Overrated, wonderful little cups of chai. Shadows of sunlit coaches in the day-time. The human restlessness at the platform. Colourful bookstalls and neon nights. The country transforming outside the barred windows. Here’s a photo gallery of life seen through the Indian Railways by Karan Madhok

Just as the British piggy-backed on Mughal greatness for their legitimacy, Modi is now trying to fashion imperial greatness of his own, seeking to leave his mark all over the New Delhi. Maitri Dore writes about the undemocratic and neo-colonial inspirations behind the Central Vista’s proposed redesign.

In the iconic town of Barsana, a legendary celebration of Holi continues to bring vibrant colours into the 21st century. Idris Ahmed shares some of his best photos of the ‘Barsana Bhog’ in recent years.

Sudha Murty’s book is rich and empowered offering of many women, many goddesses, many warriors, and many queens, all coming together to tell you one thing: that they’re makers of their own destinies - writes Urmi Bhattacheryya

A short film from Mussoorie Writers, featuring Ganesh Saili reading from his 2012 book Gupp and Gossip from the Hills.

‘If fear had a smell, it’s the air in the riot-torn areas in Northeast Delhi’ - Photos from the remnants of violence, by Sanjay Basak

‘That night I knew that there was magic left in this world’ – On a trek to Kedar Tal, Zachary Conrad faced danger, awe, and unmatched beauty.

At the recent Literary Festival in Jaipur, Karan Madhok spoke to a number of critically and commercially successful Indian writers about the future of fiction, on how the new wave will shape the novels of the next decade.

Set out with potential to challenge Indian societal norms, Nitin Kakkar’s Jawaani Janeman instead ends up ‘settling down’ - in disappointing fashion. Review by Nidhi Choksi Dhakan

Short story by Jamie Alter: ‘Suddenly, from just ahead of the lamppost in front of the hawa-ghar, appeared the frame of an elderly man. Mr Rathore could swear that nothing had been there just seconds ago.’

A Mumbai native searches for methods in the madness, in her city’s daily abilities to survive and thrive on a prayer - by Shaista Vaishnav

A short film from Mussoorie Writers, featuring Colleen and Hugh Gantzer reading from their 2011 travelogue The Alluring North, part of their Intriguing India series.