tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102125482009-11-15T01:50:12.878+05:30In Punjabi 'jugni' is a word for a joyous young woman who travels from one place to another having interesting experiences that she weaves into her stories.mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-25574496092522421162009-09-15T14:23:00.000+05:302009-09-15T14:24:13.719+05:30

Go see 9 because it looks fantastic and has wonderful details, the characters are touching and lovingly created, and its a great example of the amazing history and future of animation. Knowing that Tim Burton produced it was enough to get us excited (and willing to pay the exorbitant Rs. 225/- for the premiere). Way back when, I knew that I wanted to see more of this Samir Parker guy because of

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-60163529734736176962009-09-15T14:20:00.000+05:302009-09-15T14:22:19.465+05:30

The most talked-about aspect of the current situation in Iran, is Twitter. In the past weeks Twitter has reportedly provided opportunities for Iranian protesters to send out information during that government's refusal to allow (mostly Western) journalists to report on the aftermath of the (suspect) re-election of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. So the hottest tweet is possibly, ironically, about Twitter

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-40915573155953815312009-02-25T17:28:00.004+05:302009-02-25T17:53:55.267+05:30

This is the only shot of anything remotely to do with the Armed Forces that I got over the eleven day period we were in Manipur. I had heard so much about the conflict in Manipur and I was eager to see; the conflict tourism factor I suppose. There were far too many moments when I wanted to take pictures of the presence of the army here, but I must admit that they made me nervous, at first, and

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-33869163048726517532009-02-25T17:09:00.003+05:302009-02-25T17:26:15.376+05:30

Tuisam, Che and Anirban. Che evoked far too much interest on this trip and I think he was one of the reasons we were looked over quite carefully.

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-83634061048480843792009-02-24T14:22:00.006+05:302009-02-24T15:11:06.428+05:30

Kachai was lovely. What came next was not. The replacement jeep actually showed up the next day. Later in the evening, worried that it was getting late, our trusted Mr Tuisem negotiated with a local tourist jeep-ferry service to drop us to the SHIDO (NGO training centre rest-house) in A.Changta where we were to stay. The jeep was open on the sides, its green frame resting on four shaky wheels.

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-33361480706792503972009-02-24T13:34:00.002+05:302009-02-24T13:37:05.465+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Kachai Lunch Home, originally uploaded by Maya Mem. A photographer friend & colleague, Anirban, calls me one day and says 'do you want to go to Manipur?'Of course, I say, always up for an adventure. There is very very

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-24160858939939489712009-02-24T13:24:00.004+05:302009-02-24T14:17:34.688+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Lemon Lolly, originally uploaded by Maya Mem. Post nap and still waiting for the replacement jeep, Ban, my photographer friend and colleague, suggested that we may be missing an opportunity to make lemonade. Kachai, we

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-52931282881480271182008-11-29T13:39:00.003+05:302008-12-01T18:31:14.707+05:30

Desi dogs do it Indianstyle. Outrage is fat-free, so gratifying and comes cheap at wholesale rates. An all-new season of bash-a-Moslem begins and we expect high TRPs.Another self righteous deshbhakt whines about the politicunts while doing a jai mata di on the brave boys in uniform.This is no worse than we deserve, putting our faith in age and caste loyalties. We prefer the criminally senile in

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-10237357297992298122008-11-28T19:55:00.002+05:302008-11-28T19:57:52.416+05:30

I heard the news today, Oh Boy ….. We have been pissing ourselves with glee as the page3 tip of theIsland has taken over all 24 hours of the news cycle on CNN and the BBC. Witlessly thrilling at the desi news channel logos popping up in the upper corners of western TV screens even as they seek to black out the chaddi adverts running at the bottom.We cringe, mid snooze, even as the post-electoral

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-39659063245782397902008-09-18T16:26:00.004+05:302008-09-18T16:50:02.388+05:30

This is in response to this story in last week's issue of Tehelka available here:http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=Ne130908CoverStory.aspIt was serendipitious indeed that I left for Kalahandi a few days after I received the latest issue of Tehelka. I've spent the past three days in Kalahandi profiling elected women representatives; naturally, I had to ask about the violence in

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-21402305647460294562008-07-22T12:55:00.004+05:302008-07-22T13:42:38.974+05:30

I was born in Delhi.I grew up in Vellore, Tamil Nadu and then left as soon as I legally could.First stop, three years for college in Madras.Next, I moved to Delhi, where I lived for eight years at five different addresses.I’ve just discovered that my PAN card was probably delivered to an ex-boyfriend’s residence, where I lived for two years, a few months after I broke up with him and moved out.

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-66951287491838267122008-07-08T18:36:00.002+05:302008-07-09T02:17:07.287+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Us and Them, originally uploaded by psychodelicat. So there I was standing on Linking Road, BandraWhich was positively heaving on a Sunday evening.Smoking a cig, stalling, and rationalizing having to deal with the

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-81841533826511173792008-06-01T22:01:00.001+05:302008-06-01T22:01:41.994+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Before the show, originally uploaded by psychodelicat. Ruma, Kalpana, Shefali, three amazing teenagers I had the opportunity to get to know this past week. All three of them live in Purulia, a poor, remote district in West

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-23867595488084774152008-05-02T18:36:00.001+05:302008-05-02T18:36:34.914+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } , originally uploaded by SkEye Travel.

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-78725435329729912232008-05-02T13:38:00.011+05:302008-05-05T10:33:38.098+05:30

Visit a busy Hindu temple and you’ll probably find some bizarre manifestations of simple human (or animal) instincts and behaviour on display. The last mainstream Hindu temple I visited was Kalighat in Calcutta in 2003. She was a wild melee of physical sensations, intimacies, huckstering, chaos, completely obliterating intellectual, mental or cognitive behaviour. And entirely satisfying for it.

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-81486851693084280302008-04-24T23:24:00.001+05:302008-04-24T23:24:36.512+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } , originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. I suppose primary school is a fascinating place in retrospect. At the risk of romanticising that time, I think that it was a possibly a space of the sharpest intuitions and the most

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-43702766329994224882008-04-24T22:24:00.001+05:302008-04-24T22:24:35.630+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } , originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. Where we spent our sunsets. It was incredibly hot in the day and parents who would have liked to practice their t'ai chi here in the mornings could not bear the raw 6am sun. I had

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-8518971714620037242008-04-24T22:21:00.001+05:302008-04-24T22:21:35.077+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Morning, originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. Its been a long time since I had a summer holiday. Summer holidays were what you had between school terms. You spent time with family.My mother turns 60 in a few weeks and

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-10282221381667198242008-04-21T13:47:00.001+05:302008-04-21T13:47:26.904+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } , originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. This used to be a favourite side thing to meals in childhood, every mouthful presenting different flavours and textures. Chewy slightly bitter green skin. Sinewy tarty mango. Gritty

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-26653743697756085602008-04-01T00:42:00.005+05:302008-04-01T01:23:40.347+05:30

Its sometimes strange being an Indian who does not care about cricket. I suppose it helps that I am a woman. I sometimes think that one of the many many uses of sport is intra-gender bonding and communication particularly in vague, awkward relationships: whatever would sons-in-law and fathers-in-law talk about if not for sport? So I think in a nice distant intellectual tradition I enjoy watching

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-50960038319309988342008-03-24T22:44:00.001+05:302008-03-24T22:44:07.764+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } The Writing is on the Wall, originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. Gerwa village, Balrampur Block, Purulia, West Bengal The background to this is that this is one wall of the shed that used to house the generator for the

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-35841072080326089502008-03-24T15:08:00.001+05:302008-03-24T15:08:08.254+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } War, originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. More Chhau

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-83020072383841085682008-03-24T15:07:00.001+05:302008-03-24T15:07:21.895+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Strike a pose, originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. Being treated to one of my favourite dance forms (physical tradition actually), chhau, in Purulia. It was very exciting to see this happen live, right in front of me, and

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-3310521483811944692008-03-24T15:04:00.001+05:302008-03-24T15:04:07.421+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Exterior Design with Red Ribbons, originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. I went to this Santhal village in Purulia with the NGO who was working there and it struck me how neatly the HIV prevention posters were stuck on these

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10212548.post-84344741333928664672008-03-24T15:02:00.001+05:302008-03-24T15:02:42.682+05:30

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } CTRL + India, originally uploaded by SkEye Travel. I was actually trying to see how I could get a shot of the India patch on the trousers without obviously hunkering down and focussing in on this man's crotch. But

mayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02641093655533802162noreply@blogger.com0