April 20, 2026

Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 expands Tamil outreach with 50 teachers teaching spoken Tamil in Varanasi schools and 300 Varanasi students visiting Tamil Nadu for immersive learning. This initiative, despite ongoing state-federal education disputes, aims to strengthen India’s linguistic traditions and civilisational ties through reciprocal cultural exchange. PTI file photo NEW DELHI: Even as the Centre and the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government continue to spar over education-related issues, the fourth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) marks a significant expansion of the Union government’s Tamil language outreach with two major initiatives — sending 300 college students from Varanasi to Tamil Nadu for immersive Tamil learning and bringing 50 Tamil teachers to Varanasi schools to teach spoken Tamil. Officials maintain that the push remains culturally anchored and aimed at strengthening India’s linguistic traditions.KTS 4.0 will open at NaMo Ghat on December 2, coinciding with Karthigai Deepam on December 4. More than 1,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will participate in an eight-day programme featuring knowledge-sharing sessions, cultural events and heritage visits to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, BHU, Sarnath, Hanuman Ghat and the Ayodhya temple. The theme — “Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam” — reinforces the idea of Indian languages as part of a shared civilisational fabric.What makes this year’s edition notable is the Centre’s scaling-up of Tamil-learning programmes at a time when its relationship with the Tamil Nadu government remains strained over NEET, the three-language policy and centralisation of education regulation. Officials say the reciprocal model — Tamil teachers in UP and UP students in Tamil Nadu — is intended to deepen “people-to-people connections.”Under the Tamil KarkaLam campaign, 50 teachers from Tamil Nadu will begin spoken Tamil classes across 50 Varanasi schools from December 2 to 15, reaching 1,500 students. The inaugural batches arrive on December 1.In return, 300 college students from Varanasi will travel in 10 batches to Tamil Nadu between December 17 and 30. After an orientation at the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai, they will be placed across nine host institutions, including IIT Madras, Central University of Pondicherry, Gandhigram Rural Institute and Shastra University. Formal send-offs are planned in Varanasi.A senior official with the ministry of education said the dual initiatives would “take Tamil learning beyond symbolic engagement to structured classroom exposure.”“KTS 4.0 celebrates India’s knowledge traditions by making language a living bridge,” said the official, adding, “With 50 Tamil teachers reaching 1,500 students in Varanasi schools and 300 college students undertaking Tamil study tours, this edition marks a measurable expansion of linguistic exchange. When Tamil teachers teach in Kashi and students from Varanasi learn Tamil in its native soil, we are renewing the shared heritage and ancient currents that have linked the two regions for centuries.” The Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition (SAVE) — tracing ancient Tamil–Kashi linkages from Tenkasi to Varanasi — will also be launched on December 2, highlighting civilisational ties shaped by the Chera, Chola, Pandya, Pallava and Chalukya dynasties. It will conclude in Varanasi on December 12.Four allied events under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat will run alongside the Sangamam.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos“Oppression Will Trigger Jihad”: Jamiat Chief’s Explosive Claim Stirs StormEAM Jaishankar Decodes Massive US China Power Shift And Global Realignment In Sharp Kolkata AddressImran Khan Isolation Sparks Fury As PTI Claims His Photo Could Transform Pak’s Political RealityDelhi Court Extends Anmol Bishnoi’s Custody; NIA Probes Gang-Terror LinksAviation Expert Flags Deadly Risk In A320 Fleet After Critical Control System FailurePakistan Still Licking Op Sindoor Wounds: BSF Warns Next Attack Will Trigger Even Stronger ResponseAfter India’s 8.2% GDP Jump, Piyush Goyal Credits Reforms And Predicts Strong, Sustained ExpansionIMD Issues Red Alert as Cyclone Ditwah Approaches TN; Sri Lanka Deaths Exceed 80Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar Project Unity After High-Stakes Karnataka Meet Amid Rumours Of Cong RiftEU MP Filip Dewinter Labels Pakistan As A ‘Terror State’, Urges Europe To Act And Align With India123Photostories8 air-purifying indoor plants that naturally absorb harmful gasesFrom Dharmendra to Amjad Khan: Remembering the ‘Sholay’ stars who are no longer with usGen Z sensations Aneet Padda & Ahaan Panday serve old-school romance with their viral ‘Saiyaara’ glow-upHyderabad Unveils India’s First Mobile Anti-Drone Vehicle to Boost Security MeasuresIn Pics | Tesla Opens India’s First All-In-One Facility in GurgaonNoida Apple Store Unveiled: India’s Fifth Retail Location with Peacock-Inspired Design at DLF Mall of India7 animals that became space travellers ahead of humansShilpa Shetty yet again serves major fashion goals with her silver saree-jacket comboYour soul temple: 6 powerful temples to visit in India based on personality types7 houseplants to avoid if you have kids123Hot PicksDelhi AQI TodayNew Labour CodeWorld NewsGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingGiannis AntetokounmpoBo BichetteWWE Smackdown HighlightsDonald TrumpPerez HiltonCyclone DitwahR AshwinAyesha CurryFuzzy ZoellerJammie Booker

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins
Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 expands Tamil outreach with 50 teachers teaching spoken Tamil in Varanasi schools and 300 Varanasi students visiting Tamil Nadu for immersive learning. This initiative, despite ongoing state-federal education disputes, aims to strengthen India’s linguistic traditions and civilisational ties through reciprocal cultural exchange. PTI file photo NEW DELHI: Even as the Centre and the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government continue to spar over education-related issues, the fourth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) marks a significant expansion of the Union government’s Tamil language outreach with two major initiatives — sending 300 college students from Varanasi to Tamil Nadu for immersive Tamil learning and bringing 50 Tamil teachers to Varanasi schools to teach spoken Tamil. Officials maintain that the push remains culturally anchored and aimed at strengthening India’s linguistic traditions.KTS 4.0 will open at NaMo Ghat on December 2, coinciding with Karthigai Deepam on December 4. More than 1,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will participate in an eight-day programme featuring knowledge-sharing sessions, cultural events and heritage visits to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, BHU, Sarnath, Hanuman Ghat and the Ayodhya temple. The theme — “Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam” — reinforces the idea of Indian languages as part of a shared civilisational fabric.What makes this year’s edition notable is the Centre’s scaling-up of Tamil-learning programmes at a time when its relationship with the Tamil Nadu government remains strained over NEET, the three-language policy and centralisation of education regulation. Officials say the reciprocal model — Tamil teachers in UP and UP students in Tamil Nadu — is intended to deepen “people-to-people connections.”Under the Tamil KarkaLam campaign, 50 teachers from Tamil Nadu will begin spoken Tamil classes across 50 Varanasi schools from December 2 to 15, reaching 1,500 students. The inaugural batches arrive on December 1.In return, 300 college students from Varanasi will travel in 10 batches to Tamil Nadu between December 17 and 30. After an orientation at the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai, they will be placed across nine host institutions, including IIT Madras, Central University of Pondicherry, Gandhigram Rural Institute and Shastra University. Formal send-offs are planned in Varanasi.A senior official with the ministry of education said the dual initiatives would “take Tamil learning beyond symbolic engagement to structured classroom exposure.”“KTS 4.0 celebrates India’s knowledge traditions by making language a living bridge,” said the official, adding, “With 50 Tamil teachers reaching 1,500 students in Varanasi schools and 300 college students undertaking Tamil study tours, this edition marks a measurable expansion of linguistic exchange. When Tamil teachers teach in Kashi and students from Varanasi learn Tamil in its native soil, we are renewing the shared heritage and ancient currents that have linked the two regions for centuries.” The Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition (SAVE) — tracing ancient Tamil–Kashi linkages from Tenkasi to Varanasi — will also be launched on December 2, highlighting civilisational ties shaped by the Chera, Chola, Pandya, Pallava and Chalukya dynasties. It will conclude in Varanasi on December 12.Four allied events under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat will run alongside the Sangamam.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos“Oppression Will Trigger Jihad”: Jamiat Chief’s Explosive Claim Stirs StormEAM Jaishankar Decodes Massive US China Power Shift And Global Realignment In Sharp Kolkata AddressImran Khan Isolation Sparks Fury As PTI Claims His Photo Could Transform Pak’s Political RealityDelhi Court Extends Anmol Bishnoi’s Custody; NIA Probes Gang-Terror LinksAviation Expert Flags Deadly Risk In A320 Fleet After Critical Control System FailurePakistan Still Licking Op Sindoor Wounds: BSF Warns Next Attack Will Trigger Even Stronger ResponseAfter India’s 8.2% GDP Jump, Piyush Goyal Credits Reforms And Predicts Strong, Sustained ExpansionIMD Issues Red Alert as Cyclone Ditwah Approaches TN; Sri Lanka Deaths Exceed 80Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar Project Unity After High-Stakes Karnataka Meet Amid Rumours Of Cong RiftEU MP Filip Dewinter Labels Pakistan As A ‘Terror State’, Urges Europe To Act And Align With India123Photostories8 air-purifying indoor plants that naturally absorb harmful gasesFrom Dharmendra to Amjad Khan: Remembering the ‘Sholay’ stars who are no longer with usGen Z sensations Aneet Padda & Ahaan Panday serve old-school romance with their viral ‘Saiyaara’ glow-upHyderabad Unveils India’s First Mobile Anti-Drone Vehicle to Boost Security MeasuresIn Pics | Tesla Opens India’s First All-In-One Facility in GurgaonNoida Apple Store Unveiled: India’s Fifth Retail Location with Peacock-Inspired Design at DLF Mall of India7 animals that became space travellers ahead of humansShilpa Shetty yet again serves major fashion goals with her silver saree-jacket comboYour soul temple: 6 powerful temples to visit in India based on personality types7 houseplants to avoid if you have kids123Hot PicksDelhi AQI TodayNew Labour CodeWorld NewsGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingGiannis AntetokounmpoBo BichetteWWE Smackdown HighlightsDonald TrumpPerez HiltonCyclone DitwahR AshwinAyesha CurryFuzzy ZoellerJammie Booker


Centre expands Tamil outreach with Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0

NEW DELHI: Even as the Centre and the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government continue to spar over education-related issues, the fourth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) marks a significant expansion of the Union government’s Tamil language outreach with two major initiatives — sending 300 college students from Varanasi to Tamil Nadu for immersive Tamil learning and bringing 50 Tamil teachers to Varanasi schools to teach spoken Tamil. Officials maintain that the push remains culturally anchored and aimed at strengthening India’s linguistic traditions.KTS 4.0 will open at NaMo Ghat on December 2, coinciding with Karthigai Deepam on December 4. More than 1,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will participate in an eight-day programme featuring knowledge-sharing sessions, cultural events and heritage visits to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, BHU, Sarnath, Hanuman Ghat and the Ayodhya temple. The theme — “Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam” — reinforces the idea of Indian languages as part of a shared civilisational fabric.What makes this year’s edition notable is the Centre’s scaling-up of Tamil-learning programmes at a time when its relationship with the Tamil Nadu government remains strained over NEET, the three-language policy and centralisation of education regulation. Officials say the reciprocal model — Tamil teachers in UP and UP students in Tamil Nadu — is intended to deepen “people-to-people connections.”Under the Tamil KarkaLam campaign, 50 teachers from Tamil Nadu will begin spoken Tamil classes across 50 Varanasi schools from December 2 to 15, reaching 1,500 students. The inaugural batches arrive on December 1.In return, 300 college students from Varanasi will travel in 10 batches to Tamil Nadu between December 17 and 30. After an orientation at the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai, they will be placed across nine host institutions, including IIT Madras, Central University of Pondicherry, Gandhigram Rural Institute and Shastra University. Formal send-offs are planned in Varanasi.A senior official with the ministry of education said the dual initiatives would “take Tamil learning beyond symbolic engagement to structured classroom exposure.”“KTS 4.0 celebrates India’s knowledge traditions by making language a living bridge,” said the official, adding, “With 50 Tamil teachers reaching 1,500 students in Varanasi schools and 300 college students undertaking Tamil study tours, this edition marks a measurable expansion of linguistic exchange. When Tamil teachers teach in Kashi and students from Varanasi learn Tamil in its native soil, we are renewing the shared heritage and ancient currents that have linked the two regions for centuries.” The Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition (SAVE) — tracing ancient Tamil–Kashi linkages from Tenkasi to Varanasi — will also be launched on December 2, highlighting civilisational ties shaped by the Chera, Chola, Pandya, Pallava and Chalukya dynasties. It will conclude in Varanasi on December 12.Four allied events under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat will run alongside the Sangamam.





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PTI image PAHALGAM: A year after the terrorist attack that shook Kashmir’s scenic hill town, tourist arrivals to Pahalgam, have fallen sharply, dimming the vibrancy of what was once among the region’s busiest holiday destinations.Before the attack, the town routinely hosted between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors a day. Today, the numbers tell a different story. Official figures, procured by TOI from the local tourist centre, revealed that from May 2025 to April 15, 2026, Pahalgam recorded 4,30,495 domestic tourists, a steep drop compared to earlier years, when annual footfall ranged between 12 and 15 lakh, with monthly averages hovering around 1 to 1.1 lakh visitors.The decline is particularly striking when contrasted with April 2025, the month of the attack. By April 22, when the attack happened, around 1.37 lakh tourists had already visited the town in 22 days.The drop of tourists in Pahalgam could also be gauged from comparison of data of tourist footfall in the picturesque town from Jan to April 2025, when the total number of visitors for these four months reached 463,390. In contrast, data from Jan to April 2026 shows a sharp decline across all months with just 254,930 tourists, which is almost 45% lower than the same period in 2025. The cumulative drop of over 200,000 tourists suggests a significant negative trend.Yet, amid the downturn, a new and sombre landmark has emerged. A martyrdom memorial, set up by J&K govt near Pahalgam’s popular “Selfie Point” along Lidder river, has become a focal stop for visitors. The memorial bears the names of all the 26 tourists who lost their lives in the attack.For many, the visit is less about leisure and more about remembrance.Along the riverbanks, tourists gather as they always do, some standing on stones to take pictures, some sitting in small groups having snacks, others dipping their feet into the cold water.However, as they approach the memorial, their expression shows what has changed in a year. Their mood shifts. Some stand in silence, reading each name written on the memorial. Others raise their phones to capture the sad moment.The list of 26 begins with Atul Shrikant Mone. It ends with Yatish Bhai Sudhirbhai Pamar. At number 22, is Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a local ponywallah killed while trying to save tourists during the attack.Ravi C, a tourist from Karnataka, said it was his first visit to Pahalgam and he came despite what had happened last year. He was taking pictures of his young child, who was saluting the memorial.Ayaan from Mumbai, travelling with his family, said the violence had not kept him away. “Incidents happen,” he said.Kuldeep Singh, a driver from Punjab, had brought visitors from Punjab. They, too, were reading the names. Kantarajpa, a retired Army officer from Bengaluru, said he wanted to see the place for himself. The attack, he said, has not deterred him.Across the road at the tourist reception centre, officials from the tourism department said visitors have started returning to Pahalgam. They said in the four months after last year’s attack, the resort saw almost no tourists. “Hoteliers had shut their hotels. But with sustained efforts of govt, things are beginning to improve,” said an official.Tourism infrastructure in the area remains substantial, with around 107 hotels, 100 guest houses, and a similar number of homestays recorded by the tourism department. However, officials note that a significant number of unregistered accommodations continue to operate outside formal records.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons7 factors driving property price growth in Indian metro cities123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

PTI image PAHALGAM: A year after the terrorist attack that shook Kashmir’s scenic hill town, tourist arrivals to Pahalgam, have fallen sharply, dimming the vibrancy of what was once among the region’s busiest holiday destinations.Before the attack, the town routinely hosted between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors a day. Today, the numbers tell a different story. Official figures, procured by TOI from the local tourist centre, revealed that from May 2025 to April 15, 2026, Pahalgam recorded 4,30,495 domestic tourists, a steep drop compared to earlier years, when annual footfall ranged between 12 and 15 lakh, with monthly averages hovering around 1 to 1.1 lakh visitors.The decline is particularly striking when contrasted with April 2025, the month of the attack. By April 22, when the attack happened, around 1.37 lakh tourists had already visited the town in 22 days.The drop of tourists in Pahalgam could also be gauged from comparison of data of tourist footfall in the picturesque town from Jan to April 2025, when the total number of visitors for these four months reached 463,390. In contrast, data from Jan to April 2026 shows a sharp decline across all months with just 254,930 tourists, which is almost 45% lower than the same period in 2025. The cumulative drop of over 200,000 tourists suggests a significant negative trend.Yet, amid the downturn, a new and sombre landmark has emerged. A martyrdom memorial, set up by J&K govt near Pahalgam’s popular “Selfie Point” along Lidder river, has become a focal stop for visitors. The memorial bears the names of all the 26 tourists who lost their lives in the attack.For many, the visit is less about leisure and more about remembrance.Along the riverbanks, tourists gather as they always do, some standing on stones to take pictures, some sitting in small groups having snacks, others dipping their feet into the cold water.However, as they approach the memorial, their expression shows what has changed in a year. Their mood shifts. Some stand in silence, reading each name written on the memorial. Others raise their phones to capture the sad moment.The list of 26 begins with Atul Shrikant Mone. It ends with Yatish Bhai Sudhirbhai Pamar. At number 22, is Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a local ponywallah killed while trying to save tourists during the attack.Ravi C, a tourist from Karnataka, said it was his first visit to Pahalgam and he came despite what had happened last year. He was taking pictures of his young child, who was saluting the memorial.Ayaan from Mumbai, travelling with his family, said the violence had not kept him away. “Incidents happen,” he said.Kuldeep Singh, a driver from Punjab, had brought visitors from Punjab. They, too, were reading the names. Kantarajpa, a retired Army officer from Bengaluru, said he wanted to see the place for himself. The attack, he said, has not deterred him.Across the road at the tourist reception centre, officials from the tourism department said visitors have started returning to Pahalgam. They said in the four months after last year’s attack, the resort saw almost no tourists. “Hoteliers had shut their hotels. But with sustained efforts of govt, things are beginning to improve,” said an official.Tourism infrastructure in the area remains substantial, with around 107 hotels, 100 guest houses, and a similar number of homestays recorded by the tourism department. However, officials note that a significant number of unregistered accommodations continue to operate outside formal records.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons7 factors driving property price growth in Indian metro cities123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

Vamsikrishna 0
. PAHALGAM: A motorable road from Pahalgam town runs through the mountains to a place known locally as CM’s Hut. From there, a roughly 6km trek leads to Baisaran valley, the site of last year’s massacre, when 26 tourists were killed and 17 wounded in a terrorist attack.At the junction near CM’s Hut, the journey stops. Anyone trying to go further along the muddy track is turned back. Police and CRPF personnel appear quickly, mildly reminding visitors the valley is out of bounds. Ponywallahs (local horse guides) do not go beyond this point. Instead, they pause, while tourists take photographs of the Pahalgam bowl from this vantage point and then head back towards Pahalgam town.There are no coils of concertina wire, no visible barricade. Police say they want to avoid alarming visitors. But the closure is felt in quieter ways.Down in the Pahalgam market, pony owners are trying to motivate visitors to at least go up to the junction viewpoint. Abdul Waheed Wani, 39, known locally as “Moulvi Sahab” leads the ponywallahs’ union. Standing on the banks of Lidder, the river that cuts Pahalgam into two, he says Basiran’s closure has changed the town’s rhythm. “People come here to see Baisaran and the four valleys around it. When they are closed, they spend a few hours in Pahalgam town and leave,” he says.Around 5,500 ponywallahs depend on tourism, he says. After last year’s attack, work stopped for almost seven months. “There was nothing to do. Tourists have now started returning, but it is not like before.”He says visitors still ask about whether they can go to Baisaran. “It feels awkward to tell them it is closed,” he says. A year on, he says, the change is visible. “It is not the same Pahalgam after April 22. Earlier, we could move freely and go anywhere. Now there are redlines and accountability. You are accountable if even your horse crosses a redline.”Outside the main taxi stand in Pahalgam, a signboard reads: “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” The stand was full of taxis and drivers were standing in groups chatting, but only a handful of tourists were around.Inside the office, Ghulam Nabi Lone, who has headed it for decades, loves to talk about his life and Pahalgam. Wearing a pheran, the long Kashmiri cloak and sipping tea, he speaks about how he began his career four decades ago driving a military jeep, then an ambassador car. Now he owns three vehicles and has remained president of the taxi stand for nearly 40 years.But, he says, he has never seen a situation like this in Pahalgam. For seven months after the attack, everything came to a halt. “Sadakun par ghaas ug aayee thi (grass had grown on the roads),” he says, describing how there was no movement at all. “Everything was shut. Only Chandanwari was open for some time. Now that too is closed,” he says.Lone says he has raised the issue with officials, including in the recent meeting of senior Army, civil and police officers. “We told them these places, particularly Baisaran, need to open. Without them, tourists will not stay in Pahalgam,” he warns. “If Baisaran opens, tourists will come,” he repeated many times.Lone wants to talk about a security point. He says Baisaran had never been closed before. “I had a ticketing contract there. Many people told me to say that I should tell the media it would remain closed, but I refused. I told them it was never shut before the attack. I even said this in a security meeting,” he says, thus dispelling the rumours that Baisaran was opened by J&K’s elected govt some months before the attack.At Pahalgam police station, officers say there is no clear timeline for reopening of Baisaran. They say Chandanwari has been closed for road construction. Some roads lead nowhere.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missWhy it’s so hard to end long-term relationships as per science, therapist revealsBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

. PAHALGAM: A motorable road from Pahalgam town runs through the mountains to a place known locally as CM’s Hut. From there, a roughly 6km trek leads to Baisaran valley, the site of last year’s massacre, when 26 tourists were killed and 17 wounded in a terrorist attack.At the junction near CM’s Hut, the journey stops. Anyone trying to go further along the muddy track is turned back. Police and CRPF personnel appear quickly, mildly reminding visitors the valley is out of bounds. Ponywallahs (local horse guides) do not go beyond this point. Instead, they pause, while tourists take photographs of the Pahalgam bowl from this vantage point and then head back towards Pahalgam town.There are no coils of concertina wire, no visible barricade. Police say they want to avoid alarming visitors. But the closure is felt in quieter ways.Down in the Pahalgam market, pony owners are trying to motivate visitors to at least go up to the junction viewpoint. Abdul Waheed Wani, 39, known locally as “Moulvi Sahab” leads the ponywallahs’ union. Standing on the banks of Lidder, the river that cuts Pahalgam into two, he says Basiran’s closure has changed the town’s rhythm. “People come here to see Baisaran and the four valleys around it. When they are closed, they spend a few hours in Pahalgam town and leave,” he says.Around 5,500 ponywallahs depend on tourism, he says. After last year’s attack, work stopped for almost seven months. “There was nothing to do. Tourists have now started returning, but it is not like before.”He says visitors still ask about whether they can go to Baisaran. “It feels awkward to tell them it is closed,” he says. A year on, he says, the change is visible. “It is not the same Pahalgam after April 22. Earlier, we could move freely and go anywhere. Now there are redlines and accountability. You are accountable if even your horse crosses a redline.”Outside the main taxi stand in Pahalgam, a signboard reads: “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” The stand was full of taxis and drivers were standing in groups chatting, but only a handful of tourists were around.Inside the office, Ghulam Nabi Lone, who has headed it for decades, loves to talk about his life and Pahalgam. Wearing a pheran, the long Kashmiri cloak and sipping tea, he speaks about how he began his career four decades ago driving a military jeep, then an ambassador car. Now he owns three vehicles and has remained president of the taxi stand for nearly 40 years.But, he says, he has never seen a situation like this in Pahalgam. For seven months after the attack, everything came to a halt. “Sadakun par ghaas ug aayee thi (grass had grown on the roads),” he says, describing how there was no movement at all. “Everything was shut. Only Chandanwari was open for some time. Now that too is closed,” he says.Lone says he has raised the issue with officials, including in the recent meeting of senior Army, civil and police officers. “We told them these places, particularly Baisaran, need to open. Without them, tourists will not stay in Pahalgam,” he warns. “If Baisaran opens, tourists will come,” he repeated many times.Lone wants to talk about a security point. He says Baisaran had never been closed before. “I had a ticketing contract there. Many people told me to say that I should tell the media it would remain closed, but I refused. I told them it was never shut before the attack. I even said this in a security meeting,” he says, thus dispelling the rumours that Baisaran was opened by J&K’s elected govt some months before the attack.At Pahalgam police station, officers say there is no clear timeline for reopening of Baisaran. They say Chandanwari has been closed for road construction. Some roads lead nowhere.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missWhy it’s so hard to end long-term relationships as per science, therapist revealsBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

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. PAHALGAM: His phone rings often. As president of one of Pahalgam’s largest Ponywallah associations, Abdul Waheed Wani, 39, is rarely out of demand. But he also keeps himself busy to push away memories that still haunt him.Wani was among the first to reach Baisaran valley after the April 22 terrorist attack that left 26 tourists, including a local ponywallah, dead and 17 others wounded. What he saw there, returns to him at night and sometimes even during the day.“What I saw that day I pray no one should ever see,” he says.It was the afternoon of April 22, when he received a call from police saying something untoward had happened in Baisaran. Wani was in a nearby village. He took a shorter route he knew well and reached before police, who had to take a longer trek.“When I reached there, I saw a woman crying, a child crying. Bodies were lying scattered,” Wani says. His brother-in-law, Sajad, was with him. “For a moment, I felt I would not make it back after seeing all this.”As makeshift shops in Baisaran had been abandoned during the attack, he ran to one, picked up a bottle of water and returned to the woman. “I told her police and administration were on the way,” he recalls.Soon after, he sent a message on a WhatsApp group of around 700 ponywallahs, asking all to come and help. Only about 15 managed to reach. Others were stopped by security forces.“We tried to help the wounded,” he says. “Baisaran is a large area and bodies were lying in different places. It took time to bring them together.” He pauses, then says: “These were not ordinary bodies. They had head shots.”Some of the voices he heard that day have stayed with him. One woman, he says, refused to leave. “She kept saying, ‘My husband is here. We were just walking, taking pictures. Where will I go alone?’” he says.He remembers finding a man among seven bodies. Alive. “When we touched him, he spoke. He had bullet wounds in his neck and arm. I still remember his voice when he said what happened to him.”“Those words haunt me,” he adds.Wani says they managed to bring some of the wounded down. “One man we carried on our shoulders, then on a charpai. He survived,” he says.The memories weigh heavily on Wani. “Whenever they return and they do often, I try to keep myself occupied. I move around, find something to do or pick up the phone and call someone,” he adds.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons7 factors driving property price growth in Indian metro cities123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

. PAHALGAM: His phone rings often. As president of one of Pahalgam’s largest Ponywallah associations, Abdul Waheed Wani, 39, is rarely out of demand. But he also keeps himself busy to push away memories that still haunt him.Wani was among the first to reach Baisaran valley after the April 22 terrorist attack that left 26 tourists, including a local ponywallah, dead and 17 others wounded. What he saw there, returns to him at night and sometimes even during the day.“What I saw that day I pray no one should ever see,” he says.It was the afternoon of April 22, when he received a call from police saying something untoward had happened in Baisaran. Wani was in a nearby village. He took a shorter route he knew well and reached before police, who had to take a longer trek.“When I reached there, I saw a woman crying, a child crying. Bodies were lying scattered,” Wani says. His brother-in-law, Sajad, was with him. “For a moment, I felt I would not make it back after seeing all this.”As makeshift shops in Baisaran had been abandoned during the attack, he ran to one, picked up a bottle of water and returned to the woman. “I told her police and administration were on the way,” he recalls.Soon after, he sent a message on a WhatsApp group of around 700 ponywallahs, asking all to come and help. Only about 15 managed to reach. Others were stopped by security forces.“We tried to help the wounded,” he says. “Baisaran is a large area and bodies were lying in different places. It took time to bring them together.” He pauses, then says: “These were not ordinary bodies. They had head shots.”Some of the voices he heard that day have stayed with him. One woman, he says, refused to leave. “She kept saying, ‘My husband is here. We were just walking, taking pictures. Where will I go alone?’” he says.He remembers finding a man among seven bodies. Alive. “When we touched him, he spoke. He had bullet wounds in his neck and arm. I still remember his voice when he said what happened to him.”“Those words haunt me,” he adds.Wani says they managed to bring some of the wounded down. “One man we carried on our shoulders, then on a charpai. He survived,” he says.The memories weigh heavily on Wani. “Whenever they return and they do often, I try to keep myself occupied. I move around, find something to do or pick up the phone and call someone,” he adds.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons7 factors driving property price growth in Indian metro cities123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

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Babban Khan enacting the play In August 1965, when India and Pakistan were engaged in a desperate war on the northern borders, a 22-year-old penniless young man wrote a play in a little over three hours under the street-lights of the old city of Hyderabad. By the time its final curtain came down more than three and a half decades later in 2001, “Adrak Ke Panje’ had been performed more than 10,000 times – often to houseful boards, and occasionally requiring a lathi charge to control crowds – in over 60 countries and in dozens of languages.Babban Khan, who wrote, produced, directed and enacted the central role of a bank clerk in that iconic and blockbuster comedy, passed away after a brief illness at a Hyderabad hospital on Friday night. He was 83.In the 1960s and ‘70s, family planning was the focus of the government’s health policy. The sarkari slogan, “Do ya teen bacche…bas,” was common on billboards and a frequent subject of radio jingles. Later, the catchphrase became a sterner “Ek ya do”. “Adrak Ke Panje” (literally, The Claws of Ginger), addressed the problematic and provocative issue of family planning but in a witty and messy way. Which perhaps was a reason why the play – the title is a metaphor for uncontrolled birth — found the public’s pulse and tickled its funny bone.The protagonist clerk (Ramtoo) has eight kids and a bunch of debtors; from milkman to school master. Yet he never loses his sense of snappy humour and a carefree zest for life. The play’s set was basic. Production cost was minimal. But like a hit Hindi film, ‘Adrak Ke Panje’ would draw huge advance bookings. The actor was even invited to Radio Ceylon’s popular programme, “S Kumar’s ka filmi muqaddama”, generally reserved for Hindi film personalities. In time, the play would also find a place in Guinness Book of Records, and be seen, among others, by film director Francis Ford Coppola, actor Rex Harrison and thriller writer Frederick Forsythe.“Johnny Walker, the film comedian, said that for 15 years he had been making film audiences laugh, but here was a play that made him laugh!,” said a 1970 article in ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India.’Babban was untrained in theatre and had dropped out of college. ‘Adrak Ke Panje’ was born out of real-life experience and characters. His father, who worked in the fire department, died when he was six. “All my siblings died young…I somehow survived to tell the tale,” the playwright told TOI in 2001.Talking to TOI in 1995, the playwright revealed that he had sold his mother’s lone piece of wedding jewelry for Rs 275 to finance the play. “I paid Rs 200 as theatre rent, Rs 30 for printing tickets, Rs 2.50 for an umbrella and Rs 18 on the material for a sherwani, which the tailor stitched in return for a pass to the show,” he said. The first show staged in September 1965 was a flop. But the second wasn’t; it never was thereafter.Analysing the play Bilkiz Alladin wrote in the Weekly, “In the strict sense of the word ‘Adrak Ke Panje’ can hardly be called a play. It has no plot, no tense dramatic situations, and no conflict. It is a string of jokes from beginning to end. Yet one sits through it. Laughing, and one wonders that the end, which is really two hours away, has come so soon. It is very Hyderabadi in essence and flavour, in location, in thought and manner, and in its every little joke. To lovers of old Hyderabad and its Urdu dialects, the play brings a glimpse of the now disappearing, picturesque style of speech.”The play’s super success made Babban a lakhpati in the days when beggars would be happy with a five paisa donation. In a 1979 interview to TOI, Babban Khan admitted to owning three homes in Hyderabad’s swank Banjara Hills, selling off his Mercedes to buy a Volkswagen and decorating his house with Persian carpets, chandeliers and marble statues. By then, he had written another play “Gumbad Ke Kabutar” (Pigeons Of The Dome) which dealt with corruption.In later years, Babban’s home in Shantinagar served as a training centre for upcoming drama artistes and film actors. He personally trained the students. Hundreds of stage lovers and admirers turned up for the funeral on Saturday. Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle wrote on X, “When we were kids growing up in Hyderabad, Babban Khan’s Adrak ke Panje was a big hit. Sadly, never got to see it and was reminded of it when I read the news of Babban Khan’s death. It ran for over 30 years and I wish now I could catch glimpses of it to celebrate the humour that came naturally to people who speak Dakhni.”(With inputs from Syed Akbar in Hyderabad)About the AuthorAvijit GhoshAvijit Ghosh is an associate editor with The Times of India. He is addicted to films, music, cricket and football—and not necessarily in that order. He is the author of Bandicoots in the Moonlight, Cinema Bhojpuri, 40 Retakes, and now, Up Campus, Down Campus, a novel set in 1980s JNU. He tweets from the handle @cinemawaleghoshRead MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown ProjectilePakistan Clears Bn UAE Debt As Saudi Extends Bn Deposit Term123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons7 factors driving property price growth in Indian metro cities123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

Babban Khan enacting the play In August 1965, when India and Pakistan were engaged in a desperate war on the northern borders, a 22-year-old penniless young man wrote a play in a little over three hours under the street-lights of the old city of Hyderabad. By the time its final curtain came down more than three and a half decades later in 2001, “Adrak Ke Panje’ had been performed more than 10,000 times – often to houseful boards, and occasionally requiring a lathi charge to control crowds – in over 60 countries and in dozens of languages.Babban Khan, who wrote, produced, directed and enacted the central role of a bank clerk in that iconic and blockbuster comedy, passed away after a brief illness at a Hyderabad hospital on Friday night. He was 83.In the 1960s and ‘70s, family planning was the focus of the government’s health policy. The sarkari slogan, “Do ya teen bacche…bas,” was common on billboards and a frequent subject of radio jingles. Later, the catchphrase became a sterner “Ek ya do”. “Adrak Ke Panje” (literally, The Claws of Ginger), addressed the problematic and provocative issue of family planning but in a witty and messy way. Which perhaps was a reason why the play – the title is a metaphor for uncontrolled birth — found the public’s pulse and tickled its funny bone.The protagonist clerk (Ramtoo) has eight kids and a bunch of debtors; from milkman to school master. Yet he never loses his sense of snappy humour and a carefree zest for life. The play’s set was basic. Production cost was minimal. But like a hit Hindi film, ‘Adrak Ke Panje’ would draw huge advance bookings. The actor was even invited to Radio Ceylon’s popular programme, “S Kumar’s ka filmi muqaddama”, generally reserved for Hindi film personalities. In time, the play would also find a place in Guinness Book of Records, and be seen, among others, by film director Francis Ford Coppola, actor Rex Harrison and thriller writer Frederick Forsythe.“Johnny Walker, the film comedian, said that for 15 years he had been making film audiences laugh, but here was a play that made him laugh!,” said a 1970 article in ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India.’Babban was untrained in theatre and had dropped out of college. ‘Adrak Ke Panje’ was born out of real-life experience and characters. His father, who worked in the fire department, died when he was six. “All my siblings died young…I somehow survived to tell the tale,” the playwright told TOI in 2001.Talking to TOI in 1995, the playwright revealed that he had sold his mother’s lone piece of wedding jewelry for Rs 275 to finance the play. “I paid Rs 200 as theatre rent, Rs 30 for printing tickets, Rs 2.50 for an umbrella and Rs 18 on the material for a sherwani, which the tailor stitched in return for a pass to the show,” he said. The first show staged in September 1965 was a flop. But the second wasn’t; it never was thereafter.Analysing the play Bilkiz Alladin wrote in the Weekly, “In the strict sense of the word ‘Adrak Ke Panje’ can hardly be called a play. It has no plot, no tense dramatic situations, and no conflict. It is a string of jokes from beginning to end. Yet one sits through it. Laughing, and one wonders that the end, which is really two hours away, has come so soon. It is very Hyderabadi in essence and flavour, in location, in thought and manner, and in its every little joke. To lovers of old Hyderabad and its Urdu dialects, the play brings a glimpse of the now disappearing, picturesque style of speech.”The play’s super success made Babban a lakhpati in the days when beggars would be happy with a five paisa donation. In a 1979 interview to TOI, Babban Khan admitted to owning three homes in Hyderabad’s swank Banjara Hills, selling off his Mercedes to buy a Volkswagen and decorating his house with Persian carpets, chandeliers and marble statues. By then, he had written another play “Gumbad Ke Kabutar” (Pigeons Of The Dome) which dealt with corruption.In later years, Babban’s home in Shantinagar served as a training centre for upcoming drama artistes and film actors. He personally trained the students. Hundreds of stage lovers and admirers turned up for the funeral on Saturday. Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle wrote on X, “When we were kids growing up in Hyderabad, Babban Khan’s Adrak ke Panje was a big hit. Sadly, never got to see it and was reminded of it when I read the news of Babban Khan’s death. It ran for over 30 years and I wish now I could catch glimpses of it to celebrate the humour that came naturally to people who speak Dakhni.”(With inputs from Syed Akbar in Hyderabad)About the AuthorAvijit GhoshAvijit Ghosh is an associate editor with The Times of India. He is addicted to films, music, cricket and football—and not necessarily in that order. He is the author of Bandicoots in the Moonlight, Cinema Bhojpuri, 40 Retakes, and now, Up Campus, Down Campus, a novel set in 1980s JNU. He tweets from the handle @cinemawaleghoshRead MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown ProjectilePakistan Clears $2Bn UAE Debt As Saudi Extends $3Bn Deposit Term123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons7 factors driving property price growth in Indian metro cities123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

Vamsikrishna 0