Culture Archives

Will We Ever Find Love Like Our Parents Did?

My parents have been together for over three decades, while my relationship seems to come with a shelf-life of about three months. How were my parents so happy spending their lives together, while my generation runs away from commitment as if it were a jail sentence?

Nihal Bambulkar July 21, 2016

Culture

When Ganpati Came Without Abs and ₹260 Crore Insurance Cover

The Ganesh festival started as a well-intentioned social movement, but has now turned into a game of political one-upmanship and misplaced pride. Now every suburb has a Raja with a hefty insurance cover and the size of every idol is a reflection of the corporator’s ego.

Ramjaane July 17, 2016

POV

The Case for Arranged Marriage

An arranged marriage is thoughtful curation more than a blind choice. People with similar customs, tradition, and upbringing are likely to make fewer compromises, fight lesser, and be happier. Truth is, marriages are not made in heaven, they are made in convenience.

Ramjaane July 17, 2016

Love and Sex

What’s Stopping Millennials from Dating Someone with the Same Cultural Upbringing?

Three months ago, I met and spent time getting to know someone who spoke the same mother tongue as me. At first, it felt like discovering a whole new part of myself. But soon, the sameness started feeling suffocating. I felt like I knew him too well, too soon, and that his red flags could never have the luxury of just being flags.

Poulomi Das July 15, 2016

Modern Family

Shaadi Ke Side Effects: When a Maharashtrian Marries a Marwari

Maharashtrians are frugal, Marwaris are shaukeen. A Maharashtrian’s wedding budget is a Marwari’s lehenga budget. I married a Marwari and though our cultures take us in two different directions, we’ve found a place to make things work. It’s called midway.

Ramjaane May 28, 2016

POV

The Things I’d do to Avoid Holi

Whether it is the workplace or the neighbourhood, conning Holi and its rituals has become regular practice for me. So much so I have plans, both mental and tangible, to make sure I survive the week.

Jagruti Verma May 28, 2016

Gender

Why Do Men Spread Their Legs and Women Cross Theirs?

In India, years of conditioning demand women to be submissive and almost invisible in public, while boys are rarely made conscious of their bodies. As a result, young boys grow up to become adults who don’t think twice before taking up extra space even at the cost of someone else’s inconvenience.

Amrita Paul May 26, 2016

Pop Culture

Revisit Wild Wild Country Before You Start Searching for Sheela

Had Rajneeshpuram been a successful experiment, would the “freaks” – the ones with radical ideas – have had a chance at being mainstream? Osho was an idea that had daunting potential before he went and armed himself to the teeth, finds the new documentary Wild Wild Country.

Sharan Saikumar May 21, 2016

Technology

Can Any of Us Afford to Live Offline?

Going offline is not an option. The work culture today demands that you are available 24X7 – over the phone, on WhatsApp, and email. And even if it’s not work, can you walk into a conversation if you have nothing to say about that viral tweet from @wokeboyhimtoo.

Yashasvini Mathur April 20, 2016

POV

“Tu Bahar Mil”: Ashish Pandey’s Gun-Waving is Utterly Unsurprising for Delhi, India’s Rage Capital

For a Dilli boy, there was nothing shocking about a politician’s son waving a pistol outside the lobby of a posh hotel. Rather, I was filled with a weird sense of nostalgia, as this incident reminded me of all the Ashish Pandeys I’ve grown up with in my hometown.

Aakash Ahuja April 18, 2016