Posted inPop Culture
Mukti Bhawan and the Parent Trap
Mukti Bhawan captures what it’s like to deal with the impending death of a parent. Losing one feels like diving into life without a safety net, a signifier of irrevocable adulthood.
Posted inPeople
The Wait for Death at Varanasi’s Mukti Bhavan
In Varanasi’s death hostels, the hope of achieving nirvana keeps alive people like Gulab Bai, who have been staring death in the face for decades.
Posted inCulture
Gujiyas, Steel Pichkaris & Tesu Ke Phool: A Plea to Bring Back Holi Like It Used to Be
My idea of Holi is old-school Bollywood – pristine white kurtas, do chutki wale rangon ki thaali, and homemade gujiyas with kanji. No synthetic colours, just some good old gulaal. No DJwale babus, but a few neighbourhood women singing folk songs.
