Opinion

Lynchings, which continue unabated, reveal the existence of old, resilient anxieties embedded in a seemingly cosmopolitan fabric

Work out

• Sir - There has been a significant rise in the incidence of lifestyle dis... | Read»

Ageless technique

• Sir - Rafael Nadal should be congratulated for winning the French Open ti... | Read»

Help at hand

• Sir - It is commendable that the P.C. Chandra Group helped the young Sath... | Read»

Small world

• Sir - Millennials have grown up in the age of virtual reality. Earlier, f... | Read»

Cinema is a luminescent medium. I'm thinking now of its original form: black and white, where the source of the image - light - is obvious. Movies came into their own when they were shot, either in an interior or outdoors, during the day or in the studio or under arc lights that reproduced the day. The subject of fiction might be the narrator's thoughts or the protagonist's actions; a painting's might be a moment or a scene; but the subject of black and white movies was light, and, on some level, the transformation of the day into night.

Long before air-conditioners became as common as the fan, the oppression of the prolonged spell of extreme summer heat was somewhat alleviated by the appearance of the golden fruit of the season - luscious mangoes. The other object that brought comfort was the earthen pitcher or kalsi, which, in another avatar, was known as the kunjo or surahi. The latter had a long neck and a bulbous belly, and both kalsi and kunjo were much sought after because of their ability to cool drinking water that, by some mysterious chemical reaction, became scented with the aroma of rain falling on parched ground when stored in these containers. People of a certain age will remember how railway stations in Bihar would once resound with the cries of men selling the kunjo made of black earth that had extraordinary cooling properties.

Once every four years, the world fits perfectly in a cup. This year, the football World Cup - the competition is a magnet that draws the whole of the world - is being organized by Russia. The interest in the tournament can only be described as phenomenal. Thirty-two teams - the number has been raised to 48 for the 2026 edition - their staff and innumerable supporters have descended on Russia to partake in the spectacle. The tremors can be felt even in such distant lands as Calcutta, which has already begun its ritual of honouring its favourite teams with art - wall graffitis are common - and affection. Hearteningly, India's dismal Fifa ranking has never been an obstacle to the public adulation for the competition.

The failure to prepare is preparing to fail. A national risk index, prepared by the Union home ministry with the help of the United Nations Development Programme, shows just how unprepared Indian states are to deal with natural and man-made disasters. The index, hearteningly, takes a rounded approach. It factors in not just susceptibility to natural disasters and actions taken by the states to mitigate risk, but also economic vulnerabilities of the people - this is key as the underprivileged often bear the brunt of a disaster - and growing challenges posed by environmental changes. Maharashtra is the most vulnerable state, followed by West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. 

WHEN THE MOON SHINES BY DAY By Nayantara Sahgal, Speaking Tiger, Rs 399

SAVAGES AND OTHER NEIGHBORS By Michael Chacko Daniels, Writers Workshop, Rs 1,000

LAID TO REST: THE CONTROVERSY OVER SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE'S DEATH By Ashis Ray, Roli, Rs 595

STRANGERS NO MORE: NEW NARRATIVES FROM INDIA'S NORTHEAST By Sanjoy Hazarika, Aleph, Rs 799