The art of preface: Woman, Body, Desire in Post-colonial India

For two days a week that I spend working at a university, I spend a part of my time reading preface of books and digging archives. If a preface gets my attention and is compelling enough, the book gets read for sure. Jyoti Puri's Woman, Body, Desire in Post-colonial India (Routledge) is one such. The … Continue reading The art of preface: Woman, Body, Desire in Post-colonial India →

Is travel writing dead?

Granta Magazine pursued this question with a clutch of writers in Issue 138 on Journeys. In the bookstore last week, I took to a corner and began pouring down the responses. It wasn't driven by curiosity. Instead, it was to figure out if there is a general perception among the authors (many of whom are noted … Continue reading Is travel writing dead? →

Travel in the post-colonial times

This little Dutch Danish settlement has always attracted me with its brilliant blue skies and the expansive ocean. Last week we drove into this seaside village, which was a twenty five mile long stretch of coast leased out to the early Dutchmen Danes by the Tanjore king in the late 1700s. They called it Tranquebar. … Continue reading Travel in the post-colonial times →

From that midnight ‘tryst’ to the high noon – Indian democracy

The recent gangrape in Delhi and the government's response to the demonstrations in the city has been the most disappointing sight for me. Corruption, scams, policy screw ups... all that was fine with me. But stifling such a protest wasn't what I thought one would see in India at least (like shutting down metro stations … Continue reading From that midnight ‘tryst’ to the high noon – Indian democracy →