“Our biggest strength is that the sheer number of our artisans equals the entire population of several countries, plus the diversity of crafts. Due to varied regional backgrounds, almost all types of craft practices exist in our country, along with their skill level. So, these three aspects—their numbers, diversity, and skill level—form our strength.” (Sandeep Kumar Patel, Assistant Director, Handicrafts, in his interview with Priyadarshi Patnaik.)  (FEATURE)

“We always strongly differentiate between art, unique and without a second, and craft, which can be produced in multitudes, though not the same. This distinction is one of the key reasons we decided to focus on crafts so that our readers realise the wide spectrum of processes, efforts and tools that go into creating them. Further, they are no less than any artwork.” (Dr Priyadarshi Patnaik and Dr Pinaki Gayen, in their Editorial Comments.)  (FEATURE)

“In Santiniketan, and in a more subtle way in Sahaj Path, Tagore dreamed of learning spaces in which the sensibility of the child is formed by direct experience with nature; thus, nurturing respect, awe and moral obligation to the planet.” (Aditi Samanta in “Where Nature Teaches: Ecological Consciousness and Pedagogy in Tagore’s Sahaj Path.”)  (LITERARY SECTION) 

“For me, the idea of a perpetual journey comes from the way we experience life. We reach one destination and then start looking towards another. We achieve something and then begin questioning what comes next.” (Harsh Prakash in “Chandra N in Conversation with Harsh Prakash.”)  (LITERARY SECTION) 

The story “Bou-Chandi’s Lea” by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay (1894-1950), the master novelist and storyteller from Bengal, is translated by Debolina Nath and Bidyabrata Majumdar. It deals with the mysterious disappearance of a young woman married to a much older man, which becomes a legend in village folklore. (FICTION)

Tulsi Charan Bisht’s “A Snowy Evening Tale” is a chilling story of an elderly person living alone, caught in a dilemma during a stormy night, whether to provide shelter to a leopard in distress outside, risking his life, or remain unconcerned. Read the story to find out what he does. (FICTION)

Ubaid Bukhari’s poems bring to the surface the angst that persists within the individual, even in surroundings that appear deceptively silent. His poems uncover the unsettling reality of what it means to be alive in a fractured world. (POETRY)

Thang Khe Chok’s poems bring human beings into an intimate relationship with nature, illuminating the profound connections they share. Through this interplay of the human and the natural world, his poems evoke experiences of exile and freedom, the transience of life, and the ceaseless search for truth. (POETRY)

Ishmeet Kaur Chaudhry’s (in the pic) review examines Hoihnu Hauzel’s Stories the Fire Could Not Burn as both a deeply personal account of displacement and loss and an essential act of historical documentation. 

Some other engaging reviews are – Ketaki Datta’s review of a memoir Streetwise: Getting to and Through Goldman Sachs by Lloyd Blankfein and Radha Chakravarty’s review of a poetry collection The Red Woman by Laksmisree Banerjee.  (BOOK REVIEWS)
 

Nitisha Gudivaka (in the pic) presents Redtooth – A Himalayan Horror Story by Satyajit Sarna as an atmospheric thriller in which Himalayan landscapes, folklore, and psychological unease converge to create a slow-burning horror experience. 

Equally perceptive is the review of Raghav Chinivar’s Dance like a Trans: From Jogathi to Padma Shri by Semeen Ali. (BOOK REVIEWS)