What happens when age takes ability out of desire? Hanif Kureishi’s new novel tells us

Hanif Kureishi’s ‘The Nothing’ is a compelling riff on impotence, suspicion and defeat

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Jun 17, 2017 · 05:30 pm

Grindmill Songs: Listen to the world’s largest archive of folk songs

These simple songs sung by rural women are precious because they are songs about all of us.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Apr 21, 2017 · 03:30 pm

In a society eager to vilify Islam, this book is both timely and necessary

Rana Safvi’s ‘Tales from the Quran and Hadith’ couldn’t have been published at a better time.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Mar 25, 2017 · 05:30 pm

Why the Portuguese told the British that Brazil was just a hop, skip and jump away from Bombay

An exhibition of woodcuts and lithographs tells the city's history in 46 prints.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Mar 21, 2017 · 03:00 pm

What happened when a medieval Urdu text was performed in a craft beer pub in Mumbai

Actor-director Danish Husain wants to re-popularise India’s traditional storytelling. Will his Qissebaazi become the city’s post-work ritual?

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Mar 01, 2017 · 11:30 am

Indian mythology is a new medium of choice for feminist narratives (and it’s working)

Reimagining women from the myths as empowered figures with agency.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Feb 05, 2017 · 08:30 am

What Greek myths have in common with Indian mythology (and why it matters)

Devdutt Pattanaik’s new book unveils convergences and spots connections.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Dec 11, 2016 · 08:30 am

Why did Ram become a god instead of remaining a man? This book answers the question (and others)

Arshia Sattar deconstructs the Uttara Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana in her excellent new work.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Nov 13, 2016 · 08:30 am

The new Ramayana for children is entirely sweet, and the sour is missing

Arshia Sattar makes the epic easy for young readers, but leaves out some difficult questions.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Oct 08, 2016 · 12:30 pm

Why reading Devdutt Pattanaik’s ‘My Gita’ makes sense but does not mean you're reading the Gita

In a first, the author presents a thematic take on the Bhagavad Gita rather than the usual translations and commentaries.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Nov 22, 2015 · 12:30 pm

One point two billion reasons (well, almost) to read Mahesh Rao’s book of short stories

Crisp, clever, captivating: this anthology offers 13 unexpected ways to look at Indian lives.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Nov 17, 2015 · 08:30 am

How Shakuntala was transformed from a shrinking violet to forthright woman

In this fictionalised retelling, we meet a fiery Shakuntala who is everything Kalidasa's demure heroine is not.

Urmi Chanda-Vaz

· Oct 04, 2015 · 05:30 pm