Varanasi & The Twice Born with Aatish Taseer

Aatish Taseer left New York City behind and traveled to Varanasi to learn Sanskrit and to connect with the ancient learned tradition of India. Taseer joins us today to talk about his experiences in Varanasi, which he wrote about in his book The Twice Born: Live and Death on the Ganges (FSG 2019) out now in paperback. In The Twice Born, Taseer uses explores the tensions between tradition and modernity through the lens of Brahmanical culture.  In the podcast episode, we also talk a great deal about Modi, Hindu Nationalism, their parallels with Donald Trump, and authenticity and fraudulence in travel writing.  You can connect with Aatish Taseer on Twitter and Instagram. More Episodes & Support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Thanks for your support! Listen to the Episode on YouTube Listen to the episode on YouTube on the Travel Writing World channel. Remember to subscribe to the channel. Intro Music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site.