CATEGORIES

Search for Nirvana

Many believe that the ancient city of Kushinara is in Kushinagar, UP, but new evidence may suggest otherwise

False Promises, Lost Lives

Already part of a persecuted community, Rohingya women are being trapped with promises of a better life while really being trafficked in India

To Separate Art from the Artist

We cannot absolve Pablo Neruda of the crime of raping a powerless woman, but what's wrong in saying. \"Neruda, an unconvicted rapist, was a great writer\"?

Iron in the Soul

Yes, creative minds don't function like ordinary people. But I will draw the line when the crime is as heinous as paedophilia and rape

Monsters, Masters

How does one teach the works of writers and thinkers who have abused their power or committed heinous crimes?

Human, All Too Human

We are changing constantly, with the sins of yesterday being the stigmata of today

In Flesh And Blood

Are godmen here to stay?

The Salvation Trap

Neither light, nor outside air reaches the women trapped in Adhaytmik Vishwa Vidyalaya centres across India. Their guru is charged with human trafficking, but many remain

How 'Baba'nomics Works

The space in which self-proclaimed godmen/women function is crowded and competitive, compelling them to adopt creative means to stand out and build their brands

Shah Bano's Ghost

Often cases involving Muslim women are framed as a fight between secular and personal laws. In doing so, we Ignore larger, more interesting questions

A Guide to Godmen

Godmen as conmen has become a common trope in Indian cinema

Don't Sidestep Caste

Demystifying the world of deras and babas

'Sacred' Rage

The intriguing case of Ghulam Rasool—the faith healer’ from Kashmir

A Contract for a Miracle!

The Kreupasanam Marian Shrine in Kerala is in the business of miracles through a divine’ newspaper

Of Ash and Ashirwad

The well-meaning activist effort to keep people away from pseudo holy figures might be better off if it examined its own understanding of the nature of belief found in faiths

The Lady in Red

Unafraid and unbothered about the fate of other godmen, gurus and babas, Radhe Maa says she is content with her followers

Miracle Ministries

Church ministries headed by charismatic and controversial figures gain a devout following In Punjab

Decoding the Deras

A major attribute of deras is their capacity to provide succour to those tossed aside by the mainstream

Footprints of Faith

Surajpal Singh Jatav alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Baba Bhole Nath's \"miracles outnumber his many names but behind the white facade of his \"immortal\" divinity and magic realism is a man mired in materialistic controversies and an empire worth crores.

Cult Culture

Gurus and the willing suspension of their devotees’ disbelief

The Age Cf Cli-Fi

When nature faced an existential crisis, Bollywood's storytellers found other greener pastures

Labour Realism

Beneath Labour's supermajority of 412 seats, there are worrying undertows

Godmen and Mortal Women

Women, girls, workers, Dalits, mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, babies, followers: who were the victims of the Hathras satsang stampede?

Feeling the Heat

A visit to a few bastis in Delhi proved that women are disproportionately impacted by climate change

The Dark Earth

Incessant mining in Jharkhand has led to large-scale deforestation, resulting in long and warm summers and shifting of the monsoon

The Sea in their Blood

Mumbai's original residents, the fishing community, is struggling to stay afloat amid frequent storms, warmer temperatures, rising sea level, reduced catch and illegal technology

Sea the Change

This piece is an outcome of my struggle to comprehend the times inhabit. They are based on encounters in a fishing village near Pondicherry Puducherry), where fishermen friends helped/are helping me navigate new waters. The ever-changing sea led me to these explorations. There is urgency in the air. Else, all will be still

Elegy for the Hills

Global warming is severely affecting farming and leading to disasters, displacement and migration in Uttarakhand

Ice Loss

Thajiwas, once a large glacier extending to Sonamarg, has receded 12-15 metres annually since the 1960s due to insufficient winter snowfall, higher summer temperatures

We The Power

People’s movements to protect the environment are making major strides from Kashmir to Kerala