Book Description

I F the last two years were spent under a heavy blanket of fear and uncertainty, this year has turned out to be one of hope, anticipation, and celebration. This feeling has perhaps never been more accentuated than now, with Durga Puja festivities approaching a crescendo. In our Cover Story, we revisit some of the traditions and rituals associated with Durga Puja. Anecdotes from common people and explanations from some scholars and experts in religion provide a clearer understanding of the significance of the different days and stages of the festivities. 'Quiet Quitting' has been all the buzz in the corporate world these past few months. In City Lights, we take a close, hard look at a trend that has triggered a sharp debate, with strong opinions both in favour of it and against it. The section also features "Our Change Leaders", a talk show from My City Links that has caught the imagination of people across Odisha. In City Lights, we bring you excerpts from interviews with two senior police officers, Arun Bothra and SK Priyadarshi. In the end of August, as the Supertech Twin Towers in Noida came crashing down during a demolition using explosives, experts involved in the exercise looked on with satisfaction at a job well done. One of them was Dr D P Kanungo, a Chief Scientist with the Central Building Research Institute. He is our CityZen for this edition. Transit Lounge hosts stand-up comedian Inder Sahani who was in Bhubaneswar recently for a show. Everything around us is funny, he remarks as he opens up about the high points of his career, from theatre to the stand-up circuit. The popular BOCCA Cafe is doing its bit to popularise millets as a nutritional alternative among the youth. Working with the Odisha Millets Mission, BOCCA Cafe recently launched an exclusive millets-based menu. Read all about it in City Events. The section also brings you a pho-to-feature on the two spectacular shows by the Indian Air Force's Suryakiran Aerobatic Team in the month of September. In ScreenShots, we catch up with popular Odia actor Subhasis Sharma, who has decided to focus on films and the big screen. He talks to us about his upcoming films that are set for a re-lease nearly a year after he decided to make the switch. The section also features ‘Kabza’, which may well be the first multilingual film from south India to be released in Odish