South Asian Literature

On motherhood and Mahasweta Devi’s ‘Breast-Giver’

I couldn’t help but think of the cultural significance of the word “ma” in our own society today; it is lead-heavy with meaning and so frequently invoked—from commonplace addresses of tender respect for women to motherly depictions of the landscape of Bengal in artworks, songs, and films
11 May 2025, 15:55 PM

Feluda, the idea of ‘Bangali Bhadralok’, and the gendered silence in detective fiction

These decisions hint at an implicit belief that certain genres or readerships require the exclusion of certain genders, whether due to artistic limitations, market considerations, or adherence to established genre conventions.
8 May 2025, 18:00 PM

Through folklore and fantasy: An ode to Bangla mythological characters

The book invites you to revel in the world of legends, to dream as you once did as a child.
1 January 2025, 18:00 PM

On invisibilised violence

In classic Bengali fiction, the kitchen is a central site for conflict and community bonding.
6 December 2024, 18:00 PM

Bangladesh’s writers on Wikipedia: Abbasuddin Ahmed and Humayun Kabir

If such writers lived in, and contributed to the literary legacy of, other countries, I will offer a compromise and propose a hyphenated identity.
3 October 2024, 14:17 PM

Otherness and invisible identities

'The Hippo Girl and Other Stories' holds up a mirror to a society that judges and ridicules those that do not adhere to its shortsighted vision of a homogenised culture.
24 July 2024, 18:00 PM

Speaking with Arunava Sinha about Sanya Rushdi’s ‘Hospital’: A translator extraordinaire

"...it is our responsibility to contribute to ways in which more translators can work well, be compensated fairly and find the work worthwhile enough to continue doing it"
6 June 2024, 09:59 AM

Unseen chains of consequences

When a few boys arrive at the couple’s flat to seek out their college-going daughter, Rekha, the parents are thrown into a whirlwind of adventure.
29 May 2024, 13:45 PM

Byting wisely: The varying narratives of nationalism and independence

So in the spirit of Independence, I urge my reader to exercise independence of consumption—to question what you are buying, what you are reading, what you are watching, and which of these you are really given the freedom to choose.
26 March 2024, 13:41 PM

18th century British women writers and their Indian others

The postcolonial and feminist lenses Chatterjee deploys in his discussion of the works of the selected women writers seem to suit his analysis of the works of these "enlightenment" period British women writers, for their biases, fixations, and anxieties often come into view then.
10 January 2024, 18:00 PM

In conversation with Anjali Singh and Arif Anwar

"I think of myself as someone who just really enjoys people, bringing people out, and hearing about what they’re working on": Anjali Singh
30 December 2023, 13:55 PM

On wars and words

These words are not just some veils adorning the valour and victory of our freedom fighters; they're not just tributes but testaments to the rare occasion of the oppressed overpowering the oppressor.
13 December 2023, 18:00 PM

Ink and memories: Revisiting the 'Anandamela' days

As a juvenile bibliophile, I used to see the copies as a delicate object greeting with utter care and affection.
7 December 2023, 13:55 PM

Love, loss, and hope in Tehran

Overnight, the saffron summer afternoons and evenings of dreamy stargazing tumble into a tale of grief, guilt, and pain.
5 December 2023, 01:55 AM

Revisiting ‘Chobir Deshe, Kobitar Deshe’

The book captures all the enjoyable experiences of travelling, and the food they ate, and provides descriptions of France's seas.
18 November 2023, 15:55 PM

The progressive depiction of women in ‘Devdas’

In some ways, Sharatchandra places the blame for Devdas's ensuing sorrow on his lack of courage, made all the more noticeable in comparison to Parbati's courage in breaking social norms despite the dire consequences it could have for her.
17 November 2023, 18:00 PM

My London: An immigrant story

You land in London with £210 in your pocket. It is the year 2009. You are able to pay the first month’s rent for the room, but not the deposit. You have to share it with an acquaintance from Dhaka. He arrived a week prior.
22 September 2023, 18:00 PM

The fearless, experimental poetry of Binoy Majumdar

As time passed by and as the poet made an introspection in seclusion, he dug up such verses which to the reader might feel like a revelation of truth.
18 September 2023, 15:00 PM

The Writer

The lad appeared to be very humble and slowly took a seat. But I noticed that he did not take his eyes off my face even once. He kept on staring at me through his glasses.
15 September 2023, 18:00 PM

Rethinking Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the humanist

Despite his caste-consciousness and critical depiction of the social prejudices of colonial Bengal, he never directly opposed them; in his real life, he was an upholder of traditional Hindu patriarchy and Brahmin-dominated caste society.
15 September 2023, 14:00 PM