City of Women

An evening wandering the streets of Madurai with Jeevitha where we discussed talking politics with Indian men, the joy of spontaneous trips with friends, and living in one of the world's oldest cities. Oh, and vadas, jasmine/mallipoo flowers, and the great goddess. Our thanks to Jeevitha.  Music credit: Pizzicato String - bright, fun, boppy by jsarrcreative / CC0 1.0 Universal This episode was wri...

A City of Women guide to finding freedom on two wheels.  Our thanks to Adrija, Andaleeb, Ikyatha, Mala, Mital, Riddhi, Sita, Sneha and Vividha. This episode was written and hosted by Menaka Raman and produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Yashwanth Vinay is our Sound producer. Menaka Raman is our Senior Producer. City of Women is executive produced, hosted, and written by Radhika Viswanathan and Samyukt...

There are gaps in our lives filled with a certain kind of longing. We are biding time as we wait for some version of our future selves to take shape. We fill this period with conversations in our heads or walking - even if we don't particularly like to. And everything is suffused with a sense of boredom.  Listen on headphones! Our thanks to Adrija, Anandi, Bindu, Dr Sneha Krishnan and Shruti. This...

Hello! As we gear up for the release of S6 we're sharing one of our early episodes - Movies! Our first episode, in it we ask what it is about the cinema that makes women feel so free. Whether you mass bunked to catch a first day first show or snuck off alone to escape real life for a few hours, movies have always been a form of escape. Written and produced by Radhika Viswanathan and Samyuktha Varm...

Former journalist, current writer and perennial Mumbai Girl Janhavi Samant takes us on a walking tour of the Dadar neighbourhood she's called home her entire life. Our thanks to Janhavi Samant and Saad Janhavi Shaan. You can read more about Janhavi's relationship with Dadar and Mumbai in her book, Faaltugiri and other Flashbacks.  This episode was edited and produced by Ashrita Achar and Menaka Ra...

A writer shares how she lives.  This episode is a part of our Literary City of Women Series. Thanks to Anandi Mishra , the writer. To read more of her work, you can find her on Substack at Scurf, or on X  @anandi010 This episode was written, narrated and produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Menaka Raman is our Senior Producer. Yashwanth Vinay is our Sound producer. Ashrita Achar is our Associate Produ...

What goes into naming a train? The Indian Railways has dozens of trains named after women - good women, strong women, virtuous women and brave women. We go through the list, wonder about the women who travel by trains, sometimes getting lost, and sometimes finding themselves. This episode was written, narrated and produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Menaka Raman is our Senior Producer. Yashwanth Vina...

Ikyatha Yerasala is a journalist and content creator who has been documenting Kannada and Kanglish slang for the past five years. Her Instagram page Slangaluru is a vibrant space where old slang words are remembered, their meanings sometimes subtly altered for the times we live in, and new slang is coined in collaboration with the community. Listen to Ikyatha share her favourite slang words. TW: M...

Menaka always wanted to be one of the cool, sporty girls in her school. As a child she'd play for hours on the street, but as she got older she found herself retreating indoors, a place she was told was 'safer'. As she grew older, how did she reclaim her right to exercise and play outdoors?    Our thanks to Mathangi, Aakanksha, Yamini and Kamala.   Written and hosted Menaka Raman. This episode is...

  Sometimes we all want to escape for a little bit: from our homes, our lives, and even our selves. On a solo trip to Jaipur, a woman tries on a new skin and tells the story of what happened.   This episode was edited by Ashrita Achar and produced by Samyuktha Varma. Menaka Raman was this episode's interviewer, story editor and she is City of Women's Senior Producer. Our thanks to Nisha and Priyad...

Love is a many splendored thing. And so are booty calls. One intrepid woman shares her journey from not wanting a boyfriend, to falling in love to getting on dating apps in search of love. And while she doesn't always find love, she does find lust.  Trigger warning - this episode contains mature themes, listener discretion is advised.   This episode was edited by Ashrita Achar and produced by Samy...

Welcome back to a new season of City of Women. As India celebrates her 77th Independence Day this month, we thought it only fitting to begin this season with an interview with oral historian and author Aanchal Malhotra . As part of our Literary City of Women series, we speak to Aanchal about collecting stories, specifically women's stories, and the impact they have on those that share them and tho...

Salma is a Tamil author, poet, politician and activist. Her novel மனாமியங்கள் published in 2017 was translated to English by Meena Kandasamy and published as Women, Dreaming. The book takes you into the inner world of women, women who have little opportunity to experience the world outside. Salma spoke to us of the escape books have provided, her desire for freedom and how she transgressed the bou...

Where do you find those moments of sweet solitude? Adrija shares some of hers.  Thanks to Adrija for sharing her story with us!   Thank you to Adrijia recording this conversation.  This episode was edited and produced by Samyuktha Varma. Our Lead Producer is Menaka Raman. Our Sound producer is Yashwanth Vinay. Our Associate Producer is Ashrita Achar. City of Women is executive produced, hosted, an...

From hostel gates to Chamanlal: two women talk about their night outs in college. A weekly ritual that begins with deciding where to go and that ends with an unfurling on the dance floor.   Thanks to Yashaswini and Priyadarshini.  Priyadarshini Gogoi was a guest producer on the episode. Ashrita Achar edited and produced this episode. Menaka Raman is our Senior Producer. Yashwanth Vinay is our Soun...

For some women, their world is confined to what lies inside the four walls of their home and their dreams to what others tell them they can and cannot do. A son looks back on his mother's love for sport and the moment it found expression in a neighbour's home, and the victories and defeats which became a metaphor for her own unsung talents and missed opportunities. Thanks to Ayan Biswas for sharin...

Literature has always been a source of joy and inspiration for us at City of Women and we wanted to find a way to express that love. We bring to you a new kind of episode in which we talk to and hear from authors about certain moments in their books that explore how women inhabit the cities they live in. In this episode we hear from Shrayana Bhattacharya , author of Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh a...

Freezing water, bathrooms from hell and bras designed to torture. Being a part of the National Cadet Corps isn't fun and games. But there's also camaraderie, exploration and certain kind of freedom. Two former cadets reminisce (and sing) about their NCC days.  Thank you to Abhirami and Swarna for recording this conversation.  This episode was edited and produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Our Lead Pr...

A summer afternoon, a terrace and laundry = Afternoon Delight.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen

How many round trips can a woman take before people notice and take offence?   Today on City of Women Minis: Bus 618.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen

Can a lifetime of insecurities and shame disappear in 10 seconds?   Today on City of Women Minis: Puppy Shame.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen  

'Such' things don't happen in First class. Or don't they? Today on City of Women Minis: First Class.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen  

If the City of Women ever had a pod sibling, we think it would be Other Men Need Help , an award-winning podcast that playfully looks at how men present themselves to the world, and what's underneath. Presenting Brown Bad Boys, one of our most favorite episodes from Season 2 of Other Men Need Help. Other Men Need Help is executive produced, hosted, and written by Mark Pagán. Ben Goldberg, Caitlin...

A woman recounts going to the cinema, with and without a chaperone. A double bill.  Today on City of Women Minis: Chaperone. City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen

An empty street. A light breeze. A woman and her bicycle. Today on City of Women Minis: Night Cycling.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen