A year after their daughter’s death, the Storries found themselves confronting a tsunami. Having gone on vacation to the Maldives, Graham and Mary and their sons were in a resort when the Sri Lankans working there began to get calls from home – the wave was on its way. “All the guests just barricaded themselves … Continue reading
When Sean Panikkar became the first person of South Asian descent to play Mahatma Gandhi in Philip Glass’ Satyagraha, it was the realisation of a lifetime’s dream. For the role, Sean had to shave his head, and learn how to inhabit the stillness and restraint that a portrayal of Gandhi called for. The performance itself … Continue reading
Lina Gedvilaite and Jacinta Lim like to talk about the time they went to Bali and met a driver named Ketut. They knew what they wanted to see – the truly local. Ketut’s response was to take them to meet local craftsmen in Bali’s remote villages. They were impressed by the guide’s knowledge and friendliness, … Continue reading
High-altitude training at sea level is not for the easily embarrassed. For the past few weeks, daybreak sees Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala and Johann Peries rise and gather their gear before they head to the beach or to a park. Endurance training has them pitting their strength against the high waves or lifting 20-kg weights in each … Continue reading
The comment thread under a YouTube video featuring Pankaj Mishra tends to get crowded quickly. The Indian novelist, essayist, literary critic, lecturer, and reporter has that effect on people – perhaps never more so than with his latest book, Age of Anger. Come 2018, Mishra has participated in more than his fair share of debates … Continue reading
It seems inevitable now that Richard Flanagan would come to know Siegfried Heidl better than John Friedrich. Heidl is a work of fiction, but he is Flanagan’s creation; Friedrich on the other hand, when all is said and done, was a man Flanagan spent just three weeks with, some 30 years ago. Yet, Friedrich has … Continue reading
Today, Prof. Eyal Weizman will deliver the 18th Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust Lecture at BMICH. Its open to all, and you should go. From experience, I can tell you that Weizman’s work is both provocative and significant. We met when the Israeli professor was a speaker at the Falling Walls conference in Berlin. The conference is … Continue reading
