There was no kanji at home, so I had to make do with an appetising description of it in a story called A Brief History of the Carrot by Rosie Dastgir, included in the Claire Chambers-edited anthology, Desi Delicacies: Food Writing from Muslim South Asia. “He poured out two glasses that glowed in the afternoon light. Room temperature, as the aunt’s recipe specified. The taste of it was sour and pungent and strangely restorative, though not exactly as he remembered,” it goes. “Was some vital ingredient missing?” … [Read more...] about The kitchen’s calling: Rahul Verma reviews ‘Desi Delicacies: Food Writing from Muslim South Asia’
Religion
The Monk Who Left Journalism
He plans to expose what he calls the racket of religion and the myth of sadhus and goes off to Rishikesh to meet Swami Sivananda. He stays on for six months to see things firsthand at the ashram. While the rationalist in him refuses to believe in the existence of God, the journalist in him questions meaningless rituals and the seeker in him sets about experiencing everything. … [Read more...] about The Monk Who Left Journalism
