A couple of days after mentioning Jhumpa Lahiri in a blog post, I unexpectedly saw her in person. The Italian Cultural Centre in Delhi, as part of an ongoing series where prominent Indian writers introduce their favourite Italian films ahead of screenings, had invited Lahiri to present the inaugural film — 'Il Sorpasso'. Sruthi and … Continue reading Jhumpa Lahiri on ‘Il Sorpasso’ at IHC Delhi
The Tughlaqs are seen as a relatively minor dynasty that ruled India from Delhi. But when you think of it, their 90-year reign from 1320 was greater than the age of the modern Indian Republic. Today, all that reminds us of their grandeur are their monuments still standing in various corners of Delhi and of … Continue reading Tughlaqabad
When New Delhi was built by the British, a substantial chunk of the required land was under the possession of the Raja of Jaipur. The three villages – Jaisinghpura, Madhoganj and Raja ka Bazaar were acquired by the British and incorporated into New Delhi. All these three villages, lay on the trunk road which connected … Continue reading The Jaipur Footprint in Colonial New Delhi
Over the last two weekends, INTACH, in collaboration with ThisDay, organized a Heritage Walk-Leader Training Programme in Delhi. On a whim, I joined it and found it thoroughly enriching. The programme was a blend of lectures and on-site walks stressing the Dos and Don’ts of conducting heritage walks. The star-studded lineup of speakers included Swapna … Continue reading Heritage Walk-Leader Training Programme
To describe the early 40s as a unique period in Indian history would be an understatement. World War II was raging, Britain was valiantly holding on against the Nazis, the Japanese were marauding in the seas of Southeast Asia, Chiang Kai-shek was battling them with US supplies airdropped from India, Burma had fallen and it … Continue reading Delhi during the Partition
It’s just the 20th of January and I think I’ve already read one of the best books of the year. The main protagonist of Deepti Kapoor’s ‘Age of Vice’ is Delhi. The Delhi of the aughts, the Delhi when Gurgaon, Noida and Greater Noida were yet to become the monstrous suburbs as we know it … Continue reading The Age of Vice
