In a detailed interview, Karan Mahajan spoke about exploring the uneven spaces between love and lust in the characters of The Complex, the prism-like perspectives of an extended Indian family, and how Delhi inspires his literary work. By Karan Madhok

Photography: In a monochromatic study of labour, dignity, and the tactile reality of survival in New Delhi, the photographer Danny presents a visual archive of the silent architects of our capital.

Photography by Aditya Sharma and Sumit Singh: The message at this year’s Beating Retreat ceremony felt sharper than ever, telling us that a nation’s power can be shown through ordered silence as much as through force.   

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

Photo Essay: From the historic lanes of Chandni Chowk to the healing sarovar of Bangla Sahib, devotees reaffirmed the timeless message of equality, service, and oneness of humanity on Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary. By Aditya Sharma and Sana Kauser

The dejhoor had been an ornament for Kashmiri Pandit women for thousands of years, narrating a story of continuity under pressure, womanhood refracted through history, and identity surviving the corrosion of displacement. By Prerna Bhat

Poems by Laila Brahmbhatt: ‘On the city’s edge, where destiny echoes, / hope crawled through cracks. / Even roses in New Delhi / orphan their thorns.’

“Jai Mata Di, let’s rock.” Himesh Reshammiya’s career has come full circle: from topping the charts, to flops and cringe compilations, and back to dominating global rankings. By Himanshi Aggarwal

In Night in Delhi (2025), Ranbir Sidhu lays bare the city of shadowlands, and of lives pushed to the margins of visibility and worth, as it exists in continuum alongside the bright and aestheticized metropolis. By Anjali Chauhan

Neha Dixit, the author of The Many Lives of Syeda X, speaks about the story of an ‘invisible’ India through the tale of one working-class woman, her approaches to journalism, and the “collective failure” of Indian society. By Saurabh Sharma

Despite a lack of narrative focus, Anisha Lalvani’s Girls Who Stray (2025) is a welcome, urgent entry to contemporary Indian literature, a poetic voice echoing the angsts of a generation of Indians, and specifically, of Indian women who refuse to be assigned to their roles. By Karan Madhok

Delhi-based musician Tarun Balani’s new album weaves jazz improvisation with Sindhi folk echoes, creating a cohesive journey through memory, identity, and longing. By Treya Sinha