Hindustan

I often think of Einstein when I see Orry. To put these two proper nouns in the same sentence is unexpected, of course – there’s the ubiquitous recall value of Einstein’s name and there’s the contrast of “Orry? Orry who?” By this I mean that Einstein is remembered for something, even though many might not know what that something is, while no one seems to have yet figured out why Orry is famous. Orry being himself. (Instagram: Orry1) “Einstein’s brain is a mythical object,” writes Roland Barthes in his essay…

Hindustan Motors is a brand that holds a very special place in Indian automotive history. The Ambassador and Contessa are the most popular sedans from this Indian car manufacturer. The Ambassador was used by many politicians and diplomats for decades. However, in rural areas where road connectivity was not the best and public transport was not an option, people relied on a vehicle named the Trekker. This was an extremely practical MUV from Hindustan Motors that was launched in the market to make transportation easier…

This year, long-time contributor Sankar Ray (7 January 1941-21 February 2023) moved on to greater, better Books pages in the unknown beyond. Ray, who lived in Kolkata, reviewed a range of books for Hindustan Times tackling those to do with the environment, pandemics, the CIA, politics, slave rebellions and Marxism with equal erudition. Every review he wrote displayed the depth of his knowledge and the breadth of his reading and his contributions enriched the Books page immensely. Sankar Ray (Courtesy the subject)…

Poetrywala, India’s premier small press for English-language poetry, turned 20 this year. Along the way, it has published around 150 collections, mainly from India, and translated from English, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Portuguese, Maltese, French, Spanish and other languages. Among these books are those from many important Indian poets of various generations. Poetrywala’s publishing track record has given it a lot of prestige and, without exaggeration, the status of an imprimatur among the…

“George: Be careful, Martha… I’ll rip you to pieces. Rashmika Mandanna and Ranbir Kapoor in Animal (Film still) Martha: You aren’t man enough…you haven’t the guts.” Stay tuned with breaking news on HT Channel on Facebook. Join Now Edward Albee wasn’t accused of promoting toxicity for this conversation from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. “If you truly love me, then lick my shoe,” says Vijay to Zoya, the mole, who he has no reason to trust. But when she bends to do so, he moves his foot away. This is from the…

Last year, the market was rife with rumors about the Ambassador’s potential comeback to the Indian market. Although the owners of the Ambassador brand haven’t confirmed its return, the question arises: if it does make a comeback, will people opt for the modern iteration of the Ambassador? Why it could come back? Groupe PSA, the Citroen brand owner in India, also holds the rights to use the iconic Ambassador name. Last year, Hind Motor Financial Corporation of India (HMFCI) and Groupe PSA were rumored to be…

When Mumbai’s Prithvi Theatre, a stone’s throw from Juhu beach, announced its line-up for the 38th edition of the annual Prithvi Festival, I rushed to my wall calendar and promptly blocked most of my evenings between November 3 and 13. This is a time of the year that I look forward to because – corny as it may seem – Prithvi is not just a place, it is an emotion for those who continue to be drawn by its enduring charm. PREMIUM Ratna Pathak Shah and Naseeruddin Shah in Old World (Courtesy Prithvi Festival) This…

The identifiable experience of the educated bourgeoisie has often set a representational limit for Indian writing in English. English from certain other corners of the world – particularly those that have emerged through Black or creolized identities – have created moments of grounded, sensory writing both on the level of dialect and worldview that Indian-English writing has rarely attained even through regional modification and bhasha twists, the achievements of which are of a different nature altogether. But what’s…

The Hindustan Ambassador is one of the most recognizable car names in India. The iconic Ambassador lived through the highs and lows of market changes in India, finally going out of production in 2014. With the rise in the number of modern cars, the demand for Ambassadors drastically declined. In terms of design, the HM Ambassadors didn’t change much. It was a bulky and chunky-looking sedan that offered a comfortable ride to its occupants. Several modified examples of Ambassador sedans have been seen in the past. Here,…

Hindustan Contessa is often referred to as the muscle car of India. It earns this title due to its long bonnet and muscular car design. However, it is actually a regular four-door sedan. Nevertheless, there have been numerous modified Contessa sedans that have been skillfully designed to resemble Mustangs and other muscle cars. While owning a classic car may seem enjoyable, maintaining one can be quite challenging. Many classic car owners either sell their vehicles or leave them parked on their porches after…