CHILDHOOD IN PARADISE
This book presents a humane portrait of a people under constant siege
Family can mean different things to different people, but for us, Indians, it often means more than one thing. And in Kashmir, the land where heaven and hell are inextricably woven together, the idea of family takes on a different hue.
Farah Bashir’s Rumours of Spring, a heart-rending account of a childhood in siege, addresses the same. “Family bonds in Kashmir are both strong and fragile. The shadow and sense of death are palpable in the air,” she says. “I remember coming home from school with my friends in the late 90s. When one of my friends stepped into her house, she found her father dead, killed. You can’t help but see death everywhere, quite literally. You realise how ephemeral relationships are, and growing up in war, this sense of death just gets accentuated.”
One wonders, how then, does one go about attaching themselves to human beings at all? How does one love one’s parents, knowing fully well how transient their lives are? Bashir says one simply gets used to it. “Your fears aren’t unfounded here. You have actually seen people die. There is a chapter in the book where I talk about how my aunt lost two of her sisters who had simply met for lunch,” she says.
HOME
This story is from the April 2021 edition of Grazia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2021 edition of Grazia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
NEW ROLE, NEW RULE
As the first Indian woman to win two Michelin stars and a new mother, chef Garima Arora shares her recipe to a well-rounded life full of flavours, tradition, and ambition
HUMBLE HERITAGE
India’s multicultural facets and diverse approach to food, fashion, and life has inspired many, and this brand is paying the ultimate tribute to the country
CLEAN SLATE
What are the beauty secrets of Gen Z representative Khushi Kapoor, the firstever ambassador of a much-loved Korean beauty brand?
PORE PERFECTION
What is oil gritting and why is everyone talking about it?
ELEVATING QUIET LUXURY
This Italian fashion house is consistent in its efforts to make subdued luxury look cool
A LOVE LIKE THIS
After a picturesque show that got everyone talking, Amrita Khanna and Gursi Singh of Lovebirds speak about their new collection
SOME KIND OF BRILLIANCE
How do you detail a sparkling four-decade long career journey in a half-hour chat? By uncovering the things that matter the most: A passion for design, a love for gemstones, and a dream of wanderlust. In what is probably her 40th visit to the country for Bulgari’s A Roman Holi gala), Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari’s Creative Director, talks to Grazia about the things that she holds closest
STRAIGHT-TALKING
Going beyond being a nod to tradition, embracing our heritage is an exploration of timeless craft, details Monica Shah of luxury label JADE
Label ALERT
This month, form and fabric shape different philosophies on dressing
YOUNG CONNOISSEURS
Meet Rudritara Shroff, the 16-year-old who brought together revered names in Indian art to create artworks that aid neonatal growth