Dispatches from Kolkata

Sandip reflects on the 'audacity of hope' that arts organizations exhibit as he tours various cities in the Bay Area during his recent book tour.

the French came back to India last week. The French Ambassador was in Chandannagar to work with the city on restoring its French Colonial buildings and heritage.

Sandip attends a festival honoring a long dead Bollywood star and discovers why Uttam Kumar still commands attention.

Sandip recently had a birthday and that got him reminicing about rituals...

In the Pallani Hills at Isla's Ridge, the Grand Damme of 'swimming against the tide' sat down with Sandip for a cup of tea.

Queer histories often seem to exist in a vacuum. As if it all started with Stonewall in New York or Harvey Milk in San Francisco. But queer people existed long before then, trying to carve out their space in the world.

There's a current trend in Bengal called "Deem therapy," but while it's a great pleasure for the public at the moment, Sandip wonders when the yolk will run out.

Last week was Rath Yatra, the chariot festival in India. Sandip hops aboard and takes us on a trip to revive a once thriving system of tansit in Kolkata.

On the 250th Anniversary of American Independence, Sandip Roy reflects on what then "American Dream" means to him.

A controversy over a 4,500 year old "Dancing Girl" once again raises the question over what constitutes obscenity and vulgarity. Sandip Roy covers his eyes and looks into the situation.

Even as corporates and multinationals move away from DEI policies that once made June an explosion of rainbow, LGBT lives are not going back into the closet. Sandip Roy visits and old tattered building in Mumbai to explain.

As the Whitehouse lawn showcases one very specific version of America, Sandip speaks with someone who has another version.

It's the "controvery over public art" game show again, this time in Kolkata. Sandip Roy kicks it around for us.

Sandip talks with author Anuradha Roy about her home in the Himalayas and how they've witnessed firsthand the effects of climate change.

They say you cannot ever go home again but as long as there is a paash baalish you can come pretty close. what IS a Paash Baalish? Sandip Roy explains.

As David Attenborough turns 100, Sandip remembers his mother and all the things left to be done.

West Bengal just went to the polls with several million voters struck off the electoral rolls, banished to some kind of limbo land. The Special Intensive Revision or (SIR) process was meant to clean up the voter list. But we will be no nearer a consensus on how to determine what citizenship really means.

It's election time in India and that means noise and songs and speeches. But this year both parties are using fish to prove their local credentials.

Sandip bids farewell to an icon of Inidan cinema and song.

Bengali New Year celebrations are filled with street fairs, noise, colors and.... food. The more deep fried, the better. Sandip partakes in the festivities.

Counting seems simple enough, but when you're counting people other questions arise.

It would seen that in India, at least, there's an acceptence of non-binary people. Ah, but there's always one more box to check.

On a recent trip to San Francisco Sandip reflects on a certian "luxury."

A TikTok video by Madhu Raju, an Indian immigrant in the US on an H1-B visa sparks a lot of controversy, but Sandip wonders, are we missing the point?

Sandip ponders the need to over-explain everything.