Memes started grabbing the limelight from the mid-2000s onwards, after proving to be effective tools of satire in social and political discourse. The evolution of memes has happened in tandem with people’s surging demand for media that could inform, educate and entertain them in the shortest possible period of time. Besides making us laugh and … Continue reading More to Memes than Meets the Eye—Krishna Priya
Documenting Dissent Through Art—Rayan Chakrabarti
“Painting is not made to decorate apartments; it is an offensive and defensive instrument of war against the enemy.” ---Pablo Picasso Art plays a pivotal role in shaping the nature of protests during any social upheaval. It allows the people to give a new direction to their political imagination and make powerful statements challenging authorities. … Continue reading Documenting Dissent Through Art—Rayan Chakrabarti
Challenging Reason, Identities, and Nations: Situating Ghatak’s Jukti Takko Aar Goppo—Sujato Datta and Ananyo Chakraborty
Jukti Takko Aar Goppo (1974) “And somewhere under some new moon we shall learn that sleeping is not death.” Remembering Ritwik Ghatak on his 95th birth anniversary warns against deifying him as a cult figure. "Pakami korona" (Don't try to be too smart) would have been the spontaneous retort, if the man had been alive … Continue reading Challenging Reason, Identities, and Nations: Situating Ghatak’s Jukti Takko Aar Goppo—Sujato Datta and Ananyo Chakraborty
Society Spectacular—Monjima Kar
Fantastic Planet (1973) Something funny happened a few days back. I watched an online streaming of Frankenstein by the National Theatre (thanks to the current circumstances) with some excitement and it was quite an experience. I had never seen something that magnificent on a stage before—with rolling steam engines and all grand elements on display, … Continue reading Society Spectacular—Monjima Kar
Discontents of Development: Lessons from the Baghjan Gas Tragedy—Riya Lohia
Residents of Notun Gaon Protesting (Image Courtesy: Noihrit) On 27 May, one of the gas wells at the Baghjan oil field in Assam’s Tinsukia district had a blowout. Fearing that this uncontrollable release of natural gas and oil condensate might catch fire, Oil India Limited called a team of experts from Singapore to contain the … Continue reading Discontents of Development: Lessons from the Baghjan Gas Tragedy—Riya Lohia
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Pernicious Pitfalls of the New Education Policy—Suchintan Das
Image Courtesy: Pinterest “In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defence of the indefensible…Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.” –––George Orwell, Politics and the English Language The much-touted National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) is here. It has been approved by the Cabinet … Continue reading Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Pernicious Pitfalls of the New Education Policy—Suchintan Das
The Curious Case of Gambhīrā: Evolution of a Folk Performance from the Indo-Bangladesh Borderland—Asmita Sarkar
Picture Courtesy: Malda Malancha “Deshta kore bhagabhagi, abar cholchey jhogra jhati, Bharot holo shoshan, hey panchanan, purey hinshar oi aguney.” (The country was divided up, now people continue to bicker, India has become a crematorium, O Panchanan (Shiva), engulfed by violent flickers.) “Sommilito jatipunjer niom bhengey Dhonsompoder ohankarey korchish Baghdad akromon Besh to khush, ohey … Continue reading The Curious Case of Gambhīrā: Evolution of a Folk Performance from the Indo-Bangladesh Borderland—Asmita Sarkar
The Alchemy of Well-Being—Suchintan Das
Angelus Novus by Paul Klee A pot of wine among the flowers. I drink alone, no friend with me. I raise my cup to invite the moon. He and my shadow and I make three. –––Li Bai, Drinking Alone with the Moon (Translated by Vikram Seth) These lines, penned by the eighth century Taoist poet … Continue reading The Alchemy of Well-Being—Suchintan Das
Beyond the Academic: Indian Higher Education System’s Encounter with the Pandemic—Ananyo Chakraborty
The COVID-19 pandemic and the ill-planned and hastily executed nationwide lockdown that ensued as a combative policy, have exposed the grave fault-lines intrinsic to the Indian higher education system like never before. With colleges and universities being shut down and the scope of physical interaction between students and teachers being cancelled out completely, a set … Continue reading Beyond the Academic: Indian Higher Education System’s Encounter with the Pandemic—Ananyo Chakraborty
Strange Bedfellows: Battala Print and the Bengal Renaissance—Suchintan Das
James Baillie Fraser's 'Views of Calcutta and its Environs', Plate 24, Aquatint; 1826 The word ‘Battala’ evokes a range of meanings. Literally, it means ‘under the banyan tree’. Historically, it has been both a metonym of commercial print culture as well as a misnomer for obscene and vulgar vernacular literature in nineteenth century Calcutta. It … Continue reading Strange Bedfellows: Battala Print and the Bengal Renaissance—Suchintan Das
Lokayata 