What to expect from 'Experiences & Observations'
What readers can expect from the publication and what is expected of the readers.
As I embark on this new journey here on Substack, I feel it is necessary to set the right expectations among my readers and also elaborate on what I had written in the about section (do read). This post should provide you with greater clarity on what to expect from the newsletter.
Topics and sub-topics in focus
Indian geography, cultures and philosophies are the core areas of focus, in that order of importance. Hence, travel and adventure stories exploring Indian geography would be the most prominent theme, followed by observations and analysis of cultural traditions and their connection to Indian philosophical thought. This might sound too generic or vague - each topic is an ocean in itself - so let us break this down.
Geography: Indian geography is incredibly vast and diverse - there are snow-capped peaks, alpine forests, deserts, cold deserts, tropical jungles, salt-flats, beaches, islands - you name it! The intention is to cover all these areas of India. However, there would be a special focus on the Himalayas and the Western ghats. We explore mountains, valleys, forests, rivers and more - all of them based on personal experiences of hiking, climbing and cycling through the regions. The collective will feature travellers, adventures and even locals to share their interactions with Indian geography. As a natural extension of the subject, we will also explore flora and fauna, weather patterns and the impact of climate change on geographical features, among other things.
Culture: The word culture is wide-ranging and can be interpreted in many ways. Our focus is on the traditional cultural practices in various regions of India. That would include music, arts, festivals, customs, beliefs, handicrafts, local produce and above all, stories - folklore and legends that have been passed on over generations. Posts exploring Indian culture are not meant to be merely informative. The intention is to dive deep into the cultural history, their impact on the lives and lifestyles of people today, and also their future relevance.
Philosophy: Newsletter is probably not the right medium to explore a subject like Indian philosophy, neither am I qualified enough to write about them with authority. However, as a student of the subject, you will see me ‘philosophising’ quite often. Of course, there will be discussions about certain tenets of classical Indian philosophical schools. However, the discussions will be limited to understanding the impact of those first principles on cultures and lives of people. Understanding the structural underpinnings of religion and philosophy are integral to understanding India. The ‘immersive journey’ that this newsletter promises to provide would be incomplete without it.
Intersections
While the three focus areas are interesting in themselves and are worth writing on, there is no shortage of literature on either of these topics. There are more experienced climbers, cyclists who've toured more, trained cultural experts and philosophy scholars who are better-equipped to write on these topics. What is not so common though, is literature that looks at the intersections of these areas. The newsletter attempts to explore this interplay between the three. It's an effort to understand India through these intersections.
The author(s) of the collective write with an intention to undertake a deeper exploration of this convergence - The influence of geography on cultural practices, the role of culture in how nature is treated and shaped, how certain cultural practice thrives in a particular geographical setting and not in others, why did a philosophical thought flourish only in a certain geography, how does belief in a metaphysical phenomena shape cultures, how does it translate into what people wear, eat, celebrate, how geographical setting impacts the ethical perspectives of societies, and the like. Finding possible links and connecting the dots is what fascinates the author(s). Sure, there will be plenty of posts exclusively on either one of the topics. However, the intention is to focus on the intersections, which enable us to paint a more holistic picture.
Experience as a starting point
I strongly believe that we all are a sum of our experiences and that personal experiences are the basis of our world views. We live in times when it is hard to authenticate the validity of a piece of information - when the line between truth and untruth are blurred. So this newsletter keeps personal experience as a starting point for all observations and analysis. This does not mean relevant literature or others opinions on the topic will not be taken into account. The idea is to start from one's own experience and stay true to it.
Length and Format
The length of a post could be anything between 1250 - 2500 words, which translates into seven to twelve minutes of reading time at a leisurely pace. The number is open to being tweaked depending on subscribers’ feedback. There will be a healthy mix of stories, observations, analyses, and interviews. Topics that require additional attention, where a subject matter needs to be explored in greater depth, will be dealt with comprehensively in a series of posts.
Sample posts
Here are a few sample post titles to help you gauge the kind of writing that is on offer:
Mountains as divine beings: Culture of mountain worship across the Himalaya.
A village high on life: Being a guest in a village where everyone was drunk.
Bardo Todol: Tibetan Buddhism’s perspective on death & how it affects life.
Frozen highway: Cycling an entire day on the frozen Pangong Lake in Ladakh.
Savannahs of Gujarat: A slice of Africa in western India.
What is expected from the readers
Leave behind political lenses: We live in times when anything, literally anything, can be politicised or be analysed through a political lens. While political issues are not the concern of the newsletter and none of us have any political agendas, when writing about cultural aspects, it is easy to wander into issues that people consider political. As mentioned earlier, the newsletter’s intention is to stay true to one’s experience. So, the author(s) will not shy away from writing things irrespective of how it fits in the political binaries of the day. It is both a request and an expectation that readers leave behind their political lenses while reading our posts.
An Open mind: There might be instances where the contents of the newsletter are not in line with your thoughts or opinions. We expect you to be open to contrary viewpoints and to newer perspectives on issues.
Interact: It would be very encouraging for all the authors of the collective to hear your thoughts, feedback, and critique. We enjoy straightforward responses so we are more than happy to hear anything you might want to let us know. You can either reply to the newsletter directly from your inbox or use the comments section if you are reading on the site.
If you have any further questions, maybe the FAQ section will answer some of them.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you have come all the way here, it is safe to assume you are interested in the newsletter, no? You can subscribe by paying any amount of your choice here.