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Bohemian Ifs and Classical Butts at the Hermitage
I had mentioned in my previous post of how we had spent a day at the Hermitage Museum and I wanted to share the pictures with you. It was a day of contrasts: the classical beauties in the museum alongside the rusted beauties on the canals. Each unique in their own way. I was hesitant to…
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My Teaching / Training Philosophy
I wrote this article for Linkedin. Please do share your views on the link provided. —– I believe in building a community of learners in which we value each other’s independent thoughts. The classroom is a safe place where we come to learn from the tutor or trainer, from our textbooks and research papers, from…
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Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam
The Tropenmuseum is an ethnographic museum started in 1864 and located in Amsterdam. I have visited it on numerous occasions and each time I discover something new. Recently, I was intrigued by their marvellous exhibition called Fashion Cities Africa. In this show they have on display visually dramatic and gorgeously textured fabrics. They have a room…
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The Boho Life at Hutspot
Hutspot is one of the coolest spaces I have discovered in Amsterdam. It is a chilled-out creative area spread over two levels, in which you can work, lounge, shop, get a haircut, grab a coffee or a snack. It’s biggest plus point is its easy-going vibe. With multiple seating arrangements and a non-conformist atmosphere it…
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Teaching the Ghazal in Class
Last week I was subbing at the Vrije Universteit for the Genre, Literature and Analysis class for the Bachelor First Year course. I was teaching the villanelle and ghazal, which involved aspects of the forms as well as close reading. I found myself in a room full of bright, intelligent, engaged, and wise students. They…
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Poet Natasha Trethewey wins the 2017 Heinz Award
It is wonderful to hear that poet Natasha Trethewey has been named the 2017 Heinz Award Winner – Northwestern Now. Trethewey has written a magnificent ghazal “Miscegenation” that I discuss in my PhD dissertation on the American ghazal. [Image: Poets.org]
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Lisbon day 4: Belem and Museu Berardo
Belem pichkari jo tune mujhe maari Toh bole re zamana kharabi ho gayi Planning the day for Belem had Apoorva constantly singing this warped song and now everytime I think of Belem this tune is stuck in my head, HELP! Belem is gorgeous. What an inadequate adjective to use, so let me try harder, the sky is…
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Learning how to THINK: review of Bitasta Roy Mehta’s book Have a THINK
I applaud Bitasta Roy Mehta for hitting the nail directly on the head when it comes to people management, be it in organizational practices or as individual parts of the fabric of society. What am I talking about? A book called Have a THINK. I needed this book at this juncture of my career and…
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Those Literature Courses I Cook Up
In 2013, Apoorva put this up as his Facebook status update: Some electives for the upcoming Autumn term. What would you like to study? Sociology of the upper-middle class Misogyny and education Poetry of poverty Mental health in patriarchal societies Conflict and negotiation in family settings Mathematical methods for personal relationships Psychology of empathy History…
