Latest news with #Inset
Mint
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Gurnaik Johal's 'Saraswati': A complex debut that misses the mark on majoritarian politics
British-Asian writer Gurnaik Johal's ambitious debut novel Saraswati begins with Satnam (a Punjabi Londoner), one of the novel's main characters, staring at a well he has just inherited from his dead grandmother at their ancestral Punjab village. Miraculously, the longdried well has suddenly spouted water, a development that the jetlagged Satnam momentarily perceives as 'a trick of the light", before acknowledging that he really was staring back at his own face. 'But here it was, water: a reflection. He looked down at himself looking up." By the time you finish the novel, you realise that among other things, this opening salvo is a nifty bit of foreshadowing. For Satnam's little family well soon becomes the conduit for a Hindu nationalist plot to resurrect the mythical river Saraswati. This water, conjured out of nothingness, functions as the novel's vanity mirror, used by Johal to reflect the motives and machinations of every single major character on display here. And there is no shortage of major characters, as Satnam discovers the existence of far-flung relatives across the globe, products of a 19th century inter-caste marriage between their ancestors, Sejal and Jugaad (whose story is fleshed out in short flashbacks separating the novel's longer 'real time" chapters, not unlike the 'Inset" flashback chapters in Vikram Chandra's Sacred Games). There's Nathu, the asexual Kenyan archaeology professor, Harsimran the Bollywood stunt double, Mussafir, connected to a guerrilla eco-terrorist group upset at the fact that existing rivers are being diverted to the newly anointed 'holy river" Saraswati. We also meet Katrina and Jay, a couple who meet on the island of Diego Garcia after a surprise donkey invasion of the runway their plane was supposed to land on. Also read: Why writer Yashpal's feminism provokes thought 50 years on These characters and the realms that they find themselves traversing, are representative of a very specific, trans-continental 21st century novel practised by the likes of David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas), Hari Kunzru (Transmission), Kim Stanley Robinson (The Ministry for the Future) et al. Saraswati, like the other novels of this subgenre, takes E.M. Forster's 'only connect!" exhortation from Howards End to its logical endpoint—in these novels, connections and collisions (economic, cultural, moral) are both form and content. Every single event in these novels, basically, is an echo of an earlier mistake, an earlier loss, an earlier era. Johal's novel emulates these in its narrative structure. Saraswati's ensemble cast of Sejal and Jugaad's descendants, too, are drawn to the mythical river in ways that spell out their semantic purpose in the plot—the archaeologist 'excavates" both his own and the river's past, the journalist connects the dots in Sejal's family tree only to forge meaningful connections of her own along the way, and so on. This is a structurally efficient way to construct a novel. Johal is clearly a gifted writer, and one of his obvious strengths is the clear-eyed exploration of 'old world" vs 'new world" economies. In the novel, after the prime minister, Narayan Indra, declares the Saraswati river to be the site of an ancient Hindu civilisation, a new and bustling market for dug-up 'Saraswatian" artefacts opens up, for example. 'A large market had emerged around the buying and selling of ancient artefacts, and it was his team's job to date and register each find, determining its authenticity and, where possible, its providence, before it was sold on. The work meant that our apartment building was supplied with extra security: many traders would stand to lose a lot of money if your father's team deemed their finds inauthentic. Others were angry that the team was authenticating too many items, driving the market price down." There's so much going on in the passage above—the surveillance state, mercantile mischief, the economic opportunism that inevitably follows chest-thumping political speeches. Johal deserves credit for stringing together these hefty, idea-dense passages that tackle everything from the auditory landscape of the Punjabi language to the vagaries of the caste system to the growing anti-immigration movement spreading across much of the Western world. Johal is also very good at depicting contemporary online registers—the voice note that Satnam uses to break up with his London girlfriend is pitch-perfect, for example. However, this gleeful ventriloquist's act becomes a weakness when it comes to the character of Indra and his cohorts. They come off as repetitive and somewhat cartoonish in their speech patterns. Also read: Frederick Forsyth's 'Jackal' is back in 2025 Part of the problem is that we only ever engage with Indra when one of the other characters is watching a speech on TV. And the speeches are utterly consumed by the idea of the Saraswati and by extension, the glorious Hindu civilisation of the past. In Johal's rendering, Indra is high on his own supply, so to speak. 'The earth is not so solid as it looks; we feel you rushing, we feel you with each unstable step. Come before us, great mother, mother of all rivers, and let us flow with thee. Praise Bharati! Praise Mahavidya! Praise Mahavani! Arya, Brahmi. Praise Bijagarbha, Veenapani! Oh, Sarada, Vageshwari. Sing for Gayatri, for Satarupa, she who has seven forms." Don't get me wrong, the passage cited above works at a superficial comedic level. But the problem with Saraswati's Hindutva depiction is that we seldom see beyond the satire and the symbolism. When we're with any of Satnam's ensemble cast of relatives, we're shown motivations, provocations, vulnerabilities; the stuff of inner lives. But with Indra or any of his very vocal followers, Johal restricts himself to PR-speak—campaign speeches, news channel debates, etc. The novel's concluding act of violence aside, there is hardly any depiction of the ravages of majoritarian politics. When Charlie Chaplin's Hitler analogue Adenoid Hynkel bounces a comically large globe off his backside in The Great Dictator (1940), folks laughed because physical comedy does not require footnotes. But as Chaplin himself noted in his memoir decades later, had he known of the full scale of the Holocaust's devastation back in 1940, he would have either abandoned the scene or made it very differently. Because of these discordant notes, Saraswati is neither an unqualified success nor a bad novel per se. The novel's depiction of majoritarian politics is what I would call a 'noble failure"—it mistakes the warm-up act for the concert itself and there's no shame in that, especially for a novelist not yet 30 years of age. I am quite sure that Gurnaik Johal will write a transcendentally good novel someday. Saraswati, however, doesn't quite have the substance to back up its stylistic brilliance. Aditya Mani Jha is a Delhi-based writer. Also read: When Bill Clinton praised India's cultural diversity
Newsweek
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Meghan Markle's Wine on Sale at $30 a Bottle: 'Sophisticated'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Meghan Markle has launched a 2023 Napa Valley Rosé priced at $90 for three bottles with stock expected to sell out fast. The first As Ever wine went on sale at 8 a.m. PT and will be followed in time by a sparkling wine, the company said in a press release. All eyes will be on how fast supplies last before selling out, after stocks of food in her online shop lasted just minutes during two separate product runs in April and June. Meghan Markle seen at the Unidad Recreativa El Vallado in Cali, Colombia, on August 18, 2024. Inset, her As Ever Napa Valley Rosé went on sale on July 1. Meghan Markle seen at the Unidad Recreativa El Vallado in Cali, Colombia, on August 18, 2024. Inset, her As Ever Napa Valley Rosé went on sale on July 1. Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images Why It Matters Sources stress selling out is a good problem to have but Meghan has also gone on record acknowledging it may be frustrating for customers to find themselves unable to buy her jams, teas and flower sprinkles. Expanding into wine gives supporters left disappointed at the last product run another chance at trying to get hold of her goods. What To Know A press release marketing the new wine described it as "a light, fresh, and effortlessly celebratory 2023 Napa Valley Rosé, thoughtfully curated by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. "This debut rosé marks the beginning of As Ever's thoughtful expansion into wine, with a Méthode Champenoise Napa Valley sparkling wine planned for the near future and additional varietals to follow." The 750ml bottle boasts an alcohol content of 14.5 percent ABV and is described as "crisp and beautifully balanced." "Sophisticated, dry, and refreshing, it is designed for summer's best moments," As Ever's press release said, "from lunches that turn into dinners and sun-drenched weekends where the only thing louder than the music is the laughter. "This blend captures the essence of celebration, inviting wine lovers to toast all the moments that matter most—both big and small." What People Are Saying A source in the Sussex camp recently addressed the stock shortages to Newsweek: "The supply chain is constantly changing as the business is growing, as is very normal for any business that's trying to scale. "The critical thing is maintaining the quality of the product, and sure, you can just go to any bottling plant and anyone who is growing raspberries anywhere in the country and get it done really quickly. "The reason it's taking time is because there's been absolutely no compromise on the quality, and the ingredients, and the flavor. "The rate at which the product seems to sell out regardless of the scale and the numbers its proving very difficult but that's a great problem to have." Meanwhile, Nick Ede, a brand and culture expert, recently told Newsweek: "I'm sure we'll see stories about the wine being sold out within seconds when that comes on sale in July." He warned selling out stock had some dangers as well as positives: "From a business point of view, it's actually important now to have consistency. "If you think about how much we consume jam, and you can't get another for about two or three months—that doesn't really make commercial sense. "You want to purchase things when you want them. That's what we're all about—instant gratification." Meghan told the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast: "I knew that I had a decision to make which came down to, what is our timeline to be able to restock these products that we had? "Well, we can restock what we had at those same quantities but then I'll have another sell out and I don't want that for people. "I think scarcity is great if it happens organically at the onset but at a certain point, even being consumer-minded, I would be fatigued if that kept happening and I was going to a website." What Happens Next The wine went on sale at 8am PT and Meghan and Prince Harry will be keen to see how long stocks last before selling out. If the wine goes quickly that will be an encouraging sign for the health of the business, though it may also create extra pressure to get the sparkling wine into the online store quickly. Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Newsweek
01-07-2025
- General
- Newsweek
US Nuclear Missile Base Swarmed By Squirrels
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A U.S. nuclear missile base has been invaded by a predator capable of mass infrastructural damage: squirrels. Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota has been overrun with Richardson Ground Squirrels, known to personnel as "dakrats," which have been a recurring issue at the base for decades. Writing about the dakrats in 2009, Vicki Johnson, an engineer at Minot AFB, said: "Newcomers to the base often are delighted by the cute little critters, affectionately known as 'Dakrats,' they find popping up in their yards as spring approaches. For those who have lived here a little longer, the delight has faded, and the critters are no longer welcome." Minot Air Force Base has been contacted via email for comment. Main image, a retired Minuteman 1 missile stands at the main entrance to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota on June 25, 2014. Inset, a Richardson's ground squirrel, otherwise known as a "dakrat." Main image, a retired Minuteman 1 missile stands at the main entrance to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota on June 25, 2014. Inset, a Richardson's ground squirrel, otherwise known as a "dakrat." Main: Charlie Riedel, File/Main: AP Photo, Inset: Minot Air Force Base Why It Matters Squirrels may seem like cute, harmless creatures, but they can wreak havoc on base housing and carry disease, posing a risk to service members and their families. They also cause structural damage to the base, which just received an $850 million upgrade for its nuclear weapons capabilities. What To Know Minot AFB is home to two branches of the U.S.'s Nuclear Triad. The term Nuclear Triad refers to America's air, land and sea nuclear launch capabilities. It houses 26 B-52 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons and 150 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. Despite its key role in the U.S. nuclear deterrent, the base has for several years had periods of being overrun with squirrels. Its existence in remote North Dakota led to the elimination of natural predators, meaning the squirrels can reproduce en masse. Regular pesticides do not work on these squirrels, and spraying more toxic poisons around the base is against federal law and could harm the children of service members who live on base. On June 23, the base posted to Facebook announcing it is rolling out a three-step approach to handle the latest rodent invasion. The first is to have residents trap the squirrels in their backyard. The second is "a more comprehensive trapping plan and increased traps for resident use," and the third is a long-term approach for "increased resourcing for fall and spring mitigation efforts to significantly decrease the on-base population." Comments under this Facebook post from people who served on the base in the 1990s show the dakrats were an issue then, too. The concerns about how much damage squirrels can do to housing at the base come at the same time as the Department of Defense said they are moving money away from Army barracks repairs into funding operations along the southern border. As Minot is an Air Force base, it is unclear if funds for base repairs resulting from squirrel-related damage are similarly impacted by the DoD's budget plans. What People Are Saying Minot Air Force Base statement on Facebook: "The health, safety, and welfare of base residents is paramount. Action has been taken to direct Minot AFB Homes to implement a more concerted effort to address the issue." Airman 1st Class Josh W. Strickland wrote in 2019: "One lone intruder. No problem. Ten thousand intruders is a different story entirely, especially when they are rodents." What Happens Next The three-pronged approach to tackling the rodents is expected to go on for the rest of 2025.
