In the Voice of the Other: Rassul Galwan’s Autobiography, Servant of Sahibs
In 1923, W. Heffer & Sons Ltd. published an unusual book titled Servant of Sahibs: A Book to be Read Aloud. The book is an autobiographical account of Rassul Galwan, a Ladakhi native, who began his career as a servant and companion of European and American explorers in their expeditions through
A Slow, Watchful Patience: Salim Ali’s Essay, Stopping by the Woods on a Sunday Morning
As slick city dwellers, it is easy to develop an aversion to the crows and pigeons that seek asylum in our balconies. But Salim Ali, the original ‘Birdman of India’, shows us a different way to look at these pesky creatures. As a pioneer in the field of Orinthology, Ali did not have to adhere t
The Quintessential Anxiety of Adulthood: Rabindranath Tagore’s Letters
1887 was a wholly unremarkable year for Rabindranath Tagore. Except for the fact that he turned the ripe old age of twenty seven. Although Tagore had published several short stories, essays, a novel and a collection of poems by then, he was still tormented by the quintessential anxiety of adulthood.
Intersecting Politics with Poetry: Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s Poem, Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat
Faiz Ahmed Faiz is most famous today for the many love ballads he has inspired. Yet in his own time, he was a member of the Progressive Writers Movement and an avid Marxist, often jailed for months together for his communist views in the newly formed Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Aur bhi dukh hain
Humour and Defiance: Ismat Chughtai’s Essay, The Lihaf Trial
Humour has a long-standing relationship with defiance; satire and irony have launched as many revolutions as bullets and missiles. And yet, there is a different kind of humour–a harmless, light-hearted mirth—which does not seek to attack or gain victory. It seeks only to celebrate life and its