Culture
25 articles
Chronicler of History: Review of Sadaf Wani’s 'City As Memory'
Srinagar, after all, is not just a site of conflict but a symbol of centuries-old artistic, architectural, and intellectual traditions.
Of Lost Languages and Manufactured Linguistic Hierarchies
A review of G N Devy’s trail-blazing new book ‘India: A Linguistic Civilization’. The author equates loss of language to ‘genocide’, warns of modern threats in ...
The Shortest History of India: A 5,000-Year Journey in Less Than 300 Pages
John Zubrzycki's 'The Shortest History of India' Offers a Concise yet Comprehensive Look at 5,000 Years
“I set out to reclaim agency, but also made cross-regional connections”: Arfat Sheikh
Saffron Kingdom’s Producer, Director, Writer talks about his debut film, the inspiration, his father’s tragedy within a larger landscape of suffering.
The Last Traditional Soap Maker in Shehr-e-Khaas, Srinagar Old City in Kashmir Valley
The traditional soap-making craft is under threat due to lack of demand and rising costs of raw materials
MC Musaib: Kashmir’s Rap Star Whose Soulful Music Is Making Waves
These powerful lyrics, from Syed Musaib Bukhari, better known by his stage name MC Musaib, capture the essence of his music and his journey. His is a story of p...
Book Review: Piecing together fragments of a landscape torn by conflict
Karan Mujoo’s debut novel humanises Kashmir’s turmoil through intertwined Pandit and Muslim lives, revealing the gray zones of exile, rebellion and survival
Book Review: How To Kill An Island?
The islands are once again under threat, this one, brought about by wilful human actions. A Rs 72,000-crore project titled ‘Holistic Development of Great Nicoba...
Ajaz Ashraf’s Account is a ‘Museum of Memories’ for the Dispossessed
A powerful account that reminds us that all-powerful States possess the power to silence dissenters, normalise fear in society, and criminalise opinions of free...
BOOK REVIEW: A Fiery Memoir
India’s current socio-political landscape is marred by the ominous shadows of religious violence and majoritarianism, casting a pall over the nation’s democrati...
A Vanishing Heritage: Kashmir's Last Traditional Oil Mill
Preserving Heritage: The Enduring Legacy of Wani's Traditional Oil Mill in Kashmir
A compelling account of Kashmir’s complex dynamics but politically lopsided
The roots of insurgency in Kashmir go back to 1966 when a young man named Ghulam Rasool Zahgir, a resident of Dabtal in downtown Srinagar, led a group of six me...
Theatre Of Roots: Creating A National Identity By Promoting The Regional Elements
“The National School of Drama (NSD) played a significant role in inflecting the nature of a movement that began in search of a new idiom.”
When The Marathas Came To Jammu?
Avtar Mota* A book on Maratha wars briefly introduced me to an event in the 18th century and mentioned the migration of some Marathas to Jammu during Ahmed Shah...
Dubai’s Desert Bloom: A Miracle Garden Oasis
“Unlike short-lived tulip gardens in Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, Dubai’s Miracle Garden with 150 million flowers enthuses visitors for 7 months in a year” Iftikh...
Voices of Resilience: Championing Social Justice Through Art and Activism
‘Unlike cinema on digital screens, street theatre is interactive and multi-dimensional, allowing for a deeper connection with the audience.’ An Interview with D...
Navigating Identity: Insights Into “Being Muslim In Hindu India”
Through poignant narratives and incisive analyses, Salam sheds light on the struggles and injustices faced by the Muslim community in India and offers a critica...
Guardian of Gujjar and Bakerwal Legacy
Mohsin Mushtaq & Rabia Mushtaq ARAGAM, BANDIPORA (Kashmir): In 2016, when Shahida Khanam went on a tribal expedition for the inter-state cultural community show...
Colonizing Kashmir: Kanjwal’s book reveals complexities of Bakshi rule
BOOK REVIEW Iftikhar Gilani Book: Colonizing Kashmir: State-building Under Indian Occupation Author: Hafsa Kanjwal Pages: 384 Publishers: Stanford University Pr...
Where words meet strokes and dance like dervishes?
By Anuradha Bhasin “If things do not turn out as we wish, we should wish for them as they turn out,” wrote Aristotle. In ‘Love Letters to Kashmir’, an immensely...