Articles by Arshia
Secrets and alloys:In Amsterdam hidden tales tumble out of ancient Asian bronzes
Tiny scrolls tucked into Tibetan statuettes; images lying in wait in mirrors. An exhibition turns the spotlight on 75 bronze works from across the continent.

Updated on Jan 12, 2025 12:58 PM IST
Surrealism’s persistent memory: Can we look past the moustache?
Salvador Dali embodies surrealism, but he is also a ‘poor example of the philosophy of the movement,’ scholars say. See how it lives on, in artists of today.

Updated on Jan 11, 2025 04:18 PM IST
Scent of change: How Indian perfumers are crafting desi fragrances
The Indian perfume market is veering away from attars and knockoffs. Now, local perfumers are crafting new, original scents. Take a whiff

The 2024 quiz: Were you paying attention this year?
The year’s done, the data is in, we’ve Wrapped, unboxed and unpacked what we could. Were you really paying attention to all the drama of 2024? Find out here

A skyfall playlist: The newest vaporwave music is climate-themed
This sub-genre has stayed committedly under the radar. It’s making another ‘comeback’ now, with a focus on the weather channel.

Updated on Dec 23, 2024 02:15 PM IST
Wild things: Wknd interviews award-winning conservation storytellers
Photographer Steve Winter and journalist Sharon Guynup travel the world, spreading hope, driving change. They have now won the Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award.

Updated on Dec 21, 2024 07:01 PM IST
Cruise control: Why more Indians are setting sail
Along Indian coasts, cruises are giving big deck energy. Locals are signing up. Tours are sold out. See how we’re all diving in

It’s over: Snuffing out the flames of online dating
Has online dating peaked? People are ditching the apps, going old-school, and aiming for IRL connections. Here’s how the swipe failed a whole generation

Sagas in a tiny frame: Art critic Uma Nair on political cartoonist Abu Abraham
The proof of his genius lies in the resonance of his minimalist works, Nair says. He was a humanist: witty but not cruel; scathing but compassionate.

Updated on Nov 01, 2024 08:24 PM IST
Ink, irony, insight: A tribute to political cartoonist Abu Abraham (1924-2002)
He was irreverent, witty, scathing. In each tiny frame, he told a whole story and raised deep questions. See what made, and makes, his work so remarkable.

Updated on Nov 01, 2024 08:22 PM IST
Sauce and sorcery: Can AI take high-end dining to the next level?
Video projections on your plate, holograms dancing at the table, customised tunes with every course. Tech’s coming to dinner. Will you reorder or reboot?

Calling the shots: What’s driving the tequila / agave boom in India
These spirits are made from the agave cactus native to Mexico. It’s hard to process, but easy to grow. We’re drinking four times as much as we did. Take a look.

Updated on Oct 19, 2024 01:32 PM IST
Ladies in read: Inside a dramatic new collection of sacred poetry by women
Anger, humour and irreverence mark the poems in the new anthology Wild Women. Writers include a former courtesan, a 6th-century nun, and other mystics.

Updated on Oct 19, 2024 01:35 PM IST
Well, well, well: Meet the artist documenting stepwells around India
Rashmi Ghosh is obsessed, and that's probably a good thing. There are about 3,000 of these ancient beauties in India, and little documentation. Take a tour.

Updated on Oct 05, 2024 01:41 PM IST
Greeking out: Why myths must be twisted, retold and reimagined
Gods, demons, war, curses, prophecies. Don’t hate on shows that twist Greek myths. The retelling is all part of the plan

Playing it by hear: How does one preserve an accent?
It takes a lot of footwork, and audio footage. See how a new archive is mapping spoken tongues, and aiming to hear from all of India by the time it’s done.

Updated on Sep 21, 2024 01:23 PM IST
Pop goes the easel: The many Fridas in film, TV, comics, ads
‘Is it too much?’ Frida Kahlo asks endearingly, of her many self-portraits, in the 2017 film Coco. See how she lives on in pop culture and the arts.

Updated on Sep 20, 2024 02:37 PM IST
Viva la Frida: A look at the making of a unique legend
There's her art, her wrenching story; something of a link with the Titanic. 70 years after her death, see how the legend of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo lives on.

Updated on Sep 20, 2024 02:35 PM IST
Listicle: 10 tasting menus to sample the best of the best
When you can’t decide what to eat, wear loose pants and pick any of these 10 degustation menus across India

Now streaming: A Wknd interview with Turkish-British author Elif Shafak
A drop of water. A fig tree. A dying brain: The Booker-shortlisted writer enjoys playing with narrative devices. Her new book is There Are Rivers in the Sky.

Updated on Aug 16, 2024 12:55 PM IST
Soil searching: A Wknd interview with award-winning scientist Rattan Lal
He helped change how farmers till their land, and has now won the Gulbenkian Prize, or Agriculture’s Nobel. ‘I look back in wonder and forward in hope,’ he says

Updated on Aug 10, 2024 03:44 PM IST
Listicle: 10 dishes that have sparked local and global food wars
Two nations fight to claim jollof rice. One dessert nearly set off a war. 10 dishes we just can’t stop fighting over

Colouring outside the lines: Monasteries in Nepal are driving change
In the remote walled city of Lo Manthang, restoration work on ancient frescoes has sparked a cultural revolution. Women are now earning, tourists visiting.

Updated on Jul 26, 2024 03:35 PM IST
Smile to take the next leap:Games are adapting further for the differently abled
Players can now raise their eyebrows to click or drag, twist the mouth to move a cursor. It’s not even that hard to make this possible, game producers say.

Updated on Jul 19, 2024 08:24 PM IST
‘When it comes to roads in India, we should build what we need, no more’
Roads, over time, have a net-negative impact on the ecosystem. The move away from tar at least is a good step, says wildlife biologist Anish Andheria. See why.

Updated on Jul 12, 2024 08:51 PM IST
Hey binge-watcher! This quiz tests how much you remember of your fav shows!
Hit pause on streaming and see what you can recall of what you’ve viewed already. 30 questions. All the good shows, all the seasons. Answers at the end

Gaming the system: A Wknd interview with author Lavanya Lakshminarayan
The 35-year-old is the second Indian to be nominated for the Arthur C Clarke Award. ‘It’s all just a social experiment,’ the former game developer says.

Updated on Jun 07, 2024 10:13 PM IST
Listicle: 10 drone photographers who are out of this world
Drone photography pages are taking Insta to higher ground. Here are 10 of our favourites from around the world

Updated on May 31, 2024 04:43 PM IST
ht_print | Arshia Dhar
Nolen gur, ker-sangri: Climate change is taking a toll on elements of culture
What does a country lose — and what does our country stand to lose — as a planet moves through a new epoch? See how dance forms, dishes and fabrics are fading.

Updated on May 17, 2024 03:50 PM IST
YOLO, so don’t go solo: See why lone rangers have it worse on screen
Films and shows are overrun with lone wolves. One fighter against all odds. One hero doing it all. Be a team player, maybe?

Updated on May 03, 2024 03:38 PM IST