Prøve GULL - Gratis

DAZED IN DECCAN

THE WEEK India

|

April 28, 2024

In the murky, shifting, swirly landscape of Karnataka politics, the only thing that seems to look dependably solid is Modiji

- ANUJA CHAUHAN

DAZED IN DECCAN

Prakash Jain’s thriving little showroom in Chickpet sells knock-off sportsgear. Bhanu (photojournalist/translator/ wise-veteran-to-my-bumbling-rookie) and I marvel at the material, the tailoring, the Nike swoosh, the Adidas trefoil and the Reebok vector—excellent enough to satisfy even the most snooty gym auntie. Prakash smiles his unassuming smile, feeds us hot-from-thekadhai samosas and kachodis and confides that he plans to visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya soon.

‘But you’re a Jain,’ we say. ‘So what?’ Prakash shrugs. ‘Ram is there in Jainism also. Sita, Lakshman everybody! I go to temple, I go to church, I go to gurudwara.’ After an infinitesimal pause he adds, ‘I go to mosque also.’

Chickpet market, dating back to the 16th century, is Bengaluru’s largest commercial hub—chock-ablock with wholesale and retail cloth, jewellery and bartan (utensil) outlets. It is a BJP stronghold, home to the second-largest Marwari population in south India, and represented by the firebrand MP, 33-yearold Tejasvi Surya, an ardent advocate of hindutva. The consecration of the Ram Temple on January 22 was marked by a celebration ‘bigger than Diwali’ in Chickpet.

‘Amit Shah is the most powerful man in India,’ Prakash says as we sip bright orange chai from tiny paper cups. ‘He stays in the background, but from there PM, CM, the big industrialists, he pulls all their strings.’ He goes on to confide that he does not discuss politics with his parents, but only with his friends. It is a matter of respect.

The wind chime dangling at the front of the shop tinkle as the door is thrown open and a young kinnar (transperson) catwalks confidently down the length of the shop to stand before us. Her red sari-

THE WEEK India

Denne historien er fra April 28, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.

Abonner på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av kuraterte premiumhistorier og over 9000 magasiner og aviser.

Allerede abonnent?

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

The tenth nerve

Maya, all of 18, had been battling refractory epilepsy for the better part of her adolescence. The word ‘refractory’ always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth as it signifies a resistance to the arsenal of medications we typically rely upon. Maya's face, although etched with the fatigue of countless seizures, still held the spark of youthful curiosity. Her parents’ faces were a blend of apprehension and desperate hope as they held hands in front of me.

time to read

2 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

F-35: Owner's pride, others' meme

Heard of the mitrailleuse machine gun? The world’s first rapid-fire gun developed in the 1860s, it was like Onida TV—owner’s pride and enemy's envy. The French owners kept it under such thick wraps that when the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71 broke out, the guns were issued to front-line troops without operating manuals. By the time clearances were obtained and the manuals arrived, France had lost the war.

time to read

2 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

Old dog can learn new tricks

Newlyweds start the day by murmuring sweet nothings. Those past the seven-year-itch exchange polite greetings in the mornings. Couples nearing their silver jubilees rudely grunt 'good morning' to each other.

time to read

3 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

UNAPOLOGETICALLY SOUTH

Chef Vijaya Kumar, who won the James Beard award in New York, says it signifies not just a personal triumph, but also a cultural shift

time to read

3 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

MASTER CLASS

Light and shadows were at play in his films, like in life. His films were a slice of his life, but with technical flourishes and sharp observations on society and its hypocrisies. With that, Guru Dutt created his distinct style and cinematic language. On his birth centenary, THE WEEK takes you through the life and work of one of the greatest filmmakers

time to read

25 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

The Dutt aesthetic

It was sculpted with light and moulded in music

time to read

4 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

The other pandemic

Last month, there was a spurt in Covid infections, igniting panic which led to some people recalling the horrors of five years ago. But, as far as pandemics go, they have turned out to be limited, with relatively few casualties and rapid recoveries. On the other hand, a real epidemic has gone largely unnoticed, even as it slowly but inexorably takes a horrific toll.

time to read

2 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

Stress less. Live more

Across boardrooms and living rooms, between deadlines and daily rituals, a quiet question lingers. It surfaces in conversations, in passing thoughts, and in rare moments of stillness. How do we hold everything together, and more meaningfully? How do we move through the busyness of life with purpose?

time to read

2 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

Poet with a camera

Guru Dutt crafted images so evocative that they transcended words

time to read

3 mins

July 20, 2025

THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India

BROKEN SYSTEM, BLEEDING FAITH

Kerala’s health sector, long seen as a model, is buckling under a structural crisis

time to read

6 mins

July 20, 2025