In his series In Between Dreams, the paintings of Bhutanese artist Pema ‘Tintin’ Tshering ask the question of what lies beyond what we can see, in the space between understanding and mystery. By Amritesh Mukherjee

Nalanda was not a singular anomaly but the culmination of a thousand years of intellectual tradition. Amritesh Mukherjee reflects on Abhay K.’s latest book on the subject, and how the ‘mahavihara’ can serve as a beacon for contemporary educational institutions.

Popular historian Sanjeev Sanyal pushed the account of India’s intellectual decline post the Islamic conquests. In his research essay, Joshua Fernandes challenges Sanyal’s stance by presenting a connected history through a survey of Sino-Tibetan literature. 

Three poems by Santasree Chaudhuri: ‘a love story- a harmony / of, / shadow of light / playing /hide and seek’

From Bandarpunch and Nanda Devi to the Annapurna and more, Zachary Conrad recommends five must-read books for a better understanding of the mountains we seek to scale—beyond us, and within us.