The Indian Rembrandt: Pestonji Bomanji’s Art
Pestonji Bomanji (1851 – 1938) brought the Parsi community to life through his vibrant portraits in a realist style. Bomanji joined the Sir J.J. School of Art at the mere age of
Surrendering to the Divine: Wahab Khar’s Poems
Little is known about Kashmiri mystic poet-saint Wahab Khar. He is said to have been born in the early 19th century and died in the year 1912. The dates are uncertain, but other bi
A Layered Kinship: Premchand’s story, “Bade Bhai Sahab”
Familial relationships form the bedrock of our social persona, giving us a lifelong benchmark against which we measure subsequent relationships. For this reason, the tensions of a
Of Life and Death: Anna Molka Ahmed’s Paintings
In 1963, the Pakistani government honoured Anna Molka Ahmed (1917 – 1944) with the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz,one of the highest civilian awards of excellence. It was a series of serend
Form and Feeling: S. N. Chemkur’s Book, Art and Beauty
In 1937, a book called Art and Beauty became an instant success and came to be hailed as a masterpiece furthering Indian art of the period. It contained twenty four paintings capt
The Language of Bengal and the Liberation War: Sufia Kamal’s Poems
Begum Sufia Kamal (1911 – 1999) was a Bangladeshi writer, poet and activist. Lovingly known as ‘Khalamma‘ (aunt), Kamal holds a special place in Bangladesh’s li
The Perils of Love: Kunwar Narain’s Poem, “A Strange Problem”
Nature and evolution has programmed us to pay close attention to things that strike us as different. While it empowered our ancestors who had to defend their turf from unknown pred
To Wander Far and Wide: Rabindranath Tagore’s Play, Dak Ghar
Finding an apt piece of writing for one’s current time and circumstance from Rabindranath Tagore’s oeuvre is not difficult. Tagore (1861-1941) wrote prolifically, spanning genr