CULTURE

While the superhero genre of comics is what people most popularly associate with the medium, alternative graphic narratives have also served as an ode to the unsung heroes of history — subverting the dominant narrative constructed by those in power and highlighting discrimination against marginalised communities to give voice to histories of the subaltern. 

Back in 2004, a Peepal tree was replanted from an old brick wall into an area in Sangaiprou, Imphal. As the tree grew, so did the space around it; it blossomed into a place for like-minded individuals to meet and share their talents and dreams. Thus, The Giving Tree was born, and today we find it thriving and breathing new life into a positive cultural movement in Manipur.

I contributed to the Wundor Mumbai City Guide, released in July 2017, which is a literary and visual depiction of less-explored parts of the city, featuring the works of various Indian writers and photographers.

Shillong's breaking scene is thriving on the back of some fantastic young talents coming out of the city. We shine the spotlight on three B-Boys taking their craft to the next level.

‘Recalling Jewish Calcutta’ is a tribute to the glorious history of the Jewish people in an age where the numbers of those who remember a Jewish Calcutta at all are quickly dwindling.

For the thousands that move into the city every year, there are several questions to contend with: do I want to live close to office in a cell-sized place and pay through my nose? Or do I want to live in a spacious flat that’s 2 hours away and deal with the commute like millions of other Mumbaikars?

Many shuttle from house to house at bi-yearly intervals in the pursuit of ‘the one’, entangled in an inherently flawed system.

“The first visit to Himalayas through my course in 1964 changed my life and outlook towards life.”

“I must admit that the idea of ‘adventure’ has undergone a drastic change after I performed the non-stop. Adventure, for me, would be to do anything beyond what you thought you were capable of. For my mother, it was something as simple as getting on an escalator on her own.”

- Abhilash Tomy