The Humayun Tomb Museum has a special exhibition called ‘One Mother, Many Mother Tongues’ which explores how the concept of motherhood has been a constant motif in civilizations across millennia both in the East and the West. With just a few pieces from various Indian and Italian collections, the exhibition was quite interesting. By focussing … Continue reading Botticelli in Delhi
In 1881, America was a relatively young country while Europe was associated with grandeur, heritage and an aristocratic culture shaped by centuries of history. The psychological complexity of America’s engagement with this was the heart of Henry James’ fiction. He was the brother of the equally famous psychologist William James and the two of them … Continue reading Isabel Archer in ‘The Portrait of a Lady’
Shri Nathadi Guruguho in Mayamalavagowla by Muttuswami Dikshitar Yarukkaghilum bhayama in Begada by Subbaraama Iyer Nenarunchera in Simhavahini by Thyagaraja RTP in Thodi followed by Kartikeya Kangeya Gowri by Papanasam Sivan Concluded as expected with pieces by Sreenarayana Guru, Tagore, a piece in Behag and Dikshitar's Nottuswarams. He was in top form and accompanied by … Continue reading T.M. Krishna at O.P Jindal Auditorium, New Delhi
In Greek mythology, Zeus transforms himself into a swan and has sex with Leda. Through the union, Leda lays eggs from which emerge Helen (yes, the Helen of Troy), Castor, Pollux and Clytemnestra. In art, especially during the Renaissance, this copulation (rape is a more appropriate word I guess) was attempted by many artists. Years … Continue reading Leda and the Swan
Emily Wilson’s translation of Homers ‘Odyssey’ is excellent and I was engrossed in the epic over the last few days. Around a decade back, I had read the Robert Fagles translation and even after this reading my opinion of the epic hasn’t changed much. The Odyssey is overrated. I also understand that a lot of … Continue reading Some thoughts on ‘The Odyssey’
Every song she sang today was new to me, so I've got plenty to listen to this week. Ninnu Kori Varnam in Mohanam (which she clarified was not the usual Ninnu Kori but the one composed by Pallavi Doraisawmi Iyer) Padame thunai in Valaji by Papanasam Sivan Narmada kaveri nilaye by Dikshitar in Namadesi Narada … Continue reading Sumithra Vasudev at IIC, Delhi
Perfect Days: Wrote about this here Vaastuhara: Aravindan's last movie. A friend of mine, while helping her parents shift residences from Delhi to Kolkata, reset a password for her dad as 'Vaastuhara' - The Dispossessed. Reminded of the movie that I probably watched decades ago, I found it on YouTube. Mohanlal at his peak, a … Continue reading What I Watched – May 2026
Earlier this month, I saw a few scenes of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ when my daughters were glued to it. There’s this scene where Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep) puts Andy Sachs (Anne Hatheway) in her place when she expresses disdain and nonchalance over some high-end luxury garment. In the space of a few minutes, Priestley … Continue reading Luxury, Desire, Economics: The World Behind ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy is essentially a meditation on whether a copy of a work of art can possess the same “essence” as the original. I watched it mainly because it featured Juliette Binochet, and the film certainly did not disappoint. It was charming, eccentric, strange, and undeniably brave in attempting something though Kiarostami could … Continue reading Warhol and Jasper Johns’ ‘Coca Cola’
One of the defining features of our age is that every third person seems to be preparing for a marathon. Until a few years ago, before my kids started school and turned me into a “morning person,” the most irritating part of logging on to social media after waking up late on a weekend was … Continue reading The Cooper Test
