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 […]
ZardoZi by Debasmita Dasgupta Review: Traditional Embroidery and Finding Your Inner Voice
Neha Kirpal reviews ZardoZi: Stitched with Love by Debasmita Dasgupta (published by Harper Children’s, 2024). ZardoZi: Stitched with Love by London-based award-winning graphic novelist, film producer and screenwriter Debasmita Dasgupta and edited by writer and independent children’s bookmaker Rajat Mittal is a heart-warming new picture book about a ten-year-old boy called Zi who loves embroidery. One […]
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 […]
An Inclusive Goa in this Coming-Of-Age Tale: Boy, Unloved by Damodar Mauzo, trans. by Jerry Pinto Review
Akankshya Abismruta reviews Boy, Unloved by Damodar Mauzo, translated by Jerry Pinto (published by Speaking Tiger, 2024). Imagine being a boy rendered useless at home. When you engage with the outside world, you hear repeatedly, “You have great potential; you can do anything you set your heart to.” Despite having the financial resources, you do […]
The Relevance and Benefits of Reading in the 21st Century
Prakruti Maniar writes about the personal and societal benefits of reading and its impact on cognitive development, time management, and well-being amidst a plethora of modern digital distractions. I cannot tell what drew me to reading or where I got my interest in reading from. Perhaps it was my grandfather, who had a fascinating library […]
A Deep Dive into Mumbai’s Film Industry and Its Realities in Sinema by Vikram Singh
Sakhi Gundeti reviews Sinema: The Bollywood Bungle of Andy Duggal by Vikram Singh (published by Speaking Tiger, 2024). Vikram Singh’s Sinema follows Anand (Andy) Duggal, a third-generation film producer from Mumbai caught up in a series of personal and professional crises. He’s getting divorced, his film isn’t doing well due to the lead actor’s absence […]
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 […]
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel: A Fresh Perspective on the Ramayana’s Controversial Queen?
Akshaya Ganesh reviews Kaikeyi: A Novel by Vaishnavi Patel (published by Redhook, 2023). As a huge fan of mythological retellings, I’ve surprisingly read very few novels on Ramayana. Most of them were from the perspectives of Lord Ram, Devi Sita or Ravana. So, the fact that there is a book exploring Kaikeyi’s perspective intrigued me. […]
