Forget brain workouts, chant mantras instead. For Quartz
The pleasure of filing one day and having it up the next! You should click on the link below and read it in Quartz. Looks nicer MEMORIES... Forget brain workouts—chanting mantras takes half the time and is more effective Shoba [...]
About artisanal male perfumers and perfume: for Bloomberg Pursuits
I thought male perfume was a bit of musk, wood, leather, and all those usual suspect-ingredients. Who would have thought about oudh, orange blossom and the like? These new male perfumers are changing the paradigm. I pitched the story to [...]
Evolution of music 2
All music originated in the sacred, no matter what religion. Listen to Gregorian or Mozarabic chants with your eyes closed and they will remind you of the feeling you get in the early morning hours at a temple in Haridwar. Listen to Baroque Jewish music from a Portuguese synagogue, available on Youtube, and it will take you back to a church in Goa. Listen to Islamic Anasheeds or Sufi music and you will not just feel the pull of a mosque but also that of a Buddhist monastery.
About Satya Nadella: Suddenly, all Indians seem to know Microsoft’s new CEO
Wrote this right after Nadella became CEO. It was published yesterday Suddenly, all Indians seem to know Microsoft’s new CEO Shoba Narayan March 11, 2014 Updated: March 11, 2014 19:33:00 Now that India-born Satya Nadella is the new CEO of [...]
The real reason Wendy Doniger’s book on Hindus was banned in India. For Quartz
My friend, Mitra moved from the WSJ to Quartz, a digital initiative of The Atlantic Monthly. Their daily briefs are followed by the top brass in Twitter, and policy institutes. The production and layout quality is excellent (like Medium). Best [...]
Evolution of Music
Chennai, the city I grew up in and still call home is in the throes of a creative ferment, at least with respect to Carnatic music. This has caused some apoplexy and bile among many keen ‘rasikas’ or lovers of music, who live in homes where even the pillars sing, as an ancient Tamil poem said about the author of the Tamil Ramayan, poet Kamban’s home. These are homes in the bylanes of T. Nagar and Mylapore where the home-ground Narasu’s coffee (my father drinks it) is piping hot and frothy.
For The National Abu Dhabi on Japan
I just got slammed for generalizing but here I go again. This was written before the feedback though. As an amateur cultural anthropologist, I find the differences and similarities between cultures fascinating. Japan is one of my favorites.
Thanks but no thanks
Most old cultures: Israelis, Russians, Chinese, and certainly Indians are this way. Don't know enough about Europe's old cultures to check if they are this way too. When I say West, I mean America. Would be interesting to check if [...]
Music– classical and film.
I am very excited about this program. My friend, Chitra and I are doing this together. I met Chitra because of my columns in Mint. She was a reader who became a friend. She is an amazing singer. So we [...]
The Indian mind and the lunar calendar: for Mint Lounge
Calendars (Chinese, Lunar, Gregorian) are fascinating in how they tell time. I am reading about this, and hence wrote this piece. HOME» LEISURE» THE GOOD LIFE The Indian mind and the lunar calendar Familiarizing yourself with the Indian lunar calendar [...]
My books on iTunes
I am absolutely thrilled to report that my books are now on the iBookstore and iTunes. They are here And they are gorgeous when viewed through the Apple magic. The Hinduism book is the beginning of a new project. The [...]
Radio New Zealand
From one end of the world to another. Did my usual interview with the genial Bryan Crump for Radio NZ. Listen to my interviews here.