Of People and Places

How about a little cheer in times of gloom? This is the story of farmers in Karnataka who have formed companies to market and sell the fruits and vegetables that they grow. A story of farmers with very small holdings, mostly tenants who don’t own the land - but who, through collective efforts, have already started supplying to bulk buyers in cities like Bangalore. Since the lockdown, their activities have intensified. Now they have the concept of ‘farm to fork', selling produce in apartment complexes and gated communities directly to people like you and me, out to buy some fresh produce to make our dinners. The unique thing is that when you buy from them, you are not just satisfying your own needs. You are contributing to food security, investing in ecologically safe farming practices, providing employment to a large network of enterprising youth in villages, and strengthening the resolve of farming communities to secure their livelihoods. And you could do ...

Abhishek is working in Eklavya Publications – A man of many talents, he has an abiding passion for literature, is well-read, opinionated and can break into song at the drop of a hat. His djembe has been a source of delight for many of us, when at sunsets and full moon nights he sings and plays, his eyes shining. The music makes us forget our troubles, at least for a little while. He often writes poetry in the form of songs and sets them to music.  This is a conversation in two parts. This is part one of the conversation-- Were you interested in theatre right from childhood? My interest in theatre came in much later, after I came to Bhopal to study Mass Communication. In the villages and the cities where I lived or in the schools that I went to as a child – there was never an atmosphere where somebody was reading, or somebody was interested in poetry, theatre or the arts.  I moved constantly with my parents, and I have lived in many places but it wasn’t...

We were given an assignment to build an impression of Mandu through illustrations. We spent a week there, explored all the places and monuments to our heart's content and built a relationship with the place. This doesn't often happen when you travel as a tourist. So, I was glad. This assignment made me focus on the place, on what made it different from other places I had visited and the kind of mood and ambience it had. As soon as we enter Dhar, the landscape changes slightly. There is a fantastic view of the valley and a very prominent gorge enroute - called suicide point. Cliched really. I wish it was called something else. The current name is not befitting something as magical as Mandu.  We enter the fortified town through a large, ancient gateway.It is quite dry and arid outside. The Vindhya ranges that Mandu is located in show their characteristic flat- topped, plateau-like peaks. The Gray Langur, more human than animal, watches us from the tree near the ruins. The...