The Lit Pickers

Deepanjana sits down with Ahalya and Meethil, the founders and owners of Trilogy, an indie bookstore and library in the heart of Mumbai where your cellphone gets no network and the shelves are full of treasures. They talk about the magic that goes into making an indie bookstore, reading for work and pleasure, and the joy of belonging to a community of book lovers. Tune in for an episode filled with love, warmth, and the delight of “bookbathing.”

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

Get ready to paws everything you're doing. We’ve got an interview that's going to make you sit up and meow. Supriya chats with journalist and writer Srinath Rao, author of “Meow Meow: The Incredible Story of Baby Patankar,” an exploration of  the world of meow meow, the party drug also known as mephedrone. Tune in as we scratch the surface of the intricate web of events that led to the rise and fall of Baby Patankar as Bombay’s foremost drug-dealing grandmother. From the unexpected arrest of a police officer to the allure of a substance more affordable than catnip, this episode gets its claws into her story in the foregrounds of Worli's skyline. 

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

Love is in the air on The Lit Pickers. In the Valentine mood, Deepanjana and Supriya make a list of their literary crushes over the years. Beginning with Karna in Mahabharata to Zumurrud in the Arabian Nights, they delve into the characters who have captured their hearts at different ages and stages. Tune in for some literary swooning and many giggles.

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

Tune into The (Literary) Bro Code

Tune into Read Like A Girl

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

Get ready for a juicy, tell-all episode, and the tea is piping hot! Deepanjana and Supriya are dishing out all the bookish secrets they've kept locked away. From books that left them yawning to the novels they've pretended to read, no page will be left unturned. But it's not all shade! They're also sharing the books that have brought them sheer delight. And, of course, they're diving deep into the age-old dilemma of separating the art from the artist. So, grab your favorite reading nook and tune in as we dive headfirst into the confessions of devoted readers.

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

Admittedly, this got a bit longer than 20 minutes. Sorry. Get ready for some venting as we unleash our inner literary haters. Serving up a platter of literary pet peeves, we’re adding the vinegar to our customary Turkish eggs. Join the discussion as we dissect what really grinds our bibliophilic gears. Because, despite our true love for all things books, sometimes we really can get picky. 

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

We’re baaaack!

Let’s go on a whimsical storytime adventure with The Lit Pickers as Deepanjana sits down to chat about kid lit, reading as grown-ups, and the power of the fantastical imagination with award-winning author and editor Bijal Vachharajani. From giggles and comfort reads, to the question of who should have a seat at the literary table, these two long-time friends and collaborators have a lot to discuss. Demi-gods, fairy tales, picture books — there’s all kinds of magic in this episode.    

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

Snuggle up under your cosiest blanket because in this episode, we're diving under the covers of books that feel like a warm literary hug. Are comfort reads guilty pleasures, or is there something else about them? Are these books that offer clear answers, or do they complicate the picture for us? Join us as we spill the (bookish) beans on what brings us comfort between the pages.

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

Retrieve your cuppa. We are spilling the tea on the good, the bad, and the ugly of “Beyond the Story,” a book that promises the behind-the-scenes story of the K-pop group and global phenomenon, BTS. We’re in conversation with Sharanya, our former podcast producer and a member of BTS Army. From the highs to the lows, we dissect what disappointed us about the book and uncover its saving graces. We share insights on  BTS for the uninitiated, delve into the individual musical tastes of the boys, speculate on their comeback, and discuss the unique connection they've built with their fans. Join the debate: is the book a literary delight or is it merch? 

Pssst: We’re going on a little break, but we’ll be back next month! In the meantime, tune into Sharanya’s playlist, “BTS songs as stages of grief” here.

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

Despite the thick books that win awards and hearts, bigger isn’t always better. In this episode, Supriya and Deepanjana discuss the significance of slim volumes, books that look like bite-sized snacks but have all the complexity of a tasting menu. From literary experiments to rallying calls to activism, the best of slim volumes should occupy pride of place on your bookshelf and they’ll tell you why. The chapbook, the novella, and single essays – explore these small wonders with us, discover how less can sometimes mean so much more, and stay for recommendations. 

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You

This week on The Lit Pickers, we’re exploring a capital idea. Let us take you on a time-slipping tour of Delhi, home to scholars and poets, Sufis and crazy rich Indians. It’s a place where seven cities are constantly re-learning and re-membering how to create a space for both those in the centre and on the margins. It’s India’s  political capital, and also the jewel of the Mughal Empire; it’s Lutyens’s creation, and the dream of its bureaucrats. Join us on this literary ramble of an episode, the podcast equivalent to a stroll through Lodi Gardens in autumn.

You can find Supriya Nair at @supriyanair and Deepanjana Pal at @dpanjana on Instagram. 

If you have any books, reading or literature-related questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

For a list of all the books mentioned in the season so far, check out: https://thelitpickers.fanlink.to/books

This is a Maed In India Production; check us out at www.maedinindia.in. 

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Head of Audio: Kartik Kulkarni

Producer: Meghna Gulati 

Sound Editor: Lakshman Parsuram

Artwork: Alika Gupta

Theme Music: Easy Wanderlings - Here’s to You