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Let’s take a dive into erotic literature and the controversial world of pornographic cinema.

What is the difference between porn and erotica? Is it time to stop shoving them under the same umbrella?

Erotic&nbsp;literature and imagery and the controversial world of pornographic cinema have both similarities and dissimilarities. It is time&nbsp;Indians quit shoving it all under the same umbrella.

Pornography vs Erotica: Is it time to stop shoving them under the same umbrella?

Let&rsquo;s take a dive into&nbsp;erotic&nbsp;literature and the controversial world of pornographic cinema, to understand how the two differ from each other, and maybe why we Indians should stop shoving it all under the same umbrella.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

When you start talking about taboos and stigmas in India, what are the first few things that cross your mind? Porn?&nbsp;Erotica? Adult Movies? Nudity? Often, morality is used as an excuse to rubbish anything that promotes sex and sexuality. Any conversation is discouraged, questions avoided, and eyes averted. So even though India is the third-largest consumer of porn in the world, a mere mention of the word is enough to leave Indians feeling awkward and tongue-tied.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Additionally, India is the land that gave the world the Kamasutra, one of the oldest books which explores sexuality and&nbsp;eroticism. Not only this, but India is also home to several temples, like the Khajuraho Temple in Madhya Pradesh and the Konark Sun Temple in Orissa, that are known for&nbsp;erotic&nbsp;carvings and sculptures. And yet, we shy away from speaking about intimacy, pleasure and&nbsp;eroticism. &nbsp;&nbsp;
So, let&rsquo;s take a dive into&nbsp;erotic&nbsp;literature and imagery and the controversial world of pornographic cinema, to understand how the two differ from each other, and maybe why we Indians should stop shoving it all under the same umbrella.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
In layman's words, Pornography refers to the explicit depiction of sexual behaviour with the sole purpose of stimulating sexual arousal or excitement.&nbsp;The understanding of this definition may not be as simple for&nbsp;it is very subjective and depends largely on changing community beliefs.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While one part of the Indian society condones porn, the other half watches it to seek pleasure and attain sexual satisfaction. The part of society that shuns it, finds pornographic material to be marriage-wrecking, immoral, unethical,&nbsp;impossible-body-standard-generating and even exploitative. The other half finds porn to be a simple means to quick excitement.&nbsp;
The porn industry is a booming space but if not dealt with care, it can also be quite terrifying for those working in it. The advent of Ethical porn has made sure that&nbsp;actors get to work in a safe environment that respects their rights. However, there still are performers who are either underpaid or overworked and combined with a deplorable work environment and compromised health, are constantly putting themselves at risk.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Erotica on the other hand caters mostly to the connoisseurs of art, as it focuses more on aesthetics and deeper meaning, meant to stimulate both your sexual and intellectual cells.&nbsp;From&nbsp;the steamy&nbsp;Lihaaf&nbsp;to the&nbsp;Fifty Shades of Grey&nbsp;trilogy to&nbsp;Mills &amp; Boon,&nbsp;erotic&nbsp;literature has been around forever and is widely consumed across the globe. &nbsp;
Erotic&nbsp;films, paintings and photographs have more depth involving both artistic visions and perspectives.&nbsp;Each story unravels a different layer of sexuality and the possibilities of desire. For the readers and viewers, it opens an opportunity to explore eroticism through the characters depicted in the work, bringing them closer to their own needs, desires and sexuality.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even today, menstruation is seen as a taboo, because of which young people are often steered in the wrong direction.

Menstrual health: Common period myths you need to stop believing

Do you still think period blood is dirty and that sour food can make your cramps worse? Well, if you said yes, then it&rsquo;s time to bust these myths for you!

Menstrual health: Debunking absurd period myths

There are a lot of myths and superstitious beliefs surrounding periods
Superstitions contribute to gender-based&nbsp;taboos &amp; discrimination
Exercise helps ease cramps &amp; is a great way of controlling PMS
People used to bathe in water bodies situated close to their homes
A warm shower can&nbsp;help in relieving cramps and fatigue
People believe that sour food should be avoided during menstruation
There is no scientific proof that sour food disturbs the period flow
Menstruating people are not allowed to enter the Temple or Puja room
It is believed that menstruating people are unhygienic &amp; unclean

Even today, menstruation is seen as a taboo, because of which young people are often steered in the wrong direction. Let's discuss the most common menstruation myths that menstruating&nbsp;people are subjected to.

When it comes to periods, there are a lot of myths and superstitious beliefs that get passed on from one generation to another. Many of these, such as&nbsp;avoiding sour food, not being allowed to enter a temple or the kitchen, have been blindly believed&nbsp;and followed by more people than one would expect.&nbsp;
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/period-tracking-apps-for-your-monthly-needs-1619585696464">Period tracking apps for your monthly needs!</a>
A lot of these superstitions are behavioral restrictions, that aside from being untrue, contribute to gender-based taboos and discrimination.&nbsp;These myths also make it harder for menstruating people to talk about their period which leads to silence, shame and misconception.
So are you one of those who still finds period blood dirty and believes that you must not be touched during this time of the month? Well, if you said yes, then it&rsquo;s time to bust these myths for you!
Avoiding Exercise&nbsp;
It is absolutely&nbsp;untrue that one must avoid exercising during their period. According to the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), exercise helps ease cramps and is a great way of controlling PMS as it brightens your mood.&nbsp;
Skipping Baths&nbsp;
This myth does have some historical context, as in the older days people would bathe in water bodies situated close to their homes, as the concept of toilets did not exist.&nbsp;The protection of those water sources from such 'pollution' was a key concern. Hence, menstruating people were not allowed to take a bath to avoid any 'contamination.' This however does not hold any significance&nbsp;in this day and age, so go ahead and bathe as many times as you deem fit.&nbsp;According to the UK National Institutes of Health (NIH), a warm shower for a few minutes can&nbsp;help in relieving cramps and fatigue.
Avoiding Sour Food and Drinks
In some parts of India, some strict dietary restrictions are followed during menstruation which perpetuates&nbsp;the idea that sour food like curd, tamarind and pickles should be avoided by menstruating people. It is believed that such foods will disturb or stop the menstrual flow. However, there is no scientific proof to support this argument, so go ahead and eat whatever you fancy during that time of the month!
Not Allowed to Enter Temples
Menstruating people are subject to certain religious restrictions during this time. Not being allowed to enter&nbsp;the Puja room or visit the Temple are some of the&nbsp;major restrictions enforced. They&nbsp;are also restricted from offering prayers and touching holy books. The basis for this myth is founded on the cultural belief that menstruating people are not 'pure.' Unfortunately&nbsp;this is still practised&nbsp;in different parts of the world, ranging from Bali to India to even Nepal. So we must constantly make an effort to do away this silly myth!
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/not-sure-about-menstrual-cups-we-ve-got-you-covered-1624960016294">Not sure about Menstrual Cups? We've got you covered!</a>

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people meet, date and romance new and old partners forever. The future of post-pandemic dating focuses on meaning and safety. 

In-Depth | Online Dating: how post-pandemic dating will usher a new age of love

The pandemic has changed the way people meet, date and romance new and old partners forever.
What does the future of post-pandemic dating look like?

Vax & Dine: how post-pandemic dating will usher a new age of love

The pandemic complicated life for couples, singles and everyone else!
2020 was Tinder's busiest year:&nbsp;11% more Swipes, 42% more matches
Dating apps&nbsp;witnessed a 15% increase in new subscribers
New relationship apps entered the market, old ones saw a big rise in user base
38% Indians say they won't go on a date or have sex with unvaccinated people
72% of Indians say they think it's possible to find love online
Virtual dates are a safe, low-pressure way to get to know someone new
People want to be more honest about who they are &amp; how they feel
Daters want to discuss safety precautions &amp; consent before meeting up
Even with WFH, singles want to date people who live nearby
Will a delayed love life lead to a post-pandemic dating boom?&nbsp;

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people meet, date and romance new and old partners forever. The future of post-pandemic dating will be all about meaningful and safe connections.&nbsp;

Romance and relationships are complicated affairs on the most regular&nbsp;of&nbsp;days! So, what happens when you add a deadly pandemic into the mix?&nbsp;&nbsp;
When&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;mandated&nbsp;global lockdowns, many couples were left stranded&nbsp;while&nbsp;others were forced to cohabit together even if they didn&rsquo;t want to. Things got fairly complicated for singles too,&nbsp;as&nbsp;dating became an online-only affair.&nbsp;But as they say, love always finds a way.&nbsp;
<h2>The rise of virtual dating&nbsp;</h2>
Online dating apps became the safe haven for singles and even the unhappily cooped up.&nbsp;2020 was Tinder&rsquo;s busiest ever, with&nbsp;11% more Swipes and 42% more matches per member.&nbsp;Tinder&rsquo;s parent Match Group that owns 60% of the dating app market, reported a 15% increase in new subscribers.
SEE MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/love-in-the-time-of-covid-demand-high-for-condoms-rolling-paper-1609261286157">Love in the time of Covid: demand high for condoms &amp; rolling paper</a>
It was a big year for&nbsp;other&nbsp;relationship&nbsp;apps&nbsp;as well.&nbsp;Not So Arranged&nbsp;launched in Jan 2020 as&nbsp;a platform for&nbsp;serious&nbsp;relationships, joining&nbsp;the&nbsp;likes of&nbsp;TrulyMadly&nbsp;and&nbsp;Aisle. But even the controversial extra-marital affair site&nbsp;Gleeden&nbsp;crossed 13 lakh subscribers in India during the&nbsp;Covid year.&nbsp;&nbsp;
All in all, the&nbsp;quarantine&nbsp;loneliness&nbsp;accelerated a new normal,&nbsp;pushing people&nbsp;to find&nbsp;ways to connect more, come together for more reasons and be more&nbsp;experimental&nbsp;with&nbsp;dating apps.&nbsp;
<h2>The concerns&nbsp;for safety&nbsp;</h2>
Trusting other people even on a good day is a big feat but the virus has made safety concerns even more urgent.
With&nbsp;governments&nbsp;asking&nbsp;people&nbsp;to avoid casual sex with strangers&nbsp;and even the World Health Organisation (WHO) urging people to resist their party instincts,&nbsp;the pandemic has made quite a case in favour of monogamy.&nbsp;
SEE MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/who-experts-says-young-people-need-to-rethink-partying-habits-1596719037129">WHO says young people need to rethink 'partying habits'</a>
As in-person dating returns, people are&nbsp;using their bios to flaunt their vaccination status. In fact,&nbsp;38% of Indians said in a Bumble survey that they wouldn&rsquo;t go on a date or have sex with un-vaccinated folk.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>The future of post-pandemic dating&nbsp;</h2>
72 per cent of single Indians surveyed by&nbsp;dating app&nbsp;Bumble think it&rsquo;s possible to fall in love with someone they&rsquo;ve only met online.&nbsp;This is proof that digital dates are here to stay.&nbsp;
Digital Dates:&nbsp;40% of Tinder users and&nbsp;48% of Indians on Bumble would actually prefer first dates to&nbsp;remain&nbsp;virtual. They&nbsp;deem it a safe and&nbsp;low-pressure way to get a sense of someone&nbsp;and will&nbsp;continue using video chat even as date spots re-open.&nbsp;
Stay&nbsp;Authentic:&nbsp;All that time at home has brought upon a new sense of perspective for young people. This has pushed people to be more&nbsp;honest&nbsp;and&nbsp;authentic&nbsp;about who they are, how they look, and what they&rsquo;re going through.&nbsp;This need for meaningful connections&nbsp;is&nbsp;here to stay.&nbsp;
Clear Boundaries:&nbsp;The word &lsquo;boundaries&rsquo; is being used more than ever in bios. A&nbsp;YPulse&nbsp;survey said that&nbsp;over 17% of daters discussed safety precautions and consent for physical touch before meeting up.&nbsp;This practice will continue and is expected to become an integral part of modern intimacy.&nbsp;
Neighbourly&nbsp;Love:&nbsp;Distance may make the heart grow fonder but we have all had enough of it by now.&nbsp;Even as work from anywhere becomes more common, singles would prefer to date people who live close by.&nbsp;Use of geolocation on apps and mentions of the word &lsquo;moving&rsquo; in bios skyrocketed in 2020.&nbsp;
SEE MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/people-who-meet-on-dating-apps-have-long-term-commitment-study-1609487197505">People who meet on dating apps have long term commitment: study&nbsp;</a>
As the virus waves come and go,&nbsp;it's&nbsp;hard to say if a delayed love life will cause a&nbsp;post-pandemic dating boom.&nbsp;But it is safe to say that&nbsp;romance and dating have definitely changed forever.&nbsp;

Microneedling is a collagen induction therapy which can be effectively used to treat acne marks, pigmentation, dilated pores, age-related spots and uneven skin tone. 

All you need to know about Microneedling, as told by an expert in the field

There's a new skin treatment on the block!
Microneedling&nbsp;is a collagen induced therapy, which employs the use of a dermaroller&nbsp;to prick the skin with very fine, small needles. We have got Dr. Sravya&nbsp;Tipirneni to answer all your questions about this new skin procedure.&nbsp;

Microneedling: The new way to get 'youthful' skin

VO- There's a new skin treatment on the block!
Microneedling&nbsp;is a collagen induced therapy, which employs the use of a dermaroller&nbsp;to prick the skin with very fine, small needles.&nbsp;The purpose of this treatment is to generate collagen and new skin tissue for smoother, firmer and more toned skin. Today we've got with us an expert to clear all your doubts regarding microneedling.&nbsp;
((Dr Sravya&nbsp;introducing herself and the topic of discussion))
Answer start and end:&nbsp;Hi, this is Dr Sravya....... in very simple terms
((Add name band))&nbsp;Dr Sravya&nbsp;Tipirneni, dermatologist
GFX&nbsp;1- What is Microneedling?&nbsp;
Answer start and end: In simpler words.... minimised pores and a better skin tone
((Add text gfx)) Collagen induction therapy
- even tone
- better texture
- minimised pores
- better skin tone
GFX&nbsp;2- What can be treated using microneedling?
Answer start and end:&nbsp;It could be used for just anti-aging.....stretch marks and so on
GFX&nbsp;3-&nbsp;What are the instruments used?
Answer start and end:&nbsp;In microneedling&nbsp;you have certain instruments.... which is causing extra collagen stimulation 
((Add text gfx))
- Derma&nbsp;roller
- Derma&nbsp;pen
- Microneedling&nbsp;Radio Frequency
GFX&nbsp;4- What does the procedure entail?
Answer start and end: These instruments consist of minute needles......not just experiment yourself at home
GFX&nbsp;5- Any post-procedure advice?
Answer start and end: Post the microneedling&nbsp;procedure....to the tea because that's where the outcome is determined
GFX&nbsp;6- Is it worth it?
Answer start and end: It is effective... going to suggest

Microneedling is a collagen&nbsp;induction therapy which can be effectively used to treat acne marks, pigmentation, dilated pores, age-related spots and uneven skin tone.&nbsp;

There's a new skin treatment on the block!
Microneedling&nbsp;is a collagen induced therapy, which employs the use of a dermaroller&nbsp;to prick the skin with very fine, small needles.&nbsp;The purpose of this treatment is to generate collagen and new skin tissue for smoother, firmer and more toned skin. Today we've got with us an expert to clear all your doubts regarding microneedling.&nbsp;

From Beeple to Big B, the concept of unique non-replaceable digital tokens is the hottest new way of buying and selling things in the digital realm.

Top NFT fashion marketplaces to buy digital clothes for Metaverse avatars

Would you pay tens of thousands&nbsp;of bucks&nbsp;to buy clothes that you could&nbsp;never wear in real life?

Explained | Inside the world of fashion NFTs & where to buy them

NFTs are the hottest new way of buying &amp; selling things online
D&amp;G auctioning NFTs&nbsp;of 9 digital &amp; physical couture pieces
Digital-only brands are the true leaders of the&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;fashion world
RTFKT&nbsp;has sold fashion goods worth over $4.5 million
<h3>FULL-SCREEN TEXT:&nbsp; NFT&nbsp;fashion marketplaces to upgrade your Metaverse&nbsp;look</h3>
DressX&nbsp;sells designer digital clothes as both AR &amp;&nbsp;NFT&nbsp;pieces
Metajuku&nbsp;is&nbsp;a virtual shopping district located in&nbsp;a digital Metaverse
A virtual&nbsp;mall with&nbsp;stores&nbsp;by digital brands and 3D designers
The Dematerialised is a web3 marketplace for verified fashion assets
Products built on LUKSO&nbsp;and designed by popular digital brands

Digital-only fashion brands with no&nbsp;physical presence are the real leaders of the wearable&nbsp;NFT market.

Would you pay tens of thousands&nbsp;of bucks&nbsp;to buy clothes that you could&nbsp;never wear in real life?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Well, you might not,&nbsp;but there are plenty who will and are paying big bucks for digital-only garments and accessories.&nbsp;This&nbsp;is&nbsp;the&nbsp;world of wearable non-fungible tokens or NFTs.
SEE MORE <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/from-tesla-s-technoking-to-the-twitter-boss-what-s-the-buzz-about-nfts-1615894471885">What's the buzz about NFTs?</a>
From&nbsp;Beeple&nbsp;to <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/amitabh-bachchan-launches-nft-collection-first-indian-actor-to-do-so-1630413596548">Big B</a>, the concept of&nbsp;unique non-replaceable digital tokens is the hottest new&nbsp;way of buying and selling things in the digital realm.&nbsp;
No strangers to sales, fashion brands and designers are&nbsp;jumping&nbsp;in to&nbsp;cash in on the wave.&nbsp;
Italian fashion label Gucci auctioned off its first NFT, a fashion film, for $20,000&nbsp;earlier this year.&nbsp;British fashion house Burberry created a character capsule&nbsp;of NFTs in partnership with Mythical Games&nbsp;that was sold for&nbsp; $400,000 as in-game purchases to&nbsp;Blankos&nbsp;Block Party players.
SEE MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/nft-luxe-you-can-buy-gucci-s-new-sneakers-for-870-but-you-can-t-wear-them-1616067392668">You can buy Gucci's new sneakers for ₹870 but you can't wear them</a>
Now, Italian luxury brand Dolce &amp; Gabbana&nbsp;is blending the digital with the physical for a high-fashion NFT drop.&nbsp;With&nbsp;nine NFTs, D&amp;G is auctioning&nbsp;a couture collection that&nbsp;features&nbsp;digital versions&nbsp;of real garments&nbsp;for your&nbsp;Metaverse&nbsp;wardrobe as well as five physical pieces that you can wear IRL.&nbsp;The auction will&nbsp;be run&nbsp;on&nbsp;UNXD.com,&nbsp;which&nbsp;calls itself a&nbsp;curated marketplace for digital&nbsp;culture.
But these luxury brands are far from the only crypto fashion sellers. In fact,&nbsp;new age digital-only fashion brands with basically no&nbsp;physical presence are the real leaders of this market.&nbsp;One such brand&nbsp;RTFKT has sold digital goods worth over $4.5 million and&nbsp;recently raised&nbsp;$8 million in funding.
If you&rsquo;re&nbsp;looking for some fashionable swag for&nbsp;your&nbsp;digital avatar, here are some digital&nbsp;fashion marketplaces!
DressX
With the tagline &lsquo;don&rsquo;t shop less, shop digital,&rsquo;&nbsp;DressX&nbsp;retails digital clothes designed&nbsp;in-house and&nbsp;by&nbsp;various&nbsp;brands.&nbsp;DressX&nbsp;has now partnered with crypto.com to add limited-edition drops or NFT items to its offering as well.
Metajuku&nbsp;
Inspired by Tokyo&rsquo;s Harajuku,&nbsp;Metajuku&nbsp;is a virtual shopping district located in&nbsp;a digital Metaverse called&nbsp;Decentraland. It's basically a virtual mall with&nbsp;stores&nbsp;from well-known digital brands and 3D designers. And get this,&nbsp;DressX&nbsp;is&nbsp;also a&nbsp;virtual&nbsp;tenant&nbsp;in&nbsp;Metajuku!&nbsp;
The Dematerialised
The Dematerialised is a Web3 marketplace for authenticated fashion assets.&nbsp;Items on the platform are built on the LUKSO blockchain and so far, they have launched pieces by&nbsp;hot digital brands like&nbsp;ARTFKT,&nbsp;The Fabricant and Tribute among others.&nbsp;&nbsp;
All in all, these marketplaces are just the tip of the NFT iceberg&nbsp;with new shops cropping up every day.&nbsp;
So, will this collectors craving boom or die away? Only time can tell.
SEE MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/adding-to-the-blockchain-buzz-wazirx-launches-india-s-first-digital-nft-platform-1622542682882">WazirX launches India's first digital NFT platform</a>

The Council of Ministers headed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Mi nister Yogi Adityanath will be expanded on Sunday evening.
A swearing-in ceremony has been scheduled at the Gandhi auditorium in Raj Bhavan at 5:30 pm.
The officials, however, remained tight-lipped about the number or the names of ministers who will be inducted in the cabinet, barely months ahead of the crucial 2022 assembly elections in the state.
The name of Brahmin leader Jitin Prasada, who switched over to the BJP from the Congress, is being considered.
Sanjay Nishad, whose NISHAD party will contest the elections with the BJP, could also be included.
There are 53 ministers in the UP cabinet at present, and seven more can be inducted as per the constitutional limit.&nbsp;

Yogi Adityanath cabinet in Uttar Pradesh to be expanded

Barely months ahead of the crucial 2022 assembly elections in the state, the Council of Ministers headed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Mi nister Yogi Adityanath will be expanded on Sunday evening.

The Council of Ministers headed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be expanded on Sunday evening, officials said.
A swearing-in ceremony has been scheduled at the Gandhi auditorium in Raj Bhavan at 5:30 pm, they said.
The officials, however, remained tight-lipped about the number or the names of ministers who will be inducted in the cabinet, barely months ahead of the crucial 2022 assembly elections in the state.
The name of Brahmin leader Jitin Prasada, who switched over to the BJP from the Congress, is being considered.
Repeated efforts to contact Prasada were in vain.
Sanjay Nishad, whose NISHAD (Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal) party will contest the elections with the BJP, could also be included.
There are 53 ministers in the UP cabinet at present, and seven more can be inducted as per the constitutional limit.&nbsp;

The officials, however, remained tight-lipped about the number or the names of ministers who will be inducted in the cabinet

The Council of Ministers headed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Mi nister Yogi Adityanath will be expanded on Sunday evening.
A swearing-in ceremony has been scheduled at the Gandhi auditorium in Raj Bhavan at 5:30 pm.
The officials, however, remained tight-lipped about the number or the names of ministers who will be inducted in the cabinet, barely months ahead of the crucial 2022 assembly elections in the state.
The name of Brahmin leader Jitin Prasada, who switched over to the BJP from the Congress, is being considered.
Sanjay Nishad, whose NISHAD party will contest the elections with the BJP, could also be included.
There are 53 ministers in the UP cabinet at present, and seven more can be inducted as per the constitutional limit.&nbsp;

As India celebrates 75 years of Independence from the British Raj, let’s go through the changing fashion tastes of free Indians over the last seven decades.

Independence Day 2021: History & evolution of Indian fashion from 1960s to 2010s

As India celebrates more than seven decades of Independence from the British Raj, let&rsquo;s go through the changing fashion tastes of free Indians over the last seven decades.

India@75 | Evolution of Indian fashion through the decades: 1960s to 2010s

///Simplicity of the &lsquo;50s
Patriotism-filled 1950 were all about hand-spun textiles
Fashion was largely functional with hints of European influences
///Colourful spirit of the &lsquo;60s
Top trends:&nbsp;body-hugging churidar suits, shorter blouses &amp; lots of colour
Poufy hairdos, winged eyeliner and the&nbsp;Sadhna cut were popular
///Hippie trippy vibe of the &lsquo;70s
Hipster-heavy 1970s dubbed the 'decade of decadence'&nbsp;
Top trends: bell-bottoms, cropped shirts, oversized glasses, polka dots
///Vivid creativity of the &lsquo;80s
Top trends: blingy ornaments,&nbsp;shoulder pads, gaudy colours,&nbsp;unruly hair
Birthed India's first-gen&nbsp;fashion designers: Rohit&nbsp;Khosla, Satya&nbsp;Paul
Bhanu&nbsp;Adhaiya won's&nbsp;India's first Costume Oscar for Gandhi
///Cool girls &amp; boys of the &lsquo;90s
The era of cult films and Indipop&nbsp;music, 1950s trends remain a hit
Top trends:&nbsp;denim, crop tops, chokers, overalls, chiffon sarees, big&nbsp;shirts
///Fashion forward face of the &lsquo;00s
International brands opened up their shops in India
Kareena's&nbsp;characters Poo&nbsp;and Geet&nbsp;became iconic for fashion
Top trends: super-fitted tube tops, micro-minis and desi&nbsp;fusion
///Comfortable mood of the &lsquo;10s
The decade of social media and influencer-driven fashion trends
Top trends:&nbsp;micro bags, sheer tops, sweatshirts, cycling shorts
The next decade? More inclusive &amp; big on tech advancements

Independence Day 2021:&nbsp;What we choose to wear every day says far more about our culture than we realise. Just like our politics, occupations and way of life, our clothing styles have also evolved over the years.
As India celebrates more than seven decades of Independence from the British Raj, let&rsquo;s go through the changing fashion tastes of free Indians over the last seven decades.
SEE MORE <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/tiranga-style-the-colours-indian-film-stars-love-to-flaunt-1597392406097">Tiranga Style: the colours Indian film stars love to flaunt</a>
Simplicity of the &lsquo;50s
Consumed by the fresh scent of freedom, the 1950s had a strong flavour of patriotism. The hand-spun khadi symbolised the swadeshi movement. Cloth sarees draped in different styles or simple salwar suits dominated the scene.
The fashion was largely functional and hints of European influences, especially in menswear, could also be observed. Women like Maharani Gayatri Devi, and Hindi cinema&rsquo;s Nargis, Nutan, Suraiya and Meena Kumari were the fashion icons of this era.
Colourful spirit of the &lsquo;60s
The 1960s was the decade that brought us Madhubala&rsquo;s Anarkali suit and the tiered orange saree on Mumtaz. Moving into a new decade, women&rsquo;s clothing became more fashionable and everyone embraced bright colours and prints.&nbsp;
With body-hugging churidar suits, shorter blouses and a hint of skin on display, the &lsquo;60s were also big on embracing curves. Not to forget, the poufy hairdos, winged eyeliner and the uber-popular Sadhna cut were also from this decade.
Hippie trippy vibe of the &lsquo;70s
Dubbed the &lsquo;decade of decadence&rsquo;, the 1970s were huge for fashion. The decade gave us Dimple Kapadia's iconic polka-dotted blouse in Bobby, Zeenat Aman's hippie look from Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Parveen Babi&rsquo;s scant bikini and Helen&rsquo;s iconic Cabaret feathers. Bell-bottoms, cropped shirts, oversized glasses, platform heels and polka dots were just some of the most memorable trends from this era.
Vivid creativity of the &lsquo;80s
The 1980s were all about the over the top (or OTT) vibe. Blingy ornamentation, big shoulder pads, gaudy colours, metallics, unruly hair and leg warmers &ndash; there was a lot happening in this decade. But this decade also birthed the first generation of Indian fashion designers like Rohit Khosla and Satya Paul.
Bhanu Athaiya won India&rsquo;s first and only Oscar for costume design in 1983 and the National Institute of Fashion Technology was set up in 1986. In Bollywood, Sri Devi and Rekha were the heroines leading the fashion scene.
SEE MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/try-this-simple-tri-colour-make-up-this-independence-day-1597338975925">Try this simple tri-colour make-up this Independence Day!</a>
Cool girls &amp; boys of the &lsquo;90s
The decade that birthed Indipop stars like Alisha Chinai and cult films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Dil Toh Pagal Hai, the 1990s created trends that are still big today. From denim shirts, crop tops, chokers, co-ordinates and overalls to chiffon sarees and oversized shirts, we saw it all in the &lsquo;90s. And leading ladies like Karisma Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit and Kajol, often styled by Manish Malhotra, became the style icons of this period.
Fashion forward face of the &lsquo;00s
The aughts or the 2000s saw many international fashion brands opening up stores in India. Sporting the latest styles and trends was no longer limited to people who had connections abroad. Following in her sister&rsquo;s footsteps, Kareena Kapoor warmed things up with characters like Poo and Jab We Met&rsquo;s Geet.
Super-fitted pieces like tube tops and micro-minis as well as desi fusion outfits defined this overtly sexy&nbsp;decade.
Comfortable mood of the &lsquo;10s
Moving on to the most recent period, the 2010s gave us social media and influencers! We slowly said goodbye to super sexy clothes and welcomed athleisure with open arms. The focus shifted away from celebrity trends and street style gained more steam.
Micro bags, sheer tops, oversized sweatshirts and cycling shorts were the viral trends from the period. Bloggers and Instagram-famous supermodels were the biggest trendsetters.
As the last decade comes to a close amidst a full-blown pandemic, the focus remains on comfort and clothes that look good on social media. The next decade in fashion is poised to be more inclusive and focussed on technological advancements such as smart fabrics and digital-only clothes.

Independence Day 2021: From your great grandparents to you, every Indian would be familiar with these iconic Indian brands

Independence Day 2021: Independence era local brands that define India’s cultural identity 

From&nbsp;your&nbsp;great grandparents to your friends, every Indian or anyone who&rsquo;s lived in the country in the last 75 years would be familiar with these iconic Indian brands.&nbsp;

India@75: Independence era brands that define India’s cultural identity

From&nbsp;your&nbsp;great grandparents to your friends, every Indian or anyone who&rsquo;s lived in the country in the last 75 years would be familiar with these iconic Indian brands

From&nbsp;your&nbsp;great grandparents to your friends, every Indian or anyone who&rsquo;s ever lived in the country in the last 75 years or more is familiar with certain brands and their products.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While some were launched during the swadeshi movement, others came to&nbsp;serve&nbsp;the growing demands of&nbsp;newly&nbsp;Independent Indians. This Independence Day, let&rsquo;s take a look at some such&nbsp;cult desi&nbsp;brands that&nbsp;set up shop even&nbsp;before India was officially declared independent.&nbsp;
HALDIRAM'S&nbsp;
Everyone&rsquo;s favourite&nbsp;bhujia&nbsp;maker,&nbsp;Haldiram&rsquo;s&nbsp;started out as a small namkeen shop in Rajasthan&rsquo;s Bikaner&nbsp;in 1937. The&nbsp;owner&nbsp;started selling&nbsp;his&nbsp;Bikaneri&nbsp;Bhujia&nbsp;in 1946 and the brand has now grown to become&nbsp;the go-to for Indian snacks,&nbsp;sweets,&nbsp;namkeens,&nbsp;and&nbsp;the best&nbsp;place to eat some yummy&nbsp;chaat.&nbsp;
AMUL&nbsp;
More than just a milk brand,&nbsp;Amul&nbsp;with its tagline &lsquo;the taste of India&rsquo; has literally fed generations of Indians.&nbsp;Founded in 1946 as a response&nbsp;to exploitative practices in the sector, the brand&nbsp;triggered India&rsquo;s White Revolution. And the Amul Girl campaign which debuted in 1955 has&nbsp;become a pop culture icon in its own right.
ROOH AFZA (HAMDARD)&nbsp;
Before the colour was even coined, India's favourite millennial pink drink, Hamdard&rsquo;s Roof Afza&nbsp;was formulated in 1906 in Ghaziabad.&nbsp;Whether in milk,&nbsp;falooda&nbsp;or with water, all of us have grown up&nbsp;consuming&nbsp;some version of the rosy and refreshing drink.&nbsp;Synonymous with iftar in&nbsp;all South Asian homes,&nbsp;the nostalgia is real with this one.
SEE MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/india-75-5-indian-origin-ceos-helming-global-tech-giants-1628181154206">India@75: 5 Indian-origin CEOs helming global tech giants</a>
OLD MONK (MOHAN MEAKIN)&nbsp;
The alcohol that many Indians can recall as their first drink, Old Monk&nbsp;Rum&rsquo;s origin story can be dated back&nbsp;to&nbsp;1855 in British&nbsp;India. Mohan Meakin, the rum&rsquo;s producer&nbsp;started what is believed to be Asia&rsquo;s first brewery in Kasauli,&nbsp;to serve British drinking needs. But Old Monk itself was&nbsp;launched in 1954 by&nbsp;Ved Rattan Mohan, former managing director of Mohan Meakin.
PARLE G&nbsp;
A brand with a mascot so iconic that it needs no introduction,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Parle&nbsp;G&nbsp;biscuit&nbsp;has been a household hit since its launch in 1939.&nbsp;But&nbsp;the iconic&nbsp;Parle&nbsp;G Girl was illustrated much later in 1960. Interestingly,&nbsp;Parle&nbsp;G introduced the first homegrown biscuit for ordinary Indians but the brand&rsquo;s first product was actually an orange candy.&nbsp;
So, how many of these iconic Indian products do you have in your home right now?

The Pegasus snooping row has again thrown into spotlight the issue of how safe our phones are. While most people do not need to worry about Pegasus, there are several other hacking and spying software and apps that you need to be cautious of.
While some apps try to access financial information from your phone like bank account details or passwords, others can take complete control over your phone including photo gallery, calls, messages and more. 
But there are signs that you can look for, which tell you if your phone has been hacked.
#1 Phone's battery is draining faster than usualIf your phone's battery is draining faster than usual, malware and fraudulent apps may be using malicious code that tends to drain a lot of power. But before we scare you, check the number of apps running in the background. First close them and then monitor.
#2 You spot apps that you didn't downloadYour phone may be vulnerabe to hacks if you notice apps on your smartphone that you are sure you didn't download. 
#3 Your phone is crashing too many timesKeep an eye out if you find your smartphone is acting weird. Apps crash unexpectedly or fail to load. Many sites look different than they usually do, is a telltale sign.
#4 Your phone is throwing up too many pop-upsIf you notice a lot of inappropriate or X-rated advertisements as pop-ups on your phone, it could suggest that your phone has been compromised. Pop-ups may be due to adware, a type of malicious software that inundates your device with ads. Remember to never click on such links.
#5 The flashlight of your phone turns on, on its ownThe flash light turning on even when you are not using your phone is another sign to look out for. This may be because your device is being remotely controlled.
#6 Your phone is getting very hot even when not in usePhones can heat up during prolonged periods of use, like gaming for hours, or running navigation apps etc. But, if your phone is getting very hot even when you don't use it, there is some cause for worry.
#7 You notice gibberish call logs or text messages You must watch out for texts or calls in your log that were not sent to you or sent by you. If you notice gibberish and unusual characters there, it would be a sign that a hacker could be accessing your phone.
#8 Your data usage suddenly shoots upIf your data bill is higher than usual without you increasing your online activities, it is likely that your phone is hacked and the hacker could be using your phone&rsquo;s data to run apps in the background.
#9 Unrecognised activity on social media accountsIf there are posts on your social media handles that you haven't made or emails sent from your account, that are connected to your phone, it could mean that a hacker has gained access to the device.
#10 Your phone becomes slow and sluggishIf your phone is hanging more often, or the screen is freezing too many times, or your phone is rebooting unexpectedly, it could be a sign of a hacked device.

Pegasus row: How to know if your phone has been hacked? Here are the top 10 signs

How to know if your phone has spyware or has been hacked? Here's all you need to know
**add pegasus&nbsp;hashtags&nbsp;for post**

Pegasus row: How to know if your phone has spyware or has been hacked

While most people do not need to worry about Pegasus, there are several other hacking and spying software and apps that you need to be cautious of.

The Pegasus snooping row has again thrown into spotlight the issue of how safe our phones are. While most people do not need to worry about Pegasus, there are several other hacking and spying software and apps that you need to be cautious of.
While some apps try to access financial information from your phone like bank account details or passwords, others can take complete control over your phone including photo gallery, calls, messages and more.
But there are signs that you can look for, which tell you if your phone has been hacked.
#1 Phone's battery is draining faster than usual If your phone's battery is draining faster than usual, malware and fraudulent apps may be using malicious code that tends to drain a lot of power. But before we scare you, check the number of apps running in the background. First close them and then monitor.
#2 You spot apps that you didn't download Your phone may be vulnerabe to hacks if you notice apps on your smartphone that you are sure you didn't download.
Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://editorji.com/story/explained-what-is-pegasus-spyware-how-it-works-should-you-worry-1626694490805" target="_blank">Explained: What is Pegasus spyware, how it works, should you worry?</a>
#3 Your phone is crashing too many times Keep an eye out if you find your smartphone is acting weird. Apps crash unexpectedly or fail to load. Many sites look different than they usually do, is a telltale sign.
#4 Your phone is throwing up too many pop-ups If you notice a lot of inappropriate or X-rated advertisements as pop-ups on your phone, it could suggest that your phone has been compromised. Pop-ups may be due to adware, a type of malicious software that inundates your device with ads. Remember to never click on such links.
#5 The flashlight of your phone turns on, on its own The flash light turning on even when you are not using your phone is another sign to look out for. This may be because your device is being remotely controlled.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://editorji.com/story/Reports:%20iMessage on iPhone 11, iPhone 12 compromised by Pegasus spyware; Apple responds" target="_blank">Reports: iMessage on iPhone 11, iPhone 12 compromised by Pegasus spyware; Apple responds</a>
#6 Your phone is getting very hot even when not in use Phones can heat up during prolonged periods of use, like gaming for hours, or running navigation apps etc. But, if your phone is getting very hot even when you don't use it, there is some cause for worry.
#7 You notice gibberish call logs or text messages You must watch out for texts or calls in your log that were not sent to you or sent by you. If you notice gibberish and unusual characters there, it would be a sign that a hacker could be accessing your phone.
#8 Your data usage suddenly shoots up If your data bill is higher than usual without you increasing your online activities, it is likely that your phone is hacked and the hacker could be using your phone&rsquo;s data to run apps in the background.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://editorji.com/story/pegasus-spyware-france-probes-spying-charge-on-morocco-intelligence-1626780391278" target="_blank">Pegasus spyware: France probes spying charge on Morocco intelligence</a>
#9 Unrecognised activity on social media accounts If there are posts on your social media handles that you haven't made or emails sent from your account, that are connected to your phone, it could mean that a hacker has gained access to the device.
#10 Your phone becomes unusually slow and sluggish If your phone is hanging more often, or the screen is freezing too many times, or your phone is rebooting unexpectedly, it could be a sign of a hacked device.

In her decades-long political career, Bengal tigress Mamata Banerjee must have fought numerous battles, but, none like the bypoll&nbsp;in the Bhowanipore&nbsp;constituency on September 30.&nbsp;
Why is the Bengal CM contesting the bypolls? Could these polls be stepping stone for the TMC&nbsp;chief's national aspirations

Are Bhowanipore bypolls a stepping stone for Mamata Banerjee's national aspirations?

In her decades-long political career, Bengal tigress Mamata Banerjee must have fought numerous battles, but, none like the bypoll in the Bhowanipore constituency on September 30. 

Why is the Bengal CM contesting the bypolls? Could these polls be stepping stone for the TMC chief's national aspirations

Are Bhowanipore bypolls a stepping stone for Mamata's national aspirations?

((SOT-IF I LOSE SOMEELSE WILL BE CM))
 ((VO)) In her decades-long political career, Bengal tigress Mamata Banerjee must have fought numerous battles, but, none like this one.
As she remained wheel-chair bound during much of the West Bengal campaign earlier this year, she conquered Bengal, kept BJP away from the priced spot in India&rsquo;s east, but fell short of beating her friend-turned-foe in the hotly contested Nandigram election. ``
And as the Supreme Court hears pleas to decide on the result of the Nandigram election, a battle front has opened in her bastion Bhawanipore. For her to stay as the chief minister of Bengal and launch a political offensive outside its shores, the Trinamool Congress chief must become a lawmaker to retain the top chair in her state before India witnesses general elections in 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;
But how did the leader of a party that swept the Bengal poll, dislodged election predictions, put BJP on the backfoot, end up in this political do or die.
&nbsp;
BITE: Mamata &ndash; will fight from Nandigram. Suvendu &ndash; will defeat her
When the BJP launched a poll offensive to dislodge TMC, Didi took a gamble. She contested from Nandigram and not Bhowanipore. The purpose of such risky political manoeuvre was simply to finish Suvendu Adhikari, the incumbent legislator who along with many had decide to become a TMC turncoat.
TMC won the state but Didi lost. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
BITE &ndash; I have lost but it&rsquo;s ok. Bengal has won
She still went to take oath as the chief minister but the constitutional rules require her to get elected as an MLA within 6 months to continue on the post.
Having lost face once, Banerjee wasn't going to take any chances this time... she decided to take the battle home.
She is a 6-time MP and 2-time MLA from this South Kolkata constituency. In 2021, her aide&nbsp;Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay&nbsp;fought from there and won.
Given election history, the results of this battle may be on expected lines, but =the chief minister =is not taking any chances. &nbsp;
 (BITE: vote for me&hellip; even if I don&rsquo;t get one vote I will suffer&nbsp;
 She has constantly reminded the locals of how familiar she is with the place, how she knows each lane and by-lane. How like them she is also a resident of the constituency. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
BITE:
The discourse has now shifted from Bangla nijer meye ke chai to Bhowanipore nijer meye ke chai
Which is probably why BJP thought it was best to field a candidate who can call herself a home girl.
Priyanka Tibrewal is an advocate and has familial connections to the constituency. Her candidacy helps BJP negate TMC's 'outsider' narrative.
She helped BJP win the post-violence case against Bengal govt in Calcutta HC. She is being positioned as someone who could beat Banerjee. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
BITE: Tibrewal
But the question is - does Bhowanipore consider anyone to be more of their daughter than Mamata Banerjee.
Poll data from previous polls suggests the CM is losing ground. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
In 2011 state polls, she won the seat with 77% vote share, in 2016 it came down to 48%. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, TMC led BJP by only 3,000 votes in the assembly segment.
Many experts are putting it down to the high population of Gujarati, Marwaris and Punjabis in Bhowanipore who are now shifting towards BJP.
But poll data also shows that Mamata still has a hold over her constituency... which is probably why TMC won the seat despite Mamata not contesting from it. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Will then Bhowanipore voters deliver Mamata Banerjee one of her most important victories and set her on the path to New Delhi.
Bite: vote for me.. bhowanipore will be beginning of our national battle.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Mamata lost to Suvendu&nbsp;Adhikari in Nandigram&nbsp;during the Bengal polls held earlier this year.&nbsp;

In her decades-long political career, Bengal tigress Mamata Banerjee must have fought numerous battles, but, none like the bypoll&nbsp;in the Bhowanipore&nbsp;constituency on September 30.&nbsp;
Why is the Bengal CM contesting the bypolls? Could these polls be stepping stone for the TMC&nbsp;chief's national aspirations

The dominance of Haqqani Network &ndash; whose many members are UN-designated terrorists - &nbsp;in the new Taliban govt has created a sense of unease in the international community. 4 members of the group have been chosen as ministers in the new Afghanistan govt.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have demanded that Haqqanis be removed from US blacklist. They say it violates the Doha Agreement.
The appointment that has raised the most eyebrows is that of Sirajuddin Haqqani &ndash; 38-year-old son of the group&rsquo;s founder Jalauddin Haqqani. Sirajuddin Haqqani, an UN-designated global terrorist since 2007, has been chosen as the new Interior Minister. FBI has put a reward of $ 10 million for information on him.
Other Haqqani members appointed as ministers are - Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani, the uncle of Sirajuddin, who has been appointed the Minister for Refugees, Najibullah Haqqani who has been appointed as minister of communication and Sheikh Abdul Baqi Haqqani who has chosen as the higher education minister.
Sheikh Abdul Baqi is the only Haqqani minister who is in not UN&rsquo;s designated terrorist list.
The group&rsquo;s founder Jalaluddin Haqqani became an active mujhaideen in 1970s. Trained in Pakistan, he was one of CIA&rsquo;s trusted mujahideen against the Soviets. It is during this period that he is believed to have forged close ties with Pakistan&rsquo;s ISI.
Jalaluddin ran guns and fighters for the jihad all through the 1980s from a base in North Waziristan,. This is also the time when he met Osama bin Laden.
Haqqani joined hands with the Taliban in 1995 and fought against the other armed groups in Afghanistan.
He became the Minister of Border and Tribal Affairs when the Taliban captured Kabul in 1996.
Pakistan gave him and the entire group safe haven in North Waziristan after they fled from Afghanistan following the ouster of Taliban by US and allied forces in 2001. It is reported that the Haqqanis ran a parallel govt from there - taxing people and making money off construction contracts and investments in real estate in the area. The United States often urged Pakistan to &ldquo;do more&rdquo; to eliminate the Haqqani Network.
Haqqani Network was central to Taliban&rsquo;s re-grouping which began in 2003. Experts say much of Taliban&rsquo;s success is due to the Haqqani group.
In May this year, a UN reported described Haqqani Network as &lsquo;Taliban&rsquo;s most combat-ready forces with a highly skilled core of members who specialize in complex attacks and provide technical skills, such as improvised explosive device and rocket construction&rsquo;. The report also called the group the &lsquo;primary liaison between the Taliban and Al-Qaida&rsquo;. UN reports have also pointed to links between the Haqqani Network and Islamic State- Khorasan, the Afghan wing of the Islamic State.
The presence of a group believed to be closely linked to Pakistan in the new Afghanistan govt has caused disquiet among Indian security establishments.
According to some reports, the delay in govt formation by Taliban was due to disagreements between Taliban and Haqqani over ministerial berths. ISI chief Faiz Hameed&rsquo;s trip to Kabul only added to speculations that Pakistan wanted to control Afghan govt by having more Haqqani members in the cabinet.
&nbsp;

Explained: why Haqqani dominance in Taliban govt has raised eyebrows

Why has the inclusion of 4 Haqqani&nbsp;Network members in the new Taliban govt in Afghanistan caused unease, especially in India?&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Taliban have demanded that Haqqanis be removed from US blacklist. They say it violates the Doha Agreement.

The dominance of Haqqani Network &ndash; whose many members are UN-designated terrorists - &nbsp;in the new Taliban govt has created a sense of unease in the international community. 4 members of the group have been chosen as ministers in the new Afghanistan govt.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have demanded that Haqqanis be removed from US blacklist. They say it violates the Doha Agreement.
The appointment that has raised the most eyebrows is that of Sirajuddin Haqqani &ndash; 38-year-old son of the group&rsquo;s founder Jalauddin Haqqani. Sirajuddin Haqqani, an UN-designated global terrorist since 2007, has been chosen as the new Interior Minister. FBI has put a reward of $ 10 million for information on him.
Other Haqqani members appointed as ministers are - Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani, the uncle of Sirajuddin, who has been appointed the Minister for Refugees, Najibullah Haqqani who has been appointed as minister of communication and Sheikh Abdul Baqi Haqqani who has chosen as the higher education minister.
Sheikh Abdul Baqi is the only Haqqani minister who is in not UN&rsquo;s designated terrorist list.
The group&rsquo;s founder Jalaluddin Haqqani became an active mujhaideen in 1970s. Trained in Pakistan, he was one of CIA&rsquo;s trusted mujahideen against the Soviets. It is during this period that he is believed to have forged close ties with Pakistan&rsquo;s ISI.
Jalaluddin ran guns and fighters for the jihad all through the 1980s from a base in North Waziristan,. This is also the time when he met Osama bin Laden.
Haqqani joined hands with the Taliban in 1995 and fought against the other armed groups in Afghanistan.
He became the Minister of Border and Tribal Affairs when the Taliban captured Kabul in 1996.
Pakistan gave him and the entire group safe haven in North Waziristan after they fled from Afghanistan following the ouster of Taliban by US and allied forces in 2001. It is reported that the Haqqanis ran a parallel govt from there - taxing people and making money off construction contracts and investments in real estate in the area. The United States often urged Pakistan to &ldquo;do more&rdquo; to eliminate the Haqqani Network.
Haqqani Network was central to Taliban&rsquo;s re-grouping which began in 2003. Experts say much of Taliban&rsquo;s success is due to the Haqqani group.
In May this year, a UN reported described Haqqani Network as &lsquo;Taliban&rsquo;s most combat-ready forces with a highly skilled core of members who specialize in complex attacks and provide technical skills, such as improvised explosive device and rocket construction&rsquo;. The report also called the group the &lsquo;primary liaison between the Taliban and Al-Qaida&rsquo;. UN reports have also pointed to links between the Haqqani Network and Islamic State- Khorasan, the Afghan wing of the Islamic State.
The presence of a group believed to be closely linked to Pakistan in the new Afghanistan govt has caused disquiet among Indian security establishments.
According to some reports, the delay in govt formation by Taliban was due to disagreements between Taliban and Haqqani over ministerial berths. ISI chief Faiz Hameed&rsquo;s trip to Kabul only added to speculations that Pakistan wanted to control Afghan govt by having more Haqqani members in the cabinet.
&nbsp;

There are many stories and legends about how biryani came to India. Regardless of their history, there are some local biryanis that every biryani lover must try!

History, origin and different types of biryani prepared in India 

From Shah Jahan's&nbsp;begum to Arab seafarers, who wins the crown for introducing biryani to India? Regardless of the origin, here are some local&nbsp;biryanis&nbsp;that every true biryani&nbsp;lover should try at least once!&nbsp;

One dish, many histories: how biryani wears different flavours all over India 

Made with milder spices, a tinge of sweetness and highlights potatoes
This veg&nbsp;biryani&nbsp;was devised for vegetarian bookkeepers in Mughal&nbsp;courts
Made with chicken wings, mild Malabar spices and&nbsp;Kaima&nbsp;rice
Ambur&nbsp;&amp; Arcot&nbsp;biryanis&nbsp;are similar; served with brinjal&nbsp;curry &amp; pachadi

Whether you believe in one origin story or all of them, the long history of biryani means that there are plenty of hyperlocal biryanis&nbsp;relished&nbsp;all over the country, each with its own&nbsp;technique, ingredients and spices.&nbsp;

Aromatic,&nbsp;delicious and&nbsp;versatile, <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/taste-of-luxury-would-you-try-this-23-karat-gold-biryani-1614071396399">biryani</a> is a dish steeped in history and local traditions. From dividing the Internet and uniting neighbours to being the most-ordered dish online,&nbsp;our&nbsp;love for biryani is no casual affair.
WATCH MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/zomato-s-recap-thread-shows-what-how-much-indians-ordered-in-2020-1609402120621">Indians love biryani, 22 orders delivered per min in 2020</a>
You may&nbsp;already&nbsp;be familiar with&nbsp;variants like the Hyderabadi biryani&nbsp;famously prepared&nbsp;in&nbsp;the Dum method&nbsp;or the&nbsp;Awadhi or&nbsp;Lucknawi&nbsp;biryani from the royal state of Lucknow.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Interestingly, the word biryani is derived from the Persian words&nbsp;Biriyan&nbsp;and&nbsp;Birinj, meaning &lsquo;fried before cooking&rsquo; and &lsquo;rice&rsquo; respectively.&nbsp;There are many origin stories of this&nbsp;rice and&nbsp;meat-based&nbsp;dish&nbsp;and people often argue how&nbsp;exactly&nbsp;it&nbsp;came to be so popular in India.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Some believe that Timur, a Turk Mongol ruler, brought the precursor to this dish when he came to India in 1398.&nbsp;Another&nbsp;story says&nbsp;that biryani took the Maritime route and&nbsp;entered India from the Malabar coast as some Tamil literature references a popular rice-based dish called Oon&nbsp;Soru&nbsp;in 2 AD.&nbsp;And the&nbsp;most popular&nbsp;legend&nbsp;credits Mughal emperor Shah Jahan&rsquo;s begum Mumtaz Mahal,&nbsp;for coming up with a rice and meat dish&nbsp;in the 1600s&nbsp;to feed&nbsp;the starving and malnourished army.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether you believe in one story or all of them, the numerous origins means that there are plenty of hyperlocal biryanis&nbsp;relished&nbsp;all over the country, each with their own&nbsp;technique, ingredients and spices.&nbsp;
WATCH MORE&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/watch-1-5km-long-queue-in-front-of-biryani-joint-near-bengaluru-1601571584197">1.5km long queue in front of biryani joint near Bengaluru&nbsp;</a>
Let&rsquo;s look at some of these local&nbsp;biryanis&nbsp;that every biryani lover should try!&nbsp;
<h3>Calcutta Biryani&nbsp;</h3>
Believed to be the brainchild of a famous gourmet who was banished by the British, the Calcutta Biryani is prepared&nbsp;with&nbsp;much milder spices and has&nbsp;a tinge of sweetness. The biryani centrally features potatoes, signifying the&nbsp;erstwhile budget&nbsp;constraints&nbsp;of the banished chef.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Tahari Biryani&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>
A biryani cooked without meat? Yes, the Tehari or Tahari biryani is made with lots of vegetables. According to fables, this historic biryani was devised to adapt and suit to the local palettes of&nbsp;vegetarian bookkeepers in Mysore&rsquo;s Mughal court.&nbsp;
<h3>Thalassery&nbsp;Biryani&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>
Possibly&nbsp;developed after&nbsp;Arab seafarers&nbsp;introduced biryani to the Malabar&nbsp;coast, the&nbsp;Thalassery&nbsp;Biryani&nbsp;is made with chicken wings, mild Malabar spices and&nbsp;a type of rice called&nbsp;kaima. Fried cashew nuts, sultana raisins and fennel seeds are&nbsp;used to&nbsp;finish&nbsp;off this biryani.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Ambur Biryani&nbsp;</h3>
Prepared with a South Indian twist, the Ambur biryani traces its history to the Nawabs of Arcot in the Ambur town of Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;The Ambur and Arcot biryani are closely related and are served with a brinjal curry and&nbsp;a&nbsp;pachadi&nbsp;raita on the side.&nbsp;&nbsp;
ALSO WATCH&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/biryani-is-the-most-searched-indian-dish-globally-1580728390970">'Biryani' is the most searched Indian dish, globally!</a>
This is by no means an exhaustive list.&nbsp;The list of local biryanis boasts of Bombay, Bangalore, Kalyani, Sindhi,&nbsp;Menoni,&nbsp;Bhatkali,&nbsp;Kashmiri&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dindigul&nbsp;among many, many more!

The Taliban have seized power in Afghanistan two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.
Here is a look at how Taliban swept Afghanistan without a fight.&nbsp;

Road to Kabul: how Taliban swept Afghanistan without a fight

The Taliban not only took over Kabul in an aggressive sweep but also ensured that the US hastened its retreat from Afghanistan much before the Biden deadline. Here's a chronicle of Taliban takeover since April this year.

The Taliban have seized power in Afghanistan two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.

The Taliban have seized power in Afghanistan two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.
Here is a look at how Taliban swept Afghanistan without a fight.&nbsp;

Taliban firing shots in the air to celebrate&hellip; they claim the resistance bastion of Panjshir has fallen. The resistance forces deny Taliban&rsquo;s claim, they say it is a lie.
Panjshir,&nbsp;the valley of 5 lions. The only province of Afghanistan that was not under the Taliban even after capital Kabul fell.&nbsp;
150 km northeast of Kabul,&nbsp;Panjshir has formidable natural defences. Nestled in between the majestic Hindukush mountains, the narrow passage carved out by the Panjshir River is the only access point to this valley.
If the region&rsquo;s rugged terrain inspires fear, its inhabitants are equally fearsome fighters. Home to the famed resistance group, the Northern Alliance &ndash; Panjshir has always held its own.&nbsp;It did not fall to Taliban in 1990s civil war&nbsp;and it did not bow down to the Soviets a decade before that.
In Panjshir was born Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan&rsquo;s greatest resistance commander. &lsquo;The Lion of Panjshir&rsquo; marshalled Afghans in the 1980s to end Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. In 1996, when Taliban were emerging as the victors in the civil war, Massoud rallied fighters from various tribes and led the Northern Alliance.
His resistance forces not only kept Taliban away from Panjshir but also from almost all of northeastern Afghanistan up to the border with China and Tajikistan. In 2001, Massoud was assassinated by suspected al-Qaeda terrorists.
20 years after,&nbsp;Panjshir again emerged as the epicentre of the war against the Taliban. This time led by Massoud&rsquo;s son, Ahmad Massoud.
As the Taliban had reached the gates, the valley was yet again filled with sounds of guns firing. Several armoured vehicles dotted the rocky dry roads&nbsp;as local militia leaders, some Afghan army units and special forces joined Massoud&rsquo;s guerilla force ---&nbsp;resolute to beat the Taliban yet again
Taliban had mobilised thousands of its fighters who waited outside the gates of Panjshir.The Taliban wanted to resolve the situation peacefully.
Was the Taliban then applying the Kabul tactics in Panjshir? Waiting at the gates till Massoud and his allies reached a stage of exhaustion.
Massoud too had said that negotiations were the only way forward but had stressed that resistance forces would fight if they had to.
There were several rounds of talks between the two sides during which it was agreed that neither side would use the military option till the negotiation are on.
With the talks failing, reports of heavy fighting between the Taliban and the resistance forces became frequent with both sides claiming casualties to the other side.
There were already concerns that the resistance forces may not be able to win against Taliban this time. Concerns that Taliban will block supplies to the valley if they gain control of the entrance. They have already cut phone and internet in the valley, according to reports.
Has Massoud then succumbed to the Taliban wait and pressure strategy or will he like his father be able to keep a determined Taliban outside the gates of the valley of 5 lions?
&nbsp;

Panjshir: will Afghanistan's valley of resistance succumb to Taliban's Kabul tactic?

Will Panjshir&nbsp;yet again defeat the Taliban or is the valley exhausted after carrying Afghanistan's flag of resistance for over 40 years?

Home to the famed resistance group, the Northern Alliance &ndash; Panjshir has always held its own.

Taliban firing shots in the air to celebrate&hellip; they claim the resistance bastion of Panjshir has fallen. The resistance forces deny Taliban&rsquo;s claim, they say it is a lie.
Panjshir,&nbsp;the valley of 5 lions. The only province of Afghanistan that was not under the Taliban even after capital Kabul fell.&nbsp;
150 km northeast of Kabul,&nbsp;Panjshir has formidable natural defences. Nestled in between the majestic Hindukush mountains, the narrow passage carved out by the Panjshir River is the only access point to this valley.
If the region&rsquo;s rugged terrain inspires fear, its inhabitants are equally fearsome fighters. Home to the famed resistance group, the Northern Alliance &ndash; Panjshir has always held its own.&nbsp;It did not fall to Taliban in 1990s civil war&nbsp;and it did not bow down to the Soviets a decade before that.
In Panjshir was born Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan&rsquo;s greatest resistance commander. &lsquo;The Lion of Panjshir&rsquo; marshalled Afghans in the 1980s to end Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. In 1996, when Taliban were emerging as the victors in the civil war, Massoud rallied fighters from various tribes and led the Northern Alliance.
His resistance forces not only kept Taliban away from Panjshir but also from almost all of northeastern Afghanistan up to the border with China and Tajikistan. In 2001, Massoud was assassinated by suspected al-Qaeda terrorists.
20 years after,&nbsp;Panjshir again emerged as the epicentre of the war against the Taliban. This time led by Massoud&rsquo;s son, Ahmad Massoud.
As the Taliban had reached the gates, the valley was yet again filled with sounds of guns firing. Several armoured vehicles dotted the rocky dry roads&nbsp;as local militia leaders, some Afghan army units and special forces joined Massoud&rsquo;s guerilla force ---&nbsp;resolute to beat the Taliban yet again
Taliban had mobilised thousands of its fighters who waited outside the gates of Panjshir.The Taliban wanted to resolve the situation peacefully.
Was the Taliban then applying the Kabul tactics in Panjshir? Waiting at the gates till Massoud and his allies reached a stage of exhaustion.
Massoud too had said that negotiations were the only way forward but had stressed that resistance forces would fight if they had to.
There were several rounds of talks between the two sides during which it was agreed that neither side would use the military option till the negotiation are on.
With the talks failing, reports of heavy fighting between the Taliban and the resistance forces became frequent with both sides claiming casualties to the other side.
There were already concerns that the resistance forces may not be able to win against Taliban this time. Concerns that Taliban will block supplies to the valley if they gain control of the entrance. They have already cut phone and internet in the valley, according to reports.
Has Massoud then succumbed to the Taliban wait and pressure strategy or will he like his father be able to keep a determined Taliban outside the gates of the valley of 5 lions?
&nbsp;

Sneha&nbsp;Dubey India's First Secretary at the UN retorted sharply to Pakistan PM&nbsp;Imran&nbsp;Khan's&nbsp;tirade against the country.&nbsp;Sneha&nbsp;responded by calling out the allegations made by Imran&nbsp;Khan has false and accused Pakistan of being an "arsonist disguising itself as a firefighter" by harbouring terrorists and called upon the neighbouring country to "immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation".In response to Pak&nbsp;PM's comments on Kashmir and the Indian Govt India's Sneha Dubey said that his statements "deserve our collective contempt and sympathy for the mindset of the person who utters falsehood repeatedly." She then said she would "set the record straight".Sneha Dubey&nbsp;continued her&nbsp;&nbsp;strong rebuttal addressing the UN as she stated "This is the country which is an arsonist disguising itself as a fire-fighter. Pakistan nurtures terrorists in their backyard in the hope that they will only harm their neighbours. Our region, and in fact the entire world, has suffered because of their policies. On the other hand, they are trying to cover up sectarian violence in their country as acts of terror."

Watch: India's First Secretary Sneha Dubey slamming Pakistan 

Watch: India's First Secretary Sneha Dubey slamming Pakistan at the UN

Sneha Dubey, First Secretary at UN General Assembly replies to Pakistan PM's&nbsp;comments on India

Sneha&nbsp;Dubey India's First Secretary at the UN retorted sharply to Pakistan PM&nbsp;Imran&nbsp;Khan's&nbsp;tirade against the country.&nbsp;Sneha&nbsp;responded by calling out the allegations made by Imran&nbsp;Khan has false and accused Pakistan of being an "arsonist disguising itself as a firefighter" by harbouring terrorists and called upon the neighbouring country to "immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation". In response to Pak&nbsp;PM's comments on Kashmir and the Indian Govt India's Sneha Dubey said that his statements "deserve our collective contempt and sympathy for the mindset of the person who utters falsehood repeatedly." She then said she would "set the record straight". Sneha Dubey&nbsp;continued her&nbsp;&nbsp;strong rebuttal addressing the UN as she stated "This is the country which is an arsonist disguising itself as a fire-fighter. Pakistan nurtures terrorists in their backyard in the hope that they will only harm their neighbours. Our region, and in fact the entire world, has suffered because of their policies. On the other hand, they are trying to cover up sectarian violence in their country as acts of terror."

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