This post is a reflection of how death was communicated in the past and the effect of social media on this kind of communication in the context of the pandemic.
Tag Archives: Memory
Oral History and the Mirror of Time: My encounter with PVK
“I was born on a birthday that nobody will forget – April 1.st” He chuckled. “And at a time which nobody will forget,” he continued, laughter bubbling. “Char sou bis – you know the Indian Penal Code!” He was referring to Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code that specifically deals with cheating. Originally draftedContinue reading “Oral History and the Mirror of Time: My encounter with PVK”
The eternal sadness of an oral historian
I have often wondered if the realisation that we are listening to two voices shaped differently by the passage of time points to the transience of the human voice and layers our understanding of the transitory nature of life itself. Is that why our practice demands that we recognise the preciousness and precariousness of what we are entrusted with? And is that why we must carry the weight of what we listen to?
Growing up with stories
It took me decades of doing interviews with people from all over India to realize why these stories were important not only for my family but also for the history of contemporary India.
The Oral Historian 