Gajaman Nona and Emily Bronté

Gajaman Nona of Sri Lanka (1748-1814) lived in the end of Dutch and early British rule of the country in the south of Sri Lanka. She was able to spew out poetry as answer to any question, anytime. She had an erudite mind and was keen to learn.

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Encounters

City, cinema and culture

[Part 2]

Last week I discussed the complex relationship that exists between city, cinema and culture. Today, as a way of illustrating some of those ideas and reflections, I wish to examine the Calcutta trilogy by Satyajit Ray.

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Cultural Scene

Hindi versus Urdu

In this concluding column on Hindi literary culture, I examine, briefly, how Hindi emerged as a major Indian language and the failed initiative to invent Hindustani, idealistic language made out of comingling of Hindi and Urdu, which had never seen the light of the day.

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