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4 SHOWCASE SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019
DELHI THE HINDU
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ComMutiny calling
The big-ticket bookstores of
A youth collective, a twoday event, and some interesting conversations on living the Constitution
Khan Market
Madhur Tankha
The case for Bahrisons
It was fitting that even as our sol An ideal bookstore accommodates all sorts of readers —
diers guarded our borders with the curious, the accidental, and the seasoned. Bahrisons is
their lives, 32 young people, from 12 that ideal. Here, every visitor is treated like a potential
to 22 gathered on the lawns of the reader. Founded in 1953 as a small bookstore in Delhi’s Khan
Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, near the Market, Bahri has been remembered for its tradition of al
sprawling Teen Murti House, to re ways establishing an intimate connection between its
gister change. Here, Jagriks, as the owner and customers. This is true till date.
This means that you can peruse at leisure, regardless of
young people called themselves, whether you walk out the door with a purchase. In most
shared stories on how they were liv cases though, keeping in view their extensive collection of
ing the Indian Constitution.
They were participating in Sam
vidhan Live – Be a Jagrik, an initia
tive by ComMutiny The Youth Col
lective, supported by 32 other
NGOs. The project, which has been
running across the country for the
past three years (they do a four
week run each year), has initiated a Brimming with hope: (Left)
series of tasks that aim at living out Srinidhi, Hashib Alam and
the Constitutions Fundamental participants at the event
Rights and Duties. For instance, Front-lane star: Bahrisons * PHOTOS VANGMAYI PARAKALA
one task was for them to survive the and young people and orient them
day using just ₹32. There were oth through games. “At level 1, they coffee table glossies, poetry and modern classics, various
ers too, to bridge the gap between learn the meaning of Constitution awardwinners and nominees, and its stacks of magazines,
textbooks and reality. literacy. At the second level, they you’ll easily find something to add to your reading platter.
In the offchance that what you’re looking for isn’t avail
learn how to influence others in so
Stories to tell ciety and become proactive in help able, the manager will willingly note down your wish list —
another ageold custom.
Within the large hall, ing people understand what the In You can’t forget that each time you step into Bahrisons,
amidst messages of all dian Constitution gives us and you’re stepping into a welldocumented, living and breath
kinds, on banners and expects from us in return.” ing bit of India’s history. A story of postpartition struggles,
charts, Hashib Alam, entrepreneurship in the face of adversity, all coming to
from Yuva, an NGO at Task master gether to get the newlydisplaced people of a newly
Delhi’s Azadpur, says Another task had the boys wear formed country to read.
he is ready for his saris and visit public places. “The With this weight on its side, rest assured you won’t be
new job in academ board game has different sets of disturbed by customers making their way to a café upstairs,
ics. A school dropout De College in M.P., says she was dis lagers were horrified. They came challenges. For instance, our Ja like its wellknown neighbour, nor will you have second
from Bihar, he was scribing a turbed at the discrimination meted marching to my house and shouted griks would take up the role of the floor chattering seeping into your space as your sniff out
groomed by Trishpal, his Jagrik as an out to her family. Her father, farmer at me for breaking a social taboo,” opposite gender. A boy would assist new books. The welllit sanctuary of Bahrisons is for you to
mentor, who guided him to aware human at Durgara village in Harda district, says Rajkumari, who feels has his mother with household chores. meander through, in peace. It isn’t any wonder then, that
get a master’s degree in Histo being who knows would keep silent whenever she shown the path to other oppressed He’d need to crossdress to under despite 'other' bookstores having cropped up in its vicinity
ry from IGNOU. Today, he is doing his rights and duties, asked him why they were looked castes. stand what trans people endure,” lately, the store boasts of seasoned loyalists who have been
what Trishpal did, by being a Jagrik Alam says there must be equal down upon. She joined Synergy But discrimination is not a small says Singh. But this isn’t the chal visiting its 400squarefoot, wellstocked space through
leader and helping shape the desti space for everyone. “Our Jagriks Sansthan, a local NGO associated town, castebased affair. Ankita lenge. The real challenge is to start seasons.
nies of the lessprivileged in identified street children and en with the programme. Singh, who promotes youth leader a conversation with people who If your excited and noisy children are in tow, you can also
Azadpur. couraged 300 of them to join us. “At Synergy Sansthan, I learnt ship with Delhibased Pravah, says may be the perpetrators. Themes of take them away from this cultivated quiet, to Bahrisons
Kids, just a few giraffe strides away. Happy reading to all
“Azadpur is a hub of migrants of On Christmas Day, we conducted the art of communication.” As a she’s faced it in her conservative inequality, safe drinking water,
people from Bengal, Bihar, and Ut a dialogue with them and identified part of the Jagrik programme, she Rajput family, and in both public domestic abuse, the right to educa generations alike!
Chayanika Priyam is a PhD candidate in Sociology, who
tar Pradesh. It is also the place that 19 children. Today, many of them was given the task of visiting five and private spaces. “I have nego tion, were all picked up. spends her free time at the poetry nook of bookstores
made me literate,” he says. “My have become leaders.” It’s impor temples in M.P. “At the fifth temple, tiated a great deal, to break gender Srinidhi, a Jagrik from Chennai
The case for Full Circle Bookstore
luck changed when I came to Delhi tant to help young people confront the priest said I was forbidden from stereotypes.” Today, she works as a conducted workshops of life skills Here’s the thing: when you’re at a bookstore, you don’t
to help my brother with his work. their demons, but also to fulfil their coming inside as I am a scheduled senior programme coordinator. at government and private schools. really want to be distracted by its who’swho clientele. Any
This place is known as a wholesale dreams, he says. tribe. But I mustered courage, went She says the trick of working The youngest Jagrik was Moham Delhiite will know this is hard to avoid in the frontlane
vegetable market, but it has made Rajkumari, who is in her final inside, clicked my picture and up with over 1,000 boys and girls from mad Shaikh, a 12yearold, while the bookstores at Khan Market. But at its neatly tuckedin Full
me what I am today.” year in a B.A. programme in Harda dated my profile. The priest and vil 14 States is to identify adolescents oldest is Rajkumari, 22.
#398299
FOOD SPOT
we had a plate of crispy chicken
Get hooked to hot chops. I don’t know why the cutlets
were called Bengali for they didn’t
much look like Bengali cutlets,
which are usually oblong or rectan
cutlets! gular. But they were hot, and went Cozy and calm: The door leading up to Full Circle Bookstore
really well with kasundi – which is a
sharp mustard sauce popular in
Bengal. We stirfried the prawn za Circle, books are the real VIP.
The folks here know exactly what direction to point you
It makes sense to order a wide assortment of frani, and those came out well, too. in when you say you’re looking to browse “literary fiction,”
The prawns were crunchy and
readytocook dishes once in a while the spicy masala on it was just right. sometimes telling you what’s interesting there.This delight
ful section aside, there’s a whole shelf for poetry from
The friends enjoyed the fish, again everywhere. Not many bookstores do this any more. Kids
and you have something tasty to shallowfried, but I think we went have a full section to themselves, also specifically demarc
offer your friends. wrong with the Afghani chicken. ated from their older siblings.
We should have grilled or perhaps To anyone who willingly walks into the bookstore, the si
Conversing with butcher lightly sautéed it. Instead, we put lence of Full Circle’s entry stairway, and once inside, the
Now, of course, you don’t even Grilled to perfection: Prawn zafrani; (left) Afghani chicken the chicken in a tomatobased faint scent of incense mixed with the smell of books is noth
have to go to the butcher’s. My local * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT sauce, which, I fear, didn’t come ing but calming. For others, this calm will ease them into
butcher is a great pal of mine, and out very well. But we live and learn. browsing anyway.
whenever I drop by there, we talk you can order some neat readyto I asked for some prawn zafrani, Licious has some other nice The bookstores in Khan Market are a great place to spend
about haleem and nihari, and cook stuff from online stores. For a Bengalistyle chicken cutlets, fish stuff, which I’d like to try out: The your time if you are early to your lunch or dinner plans here.
Rahul Verma where one should go for the right while now I have been ordering my tikka, and creamy Afghani chicken. lamb chapli kabab (₹297) and ha Browse, buy, and butterfly. But if you want an inbetween
kind of kababs. He has an array of fish and chicken from an online The food was excellent, and the banero chicken wings (₹149 for ten place for some downtime after the browseandbuy, in Full
I feel sorry for all our neighbour readytocook stuff, too, but I don’t outlet called Fresh to Home. A few rates were really low. There was a pieces), for instance. They also de Circle, you can head right upstairs and read what you just
hood meat shops. In every colony, usually buy those. For, I days ago I tried out another scheme on, because of which every liver quail, rabbit, and duck. got over a filter coffee and carrot cake. Unless it’s the week
there is a shop where you get, apart must admit, I am not popular online delivery dish came at a discount. As I said, I feel sorry for our local end, Cafe Turtle is never overwhelmingly busy or loud. The
music is mostly always a soft instrumental that understands
from fresh meat, marinated chick greatly fond of the outfit called Licious. The prawn zafrani (1012 pieces), butchers. What will happen to the general disposition of someone who wants a private
en and fish. If you are lucky, you get orangish chicken And then, when two for instance, is for ₹297, but I got it them if we all go online? I think I corner with the book they’ve just bought.
readytocook lamb, too. Some of and meat pieces of my friends said for ₹ 262; the eight pieces of chick shall follow the middle path – visit There’s no doubt that the frontlane bookstores here are
these places are rather good, some that you find in they were coming en cutlets were for ₹199 but were my butcher now and then, and or important repositories of our social history. But once you’re
eminently forgettable. But they do glass counters home for dinner last being sold that day for ₹169, fish tik der online when friends suddenly done being starryeyed there, make your way to the middle,
help when friends suddenly turn in most of these week, I decided to or ka for ₹239 (actual price ₹319) and drop by. Let everyone blossom. find the bottlegreen door, and head up those stairs. You’re
up for a meal. You rush to the local meat shops. der some readyto Afghani chicken for ₹224 (other welcome.
shop, get your chicken lollipop or But then, as I cook dishes from wise for ₹299). I put the cutlets in the writer is a seasoned food Vangmayi Parakala tries really hard to read all books she
tikkas, fry and grill them at home, discovered recently, Licious. the airfryer, and within 10 minutes, critic hoards
FILM REVIEW
Salvation at any cost encounters.
Sonchiriya is a rare bird, the
metaphorical redemption that
everyone is seeking. Apni apni
Sonchiriya, apni apni mukti. It’s
Abhishek Chaubey’s Sonchiriya powerfully entwines multiple strands – patriarchy, ultimately a journey towards
masculinity, gender and caste – in a film about seething rebellions finding your own bird of
salvation.
Chaubey evokes the sense of
and spin. their recourse when denied fun Sonchiriya place by going beyond the arid,
Namrata Joshi
Chambal, is all about suffoca damentals. Sonchiriya presents Director: Abhishek Chaubey stark, largerthanlife landscape
No two films could be as different tion and victimisation when it the smothering of women sear Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, — he turns it into a character in it
from each other as Madhu C. Na comes to being a woman and are ingly. Women are a separate Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey, self. It’s seeped in the Bundelk
rayanan’s Kumbalangi Nights no more than pieces of meat for caste, the lowest of them all, it Ashutosh Rana, Manoj Bajpai, handi, the dacoitspeak, the ris
and Abhishek Chaubey’s Sonchi- male consumption, or markers of asserts. Jatin Sarna que and raw humour. It’s in the
riya. One set in the Kerala of to male honour. Gender meets caste Patriarchy doesn’t just claim Storyline: Gangs of dacoits fight way they dress. It’s in their body
day, other in the 70s Chambal in Sonchiriya, and it gets that women as victims, it also affects among themselves and take on language, in their culture. It’s in
where gangs of with dacoits are much more complicated. Protec men, driving their misplaced the cops in the ravines of the most minut of details —
fighting among themselves, even tion and respect are earned if the notions of masculinity inherited Chambal in the 70s whether it’s the reference to the
while taking on the cops. Yet they woman is of the same social sta over generations; it emasculates Final destination: Sonchiriya starts off with a corpse and death guns of the 1962 war or the Spe
stand on a similar ground when it ture. one son and sets off another ominously stalks almost every frame * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT cial Task Force, the morning
comes to their women: In Naraya Beyond that, no voice, identity against his own mother. baaghi ka dharma the rebel’s de cackling of AIR, or Indira Gand
nan’s film the female characters or worldview can be allowed. The intricate script strings ma fined way of life, yet the dilem hand, the police aims to clean up gets a role he deserves, underly hi’s announcement of the Emer
are on the fringes of the narra Women have absolutely nowhere ny themes together with hardly a mas of this pride making way for Chambal — at times for personal ing the ruthlessness of his charac gency.
tive, in Chaubey’s there are bare to run and hide at the bottom of note out of place. With selfassu a sense of shame. Will surrender reasons. There’s a thin line divid ter with a rare pathos and Then there are political pot
ly any women visible in the entire the caste ladder — you are des rance, almost every sequence tin lead to better days? ing revenge from justice. poignancy. shots that lift it from its specific
scenario. tined to be used, abused, and vio gles with latent, troubling energy. You end up feeling one with Every actor in this multistar Sonchiriya starts off with a location and period, to give it a
Yet, in both films, women are lated in unimaginable ways. The film is an insight into the the baaghis. The brutal are hu rer their all to the character. A corpse, and death ominously larger universality. It’s like one of
the pivots on which the explora Yet rebellion seethes silently life of the band of brothers — their mane in the oddest of ways, espe special word for Bhumi Pednekar stalks almost each and of its the rebels talking about how no
tions of patriarchy, masculinity, behind the ghoonghats (veils), bonds, emotions, and loyalties.; cially in following their unwritten who is emerging as Bollywood’s frames — it’s in the sound of the one dies from the bullet of the go
gender and caste (in the case of and seeks basic human dignity their beliefs, practices, and su codes of honour, seeking salva everywoman from any part of bullets, spurting of the blood, vernment but by its [false] pro
Sonchiriya) exploitation, swivel and the right to live. Violence is perstitions; their allegiance to tion even in death. On the other the country. Ranvir Shorey finally and in the fabulously mounted mises. Hear hear!
CM B ND-NDE
YK
