Post Tagged with: "Culture"

How African communities preserve their ancestral knowledges through dance and culinary practices in India

How African communities preserve their ancestral knowledges through dance and culinary practices in India

With the arrival of the European colonizers in India through the Indian Ocean world, the country emerged as a powerful space for several social, cultural, political, and economic exchanges with countries in Africa and other parts of the world. Historical records reveal that Africans arrived in India mostly from Ethiopia and other parts of eastern Africa over two phases (https://indianexpress.com/article/research/african-rulers-of-india-that-part-of-our-history-we-choose-to-forget/).[Read More…]

by 15/10/2021 Comments are Disabled India
The Kiss in the Time of SARS-CoV-19

The Kiss in the Time of SARS-CoV-19

For Suda J., who lives in M’rira (Tunisia) I dare not ask a kiss; I dare not beg a smile; [. . . ] No, no, the utmost share Of my desire, shall be Only to kiss that air, That lately kissed thee. Robert Herrick, To Electra, 23. What is it that we just love about an embrace and why[Read More…]

by 17/08/2020 Comments are Disabled Arts/Literature
The Rising Binod Culture

The Rising Binod Culture

This morning when I opened Facebook, my newsfeed was swarmed with people sharing the same monosyllabic status update. They were writing Binod, a male given name popular in Asia, and people in the comment section were leaving Binod in the comments. When I switched to Twitter, Binod was trending at number 3. My curiosity was picking up speed. To my[Read More…]

by 11/08/2020 Comments are Disabled Life/Philosophy
How to Market Traditional Art and Protect Heritage at the Same Time

How to Market Traditional Art and Protect Heritage at the Same Time

Some years ago, a local bakery chain in Kerala started making traditional snacks. The one that caught my attention was the Neyyappam, the ghee-fried cake that later made the news during the Android N naming campaign. My first response was that of joy- at being able to revive childhood memories that were getting lost due to busier lifestyles. But while[Read More…]

by 04/08/2020 Comments are Disabled Uncategorized
Dropping “Fair” from Fair & Lovely: Can we change the mindset?

Dropping “Fair” from Fair & Lovely: Can we change the mindset?

The finest clothing made is a person’s own skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this. — Mark Twain An advertisement for Fair and Lovely, a skin whitening product showing results of before and after use Pico Iyer who writes about cultures converging refers to India as his “stepmother land.” In next to the last chapter of his[Read More…]

by 03/07/2020 Comments are Disabled Life/Philosophy