Known Turf

He began by asking for directions. So many of them do that, that I almost didn't bother to turn my head towards the voice. And yet, it i...

Poetry, it is said, is called into service when other, words fail you. When newspaper reports, essays, stories, conversation itself fails. P...

They opened the door reluctantly. I stepped inside the house hesitantly, prickling with the knowledge that I am not very welcome. Siddique s...

A line of Control. A dress. A word. A slut. It is not an easy admission to make, but I have used the word 'slut' whilst referring to...

About two years ago, I had said some things about provocation (in a post titled ' Provocation', which then led to some very provoked...

His name I know well. He repeatedly told me - Ramji - and repeatedly told me not to forget. I'd only wanted to get away from the shore, ...

I didn't ask his name, but now, I wonder. In Benaras, this man was unusual. He was one of those who had a chance but didn't ask for ...

A must-read, and a please-acquire book . And not just because I was included. These are 21 stories written by South Asian women under 40. I...

Benaras. Everything I thought it might be, it seemed to be. But who knows... I did not go out much. Except that one evening, for someone tol...

Finally, it's out there. Update : It is definitely available in Landmark bookstore, Gurgaon (and in Chennai and Mumbai, I hear). I spott...

When words begin to curl up in the corners, and meaning begins to drip off the blurry edge, you know it has rained all night in Delhi. Adhch...

Once you've put into writing the truths that have hammered your life - your commutes, your streets, your nights, your finances - into ...

On an impulse, I went. I had not yet received a brief, or permission, to cover this exhibition. But because the teachers - Mioi and John - h...

A comment on my last post prompted this question: why should we expect the world (the world of manufacturers- advertisers, at any rate) to c...

Gloria Steinem . Second-wave feminist. Famous feminist. I hadn't attended any feminist lectures before. I hadn't been to any feminis...

Last year, around this time, I first started speaking up about street sexual harassment. Thanks to Blank Noise's blogathon , many wome...

Sarojini Nagar market. Thursday. 15th Feb. I'd been here only two days before: getting new curtains, socks, sunshine, weird banana split...

I've been told that those who do not love themselves will never be able truly love anyone else (although they often do/say things that w...

A string strung across two trees. Half a dozen calves strung to the string. It is momentarily eerie. Almost as if the calves – child-bulls –...

Jallianwala bagh ... I had not expected to want to visit it. Just like I do not wear white khadi to show support for Gandhian thought, just ...