". Researchers found that the unusual design was intentional. The scroll, just 25 centimetres wide, was built for use aboard ships. Sailors could unroll only the section they needed while keeping the rest protected from wind and water.Instead of trying to replicate geography perfectly, it prioritised what navigators actually needed, like sailing directions, landmarks, islands, reefs and ports.<h2>Hidden codes finally deciphered</h2>One of the biggest breakthroughs came when researchers successfully translated all 66 Devanagari place names on the chart for the first time.Earlier historians had identified only about half of them. The team also decoded astronomical information that had gone unnoticed for almost 190 years. Rather than lacking latitude data, as previously believed, the scroll actually encoded latitude through stellar navigation, allowing experienced sailors to determine their position at sea.Researchers also found that 29 carefully drawn rhumb lines served multiple purposes, from indicating coastal direction to plotting safe routes across open water and into ports.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/built-to-outlive-us-all-earth-is-getting-an-indestructible-black-box-to-record-the-end-of-human-civilisation-1783747790087">Built to outlive us all: Earth is getting an indestructible ‘black box’ to record the end of human civilisation</a><h2>A guide written for those who already knew the sea</h2>Unlike modern navigation charts designed for anyone to read, this document assumed its users already possessed generations of maritime knowledge.It functioned as what researchers describe as an "aide memoire" — a portable reference that refreshed a navigator's memory rather than teaching someone how to sail.The scroll contains more than 180 islands, reefs, religious buildings, flags and coastal landmarks, helping experienced sailors pinpoint their location while travelling between India, Arabia and the Horn of Africa.Its religious illustrations also hint that its navigator was likely Muslim, while the flags mark important political and trading centres."This is a rich and effective navigational reference work: its stellar information allowed sailors to know their latitude and set sailing directions; its many place names and topographical information enabled them to locate themselves precisely; its religious buildings suggest the navigator’s Muslim faith; and its flags suggesting nodes of political and fiscal action," said Professor John Cooper, from the <a href="https://news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-humanities-arts-and-social-sciences/two-centuries-on-experts-unlock-secrets-of-red-sea-and-gulf-of-aden-sailing-chart/">University of Exeter</a>’s Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, who led the research.<h2>How did the Indian map end up in a British archive?</h2>According to the university, the chart entered British hands in 1835 when explorer Alexander Burnes acquired it from an unnamed sea captain in Kachchh while serving with the East India Company.Burnes recognised it as an extraordinary maritime document and donated it to the Royal Geographical Society, calling it a "form a specimen of naval surveying … unequalled in any of the cabinets of Europe". But even he misunderstood its true purpose.Over the next 180 years, the chart was examined several times (in 1947, 1987, 2002,2012 and 2022), yet scholars continued to overlook its practical role as a working navigational tool.Only now, using fresh linguistic analysis and modern cartographic techniques, have researchers reconstructed the chart's full geographical meaning.<h2>Rewriting Indian Ocean history</h2>The findings challenge long-held assumptions that sophisticated maritime navigation in the Indian Ocean depended primarily on European mapping traditions.Instead, they reveal an indigenous system refined over centuries, one that relied on experience, stellar observation and an intimate understanding of local waters rather than mathematical projections.Far from being an inaccurate map, the scroll was an elegant solution to a sailor's greatest challenge: carrying centuries of navigational knowledge across some of the world's most demanding seas in a document small enough to fit aboard a wooden ship. &nbsp;

Researchers at the University of Exeter have deciphered a centuries-old Gujarati navigational scroll, revealing that Indian Ocean sailors used a sophisticated system based on stars, landmarks and memory to navigate the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden long before modern maps and GPS.

Researchers from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom have managed to decode a centuries-old Gujarati navigational chart, revealing how Indian Ocean sailors found their way without modern maps or instruments. For nearly two centuries, the ancient Indian map sat quietly in the archives of Britain's Royal Geographical Society, admired as an unusual old map but never fully understood. Now, researchers have unlocked its hidden language and discovered that the delicate paper scroll wasn't just a map. It was a sophisticated navigation guide that helped Indian sailors cross the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden long before GPS, compasses became widespread, or European-style charts dominated the seas. The scroll, created by Kachchhi or Gujarati seafarers in the late 18th or early 19th century, offers rare evidence that Indian Ocean mariners developed their own highly effective navigation system based on local knowledge, stars and memory. Also read | India's next terror threat may not cross the border. It may enter through your phone | WION Decodes The map that wasn't meant to look like a map To modern eyes, the chart appears distorted. In it, the Red Sea is angled differently from modern maps, coastlines seem compressed, and there are no obvious latitude-longitude grids. For decades, scholars assumed these were flaws, concluding the chart lacked scientific precision. The new study, however, has revealed that it was an "effective aide memoire". Researchers found that the unusual design was intentional. The scroll, just 25 centimetres wide, was built for use aboard ships. Sailors could unroll only the section they needed while keeping the rest protected from wind and water. Instead of trying to replicate geography perfectly, it prioritised what navigators actually needed, like sailing directions, landmarks, islands, reefs and ports. Hidden codes finally deciphered One of the biggest breakthroughs came when researchers successfully translated all 66 Devanagari place names on the chart for the first time. Earlier historians had identified only about half of them. The team also decoded astronomical information that had gone unnoticed for almost 190 years. Rather than lacking latitude data, as previously believed, the scroll actually encoded latitude through stellar navigation, allowing experienced sailors to determine their position at sea. Researchers also found that 29 carefully drawn rhumb lines served multiple purposes, from indicating coastal direction to plotting safe routes across open water and into ports. Also read | Built to outlive us all: Earth is getting an indestructible ‘black box’ to record the end of human civilisation A guide written for those who already knew the sea Unlike modern navigation charts designed for anyone to read, this document assumed its users already possessed generations of maritime knowledge. It functioned as what researchers describe as an "aide memoire" — a portable reference that refreshed a navigator's memory rather than teaching someone how to sail. The scroll contains more than 180 islands, reefs, religious buildings, flags and coastal landmarks, helping experienced sailors pinpoint their location while travelling between India, Arabia and the Horn of Africa. Its religious illustrations also hint that its navigator was likely Muslim, while the flags mark important political and trading centres. "This is a rich and effective navigational reference work: its stellar information allowed sailors to know their latitude and set sailing directions; its many place names and topographical information enabled them to locate themselves precisely; its religious buildings suggest the navigator’s Muslim faith; and its flags suggesting nodes of political and fiscal action," said Professor John Cooper, from the University of Exeter’s Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, who led the research. How did the Indian map end up in a British archive? According to the university, the chart entered British hands in 1835 when explorer Alexander Burnes acquired it from an unnamed sea captain in Kachchh while serving with the East India Company. Burnes recognised it as an extraordinary maritime document and donated it to the Royal Geographical Society, calling it a "form a specimen of naval surveying … unequalled in any of the cabinets of Europe". But even he misunderstood its true purpose. Over the next 180 years, the chart was examined several times (in 1947, 1987, 2002,2012 and 2022), yet scholars continued to overlook its practical role as a working navigational tool. Only now, using fresh linguistic analysis and modern cartographic techniques, have researchers reconstructed the chart's full geographical meaning. Rewriting Indian Ocean history The findings challenge long-held assumptions that sophisticated maritime navigation in the Indian Ocean depended primarily on European mapping traditions. Instead, they reveal an indigenous system refined over centuries, one that relied on experience, stellar observation and an intimate understanding of local waters rather than mathematical projections. Far from being an inaccurate map, the scroll was an elegant solution to a sailor's greatest challenge: carrying centuries of navigational knowledge across some of the world's most demanding seas in a document small enough to fit aboard a wooden ship.

Researchers at the University of Exeter have deciphered a centuries-old Gujarati navigational scroll, revealing that Indian Ocean sailors used a sophisticated system based on stars, landmarks and memory to navigate the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden long before modern maps and GPS.

Hidden in British archives: Scientists decode 200-year-old Indian scroll that helped sailors cross one of the world's toughest seas

Ancient Indian arts are born in the loka (world). They breathe and evolve in the loka, adapt, and adopt to the changing environment, decay, and die, giving birth to new forms. Unlike the West, which divides its arts into periods, our arts reveal a process of ‘continuity’ because they are living and breathing expressions of human beings, their reactions, sorrows and joys.

Our social customs and traditions were based on honesty, love, respect, and gratitude. The continuity of which is even today visible in the worship of the sun, moon, trees, rivers, mountains and animals.&nbsp;

The rampant cutting of trees, depleting forests, drying rivers, and vanishing mountain ranges, all in the name of growth, development, and modernisation have resulted in changing the ecology, the disappearance of many species of animals, birds, plants and likewise, resulting in pollution. The use of excessive chemicals, plastics and the unpardonable dependence on technology, artificial intelligence, and mobile – have made people dependent and lonely. This has resulted in unwanted stresses, traumas, diseases and infirmities!

The Key Elements&nbsp;

Interrelatedness and interdependence: The beauty of Indian arts and culture is that they teach us the value of interrelatedness and interdependence while maintaining balance and autonomy. Indian arts are a beautiful expression of the philosophy of life. There is no subject under the sun which is not portrayed in our art. The ardhanarishvara (half male and half female) images of the deities Shiva and Parvati, is self-expressive. The message is clear and straight. Life is a beautiful balance between the two energies – the male and the female. The female is the shakti (strength) of the purusha ( spirit, self ) with mutual respect!&nbsp;

Value, love, respect each other and the planet: Our arts mirror life, in its various shades and perspectives. The message that Indian arts and culture give us is that, we are all nayakas (male lead) and nayikas ( female lead), whichever age group we are in. We should realise that each role is important in its own way. The entire universe is made of the same five elements - air, water, earth, fire and space and we are no exceptions. We must learn to respect, love, and value each other and the planet, to maintain an ecological balance. &nbsp;Disrespect and superiority complexes have only created problems and difficulties for us. The creation is the artistic expression of Brahma (the creator), which can only be experienced – there are no barriers and no restrictions. Mutual love, respect, and support for each other is the core.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/independence-day-2018-how-art-and-literature-influencedindias-freedom-struggle-159325">ALSO READ| How art and literature influenced India's freedom struggle</a> 
 
Inclusiveness vs individualism: The one word that is much in ‘vogue’ and is perhaps a gift of modern thinking and lifestyles, imported from developed nations and societies is ‘stress.’ The word comes in many shades and colours: pressure, strain, tensions, worries, anxiety, hassles, depression, and trauma simultaneously bringing with it, a spurt in a class of newly incarnated mystics, godmen, spiritual gurus, motivational speakers, life and wellness coaches and centres, retreats, workshops etc. promising and assuring us health, peace, happiness with the application of methods and ideologies. This has been an integral and intrinsic part of our everyday life, enshrined as tenants in our systems of yoga, ayurveda, dhavani (sounds) and the arts. The beauty and the effectiveness of these systems was that they were strongly and deeply grooved in the gyana (wisdom) of the loka i.e., they were for the betterment of mankind, samashti (inclusiveness) as against vyashti (individualism), was the motto. &nbsp;

Subjective and objective coalesce: For centuries man has been expressing and perpetuating his experiences in many ways. Inspired or motivated; defeated or dejected, mankind was always trying to express, say, narrate and share in many ways art, culture and tradition. One reason is, to leave a learning lesson for the coming generations. The genius of the Indian mind overcame the difficulties by fusing the unique, personal experiences with the broader consciousness that permeates everything and manifests as nature and energy. The creative mind was fully aware of the flaws and inconsistencies of human nature. The entire process was miraculous in that it transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary through the use of colours, sound, and the magic of lines, dots, circles, and triangles, which took both the artist and the audience members to a transcendental level of "out of this world experience" (sat chit anand or nature of reality as conceptualised in yogic philosophy)!&nbsp;

Our arts' beauty comes from their dual functioning on the metaphysical (or spiritual) and physical (or earthly) levels. The idea of the Absolute, which is the origin of all goodness and has unparalleled beauty that can only be realised at the level of transcendence, has been underlined by our loka (world)- sanskriti (culture) since the beginning of time. While the artist reaches the point where the subjective and the objective merge into a single blissful experience as a result of the sounds and vibrations that trigger bodily secretions. This is done through the intelligent integration of sounds, symbols, gestures, posture, sthanakas (standing pose), colours, and abhinaya (art of expression). Actors, artists, painters, vocalists, and instrumentalists all unintentionally gave themselves completely in those brief moments and realise this state of tadatma or ‘oneness,’ and it is in this state that the entire experience breaks boundaries to become universal!&nbsp;

In this state of ananda or bliss, there is no place for stress, pain, sufferings! The element of creativity in our traditional systems provided the fodder for happiness and joy, leading towards a healthy robust life.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;

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Ancient Indian arts are born in the loka (world). They breathe and evolve in the loka, adapt, and adopt to the changing environment, decay, and die, giving birth to new forms.

Ancient Indian arts are born in the loka (world). They breathe and evolve in the loka, adapt, and adopt to the changing environment, decay, and die, giving birth to new forms. Unlike the West, which divides its arts into periods, our arts reveal a process of ‘continuity’ because they are living and breathing expressions of human beings, their reactions, sorrows and joys. Our social customs and traditions were based on honesty, love, respect, and gratitude. The continuity of which is even today visible in the worship of the sun, moon, trees, rivers, mountains and animals. The rampant cutting of trees, depleting forests, drying rivers, and vanishing mountain ranges, all in the name of growth, development, and modernisation have resulted in changing the ecology, the disappearance of many species of animals, birds, plants and likewise, resulting in pollution. The use of excessive chemicals, plastics and the unpardonable dependence on technology, artificial intelligence, and mobile – have made people dependent and lonely. This has resulted in unwanted stresses, traumas, diseases and infirmities! The Key Elements Interrelatedness and interdependence: The beauty of Indian arts and culture is that they teach us the value of interrelatedness and interdependence while maintaining balance and autonomy. Indian arts are a beautiful expression of the philosophy of life. There is no subject under the sun which is not portrayed in our art. The ardhanarishvara (half male and half female) images of the deities Shiva and Parvati, is self-expressive. The message is clear and straight. Life is a beautiful balance between the two energies – the male and the female. The female is the shakti (strength) of the purusha ( spirit, self ) with mutual respect! Value, love, respect each other and the planet: Our arts mirror life, in its various shades and perspectives. The message that Indian arts and culture give us is that, we are all nayakas (male lead) and nayikas ( female lead), whichever age group we are in. We should realise that each role is important in its own way. The entire universe is made of the same five elements - air, water, earth, fire and space and we are no exceptions. We must learn to respect, love, and value each other and the planet, to maintain an ecological balance. Disrespect and superiority complexes have only created problems and difficulties for us. The creation is the artistic expression of Brahma (the creator), which can only be experienced – there are no barriers and no restrictions. Mutual love, respect, and support for each other is the core. ALSO READ| How art and literature influenced India's freedom struggle Inclusiveness vs individualism: The one word that is much in ‘vogue’ and is perhaps a gift of modern thinking and lifestyles, imported from developed nations and societies is ‘stress.’ The word comes in many shades and colours: pressure, strain, tensions, worries, anxiety, hassles, depression, and trauma simultaneously bringing with it, a spurt in a class of newly incarnated mystics, godmen, spiritual gurus, motivational speakers, life and wellness coaches and centres, retreats, workshops etc. promising and assuring us health, peace, happiness with the application of methods and ideologies. This has been an integral and intrinsic part of our everyday life, enshrined as tenants in our systems of yoga, ayurveda, dhavani (sounds) and the arts. The beauty and the effectiveness of these systems was that they were strongly and deeply grooved in the gyana (wisdom) of the loka i.e., they were for the betterment of mankind, samashti (inclusiveness) as against vyashti (individualism), was the motto. Subjective and objective coalesce: For centuries man has been expressing and perpetuating his experiences in many ways. Inspired or motivated; defeated or dejected, mankind was always trying to express, say, narrate and share in many ways art, culture and tradition. One reason is, to leave a learning lesson for the coming generations. The genius of the Indian mind overcame the difficulties by fusing the unique, personal experiences with the broader consciousness that permeates everything and manifests as nature and energy. The creative mind was fully aware of the flaws and inconsistencies of human nature. The entire process was miraculous in that it transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary through the use of colours, sound, and the magic of lines, dots, circles, and triangles, which took both the artist and the audience members to a transcendental level of "out of this world experience" (sat chit anand or nature of reality as conceptualised in yogic philosophy)! Our arts' beauty comes from their dual functioning on the metaphysical (or spiritual) and physical (or earthly) levels. The idea of the Absolute, which is the origin of all goodness and has unparalleled beauty that can only be realised at the level of transcendence, has been underlined by our loka (world)- sanskriti (culture) since the beginning of time. While the artist reaches the point where the subjective and the objective merge into a single blissful experience as a result of the sounds and vibrations that trigger bodily secretions. This is done through the intelligent integration of sounds, symbols, gestures, posture, sthanakas (standing pose), colours, and abhinaya (art of expression). Actors, artists, painters, vocalists, and instrumentalists all unintentionally gave themselves completely in those brief moments and realise this state of tadatma or ‘oneness,’ and it is in this state that the entire experience breaks boundaries to become universal! In this state of ananda or bliss, there is no place for stress, pain, sufferings! The element of creativity in our traditional systems provided the fodder for happiness and joy, leading towards a healthy robust life. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE

Can ancient Indian culture and social traditions provide answers to modern-day maladies?

Artist uses AI to 'reimagine' portraits of ancient Indian rulers

History has its own flavours; so does language. Etymology tells us that &nbsp;&lsquo;Khichuri&rsquo;, our very own comfort food that has now become the national culinary emblem is derived from the Sanskrit word &lsquo;Khecharanna&rsquo;, which is a union of two words: &lsquo;khechar&rsquo; (bird) and &lsquo;Anaa&rsquo; (rice), literally, bird feed.

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<h5>The mapping of the recipe and its transformations continue through ages and was hybridised with the arrival of the British and their growing interest in native cuisine.</h5>
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However, the earliest reference to this modest food is in the Drona Parva of Mahabharata: King Gaya had arranged a feast in his kingdom as a sequel to a Jagna for appeasing Gods and acquiring the knowledge of the Vedas. That is a myth. Then, there is History. Ibn Batutah, the famous Moroccan traveller,&nbsp;who was received at Muhamad Bin Tughluq&rsquo;s court in around 13333, mentions &lsquo;Khichri&rsquo; in his travelogue.

The mapping of the recipe and its transformations continue through ages and was hybridised with the arrival of the British and their growing interest in native cuisine. Khichri became &lsquo;Kedgeree&rsquo;, a colonial that was served at breakfast at the colonial mansions since the early Victorian period, if not earlier.

Lizzie Collingham points out in Curry: A biography that the dish was a staple of the Raj breakfast table by 1885. Except, I had been sufficiently anglified to include fish, eggs with lentils and rice doused in curry powder. &quot;The English type&quot;, &quot;composed of boiled rice, chopped hard-boiled egg, minced fish, usually fresh, and a lump of fresh butter &hellip; tossed together in the frying-pan, flavoured with pepper, salt, and any minced garden herb such as cress, parsley, or marjoram, and served smoking hot.&quot; This, from The 1885 edition of Culinary Jottings for Madras, an Anglo-Indian narrative, now a reprint.

While, the Memsahibs continued to colonise both the cuisine, the rebellious native dish continued to hold on to its native roots in various norms: From the runny and the bland sick diet to the rich buttery spicy variety, a poor cusine of the Indian Pulao served on special occasions and festivals through centuries.

The saga continues to rule the erstwhile Empire. I find an adaptation of Kedgeree as per Jamie Oliver, as a concoction of:

2 large eggs

4 fresh bay leaves

400g of any undyed smoked

Whitefish fillets, scaled and pin-boned

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

1/2 fresh red chilli

1 bunch of spring onions

1 bunch of fresh coriander

2 heaped tsp mustard seeds

2 heaped tsp turmeric

Olive oil

2x 250g packs of brown

Cooked rice

300g frozen peas

1 lemon

Greens:

200g fine green beans

1 big bunch of chard

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 a lemon

Yoghurt:

3 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1/2 a lemon

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The erstwhile natives continue to dish out khichuri in both its native a post-colonial avatars, from North to South; East to West: An assemblage of lentils, long grained aromatic rice, bay leaf, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, chili ground and whole, fresh ginger and green chilies, seasonal vegetables and, yes, even meat and eggs for the carnivores!

A mapping of the nation&rsquo;s variegated colours and flavours, khecharanna, khichuri, kedgeree, &ldquo;A rose by any other name&rdquo; &nbsp;continues to be an integral part the culinary fantasy of the world!

A mapping of the nation?s variegated colours and flavours, Khichdi?continues to be an integral part the culinary fantasy of the world

History has its own flavours; so does language. Etymology tells us that ‘Khichuri’, our very own comfort food that has now become the national culinary emblem is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Khecharanna’, which is a union of two words: ‘khechar’ (bird) and ‘Anaa’ (rice), literally, bird feed. The mapping of the recipe and its transformations continue through ages and was hybridised with the arrival of the British and their growing interest in native cuisine. × However, the earliest reference to this modest food is in the Drona Parva of Mahabharata: King Gaya had arranged a feast in his kingdom as a sequel to a Jagna for appeasing Gods and acquiring the knowledge of the Vedas. That is a myth. Then, there is History. Ibn Batutah, the famous Moroccan traveller, who was received at Muhamad Bin Tughluq’s court in around 13333, mentions ‘Khichri’ in his travelogue. The mapping of the recipe and its transformations continue through ages and was hybridised with the arrival of the British and their growing interest in native cuisine. Khichri became ‘Kedgeree’, a colonial that was served at breakfast at the colonial mansions since the early Victorian period, if not earlier. Lizzie Collingham points out in Curry: A biography that the dish was a staple of the Raj breakfast table by 1885. Except, I had been sufficiently anglified to include fish, eggs with lentils and rice doused in curry powder. "The English type", "composed of boiled rice, chopped hard-boiled egg, minced fish, usually fresh, and a lump of fresh butter … tossed together in the frying-pan, flavoured with pepper, salt, and any minced garden herb such as cress, parsley, or marjoram, and served smoking hot." This, from The 1885 edition of Culinary Jottings for Madras, an Anglo-Indian narrative, now a reprint. While, the Memsahibs continued to colonise both the cuisine, the rebellious native dish continued to hold on to its native roots in various norms: From the runny and the bland sick diet to the rich buttery spicy variety, a poor cusine of the Indian Pulao served on special occasions and festivals through centuries. The saga continues to rule the erstwhile Empire. I find an adaptation of Kedgeree as per Jamie Oliver, as a concoction of: 2 large eggs 4 fresh bay leaves 400g of any undyed smoked Whitefish fillets, scaled and pin-boned 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger 1/2 fresh red chilli 1 bunch of spring onions 1 bunch of fresh coriander 2 heaped tsp mustard seeds 2 heaped tsp turmeric Olive oil 2x 250g packs of brown Cooked rice 300g frozen peas 1 lemon Greens: 200g fine green beans 1 big bunch of chard 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/2 a lemon Yoghurt: 3 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1/2 a lemon The erstwhile natives continue to dish out khichuri in both its native a post-colonial avatars, from North to South; East to West. × The erstwhile natives continue to dish out khichuri in both its native a post-colonial avatars, from North to South; East to West: An assemblage of lentils, long grained aromatic rice, bay leaf, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, chili ground and whole, fresh ginger and green chilies, seasonal vegetables and, yes, even meat and eggs for the carnivores! A mapping of the nation’s variegated colours and flavours, khecharanna, khichuri, kedgeree, “A rose by any other name” continues to be an integral part the culinary fantasy of the world!

Khichdi: Flavours of ancient India tempered with modernisation

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Hidden in British archives: Scientists decode 200-year-old Indian scroll that helped sailors cross one of the world's toughest seas

Can ancient Indian culture and social traditions provide answers to modern-day maladies?

Artist uses AI to 'reimagine' portraits of ancient Indian rulers

Khichdi: Flavours of ancient India tempered with modernisation