Tracing forgotten footsteps: Uma Lohray on giving voice to India's lost ayahs
Raised across Pune, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad by scientist parents, and trained as a lawyer in Delhi, Uma Lohray never imagined her literary debut would be sparked by a Blue Plaque in London. 'It began quite unexpectedly,' she shares, recalling the moment she came across an article about the Ayahs' Home. 'The name alone gave me pause. Who were these ayahs, and why did they need a home in Britain?' That small question unlocked a forgotten world of Indian women and girls—many barely teenagers—who were taken overseas by British families as caretakers during colonial times, often only to be abandoned later.
This haunting silence, and the systematic erasure of these lives from mainstream history, drove Lohray to write The One-Way Ships. Set in pre-independence Shimla and England, the novel centers on Asha, a spirited girl whose life changes after her father's death. 'Asha is entirely fictional,' says Lohray, 'but she's built from many echoes—girls mentioned in records without names, just fleeting presences.' Through Asha's journey, Lohray offers a lens into a hidden world of displacement, survival, and quiet strength.
The research behind the novel was both rigorous and intuitive. Lohray devoured historical texts, shipping records, and period literature, from Dr. Rozina Visram's academic work to Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, piecing together an emotional landscape from archival fragments. Her legal background, she says, helped shape this approach: 'Law teaches you to read between the lines, to question what's missing. That was invaluable in handling archival material and imagining what those silences might have felt like.'
Balancing Asha's innocence with growing awareness was one of the novel's artistic challenges. 'Children don't always have the vocabulary for power, race or class—but they feel those things deeply,' Lohray notes. 'The goal was not to make Asha precocious, but perceptive, shaped gradually by experience.'
Lohray draws a literary parallel between Asha and Black Beauty, evoking the emotional resonance of a powerless narrator finding dignity and voice. 'Asha doesn't control her world, but she sees it clearly. Her strength isn't granted—it's chosen.'
Though rooted in colonial history, The One-Way Ships feels powerfully contemporary. 'So many young people today live between worlds,' says Lohray. 'Asha's story may be set in the 1930s, but her emotional terrain—of loss, resilience, and identity—is timeless.'
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Patna airport faces safety risks amid urban sprawl & natural obstacles
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"The airport is surrounded by thick settlement, making it one of the most challenging for take-offs and landings," an aviation official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The short runway only adds to the difficulty," he added. Despite being operationally critical for Bihar, the airport continues to run on borrowed time. Runway expansion has long been discussed, but actual action remains elusive. In the wake of the June 12 AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, which sent shockwaves across the country, officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the district administration inspected Patna airport to examine possibilities for runway extension. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 오스템 임플란트 받아가세요 임플란터 더 알아보기 Undo A proposal has been drawn up yet again, but those on the ground remain sceptical. "We have heard promises before," said an airport official. "But the challenges we face demand more than paperwork and inspections," he added. Standing at 49.5 metres tall, the iconic clock tower near the Old Secretariat, built in 1917, poses a major hurdle for approaching aircraft. "It eats into our usable runway length," said Krishna Mohan Nehra, Patna's airport director. While the runway officially stretches 2,072 metres, pilots are forced to work with only 1,938 metres from the east and just 1,677 metres from the west due to the tower's presence. Nehra said the tower disrupts the standard three-degree landing approach, forcing aircraft to descend at steeper angles of up to 3.5 degrees which is risky, especially in poor weather. The Airport Environment Management Committee (AEMC), chaired by divisional commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh, has recommended reducing the tower's height by 17.5 metres. The proposal now awaits cabinet secretariat approval. "Pilots often have to go around again due to incorrect approach angles caused by the tower," an official added. Patna's airstrip is nearly 750 feet shorter than the 2,300 metres recommended by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for safe operation of commercial jets like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. In fact, Patna was one of four airports flagged in 2010 by the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC) for critical safety limitations. The latest expansion proposal includes acquiring 37 acres to the east – 15 acres of which belong to the Patna zoo – and 200 metres of land towards the west, near the railway line in Phulwarisharif. District officials are eyeing sites near the Patna Golf Club to compensate the zoo for any lost land. Rajender Singh Lahauria, former airport director, supports the relocation of the zoo altogether. "The zoo director back then felt the airport operations were affecting animal breeding. Shifting the zoo and govt bungalows would make runway extension viable," he said. However, Lahauria cautioned that western expansion won't benefit landing distances due to the railway traction lines but could help with take-offs. "The real game-changer would be reducing the clock tower's height, but historically the AAI hasn't received a positive response from the state," he added. Lahauria said in 2016, a proposal was sent at his time to reduce the clock tower height by 11.5-m and land acquisition for runway extension, but nothing was done. Arvind Kumar Singh, secretary of Patna Golf Club, said they have a lease of 102.8acres of land out of which 20acres is "encroached" by zoo. "The club does not in any way interfere with flight safety funnel. Golf Club has been declared as a green belt with multiple heritage trees of over 70/80 years old. The Golf Club has given national level golfers creating a good image of emerging Bihar. We have plans to further upgrade the facility but if they take another 15-acre land, then how can we do it?" he asked. According to AAI officials, even the western extension is fraught with problems. "We can only extend by 120 metres towards Phulwarisharif. But even that will be largely unusable. There must be at least 150 metres between the runway's centreline and the railway track. Currently, we only have 70 metres and an extension would reduce it to just 39," one official said. High-tension wires along the railway line further complicate the possibility of creating a slope. Efforts to move the railway line underground were ruled out after a RITES feasibility study. "There is simply no scope westward," the official said. The eastern approach is equally complex. "When pilots land from the east, the first thing they see are tree canopies, not the runway," another official said. "Beyond the zoo, new multi-storey buildings could emerge as future obstructions. We have only surveyed within our jurisdiction, but even now, we can't use the full 2,072 metres," he added. Tree growth at the zoo poses a persistent safety threat. Regular pruning, officials say, is either delayed or ignored. At a recent AEMC meeting, the airport director stressed the urgency of compliance with the Obstacle Limitation Survey under the Aircraft Act, 1934. The forest department has been instructed to take immediate action. "Tree growth is natural, and so should be its management," said Arvind Dubey, former director of the airport. "We need the state's cooperation to ensure aircraft safety. Passenger facilities have improved, but operational safety must follow," he added. Another growing concern is the menace of laser lights from wedding venues. On April 17 this year, an IndiGo flight (6E-653) from Pune was temporarily blinded by a DJ laser beam during its approach to Patna. While the pilot managed a safe landing, the potential consequences could have been catastrophic. 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NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
5 Quick Ways To Balance Excess Garam Masala In Dishes
There's something cosy and comforting about cooking in Indian kitchens. The crackling of spices in hot oil, the aroma of masalas filling up your kitchen, and the warm, comforting feeling that something tasty is on its way. And what makes it all a roller coaster experience for our taste buds? It is the garam masala. Just a pinch of it can take your dish to another level. However, because of the intensity of this spice mix, one slip-up can ruin the dish. But don't worry, cooking slip-ups are common and there's nothing you can't fix with some simple hacks. So, for those times, here are some simple ways to save your dish from excess garam masala flavour. Also Read: Why Do We Put Garam Masala At The End Of Cooking Here Are 5 Quick Tips To Balance Excess Garam Masala In Dishes 1. Add Dairy When the garam masala overpowers the dish's taste, dairy can come to the rescue. A spoonful of cream or curd mixed into your gravy can lighten the sharpness of the masalas instantly. Even a dash of milk would work if you're making bhindi or aloo masala. This is because the fats in dairy help cut down strong spices and bring everything back to balance. It also makes your dish taste better, richer, and creamier, making it all the way more indulgent. 2. Add Something Acidic Acidity can easily balance the intensity of your dish. When a dish feels too heavy on the garam masala, add some lemon juice or vinegar to your dish and it'll work like magic. You can also add chopped tomatoes to lighten the flavour and stretch the gravy. Tomatoes especially help in curries or dals by absorbing and diluting the spices. Make sure to start with just a little and then add gradually. You'll notice the heat mellowing down and the dish will become sharper and more flavourful. 3. Add Starch To Your Dish Sometimes, the easiest fix is to simply add more food. If your sabzi or curry has too much masala, add in more of the main ingredient. You can add extra potatoes, paneer, or even boiled rice. The thing is, starch is neutral and can absorb excess spices naturally. It also makes the dish more filling and adds to the quantity, which is helpful if guests are suddenly joining in. This trick works well with dals, gravies, or even dry sabzis. 4. Mix A Bit Of Sweetness It might sound surprising but a pinch of sugar or jaggery to your dishes can actually tone down the bitterness or heat of too much garam masala. This works especially well when you're cooking something tomato-based or tangy as sweetness creates balance. Just be careful not to overdo it or your rajma might taste like a dessert. A small spoon is usually enough to bring your dish back to life. This is one of those old-school nuskhas that actually works well. 5. Serve It With Cooling Sides If adjusting the main dish feels too risky, balance it out with what you serve alongside. A masala-heavy curry will feel less intense when you pair it with jeera rice, rotis or even a bowl of chilled raita. Even cucumber salad, curd rice, or a bit of lassi can help cut the heat. This is a quick way to enjoy your dish without tweaking too much and still enjoy the taste of your dish. Also Read: 5 Best Substitutes If You Are Running Out Of Garam Masala So, follow these hacks and save your dish in the most convenient way possible! Advertisement About Nikita Nikhil Meet Nikita, a passionate soul with an insatiable love for two things in life: Bollywood and food! When she's not indulging in binge-watching sessions, Nikita can be found behind the lens capturing moments or expressing her creativity through painting. For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. Tags: Garam Masala Garam Masala Benefits Cooking Tips Show full article Comments
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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Americans swear more frequently than Australians & Brits online. Here's why
A new study has revealed that Americans tend to swear more online than Brits and Australians. The researchers, who analysed more than 1.7 billion words of online language across 20 English-speaking regions, argued that the 'individualistic culture' in the US is one of the main reasons why Americans tend to swear more read more Martin Schweinberger, The University of Queensland and Kate Burridge, Monash University Our brains swear for good reasons: to vent, cope, boost our grit and feel closer to those around us. Swear words can act as social glue and play meaningful roles in how people communicate, connect and express themselves – both in person, and online. In our new research published in Lingua, we analysed more than 1.7 billion words of online language across 20 English-speaking regions. We identified 597 different swear word forms – from standard words, to creative spellings like '4rseholes', to acronyms like 'wtf'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The findings challenge a familiar stereotype. Australians – often thought of as prolific swearers – are actually outdone by Americans and Brits, both in how often they swear, and in how many users swear online. How much does the world swear? Our study focused on publicly available web data (such as news articles, organisational websites, government or institutional publications, and blogs – but excluding social media and private messaging). We found vulgar words made up 0.036 per cent of all words in the dataset from the United States, followed by 0.025 per cent in the British data and 0.022 per cent in the Australian data. Although vulgar language is relatively rare in terms of overall word frequency, it was used by a significant number of individuals. Between 12 per cent and 13.3 per cent of Americans, around 10 per cent of Brits, and 9.4 per cent of Australians used at least one vulgar word in their data. Overall, the most frequent vulgar word was 'f**k' – with all its variants, it amounted to a stunning 201 different forms. We focused on online language that didn't include social media, because large-scale comparisons need robust, purpose-built datasets. In our case, we used the Global Web-Based English (GloWbE) corpus, which was specifically designed to compare how English is used across different regions online. So how much were our findings influenced by the online data we used? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Telling results come from research happening at the same time as ours. One study analysed the use of 'f**k' in social networks on X, examining how network size and strength influence swearing in the UK, US and Australia. It used data from 5,660 networks with more than 435,000 users and 7.8 billion words and found what we did. Americans use 'f**k' most frequently, while Australians use it the least, but with the most creative spelling variations (some comfort for anyone feeling let down by our online swearing stats). How swearing varies across cultures Americans hold relatively conservative attitudes toward public morality, and their high swearing rates are surprising. The cultural contradiction may reflect the country's strong individualistic culture. Americans often value personal expression – especially in private or anonymous settings like the internet. Meanwhile, public displays of swearing are often frowned upon in the US. This is partly due to the lingering influence of religious norms, which frame swearing – particularly religious-based profanity – as a violation of moral decency. Significantly, the only religious-based swear word in our dataset, 'damn', was used most frequently by Americans. Research suggests swearing is more acceptable in Australian public discourse. Certainly, Australia's public airing of swear words often takes visitors by surprise. The long-running road safety slogan 'If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot' is striking – such language is rare in official messaging elsewhere. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Americans often value personal expression – especially in private or anonymous settings like the internet. Meanwhile, public displays of swearing are often frowned upon in the US. Image for Representation. Reuters Australians may be comfortable swearing in person, but our findings indicate they dial it back online – surprising for a nation so fond of its vernacular. In terms of preferences for specific forms of vulgarity, Americans showed a strong preference for variations of 'a**(hole)', the Irish favoured 'feck', the British preferred 'c**t', and Pakistanis leaned toward 'b***(hole)'. The only statistically significant aversion we found was among Americans, who tended to avoid the word 'bloody' (folk wisdom claims the word is blasphemous). Who swears the most? People from countries where English is the dominant language – such as the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland – tend to swear more frequently and with more lexical variety than people in regions where English is less dominant like India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Ghana or the Philippines. This pattern holds for both frequency and creativity in swearing. But Singapore ranked fourth in terms of frequency of swearing in our study, just behind Australia and ahead of New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. English in Singapore is increasingly seen not as a second language, but as a native language, and as a tool for identity, belonging and creativity. Young Singaporeans use social swearing to push back against authority, especially given the government's strict rules on public language. People from countries where English is the dominant language tend to swear more frequently and with more lexical variety than people in regions where English is less dominant. Image for Representation. Pixabay One possible reason we saw less swearing among non-native English speakers is that it is rarely taught. Despite its frequency and social utility, swearing – alongside humour and informal speech – is often left out of language education. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why swearing sticks Cultural, social and technological shifts are reshaping linguistic norms, blurring the already blurry lines between informal and formal, private and public language. Just consider the Aussie contributions to the July Oxford English Dictionary updates: expressions like 'to strain the potatoes' (to urinate), 'no wuckers' and 'no wucking furries' (from 'no f**ing worries'). Swearing and vulgarity aren't just crass or abusive. While they can be used harmfully, research consistently shows they serve important communicative functions – colourful language builds rapport, expresses humour and emotion, signals solidarity and eases tension. It's clear that swearing isn't just a bad habit that can be easily kicked, like nail-biting or smoking indoors. Besides, history shows that telling people not to swear is one of the best ways to keep swearing alive and well. Martin Schweinberger, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The University of Queensland and Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
