Haute and sweaty
THE WEEK India|May 12, 2024
In Mumbai, where I live and work, there is a severe heatwave going on. The highest temperature this month has been 40 degrees, sweltering and humid for the coastal city.
NAMRATA ZAKARIA
Haute and sweaty

Of course this is a savage reminder of climate change, and how brutal even its early effects are. Even as some of us may be privileged to remain in air-conditioned environs of the home or the office, a majority of people in the city do not have access to climate control. They live in small, poorly ventilated and crowded rooms, and leaving home is usually an escape.

India has always been a hot and humid country. But how wonderful times may have been when we dressed for the summer. Even nobles wore soft, diaphanous muslin, Indian mulmul or its more sophisticated avatar of jamdani. This gossamer-like fabric was the specialty of Bengal and Bangladesh, and remains the finest fabric made by human hands. European colonisers found it shameless because of its transparent nature, and yet it is the only fabric they would wear to face our summers.

Esta historia es de la edición May 12, 2024 de THE WEEK India.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 12, 2024 de THE WEEK India.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE WEEK INDIAVer todo
The female act
THE WEEK India

The female act

The 19th edition of the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival was of the women and by the women

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
A SHOT OF ARCHER
THE WEEK India

A SHOT OF ARCHER

An excerpt from the prologue of An Eye for an Eye

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
MASTER OF MAKE-BELIEVE
THE WEEK India

MASTER OF MAKE-BELIEVE

50 years. after his first book, Jeffrey*Archer refuses to put down his'felt-tip Pilot pen

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Smart and sassy Passi
THE WEEK India

Smart and sassy Passi

Pop culture works according to its own unpredictable, crazy logic. An unlikely, overnight celebrity has become the talk of India. Everyone, especially on social media, is discussing, dissing, hissing and mimicking just one person—Shalini Passi.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
Energy transition and AI are reshaping shipping
THE WEEK India

Energy transition and AI are reshaping shipping

PORTS AND ALLIED infrastructure development are at the heart of India's ambitions to become a maritime heavyweight.

time-read
5 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
MADE FOR EACH OTHER
THE WEEK India

MADE FOR EACH OTHER

Trump’s preferred transactional approach to foreign policy meshes well with Modi’s bent towards strategic autonomy

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
DOOM AND GLOOM
THE WEEK India

DOOM AND GLOOM

Democrats’ message came across as vague, preachy and hopelessly removed from reality. And voters believed Trump’s depiction of illegal immigrants as a source of their economic woes

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
WOES TO WOWS
THE WEEK India

WOES TO WOWS

The fundamental reason behind Trump’s success was his ability to convert average Americans’ feelings of grievance into votes for him

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
POWER HOUSE
THE WEEK India

POWER HOUSE

Trump International Hotel was the only place outside the White House where Trump ever dined during his four years as president

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 24, 2024
DON 2.0
THE WEEK India

DON 2.0

Trump returns to presidency stronger than before, but just as unpredictable

time-read
5 minutos  |
November 24, 2024