India has come to our shores after a long and dry cultural boycott imposed by the Indian government against the apartheid regime. For over 50 years the local Indian community has been starved of its vernacular culture of indigenous music, drama and literature. In its absence they created within the context of Africa a hybrid [...]

Currently in the media our attention is drawn to two disparate issues.
What does the early morning market saga in KwaZulu Natal have in common with the Iranian protests? Some may describe the former as a storm in a teacup, invisible to the world but not to the tea drinker. Others may describe the latter as [...]

I have become another statistic. As twilight set a burglar stealthily entered our house and stole my 18-caret solid gold omega watch, camera and other bits of valuables lying around. At first one is so grateful to be alive and then the value and sentimentality of the stolen items induces a sense of material loss. [...]

The culinary world is more powerful in some respects than politics. I recall in the bad old days when a certain mayor of Durban refused to allow his liberal minded daughter to invite her ‘non-white’ friends to her wedding, but was happy to serve Indian curry at the reception to an all white gathering. At [...]

South Africa lost one of its most treasured citizens when Dame Helen Suzman, the iconic advocate of liberalism and human rights, died peacefully on the 1st of January 2009. For those of us who knew her well it was not a happy start to the New Year. Knowing her as we did though, she probably [...]

The esteemed author Breyten Breytenbach in a recent open letter to Mandela published in Harpers Magazine advised young South Africans to leave the country if they wished to make a future for themselves.  Besides this being a highly unpatriotic response to our current day crises, it made one stop to wonder what one felt about [...]

Subramaniam concert: extraordinary, elevating
 
 

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the KZNPO and the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a musical revolution of some significance took place in Durban recently. Experiencing the joys of a free South Africa, local audiences of all hues flocked to hear the world renowned Indian maestro of the violin, Dr [...]

 
Monty Naicker: charming hero of the struggle
 
 
 

 
 
 
Time is a great dispenser of justice. Though its wheels grind slowly, it eventually reaches its true destiny and takes its rightful place in history. At long last, the good deeds of Dr Monty Naicker, leader of the Natal Indian Congress have been acknowledged by his country. Despite the [...]

Durban is currently experiencing an amazing opportunity to share its history with that of India. Musicians, artists, painters and culinary experts have descended upon our shores to showcase their expertise in a celebration of mutual talent. The organisers of this month long event, Celebrating India in SA, have provided South African writers, musicians, dancers and [...]