Heritage in India tends to take place through social networking. Anand Mahindra’s recent social media post has kindled a renewed interest in one of India’s most impressive architectural feats. “Watch this video of Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, built in the 11th century AD,” Anand Mahindra, Mahindra Group’s chairman, tweeted, adding, “It sure looks like ‘the world’s most sophisticated ancient engineering feat’ to me.” His observation has kindled much debate across various networking platforms, not only among history buffs but even among first-timers interested in learning about architectural feats in ancient India through online research and social networking. The magnificent Brihadisvara Temple, of course, remains much more than a temple for everyone visiting the ancient structure, even many years after its existence was first recorded.

Brihadisvara Temple in Tamil Nadu: Religious fervour and its iconic structure

Often called Rajarajeshvaram, the Brihadisvara Temple was built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I during the period of 1003 to 1010 CE on the southern side of the River Cauvery. Known as the Big Temple or Peruvudaiyar Kovil, it stands as one of the largest and most iconic structures representing Dravidian architecture. The entire structure is made of granite, and it is a testament to the power, craftsmanship, and religious fervour of the great Chola dynasty during its prime. The level of sophistication and perfection seen in the temple is indicative of a well-structured society with advanced mathematics and material science acumen.One of the most intriguing things about the Brihadisvara Temple is the manner in which the temple was constructed. Large granite slabs were used, which were not cemented together but were instead cemented together in an advanced manner of interlocking mechanisms. This has enabled the temple to resist the effects of nature, including seismic activities, for so many centuries. The vimana above the shrine sanctuary looms large with a majestic height, being one of the tallest in South India. At the pinnacle rests an 80-tonne heavy granite statue, an achievement that has left historians and architects bewildered for centuries.

Sacred artistry and the living spirit of the Chola temples

Apart from its architectural brilliance, this temple is a storehouse of different works of art. At the sanctum sanctorum is one of the biggest Shiva lingas in India, while inside the large courtyard is the majestic Nandi statue carved out of a single stone. The presence of Parvati, Ganesha, and Murugan sanctums adds to this temple complex’s secular aspect as far as worship is concerned. Moreover, this temple is closely linked with the famous bronze statue of Nataraja.The Brihadisvara Temple is a living temple because the UNESCO World Heritage Site status is based on more than the age and size of the structure. It is coupled with the Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram temples together to become the Great Living Chola Temples, a site whose rituals, architecture, and life continue to be intertwined.

Anand Mahindra highlights the intelligence behind India’s sacred architecture

In one of his posts on X, Anand Mahindra spoke about the temples in India and how he appreciates them as intellectual and visual arenas and not just spiritual sites. In this context, Mahindra mentioned the Brihadisvara Temple and how it portrays the level of expertise in the field of science and technology that continues to astound people to this day. His statements are significant because they are made by a person who is known as the promoter of innovative and forward-looking thoughts, especially with regard to the subject matter.

Brihadisvara Temple in Tamil Nadu: How to reach and best time to visit

Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur, can be reached by air, train, and road. The nearest international airport is Tiruchirappalli, which is about an hour’s drive, and Thanjavur Junction, which connects Thanjavur to all major places in the state of Tamil Nadu. This temple, situated in the heart of Thanjavur, is one of the most-visited places in the state of Tamil Nadu, and the best time to visit is between November and February, when the climate is pleasant enough to walk inside this vast monument.

The five-match T20I series between India Women and Sri Lanka Women reaches its conclusion tomorrow, December 30, 2025. With India holding a dominant 4-0 lead, they are on the verge of a historic clean sweep at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

India have been relentless throughout this series. Fresh off their ODI World Cup title last month, the “Women in Blue” have translated that momentum into the shortest format. In the 4th T20I, India posted their highest-ever T20I total of 221/2, powered by a record-breaking 162-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana (80) and Shafali Verma (79). Mandhana also crossed the milestone of 10,000 international runs during that innings, becoming only the second Indian woman to do so.

Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, showed significant grit in the previous match, scoring 191/6—their own highest-ever T20I total—but still fell 30 runs short. While the Lankan middle order has struggled for consistency, the performance of young guns like Vishmi Gunaratne and the experience of Inoka Ranaweera will be crucial if they hope to salvage a win and avoid a whitewash.

IND-W vs SL-W, 5th T20I: Match Details

• Date and Time: December 30; 1:30 pm GMT / 7:00 pm IST
• Venue: Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram

IND-W vs SL-W Head to Head Record in T20Is

Matches played: 30 | India Women won: 24 | Sri Lanka Women won: 05 | No result: 01

Greenfield International Stadium Pitch Report

The Greenfield International Stadium has historically been a low-scoring, bowling-friendly venue, but the 4th T20I proved that if batters apply themselves, the runs are there for the taking. Pacers usually find movement early with the new ball under lights. However, as the ball gets older, the pitch tends to dry out, offering significant grip and turn for spinners like Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana. While the last match saw over 400 runs, the 3rd T20I at this same venue saw Sri Lanka restricted to just 112. Expect a surface that is slightly more balanced for the finale. Dew is expected to play a massive role in the second innings. The captain winning the toss is expected to bowl first.

Also READ: Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s stellar show seals big win for India against Sri Lanka in 4th T20I

Squads

India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Amanjot Kaur, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy, Vaishnavi Sharma, G Kamalini

Sri Lanka Women: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wk), Rashmika Sewwandi, Imesha Dulani, Kawya Kavindi, Nimesha Madushani, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera, Malsha Shehani, Shashini Gimhani

IND-W vs SL-W, 5th T20I: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

India Women wins the toss and bowls first
Sri Lanka Women’s powerplay score: 40-50
Sri Lanka Women’s total score: 150-160

Case 2:

Sri Lanka Women wins the toss and bowls first
India Women’s powerplay score: 50-60
India Women’s total score: 170-190

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest.

Also READ: Fastest to 10,000 runs in Women’s international cricket ft. Smriti Mandhana

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

Stock market today (AI image)

Stock market today: Indian equity benchmark indices, Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, opened in red on Tuesday on weak global cues. While Nifty50 went below 25,950, BSE Sensex was down over 120 points. At 9:19 AM, Nifty50 was trading at 25,902.85, down 39 points or 0.15%. BSE Sensex was at 84,567.40, down 128 points or 0.15%.According to experts, the stock market is expected to remain range bound in the near term, with investors closely tracking macroeconomic cues and institutional fund flows for direction.Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited says, “The year-end trend, though weak, doesn’t indicate a directional change in the market. The advance-decline ratio was far in favour of declines and this led to decline in Nifty by 100 points yesterday. But it is important to note that this decline happened on thin volumes. A clear directional change will happen only early in the new year when large institutions are back in action.”“It would be better for investors to watch the market now and wait for new triggers and new directional moves. However, weakness in the market can be used to nibble at high quality large caps. The auto sales numbers expected in two days will give an indication of the sustainability of the consumption boom in the economy. This is significant from the economic growth perspective, too.”Global cues were mixed as Wall Street’s key indices ended lower on Monday, starting the final week of the year on a weak note. The decline was led by heavyweight technology stocks, which retreated after last week’s rally had pushed the S&P 500 to record highs.Asian markets on Tuesday mirrored the cautious sentiment, with a seven day rally in regional stocks coming to a pause as technology led losses in the US spilled over. Precious metals also showed volatility, with gold and silver fluctuating after slipping from fresh all time highs.In currency markets, the US dollar traded steady on Tuesday ahead of the Federal Reserve’s release of minutes from its December policy meeting. On the domestic front, foreign portfolio investors continued to pare their exposure, selling equities worth Rs 2,760 crore on Monday. Domestic institutional investors, however, provided support to the market, emerging as net buyers to the tune of Rs 2,643 crore.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

MUMBAI: Andheri resident 64-year-old S Rahul (name changed) underwent surgery for his prostate cancer last week with a near-total cure probability, but the procedure came with an unusual twist: the lead surgeon was not in the operating theatre, nor the hospital, or even in the country.

The operation was performed remotely by onco-urologist Dr T B Yuvaraja, who was in Shanghai, around 8,000 km away.The surgery was performed by robotic arms that were controlled by the surgeon through an internet-enabled console. “I could sit with the console in my consulting room and operate on the patient in the OT,” said Dr Yuvaraja, who is attached to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Andheri.A day before the Shanghai-Mumbai operation, doctors from HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Girgaon, performed a remote robotic procedure at a community medical centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on December 23. Dr Tarang Gianchandani of HN Reliance Foundation Hospital said, “For decades, specialised surgical care remained concentrated in a few urban centres, leaving millions without timely access to treatment.” Tele-robotic surgery, she said, is reimagining how complex surgical care is delivered across India, “powered by indigenous innovation, advanced robotics, and secure digital infrastructure”.Telerobotic surgery could improve access to surgery. Studies estimated that around 5 billion people across the globe lack access to safe, affordable surgical care. While telerobotic surgery started in India last year, less than 200 surgeries were done so far. SS Innovations International Inc, which developed India’s first indigenous surgical robotic system, SSII Mantra, last week announced the completion of 100 robotic telesurgeries.However, concerns about costs, legal issues, and cyber security remain. The use of a robotic arm adds between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh to a surgery, but doctors believe that telerobotic surgery could work out cheaper for families. “If I operate from Mumbai on a patient admitted to our hospital in Indore, the patient and his family members don’t need to travel here. Overall, the expenditure would be lower,” said Dr Yuvaraja, adding that telesurgery would make teaching and learning surgery easier.The first robotic arms in the market did not have the option for telesurgery, but newer models do. “They also have artificial intelligence integrated to help make the surgery more precise,” said Dr Yuvaraja, who discharged Rahul on the 3rd day after surgery.

NEW DELHI: Indian selectors sent out a blunt message ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in February, dropping Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill from the squad after a prolonged slump in the shortest format. The call, announced on December 20, underlined India’s uncompromising approach as they look to defend the title at home.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Gill, 26, has scored only 291 runs in his last 15 T20 matches at an average of 24.25, numbers that ultimately worked against him despite his stature across formats. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar was direct in his assessment. “Shubman Gill is short of runs at the moment,” he said while addressing the media in Mumbai.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, however, was quick to put the omission in perspective, stressing that it should not be read as a demotion. “No, it’s not a signal to Gill, you know, that he wasn’t really taking his place as granted. But the competition is so much and they’ve got, you know, too many players at the present scenario who can fill the slot and can do well for the team,” Harbhajan said.He added that Gill’s journey with the national side was far from over. “And this is not the end of the road for Gill. He’s a great, great player with beautiful technique. I think he will make a brilliant comeback. And not to forget, he’s still a Test captain for India.”In contrast to Gill’s exclusion, Suryakumar Yadav was retained as captain despite his own struggles with form. A T20 specialist, Suryakumar has managed just 244 runs in his last 22 innings without a single fifty. Agarkar backed him strongly, saying, “We have full faith in our captain to deliver during the World Cup.” Suryakumar himself admitted his “rough patch” had lasted too long but sounded confident about turning it around.Harbhajan echoed the selectors’ logic, pointing to team balance over individual profiles. “I was listening to Ajit [Agarkar] and Surya [Suryakumar Yadav], they were looking at the combination of the team, which will be best in the format. So I think giving that, those conditions and combinations, that respect. They chose this team. So Gill is a class player, there’s no doubt about it, and he’ll make a great comeback.”Axar Patel was named vice-captain, while Ishan Kishan earned a recall on the back of strong domestic form. India will fine-tune preparations during a five-match home T20I series against New Zealand from January 21, their final assignment before the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka and feature 20 teams.

India squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Asian shares edged lower on Tuesday, tracking a slump in Wall Street’s technology stocks, while silver and gold steadied after a sharp pullback from record highs cooled an extraordinary rally in precious metals.Silver was the biggest mover overnight, plunging 8.7% in its steepest one-day fall since August 2020, unwinding from what had become a parabolic rise. The metal rebounded 1.7% on Tuesday to $73.46 an ounce, after touching a peak of $83.62 a day earlier. Despite the drop, silver remains up about 150% for the year.The reversal spilled over into gold and other precious metals. Gold slid 4.4% overnight but later recovered, rising 0.6% to $4,356 an ounce.MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.1%, though it was still on track for a strong annual gain of 26.7%, its best performance since 2017, Reuters reported. Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.2% but is also up around 26% for the year. Taiwanese stocks declined 0.7%, while China’s blue-chip index dropped 0.3% following Beijing’s live-firing exercises around Taiwan.Overnight, Wall Street closed lower as heavyweight technology stocks pulled back from last week’s gains. Equity futures in Australia and Japan signalled a soft start to trading following the losses.The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, dragged down by declines in big technology stocks such as Tesla, Nvidia and Meta Platforms, while the Nasdaq 100 fell 0.5%.Oil prices eased slightly after rising more than 2% in the previous session, with the pullback partly linked to weakness in precious metals, even as escalating Russia–Ukraine tensions kept supply disruption fears alive. Brent crude futures slipped 0.5% to $61.63 a barrel, after jumping 2.1% on Monday following Moscow’s accusation that Kyiv had targeted President Vladimir Putin’s residence.Bitcoin, which has dropped sharply since peaking above $126,000 in October, was steadying just below $90,000 after a turbulent end towards the year.

Saudi Arabia early Tuesday bombed the Yemeni port city of Mukalla, saying it was targeting a shipment of weapons that had arrived from the United Arab Emirates for a separatist group. The strike marked a sharp rise in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC). It also added strain to the already uneasy relationship between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, who have supported different sides in Yemen’s long war against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.Saudi Arabia’s state news agency said the airstrikes were launched after two ships from Fujairah, a port in the UAE, arrived in Mukalla. The statement said the weapons unloaded from the ships posed a threat to security and stability, prompting a “limited military operation” to destroy them.The UAE has not yet commented on the strike.Mukalla lies in Yemen’s Hadramout region, which the STC recently captured. The city is about 480 kilometers northeast of Aden, the base of anti-Houthi forces since the rebels took over the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.Tuesday’s attack follows Saudi airstrikes last Friday that analysts saw as a warning to the STC to stop its advances and withdraw from Hadramout and Mahra. The STC had earlier pushed out the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces from those areas.STC supporters have been increasingly raising the old South Yemen flag. South Yemen existed as a separate country between 1967 and 1990, and recent demonstrations have called for restoring that independence.These moves by the separatists have increased friction between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While both countries maintain close ties and work together in OPEC, they have been competing for influence and business in the region.At the same time, violence has also escalated in Sudan, another Red Sea country, where the two Gulf powers back rival sides in the ongoing conflict.

NEW DELHI: A video showing a gutka-stained dustbin inside a DIY store in Kanpur has gone viral on social media, triggering a wider debate on civic sense and public hygiene in the city.The video, posted last Tuesday, shows a man visiting a store and expressing interest in purchasing a dustbin on display. However, when he opens it, the inside is found stained with gutka spit. The reel was shared on Instagram by the handle Devoted Indian with the caption, “Bolo juban kesri. Kanpur will never change.” Text displayed inside the video reads, “Yeh Kanpur wale kabhi nahi sudhrenge.” In the clip, the man questions what will happen of Kanpur? He said that earlier people used to spit on public dustbins but are now doing so even on dustbins kept inside stores. The video prompted a strong response from social media users. One user wrote, “It should not a proud thing for us, its a shame for all kanpur.” Another commented, “And that’s why I never understood the videos claiming kanpuriyas are awesome and all. These people have confused confidence with overconfidence.” A third user summed it up bluntly, writing, “Zero civic sense.”Following the backlash, the creator later posted a separate reel clarifying that some people had asked him to delete the video, accusing him of defaming Kanpur. He said the video only showed the reality on the ground and pointed out that the city has many tobacco factories, with gutka spitting common in public places, including areas around Kanpur’s Chakeri airport. “If celebrities promote ‘zuban kesari’ there is no problem, but when I show the ground reality, people object,” he said in the follow-up video.Kanpur has long been stereotyped for gutka consumption, a habit that remains widespread and is often cited as a major public cleanliness issue. The spitting of gutka in public places is a commonly acknowledged concern among residents and authorities alike.The latest viral clip has also revived memories of an earlier Instagram video that showed gutka stains on a street in London. That video, compared the red spit marks on a London road to Kanpur, sparking conversations on cultural practices and public hygiene beyond India.