Comfortably Numb

TRAVEL: SUNDAY HERALD/MAGICAL MOSTAR

Beauty after strife Mostar sparkles anew after the terrible years of the Bosnian War You will find a reflective mood settling upon you at Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is a lovely little town through which the River Nevretska flows swiftly, steadily, a deep teal-blue in colour. At the designated times, the melodious sounds of azaan…

Cheerful Posts During Covid Times

3 April 2020, 11 am, perched on the Copper Pod Tree outside my window, a pair of white-throated Kingfishers. **************************** …

BOOK REVIEW: SUNDAY HERALD/DARA SHUKOH: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING by AVIK CHANDA

A mystic’s misfortune Dara Shukoh’s vision for a just, tolerant, secular and humane India seems today as unrealised as his dream of becoming the king A contemplative ‘what if’ nebula hangs over Avik Chanda’s gripping book on Dara Shukoh. Dara was Emperor Shah Jahan’s eldest, most favoured son and heir apparent. He, however, does not…

FEATURE: SUNDAY EXPRESS MAGAZINE/HIKIKOMORI or THE MODERN-DAY HERMITS

Pulling inwards: The modern-day hermits Hikikomori is a severe withdrawal from love, from life, from people. By Sheila Kumar The concepts have come from Japan, wrapped in words, sometimes uplifting, sometimes baneful. There is Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing, an abstraction every bit as delightful as it sounds. There is Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery…

Brief Takes: Aranyaka by Amruta Patil and Devdutt Pattanaik

The year is yet young but ARANYAKA (Tranquebar Books) is for me, the best read of 2020, so far. This wonderful 2019 collab by Amruta Patil and Devdutt Pattanaik (story and art by the former, based on concepts by the latter) pulls you into the heart of the forest from the very first page and…

Brief Takes: Whisper in the Wind by Venita Coelho

This book is a cracker of a Gothic tale even as the actual nature of the story comes wrapped in gauze. Is it a (tender) ghost story? Is it a (macabre) murder mystery? Is it a (richly) atmospheric thriller? Well, simply put, it`s all of these and some. Love, betrayal, heartbreak, revenge, intrigue; chatelaines and…

BOOK REVIEW: SUNDAY HERALD/POSTSCRIPT by CECILIA AHERN

A measured journey of picking up the pieces and carrying on Cecilia Ahern debuted with PS I Love You in 2004, which went on to be No 1 on the bestseller lists in Ireland, the UK and across the pond, in the US too; win awards and get adapted into a movie with Hollywood stars…

FEATURE: TNIE SUNDAY EXPRESS/MILLENNIALS AND THEIR MORALS

Home Magazine Voices The morals of the millennial Published: 16th February 2020 Where there are millennials, there must be Baby Boomers. In fact, a congregation of Baby Boomers, shaking their head censoriously, waggling disparaging fingers, muttering sibilantly and not always below their breath. Just what is bothering all these Boomer uncles and aunties? Many things, actually; but…

Brief takes: In Search of Heer by Manjul Bajaj

Having decided on a retelling of the fable of Heer and Ranjha, writer Manjul Bajaj has dipped her pen verily in a lyrical stream. Lushly packed with evocative descriptions of young men and old, of nubile girls and timorous old women, of men with evil on their mind, a swiftly flowing river, cattle both fine…

PHOTO FEATURE: SNAPS FROM THE TIMES LIT FEST, BANGALORE, FEB 2020

So, it was mighty fun, the session on Sex, Marriage & Morality at the Times Lit Fest. Despite the fact that I had to live down the descriptor `renowned` which the PR people handling the fest chose for me. Which was rather like saying `world-famous- in- east-Bangalore-SK!` We managed to draw a full house, an…