The Barabkunda Agnikunda in Sitakunda, Bangladesh, is a sacred flame mysteriously burning on water for centuries. Fuelled by natural methane, it blends myth, science, and spirituality into a rare, unforgettable travel experience.
Why history education must go beyond memorisation and embrace critical thinking
In the contested notion of creating a ‘nation,’ few ideas provoke as much ire among the everyday citizens of a bordered entity as the concept of a space—one that carries with it the weight of instilling an identity.
Democracy cannot operate as a simple majority steamroller, as we also saw in the early days of our independence.
Durga Puja, an annual Hindu festival, celebrates the divine force “Shakti” embodied in Goddess Durga. This year, Mahalaya falls on 2 October, marking the start of Devi Paksha. Durga arrives on 3 October by palanquin, considered inauspicious, and departs on 12 October by horse.
Shankhari Bazar, one of Dhaka’s oldest neighbourhoods, is renowned for its vibrant cultural heritage. During Durga Puja, the area transforms with colourful decorations and bustling markets. Despite modernization, it retains its charm, offering a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Through discourse and perception, these unknown tales of history continue to haunt us even today.
Their deaths in the hands of cold-blooded law enforcement personnel might not have been in vain
A chronicle of race science in Bengal
"The enthusiasm which Ranajit Guha created in our minds in the field of thinking and writing history for more than a decade has never been replicated in the past nor will it be replicated in the future", Dipesh Chakraborty said.
The cultural legacy of Bengal is imbued in its breath-taking religious structures. Being a predominantly Muslim land, it's unsurprising that mosques constitute the majority of such architectural wonders. Throughout the course of Islamic rule in Bengal, stretching from the early Sultanate period to modern times, the designs of mosques have undergone a continual evolution.
Historian Dipesh Chakrabarty discusses human and geological evolution in an exclusive conversation with The Daily Star
“The real history of this region is known in Dipesh Chakrabarty's history books,” said historian and essayist Professor Ahmed Kamal.
Historical backdrop and our understanding of the relevant historical backdrop are important when we try to study a material or even enjoy it.
Muktijuddher Chikishsha Itihas captures the stories and struggles of medical professionals during the Liberation War.
We asked the DS Books editors and contributors about the books that most moved them this year.
The story of the ailing Bhawal prince, Ramendranarayan Roy, the Mejo Kumar, who while taken to Darjeeling to recuperate, died and was cremated there, under mysterious circumstances, and who then returned years later as a wandering ascetic with partial amnesia!
Dhaka's transitions carries the question of whether our historic buildings shall be preserved. From an economic viewpoint, there is financial gain in replacing them with buildings. The question now becomes whether the cultural heritage outweighs this financial gain.
Rajshahi is well known for the various remains of ancient and medieval structures, remnants of a glorious past, dotted all across the region. Darasbari, a beautiful, haunting complex made of red terracotta bricks, is one of those places not often mentioned or even commonly known about except to the locals of the area.
