“Writing has always recharged me…”- S.B. Divya (Author of Machinehood, Saga Press)
S.B. Divya is a lover of science, math, fiction, and the Oxford comma. She enjoys subverting expectations and breaking stereotypes whenever she can. Divya is the Hugo and Nebula Award–nominated author of Runtime and co-editor of Escape Pod, with Mur Lafferty. Her short stories have been published in various magazines including Analog, Uncanny, and Tor. She is the author of the […]
Bring your child to the world of stories at Bookaroo Delhi 2022
Dates: November 26th and 27th, 2022 Time: 11 AM to 4:30 PM National Rail Museum, Chanakyapuri Following the roaring success of the 13th edition in November last year comes Bookaroo’s 40th edition overall and the 14th in Delhi. With over 7,900 visitors thronging the splendid and picturesque National Rail Museum last time, it was heartening […]
“A story can begin anywhere, in a stray thought or something I read”
Varsha Seshan is a childrens writer, classical dancer, and teacher. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from Jadavpur University Kolkata in 2009, winning two medals for Shakespeare studies. Varsha works with schools and publishers to conduct teacher training programmes, especially for English Language Teaching, reading and creative writing, both online and offline. Some […]
A magical weekend: Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival is back
Dates: November 19th and 20th (Saturday and Sunday)Venue: Art District, Alembic City, VadodaraTiming: 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM 33 Speakers | 57 sessions | Unlimited Fun Storytelling, Workshops, Books, and Art & Craft for 4–14-year-olds As the world heads towards normalcy, the Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival is geared up to come back to Vadodara on […]
Book Excerpt: From mai by Geetanjali Shree
A book excerpt from the author’s debut novel It had been our complaint since childhood. ‘Speak up mai. Fight back. Become what you want to be.’ Being what she was, mai was actually nothing. She was a stooping, dumb, frightened shadow who moved only upon others’ directions. We were full of pity. And were also […]
On Feminism: Smashing the Patriarchy by Sindhu Rajasekaran
Excerpt from the book on feminism, Smashing the Patriarchy: A guide for the 21st century Indian Woman. Published with permission from Aleph Book Company. Whose Feminism Is It Anyway? This is a time and space where women discursively produce conflicting meanings through their mix-and-match ideologies. They make bamboozling choices, as discussed earlier. To get on […]
Meeting the man who brought Oonga to life, twice
If human lives are the price we’re paying for development, it may not be worth it: Devashish Makhija, writer of the Young Adult novel, Oonga. As told to Neha Kirpal. First published in India Currents. “What rights do these trees have, if the cityfolk make all the laws? And if all these laws are of […]
Folklore, folk music, and the rhythm of Rajasthan
Interview with Nitin Harsh, founder of Rhythm of Rajasthan, a group that works to coral folk musicians from across Rajasthan and give them a fighting chance in a rapidly changing world. You mentioned that your journey with Rajasthan Folklore started by documenting videos for Padma Bhushan Komal Kothari Ji. Before that, what was your relationship […]
In Conversation with: Prarthana Banikya, founder, The Little Journal of Northeast India
Prarthana Banikya speaks to Purple Pencil Project about the magazine inspired by the eight states– Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura– of Northeast India, and how it’s bringing people together through the power of stories. What was the inspiration behind The Little Journal? Prarthana Banikya: For the longest time, I’ve wanted to start […]
Ep. 28: Colaba: The Diamond at the Tip of Mumbai
Colaba, the southernmost tip of Mumbai, is Mumbai’s most iconic neighbourhood. This bustling locality—with the Gateway of India, the world-famous Taj Mahal Hotel, and the Colaba Causeway, a shopper’s paradise—is an unparalleled tourist attraction. But barely 200 years ago, it was a rocky, jackal-infested island, separated from the rest of Bombay by a temperamental creek. […]