Category Archives: Borrowed Words

R.I.P Kurt Vonnegut

Posted on April 12, 2007 by Neha Viswanathan

Kurt Vonnegut was not a man to be messed with. I read Slaughterhouse-Five at a slightly impressionable age. You know that age when you are genuinely impressed with authors. But the one piece that I keep returning to – for … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Borrowed Words | 2 Comments

Paris thoughtlets: On cities, museums, souvenirs, fakes etc.

Posted on April 11, 2007 by Neha Viswanathan

Like any other city driven and shaped for tourists, Paris is abundant with souvenir shops. I don’t quite know how to react to souvenirs. When I was working in India, we used to pick up local handicrafts. But over time … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Borrowed Words, Cities, Culture, History and Monuments, Photographs, Rants and Rambles, Travel | 6 Comments

Kishore Kumar, an interview from 1985

Posted on March 28, 2007 by Neha Viswanathan

We’re back in a retro mood. There are these rare spaces in each week, when existential questions are put aside without any effort. There’s this interview that Pritish Nandy did with Kishore Kumar that’s a complete gem. It’s a little … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowed Words, History and Monuments, Music, Film and Art | 12 Comments

Podcast: Bearhug by Michael Ondaatje

Posted on March 20, 2007 by Neha Viswanathan

I spent some time today reading Michael Ondaatje. Ondaatje is probably better known for his book, The English Patient. But far better than his prose, is his poetry. Filled with the minutiae of relationships and gestures. I felt like reading … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowed Words, Podcast | 9 Comments

On struggling with poems, language and culture

Posted on November 13, 2006 by Neha Viswanathan

Last night I was thinking of the murderous Hindi tests that included a viva voce. Which meant that Hindi poems had to be recited by rote. Some of the poems were a blasted 30 stanzas long. The teacher would recite … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowed Words, India, Poetry and Fiction | 16 Comments

Autumn Heart Mother

Posted on October 25, 2006 by Neha Viswanathan

Autumn in London marks itself by its absence. The leaves are yellow, orange, gold and brown for just a few days before the wind strips the trees bare. But the leaves meet water puddles and for some hours, the collage … Continue reading →

Posted in Borrowed Words, Cities, London, Photographs | 7 Comments

RK Narayan, Malgudi and Memory

Posted on October 11, 2006 by Neha Viswanathan

RK Narayan – the man who brought many an afternoon alive with Malgudi would have been a hundred years yesterday. The Hindu, otherwise given to preachiness, has a nicely written piece by N Ram on the reluctant centenarian. I know … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Borrowed Words | 6 Comments