Terror isn’t just fueled by hate — it runs on money.
From fake charities to bank heists, hawala to narco-trade—a secret economy powers the bloodshed. How terror groups sustain themselves — and why it matters more than ever.

Explained.

1/25 Militants need money as much as guns. In India’s insurgent zones, groups like LeT & JeM fuel their campaigns through a shadow terror economy — bank heists, extortion, hawala, fake charities. Globally, others follow the same playbook. Here is a simple breakdown. (Data 2002)

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The heinous Pahalgam attack underscores the chilling reality of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s never-ending menace. But where did this ruthless group come from? The answers lie in a complex web of religious extremism, geopolitics, and strategic patronage.
LeT's dark origins, explained.

1/23 In the late 1970s Pakistan’s military ruler Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq seized power and launched an intense Islamization campaign. He allied closely with Saudi Arabia, adopting a Saudi-backed policy of Islamization that infused strict Wahhabi ideas into state and society​.
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You may know Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes from 7 Khoon Maaf. But her story began long before the film—a few centuries ago, in Bengal.

In 2021, we followed the trail down a narrow lane off GT Road—and stood before the real Susanna’s tomb.

A Thread.

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In Vishal Bhardwaj's 7 Khoon Maaf, Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes (Priyanka Chopra) marries—and kills—all her husbands in a quest for love. Each marriage ends tragically, but the film only scratches the surface of her story.

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Larger-than-life cutouts are a staple of Tamil cinema.
A ritual. A spectacle. But the very first cutout wasn’t of a male superstar. It was of a woman in a silk saree. And it stood for something much bigger than fandom. Thread.

1/20 This is a story of one filmmaker’s relentless resistance to caste system. In 1940, Tamil director Krishnasamy Subrahmanyam released Bhaktha Chetha—a mythological film that delivered a message that was anything but mythical. 2/20

We all grew up hearing stories about Mullah Nasreddin — the man on a donkey, armed with wit sharper than any sword, who used humour to reveal deeper truths. This very character once became the face of a bold magazine. A magazine that dared to question everything. 1/23 He’s a familiar figure across the Muslim world. Nasreddin appears in countless stories across the Muslim world — sometimes clever, sometimes foolish, always memorable. His tales are rich in subtle humour and gentle wisdom. 2/23

Veteran actor Manoj Kumar passed away at 3:30 AM yesterday in Mumbai. He is best remembered for his iconic roles in patriotic films, which earned him the nickname "Bharat Kumar." Interestingly, one of the most poignant songs from his films was inspired by a real-life incident. 1/12 Authors @anibhat123 and @vittalbalaji have beautifully documented the story in their book Gata Rahe Mera Dil – 50 Classic Hindi Film Songs. Upkar, the directorial debut of Manoj Kumar, was one of the biggest box office hits of the 1960s. 2/12

You may have noticed that the hit songs "Tamma Tamma" and "Jhumma Chumma" from the 1990s sound strikingly similar. While both sets of composers claimed credit for their respective versions, the original song and its composer trace back to Guinea. Here’s the real story. 1/13 Around 1995, pubs across Germany and beyond were alive with the beats of Yeke Yeke, a track by the German electronic duo Hardfloor. Topping several charts, this remix was based on Mory Kanté’s iconic Afro-pop song of the same name. 2/13

Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating! We marked the day with a delicious plate of Biryani. And perhaps, today is a good time to revisit the origins of an iconic Biryani—and the story of a tragic Indian mother buried in Paris. A thread on a fabled concourse of history.

1/18 Back in 1856, Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of British India, annexed the kingdom of Awadh with the allegation of misadministration and exiled the Last Nawab Wajid Ali Shah to Calcutta.

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Legend has it that a group of Jews from Kochi once embarked on a secret and daring expedition. Upon their success, the king of Kochi granted them a place to live, a street for the Jews. Now, it is a vibrant tourist destination. 1/14 The story begins with a quarrel & a bit of mischief. The Dutch & the King of Kochi shared an amicable relationship, but one day, that was put to the test. According to Ruby Daniel’s account the king dozed off briefly while listening to the Dutch governor’s ramblings in court 2/14

In the 1960s and 70s, a woman in a saree took the stage across Europe, mesmerizing audiences with her renditions of Hindi Bollywood songs. Her voice was flawless, her pronunciation impeccable. But she wasn’t Indian. She was a girl from Romania. This is her incredible story 1/14 Her name was Maria Amarghioalei, but the world knew her as Naarghita. Born in 1939 in a small Romanian village, she had a difficult childhood after her parents separated.
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Humour finds a way even in the most difficult of times. It survived under the nose of Nazi police, across prisons, ghettoes and concentration camps. And it will survive again.

A short thread on ‘Whisper Jokes’ that once challenged the Third Order.

(1/16) Under the Nazi Germany government from 1933 to 1945, Hitler had controlled almost every aspect of life in Germany. In 1934, the new Nazi government enacted a law that essentially termed telling and listening to any anti-Nazi joke as an act of treason. (2/16)

One day in 1958, a mob gathered outside the Polish embassy in Beijing. They were furious, banging drums, demanding entry. But they weren’t after diplomats.

They wanted to kill the sparrows.

What was happening? Let’s dive in. 1/22 To understand this bizarre siege, we must go back to the Great Leap Forward—Mao Zedong’s radical plan to transform China into an industrial superpower. Agriculture was to be revolutionized. Industry was to surpass the West. There was no room for failure. 2/22

A determined immigrant left his country for India to start a new life created a brand that gave Indians a place to eat and meet during the British Raj, when many places didn't allow Indians to enter. This is the story of Dorabjee & Sons, one of Pune’s most loved restaurants. 1/12 Established in 1878 as a small tea stall selling bun maska and Irani chai, Sorabjee Dorabjee started selling full meals only because the locals asked for it. Today, the restaurant is run by Darius Marazban Dorabjee, Sorabjee Dorabjee’s great grandson. 2/12

This doctor on the left is not just any doctor. The year is 1969. The place is King’s College Hospital, London. And, she is Reita Faria—the first Indian and Asian woman to win Miss World. A woman of beauty, brains, and unstoppable elegance.

12 photos, endless elegance. 1/13 Born in the heart of Matunga, Mumbai, August, 1943, Reita Faria's story begins in a middle-class family where beauty and ambition ran deep. Her father worked in a mineral water factory, her mother ran a beauty salon—little did they know, they were raising a future legend. 2/13

Remember him?

That man in Aradhana, sitting beside Rajesh Khanna in a jeep, playing the mouth organ while the hero sang Mere Sapno Ki Rani to Sharmila Tagore on a moving train.

A scene etched in our memories. But his legacy? Much bigger than you think. Thread 1/15 He was Sujit Kumar and he was not just another character actor in Bollywood. Originally from Varanasi, Sujit never planned on acting. He was studying law until fate intervened. Director Fani Majumdar spotted his talent in a college play and urged him to join films. 2/15

On this day in 1948, bullets were fired—but they could never kill an idea. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, yet his legacy lived on. In 2003, this ad film titled GANDHI, created by Y&R Roma for Telecom Italia was released.

Watch it. Feel the goosebumps. 1/11 In the late 1930s, Gandhi stands before a modern webcam, his voice carried across the world through telecommunication devices. Millions listen as he speaks of love and peace. 2/11

Versailles. The name conjures images of opulence and grandeur—home to the iconic Palace of the French monarchy, just a short ride from Paris.But there’s another story buried in its streets. This is where a genius from Bengal once called home. Today is his birthday. Thread. 1/15 About just 5 mins drive from the palace lies Rue des Chantiers, a quiet street in Versailles. There, at No. 12, is a modest house with a red door. At first glance, it’s unremarkable. But look closer. Between two windows on the first floor, there’s a nearly unreadable plaque 2/15

“Kumbh ke Mele mein bichde huye bhai” - a Bollywood catchphrase born from the fictional plot where families separated at the Kumbh Mela & then dramatically reunited. But behind these stories was a real-life hero who spent his life reuniting countless families. Thread 1/19 For 71 years, Raja Ram Tiwari was on a singular mission: to help people who had become separated from their families in the overwhelming crowds of the Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. 2/19

As more and more powerful figures advocate for inhuman work hours in the name of nation-building, it's important to remember that it took humankind hundreds of years to achieve the 8-hour workday. A thread on 10 powerful images to remind us not to turn the progress back. 1/12 The Labor Movement in the 19th Century The fight for fair working hours began during the industrial revolution when workers endured grueling, long hours. The images of these protests show the tireless dedication of workers who fought for better conditions. 2/12

Today marks Tintin's birthday, and what better way to celebrate than diving into an intriguing detail from one of his adventures? Remember the iconic orange taxi in Delhi from Tintin in Tibet? There’s a quirky story and possibly a glaring error behind it! Thread 1/13
Remember that frantic New Delhi scene? Tintin and Captain Haddock rush to catch their plane to Kathmandu via Patna. They hop into a taxi—a striking orange convertible. But here’s the twist: Hergé, the creator of Tintin, made a tiny but delightful error. 2/13

Why did Savitribai Phule carry two saris when she went to school?

Today, on her birthday, let’s talk about a woman who faced unimaginable challenges yet changed the course of history with her courage and determination.

Thread 1/18 In 19th-century India, educating women was seen as a radical and scandalous act. Savitribai Phule, alongside her husband Jotirao Phule, took on this mission, knowing it would draw fierce opposition.

But she couldn’t have imagined the level of hostility she’d face. 2/18