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Showing posts from August, 2020

Listening to Aanchal Malhotra on Memories, Oral Histories, Objects, and the Need for Archiving

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  I like listening to podcasts and discussions these days. There's something in the spoken word and being spoken to, that influences me, motivates me and delights me as well in equal measure. Owing to the current situation, many interviews and conversations around books have come up in the online platforms, be it Facebook lives or Instagram lives. And YouTube is serving as a great repository for these videos too. One such is Aanchal Malhotra's conversation here. She is the author of a non-fiction book "Remnants of a Separation" that deals with individual accounts of first generation migrants of the partition. She captures memories around a certain tangible object that the bearer carried with him during the migration, while leaving behind their home. The sub-continent was divided into three parts over the years, decades infact, and history in its ideal sense is not able to capture the diverse experiences of multitudes, the millions who were a part of the world's g

Movies on Murder Mysteries

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It doesn't seem engaging at first. Seems to have a rather slow start. Not moving fast enough. Not thrilling enough. But you sit through the first hour, registering the numerous characters in your head. Each of them seems to have had the reason to commit the murder. Most belong to the same family, that makes it certain that it is indeed an insider's job. You think it through yourself, as the police and detective does in the movie. You are being taken on a ride. But just as you try to decide to quit watching, something is revealed, piquing your interest. Then something else comes up, making you question your own deductions so far. Then you are hooked. Glued to the screen. It is thrilling, the second half. And the end seems satisfactory, explaining all the open ended questions you have had through the watch. That is an awesome amazing thriller for me. Since a few days, I have been hung up on thriller movies. Can't get enough of those. Starting from 'who-dunnit' flicks

Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju

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