100 (+1) Must-Read Books from the Rich Literature of India
Indian literature, while vast, often remains limited in the mainstream. Outside the handful of classics and Booker-winning titles, the vast reservoir of stories and voices frequently are deprived of the spotlight. Here’s an attempt at change. Our list of books from the literature of India travels across languages, periods, voices and styles to bring a […]
Khilega To Dekhenge/ Once It Flowers by Vinod Kumar Shukla: A Summary of Our Third Book Club Meeting
The Purple Pencil Project started its first book club in July, aimed at reading through the books of one Indian author chronologically. This aim is intentional, as we seek to understand an author better while reading them through months and, hopefully, chart the evolution in their storytelling style. We started with Vinod Kumar Shukla, and […]
नौकर की कमीज (The Servant’s Shirt) by विनोद कुमार शुक्ल: The Art of Observing in a World of Distractions
Amritesh Mukherjee reviews नौकर की कमीज (The Servant’s Shirt) by विनोद कुमार शुक्ल (published by Rajkamal Prakashan, 2006). Before entering this baffling, mesmerising, stagnant, volatile and stream-of-consciousness wonder of a novel, I knew few things about Vinod Kumar Shukla’s writing despite having heard him in numerous interviews and articles outside of vague terms like “masterpiece,” […]
7 Revolutionary Student Movements in India That Changed the Course of History
History is complex. Quite complex. And yet, all too often, our perception of our past is shaped more by the contemporary fashions of the day instead of some “objective truth.” Moreover, the world, for better or for worse, exists beyond the silos created by the internet and social media. For instance, there have been many […]
19 Must-Read Books on Adivasi Movements in India
The world we see is often not the only world there is. By extension, the India we see is often not the only India there is. The same country known for its Gandhian principles of non-violence has many strata whose populations can’t go on hunger strikes because that would mean they otherwise aren’t hungry. For […]
A Summary of Our Second Book Club Meeting: Mahavidyalaya/ Blue is Like Blue by Vinod Kumar Shukla
From July onwards, the Purple Pencil Project started a new wing in its community initiatives: a book club. More specifically, for the time being, a club dedicated to reading Vinod Kumar Shukla’s fiction chronologically from July to January. So far, we’ve read his first novel, Naukar Ki Kameez, and gathered to discuss his first collection […]
Understanding Indian Social Movements: 20 Essential Movies to Watch
Cinema has always been a mirror reflecting the society it represents. And the influence of cinema on society and vice versa is perhaps more fleshed out in India. From the complexities of caste discrimination to the nuances of LGBTQ+ rights, filmmakers have, time and time again, challenged norms and sparked conversations. Today, we look at […]
Interspersing Feminism and Mystery in Ambai’s The Death of a Sarus Crane
Amritesh Mukherjee reviews The Death of a Sarus Crane: Sudha Gupta’s Adventures in Detection by Ambai, translated from Tamil by Gita Subramanian (published by Speaking Tiger, 2024). A gripe I’ve had with many Indian sleuths I’ve encountered over the years has been the derivative nature of their stories and surroundings. Granted, I need to read […]
Chipko Movement: How Grassroots Activism Changed Environmental Laws
In 1973, the quiet hills of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district were the site of one of the largest grassroots environmental protests. Local communities sparked a nonviolent resistance to protect their forests, threatened by rampant deforestation, endangering the livelihoods of local communities who relied on forests for essentials like timber, firewood, and water. Led by Chandi Prasad […]
Language Politics in India: Regional Protests and Their National Implications
India is home to one of the most linguistically diverse populations in the world. According to the 2011 Census, the country recognises 22 scheduled languages. But the reality is far more vivid and rich. Over 1,600 mother tongues are spoken in India, representing centuries of regional, ethnic, and cultural evolution. Languages in India are central […]
