Pradeep Damodaran, Lifafa, and Cargo - What's The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 3: We’re reading Pradeep Damodaran and Delia Owens; listening to Lifafa; watching Cargo. Featuring Shaista Vaishnav, Ady Manral, and Prateek Santram. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
Natives of Oblivion
Short story by Adrija Chatterjee: ‘The first time Aashi came home, he could feel her existence lurking precariously in a space that separated the two continents.’
Golchakkar: Indian Poetry from the Lockdown
Golchakkar Series - The January panel of our virtual literary talk features K.S. Subramanian, Mallika Bhaumik, and Amit Shankar Saha: Indian Poetry from the Lockdown.
Kranti Havi: How Swadesi Became India’s Most Potent Voice of Protest Hip Hop
“We intend to only make people realise that they can only change themselves before changing the world.” Multilingual Indian hip hop crew Swadesi discuss their inspirations, their place in India’s music scene, and sparking a revolution through rap -by Karan Madhok.
Everyday Rajasthan Travel Photo Contest 2020: The Winners!
Everyday Rajasthan and The Chakkar announce the winners of the 2020 Rajasthan Travel Photo Contest, with images that serve as an inspiration to explore the ‘Land of Kings’.
Shades of Life: Original Art by Sanjay Basak
The story of life through images: vivid, harsh, and warm, happy and sorrowful, colourful and violent. Here are some recent pieces of original art by Sanjay Basak.
Mental Health in India: Gaps in mental health care for India’s LGBTQ+ community
There are no special provisions for mental health for India’s sexual minorities, considering that they are often more likely to be economically marginalised, and may need more support. Sadaf Vidha explores the gaps and possible silver linings.
Excerpt: THE AWASTHIS OF AAMNAGRI by Shubha Sarma
‘Or perhaps, Pandit Dinanath Awasthi was exhausted. Tired of a large, brabbling family in a small, rented house, he was convinced that it was time to create memories in a home of his own.’ An excerpt from Shubha Sarma’s novel, The Awasthis of Aamnagri (2020).
Dancing In Deadlock: Kerala’s renowned Kathakali artistes have struggled to survive post the pandemic
Life during the Lockdown wasn’t easy for many Kathakali artistes, leaving the practitioners of India’s internationally-renowned ‘story play’ struggling to make their ends meet. - By Akhila Damodaran
a boy in a delhi refugee camp
A poem by Karan Madhok: “you survived: / a stranger among ancestors, / born on the wrong side of a new / imaginary line”
The Next Episodes: The Best Indian web series in a year of OTT excellence
The diversity of Hindi-language web series over the calendar year was truly remarkable, featuring shows that thrilled, entertained, and pushed forward Indian storytelling more than ever before. From Paatal Lok to Aarya, and Scam 1992 to Panchaayat and beyond, Jamie Alter picks ten of the very best.
Pardesi Pahadi: Avalanche on Apharwat
‘The avalanche went to ground; in its path all snow had slipped off the mountain, leaving only rocks and ice. For a moment the world was suspended in fear and dread. Chaos followed.’ Zachary Conrad recalls a fateful snowboarding adventure in Gulmarg and the lessons learned at the mercy of snowy, Kashmiri peaks.