THE CLERGY, too, was known for its tendency to trade. Interestingly enough, the wealth thus acquired by the religious orders was not shared with the Crown. The nuns of the Covent of Santa Monica at Old Goa were accused of conducting commercial activities in competition with the official trade. One of the charges levelled against them was that they lent money to foreign traders.

THE WEAVE of My Life by Urmila Pawar is more than a Dalit woman’s memoirs; it’s a bold yet intelligent critique of casteism coupled with feminist politics in Maharashtra towards the last quarter of the 20th century. And to think that a woman from the Mahar caste could rise above her poor and deprived environment in the Ratnagiri village and survive to tell her story is nothing short of remarkable.

DOSTANA IS no Brokeback Mountain. It’s not a serious take on homosexuality either. On the contrary, it’s a madcap comedy where two straight men pretend to be gays. Love triangles in Hindi movies often centre around two guys falling in love with the same girl or two girls choosing to love the same guy.

A.R. Rahman has created a soundtrack which makes an instant impact and yet retains the classy touch which is expected from him, especially noticeable in songs like ‘Guzarish’ and ‘Kaise Mujhe’.

IN HIS introduction to the new collection Just After Sunset, King explains that as a young almost-poor schoolteacher trying to get a writing career started, stories, many of them published in men’s magazines like Dude and Cavalier, were a way to a much needed cheque when the car needed a muffler or his wife’s birthday was coming up.

MUSIC HOUSE Production has compiled Menino de Benaulim’s super hits in an audio album titled ‘Goencho Serkar Purtugez Kolvont’. The album features some of the Konkani stage’s best singers - Felcy, Lawry Travaso, Rosario de Benaulim,