THE LOUNGE | SLICE OF LIFE Vani Viswanathan talks about the different chillies of her life.
Deepu used to be shamelessly mortified of insects, but today, she takes pleasure in killing them – and maybe doesn’t even have to kill them every time. Vani Viswanathan tells you how that transition happened.
Led by her memories, experiences and travels, Vani recounts the many hues she has seen on the streets.
Young Jillu was once taken to the ration shop by her mother to buy sugar. This got her thinking and questioning her mother on a number of things. Vani Viswanathan tells the story.
Kamatchi is an odd sight on a Chennai road on a sweltering hot afternoon: she is obviously watching men pee, and writing something in her notebook. Vani Viswanathan pens a story.
Trains are an integral part of any image of Mumbai, and being able to efficiently navigate this convoluted system is a mark that you now ‘truly belong’ and are a ‘Bombay girl.’ Vani Viswanathan describes her journey to truly belonging to the city of dreams.
It’s highly likely you have, in the recent past, come across a lone person on the road running, earphones on, pushing themselves forward with determination. Running is fast picking up in India, and many are signing up to run in various categories that are being held regularly across various Indian cities – and some venture abroad too. Many runners also choose to tie their runs to a cause they are passionate about. Vani Viswanathan gets talking to three such runners: Ram Viswanathan, founder-president of Chennai Runners, Ajay Gupta of Team Asha, and Jessu John, who, within seven months of starting to run long distance, is getting ready to run her first half marathon and raise funds for a charity through it. Spark is delighted to support them in their cause – please see the end of the article for the fundraising links of the three runners.
A 29-year-old woman moves into a beautiful, breezy apartment, and finds that it has a strange relationship with mirrors. It’s all amusing until forces she can’t rationalise take over. Vani Viswanathan tells the story.
SOCIAL LENS The internet not just revolutionised our lives, it brought revolution to our doorsteps. How has activism benefitted from the internet, and what constitutes online activism? Is it effective at all? Vani Viswanathan speaks to two online activists, Kamayani Bali Mahabal of ‘Kractivism’ and Archismita Choudhury of ‘Being Feminist,’ in search for some answers.