The Lost Generation-Bpb
A pandit in Haridwar who has spent generations preserving the family histories of strangers. A hired mourner who has perfected the art of crying on cue. A letter writer who quietly transcribes the careful fictions a sex worker sends home to her family. These are not museum pieces. They're real people, still working, still breathing, tucked into the older corners of Indian cities that most of us walk past without a second glance. Nidhi Dugar Kundalia brings together twelve such figures in this quietly extraordinary book, tracing the lives of professionals whose trades stretch back centuries but whose futures feel anything but certain. From the haunting performances of rudaalis to the oddly compelling world of the street dentist, each portrait carries its own weight of romance and sorrow. What makes the book linger is its refusal to sentimentalise. Kundalia writes with warmth and a sharp eye, finding dignity and complexity in people who might otherwise be reduced to curiosities. It's a book about loss, yes, but also about stubborn survival, and the strange intimacy that comes from trades built entirely on human need. Readers with an interest in cultural history, forgotten professions, or simply good storytelling will find plenty to absorb here.
- Author: Nidhi Dugar Kundalia
- Publisher: Random House India
- Genre: Journalism & Media Studies
- ISBN: 978-8184007374
- Pages: 256 pages