Israr Hasan

Betwixt and between: Tales from a Nepali-Indian girlhood

Ravindra's prose is brisk, smooth, and detailed, with numerous stories from traditional Nepali and Hindu folklore chipped in, adding layers as the story unfolds.

1m ago

Stitching fragments of a city lost in time

In the contested notion of creating a ‘nation,’ few ideas provoke as much ire among the everyday citizens of a bordered entity as the concept of a space—one that carries with it the weight of instilling an identity.

2m ago

Down the rabbit hole of science and art

The city of Prague, now the capital of the Czech Republic, was once the breeding hotspot of the 20th century’s greatest writers, scientists, scholars, and activists.

7m ago

Witnessing the Turkish century

In the post-9/11 world, no country’s name has been evoked more than Turkey’s (or its newly rebranded name of Türkiye) in public discussions by foreign policy pundits and politicians alike, to demonstrate the harmonious symbiosis of the East and West, Islam and secularism, and tradition and modernity.

11m ago

An enigma amongst nations

In Alex Christofi’s newly published fascinating book—Cypria: A Journey to the Heart of the Mediterranean—we get a deep close-range look at one of world civilisation’s interesting hotspots that has long swayed between the cross-currents of the rise and fall of the great monotheisms.

1y ago

A love letter to traveling with friends

A review of ‘Roaming’ (Drawn and Quarterly, 2023) by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

1y ago

A graphic novel on the push and pull of friendships

The stories occur in places deeply etched into many of our memories—from rooftops to buses to benches in the park to the digital world of emails and texts.

2y ago

Lee Lai's 'Stone Fruit': Jokes, rhymes, and the depths of relationships

One of the most searing scenes in Lee Lai’s magnificent graphic novel, Stone Fruit (Fantagraphics, 2021) is when a young child, Nessie,

3y ago
August 25, 2020
August 25, 2020

Reviving fondness of vogue through reading

As we spend more time whiling away our time on Netflix or any other streaming service during the quarantine period, we should also be acutely aware of the importance of self-care in our times of compulsory isolation.

August 14, 2020
August 14, 2020

Clash of the tech titans

Social media has also not been left untouched as proponents and distractors of social distancing battle it out. The world of technology likewise has its fair share of arguments with the latest battle-taking place between tech billionaires of Silicon Valley, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg on the easing down of lockdowns.

August 11, 2020
August 11, 2020

The revolutionary history of the Swivel Chair

Be it in office boardrooms, workplaces or even our own bedrooms with our gadgets and computers/laptops, there is one common denominator we are bound to find in all three — the swivel chair, more commonly known as the revolving chair.

July 28, 2020
July 28, 2020

Relishing the delights of the Deli

The Gulshan Baking Company (GBC) had its inauguration on 18 December, 2019, when the Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan Hotel, a part of the esteemed Marriott International portfolio, made its grand debut in Bangladesh.

July 20, 2020
July 20, 2020

A good summer for fans of science biopics: Tesla and Curie headed our way

Two of the most thrilling biopics have knocked their way into our screens this summer: Tesla and Radioactive. One, which many would argue, is a testament to the afterlife resurgence of a reclusive and much-underappreciated scientist while the latter deals with a rich scientific legacy cemented on fighting the societal evils of sexism, xenophobia, and poverty.

July 17, 2020
July 17, 2020

The rise and fall of TikTok

TikTok has breathed in a completely new possibility of whiling away one's time other than having meetings on Zoom or chilling with Netflix. While both of the latter activities are primarily connected to work and solitary leisure hours, TikTok acts as a portal of unlimited creative pursuits through dancing, lip-syncing, and memes.

July 17, 2020
July 17, 2020

Rediscovering books in lockdown

The raging pandemic has put a painful bind on publishers and readers alike hindering physical and social mobility. This has resulted in the book lovers' paradise known as Nilkhet being shut down meaning bibliophiles cannot have the chance to get hold of their beloved hardcover books.

July 7, 2020
July 7, 2020

Organising the kitchen properly in 3 simple steps

With a significant decrease in the number of deliveries ordered and less dining happening outside in the current situation, many of us now find ourselves spending longer periods of time with children and other family members at home, 24/7.

July 3, 2020
July 3, 2020

Five Isaac Asimov books you should read

With the release of Apple TV's Foundation TV series, based on Asimov's most famous storybook collection, "The Foundation" series, his legacy remains firmly cemented on all of our minds. Here are a few books we should read to gain a deeper insight into the mind of the titan literary polymath.

June 30, 2020
June 30, 2020

The quintessential summer drink

The “sharbat” or “sherbet” is commonplace on everyone’s table during this time of stifling heat of the monsoon season. The sherbet acts as a cool drink composed of fruits and herbs serving as a stimulant and energiser at the same time.