Prolific, positive and passionate, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni places women firmly at the centre of her literary canvas, crafting her characters with empathy and compassion and reflecting a deep understanding of the human story.
This January, in its 10th edition, the Jaipur Litfest was less literary event and more jamboree. With an international cast of authors spanning geographies and genres, the charming Diggi Palace could barely contain the surge of humanity—from scribes and students to socialities and selfie-seekers—that invaded its expansive grounds.
On the morning of Day 2, the Front Lawn of the Palace, the largest of its six venues, was the epicentre of action, people packed like sardines, standing room only for tardy arrivals. “I’m a little nervous,” confessed Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni as she took the stage to discuss her new book, Before We Visit the Goddess (Simon & Schuster; ₹ 375; 210 pages). She needn’t have been—the welcoming roar she received from the audience kicked off an hour-long session of insight and inspiration, revealing the empathy that has made her so beloved an author.
Right from her debut novel, The Mistress of Spices (1997), through her body of work, including Sister of My Heart (1999) and, of course, The Palace of Illusions (2008), her retelling of the Mahabharata through Draupadi’s perspective that has gained her near rockstar status with younger Indian women, her focus as a writer has never wavered. “I always want women at the centre of my canvas,” she says. “I want her voice to be heard.” In her latest, ...Goddess, we meet three generations of them —Sabitri, Bela and Tara—as Divakaruni takes us on an emotional crossing bridging countries and cultures, chance and circumstance, a journey as compelling as the spiritual voyage of her protagonists. “Life is a mixture of character and destiny,” she says, and this truth suffuses every page of this remarkable book.
Denne historien er fra Harmony Issue 154 March 2017-utgaven av Harmony - Celebrate Age.
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Denne historien er fra Harmony Issue 154 March 2017-utgaven av Harmony - Celebrate Age.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Wrapped In Love
My Dadi Meenakshi Banerji was a short and tubby woman with great gumption who raised 10 citizens of the world.
Sharing Her ‘Mettle'
To me, this bell metal vaarpu, which weighs about 80 kg and is at least 120 years old, is an enduring reminder of my paternal grandmother Aleyamma Abraham.
Medical Overload
Your doctor may walk the talk while writing out your prescriptions but here’s the thing: make sure he hasn’t prescribed one too many.
An Act Of Faith
One act of kindness can save someone’s life.’
Armed For Business
The sheer glory and glamour of the Olive Greens motivated me, a third-generation soldier, to join the Army. Thus I enlisted, brimming with enthusiasm, in 1984.
Capture the fracture
Fracture owing to osteoporosis can have a serious impact on a person’s health and quality of life. Dr Abhijit Y Pawar, consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, speaks about the significance of timely intervention in preventing fractures
Friends With Benefits!
Incontinence need not interfere with life.
Yellow, Yellow, Gritty Fellows!
It was a nippy Sunday morning but nothing that would keep the rugged Delhiite away from the annual Senior Citizens’ Run supported by Harmony at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon. Not even the mood-dampening smog that had descended on the capital a week earlier could do that! So said 74 year-old Sarla Rani and her band of regulars at the run who arrived at Nehru Stadium on the morning of 19 November even before the sun did. Soon they were joined by busloads of silvers from all over Delhi, Noida and Gurugram.
Magic By The Sea
From Lord Jagannath to oceanside beauty and green initiatives, Braja Sorensen uncovers the many layers of Puri.
Indian Rhapsody
In a span of two decades, Roshen Dalal has attained renown for her painstakingly researched books on history and religions in India. The Puffin History of India and The Puffin History of the World, each in two volumes, have not just received critical acclaim but are bestsellers as well. Her other books include The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths; Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide; The Vedas: An Introduction to Hinduism’s Sacred Texts and The Compact Timeline History of the World.
