The Big Turtle Show with Vik Zutshi

Filled with serpent kings, long-lost lovers, magical birds and seductive witches, The Legend of Himal and Nagrai is an enchanting collection of folk tales from a land as beautiful as it is misunderstood—Kashmir. 

In the title story, the serpent king Nagrai takes on human form to be with his one true love, the princess Himal. But despite Nagrai’s warnings, when Himal doubts her lover’s origins, all hell breaks loose. Will the star-crossed lovers ever be together?

In 2019, the BJP came into power once again on the back of one of the most significant electoral mandates in recent years. Since then, the Narendra Modi-led government has seen a tumultuous few years as they have implemented far-reaching legislative changes including the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, triple talaq, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as well as farming laws. These laws, when implemented, caused widespread protests and upheaval across the country.

While the country grappled with internal strife, it also faced challenges from its neighbours in the form of one of the most intense military stand-offs in decades after an unprovoked attack by China's People's Liberation Army at Galwan as well as a global pandemic. While the Modi government took swift steps to limit the spread of the pandemic in 2020, the second wave of COVID-19 in early 2021 hit the country hard, claiming thousands of lives.

Bringing a well-researched and nuanced understanding to Modi's second term, The Midway Battle sheds light on the sociopolitical issues facing India as it continues its struggle against enemies both known and unknown, and puts into perspective what lies ahead for the world's biggest democracy.

Author Anshul Chaturvedi talks to us about his book which he calls an essential guide to apply the principles of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings to one's everyday life.

Anecdotal and thought-provoking, The Vivekananda Handbook for Everyday Living unravels the wisdom of Swami Vivekananda's teachings to guide you through your life, whether in personal matters, domestic life, or in the professional arena.

Join us for a chat with author Tanushree Podder about her latest book 'The Girls in Green', about a group of girls from different backgrounds and their experiences at a military academy where they have been admitted to train as soldiers. We also discuss the broad range of subjects explored in her numerous books including 'The Daughter of Nur Jehan' and the adaptation of her new book into an upcoming webseries. Tanushree also tells us what it was like growing up in a military family in India.

Greater Kashmir columnist and Srinagar resident, Emaad Makhdoomi, weighs in on Article 370, Naya Kashmir, the Separatist movement and responds to Omar Abdullah's recent claims on Times Now channel.

Author Koral Dasgupta talks to us about her 'Sati' series about the lesser known aspects of the lives of five iconic women from the Indian epics: Ahalya, Kunti, Draupadi, Tara, Mandodari

Sonam Kachru, Buddhist scholar, joins us for a fascinating and occasionally hilarious chat about his latest book on Vasubandhu, the Buddhist theory of multiple realities, the truth about the four noble truths, Theravada versus Mahayana Buddhism and the importance of having a laugh on the way to enlightenment ..

Author and teacher Devdip Ganguly of Pondicherry tells us about his life-long engagement with the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Diivine Mother. He talks to us about the chapter on nationalism that he authored in Gautam Chkermane's new book and some of the parallels between Indian and Chinese philosophy that he has been exploring.

In this riveting session, Vikram and Rahul discuss the forced expulsion of Kashmir's hindu minority, early childhood trauma of being uprooted from kashmir and seeing his brother killed by militants, media hypocrisy on the Kashmir conflict, how he deals with false labels, the Burhan Wani affair, how terrorists are made and much more..

Rajat Ubhaykar in conversation with Vikram Zutshi about his quirky travelogue 'Truck de India' which traces his 10,000 mile journey across India in trucks.

About the book:   "The share auto I squeeze into next seems unusually vulnerable after a night in the truck - too compact, too low down. Perhaps, these are the usual side effects of prolonged riding with the king of the road, I think to myself. But it is only when I fill in ‘truck’ as my mode of transportation in the hotel ledger at Udaipur does the utter ludicrousness of my endeavour truly hit home"  Think truck drivers, and movie scenes of them drunkenly crushing inconvenient people to their gravelly deaths come to mind. But what are their lives on the road actually like?  In Truck De India!, journalist Rajat Ubhaykar embarks on a 10,000 km-long, 100% unplanned trip, hitchhiking with truckers all across India. On the way, he makes unexpected friendships; listens to highway ghost stories; discovers the near-fatal consequences of overloading trucks; documents the fascinating tradition of truck art in Punjab; travels alongside nomadic shepherds in Kashmir; encounters endemic corruption repeatedly; survives NH39, the insurgent-ridden highway through Nagaland and Manipur; and is unfailingly greeted by the unconditional kindness of perfect strangers.  Imbued with humour, empathy, and a keen sense of history, Truck De India! is a travelogue like no other you've read. It is the story of India, and Indians, on the road.

Namrata Wakhloo talks about what it was like staying back in Kashmir for ten years after the Great Exodus, the challenges of making a new home in mainland India, how she feels when she goes back every year, Article 370, religious fundamentalism, the idea of India, cultural sycretism and the pitfalls that Pandits may face in returning to Kashmir

 Sajit Warrier, director of Web series Chakravyuh talks to us about the inspiration behind his show and the OTT revolution in India.

Historian and Biographer Vikram Sampath talks to us about the long awaited sequel to his biography on V.D Savarkar (releasing on May 28th). We discuss the little known facets of this enigmatic and controversial personality aka the "Father of Hindutva", the conditions that gave rise to his worldview, why he evokes such intense emotions and to what degree his ideas have shaped India's ruling dispensation.  

Hosted By Vikram Zutshi  

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Rituparna and Vikram talk about what it takes to heal from severe childhood trauma, how spiritual practices can help the healing process, writing candid memoirs in the west versus conservative societies such as India's, the world of publishing, social media, mental health and how to be happy without external validation in these times.

In this riveting segment we explore the common origins of Tantric Shaivism and Buddhism in Kashmir and discuss how these powerful practices can be applied to modern lifestyles.

Poet and literary critic Urvashi Bahuguna talks about 'No Straight Thing Was Ever Made', a collection of personal essays on mental health, providing deep and poignant observations about the writing life, therapy, dating, social media and parenting.

Most people automatically associate Kashmir with Islam and Hinduism but not many people know that it once was a major hub of Buddhist culture and learning. In this episode, we once again have Prof. Subhash Kak talking about the origins and pedagogy of Buddhism in Kashmir and how it spread to central and east Asia. We discussed the long-standing metaphysical debate between Buddhists and Hindus about the existence of 'Atman' or the eternal self. Finally we explored the common origins of Kashmir (Tantric) Shaivism and Vajrayana Buddhism and how to apply these practices to modern lifestyles. The conversation will be released in two parts and has been designed for a general audience.

Curator and Poet Ranjit Hoskote talks about the inspiration behind his latest collection of poetry  'Hunchprose' as well as his earlier work on the Kashmiri mystic Lalleshwari. Vikram and Ranjit discuss symbolist and surrealist poets such as Rimbeaud, Beaudelaire, Rilke and Lorca and the fine line between poetic inspiration, madness and the mystical state.

Subhash Kak is a computer scientist, poet and Sanskritist. In this episode we talk about Religion as a great unifier and a divider, the politics of Religion, the distortions of hinduism in the western academy and whether Artificial intelligence can replicate human consciousness. We tried to arrive at an understanding of how people can be brought together in these highly polarized times and how religious faith itself can be the glue that ultimately brings us together.

Arunava Sinha is a prolific literary translator and the Books Editor at Scroll.in. He also teaches Creative Writing at Ashoka University in New Delhi. In this episode of the Big Turtle we talked about the Burden of Representation faced by diaspora writers in the West, the differences in approach between Indians writing in English and those writing in Indian languages. Further we discussed whether partisanship in journalism induces further polarization and the "echo-chamber" effect. We concluded our chat with a discussion on the pros and cons of the Farm Bills and the notion of pan-hindu solidarity as espoused by the BJP.

Since everyone is talking about conspiracies, our next episode should be of great interest: 

"Conspiracy Theory versus Conspiracy Fact" 

In which we discuss the origins of the CIA, the assassination of JFK, invasions of Vietnam and Iraq, false flag ops, and the nexus between the corporate media and national security state

 For the 1st episode of 2021 we bring you Yhamir Chabur with Latin American solidarity group ANTICONQUISTA and co-host Vikram Zutshi discussing U.S hegemony in Latin America, CIA sponsored coups in Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, the Iran-Contra affair and the truth behind the 'war' and 'how things are not likely to change under the Biden administration'. Stay tuned. 

Anjali Pathak is the founder trustee of URJA, a non-profit organisation, working with marginalised and underprivileged women and children, especially migrant women, women in prostitution and women in distress. URJA, established in 2011, is working in Pandvala Kalan in Najafgarh, New Delhi, where through a holistic program covering pre school education, livelihood skills development, legal advocacy and health, the organisation is reaching out to almost 300 migrant families.

Pathak is a lawyer and development professional with over 17 years of experience in the non profit sector. She has worked with reputed non government / government organisations like Prerna (Mumbai), Save the Children India, Human Rights Law Network (Delhi), National Commission for Women and as Consultant UNICEF in the Ministry of Women and Child Development. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights from the University of London and an MPhil in Sociology from the University of Pune.

In recent years, an increasing number of experts and think tanks have suggested that we need a new economy, beyond old style capitalism and socialism. The authors of Growing a New Economy, Roar Ramesh Bjonnes and Caroline Hargreaves, attempt to introduce just such an economy. The book not only challenges neoliberal thinking, but also socialist and even green narratives, creating a new discourse for a post-capitalist future.

The book not only summarizes the latest, hard-hitting critique from the experts; it continues with a deep-probing analysis of the data. Most importantly, it concludes with a set of practical solutions. The authors present a radically new macro-economic system unlike anything the progressive left or the greens have offered so far. The authors of Growing a New Economy believe this new economy may not only balance our budget, but also help create more economic equality, as well as save our rapidly deteriorating environment.

In this riveting episode, Vikram and Ramesh explore the ideas contained in Growing a New Economy vis a vis the rapidly shifting political landscape and the the upcoming US elections. Is deep, systemic change possible under the current two-party paradigm? Is it in the interest of America's corporate overlords to allow radical, sweeping changes proposed by freethinkers? Is Joe Biden a candidate for real change or does he represent business as usual? What was the true legacy of Obama's presidency? Why was Bernie Sanders edged out of the race by establishment democrats? Can Americans ever learn to see beyond the democrat-republican dichotomy? What is the Scandinavian model and what lessons does it have for America?

In a wide ranging interview focused on coming US presidential election, Peter Isackson and host Vikram Zutshi unpack what choices American voters truly have.  They explore the often pernicious role of the media, the corporate interests that guide it, and how debate has been stunted given the vested interests that interplay within this arena - all as framed by what is appearing to be an American election unlike any other.

Vikram and Peter explore how the mass media ecosystem has evolved since Chomsky wrote his seminal 1988 work, Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media.  Over the course of an hour, they explore who are the new players, why the intelligence community continually lies to the American people, what is the role of the military-industrial complex - aka the deep state - in US foreign and domestic policy, how the main stream media functions as a mouthpiece for US geopolitical interests, why Snowden and Assange were cast as enemies of the state by both parties, how the two party system stifles authentic democratic expression, how identity politics has come to dominate political discourse while the core issues are brushed under the carpet, and why the American people are continuously bombarded with the spectre of Russia. 

Peter Isackson is an author, media producer and chief visionary officer of Skillscaper, as well as chief strategy officer at Fair Observer. For more than thirty years, he has dedicated himself to innovative publishing, coaching, training of trainers and developing collaborative methods in the field of learning, having partnered with the BBC, Heinemann and Macmillan along the way.

In this conversation, Vikram Zutshi and Debashish Banerji talk to Samit Das about his art practice. Samit Das is a contemporary Indian artist based in New Delhi, who engages with Indian history through its archives. He was educated at Kala Bhavan in Shantiniketan and developed an abiding interest in the Bengal School of Art and the early history of Indian nationalism as represented in Bengal. He is also fascinated by proto-historic and aboriginal histories and how they have contributed to the vocabulary of Indian forms. This conversation explores these interests as well as Das' engagement with the changing landscapes of modern Indian cities such as Kolkata, Jamshedpur (where he was born), Shantiniketan and Delhi.

Staring to the stars, the uncanny swells. What is that glooming orb? What are those grainy pictures? What is this funny feeling?  Is it the empty eye of space staring upon the looker, or is it “the enigmatic presence of the human mind”?  Many folk describe encountering “visitors” who seem more angel than alien, but why do these descriptions resemble perennial religious narratives?

Recently the US military and intelligence groups shared evidence of unexplained aerial phenomena recorded by the Air Force.  Cattle mutilations and crop circles still occur, some of which are hoaxes, some are not.  Throughout the 1980s UFOs were reported throughout the Hudson river valley in New York state.  They were a hoax according to a group of unsanctioned text pilots claiming responsibility, but most of the reports were not reported during the periods the hoaxsters were flying.  Nearby, one of the most important and influential “alien abductions” occurred on December 26, 1985, when horror novelist Whitley Strieber described his abduction by visitors, published in the best-selling book Communion, adapted into an odd film with the same title starring Cristopher Walken.  Strieber’s work has inspired and chilled readers since its publication, and he remains an enigmatic and ambiguous figure.

Join Vikram and Aaron discussing aliens and alien abductions.  This wide-ranging conversation ranges topics including the reality of aerial unknowns, whether those aerial unknowns are visitors from another world, strange cases of alien abductions, alien types, overlap in alien encounters with religious experiences, the visitors and their connection to super-human Indic entities such as yoginis and yakshinis, and pyramids.  In an odd turn, Aaron wonders about contemporary esoteric practitioners using a visionary painting by none other than Aleister Crowley to contact the grey aliens, even postulating the Crowley opened the path (lam, marga) that the Greys might enter our world.  Take a trip to the stars and to the heart, but beware the caveat of Strieber, “The unknown changes.  The enigmatic presence of the human mind winks back from the dark, and a little progress toward real understanding is made.”

Aaron Michael Ullrey is an expert in magic rituals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.  He is a visiting professor at Youngstown State University and an affiliate researcher at University of Denver.  While he spends his day translating Indic and Tibetan grimoires and teaching, he spends his nights wondering about the more odd and ambiguous, including UFO encounters, Bigfoot, the world of the dead, Tarot, and ceremonial magic.

Does an ideological axis shifting towards the right provide a context for more aggressive music to flourish in India?  Or has the general climate of living in the second most populous nation on Earth - with an equally scaled palette of diverse outlooks on life - always generated a desire to be heard  loud and clear?   We explore the world of three uncompromising musicians building a scene here in India to address these questions, and more.  The title of this episode is drawn from a 2019 article on this scene, authored by host Vikram Zutshi. Explore bit.ly/ragingagainstthemachine for a primer, and then join us here to dig in deeper.

Welcome to the crazy world of Goa Trance and psychedelic mayhem. Learn about the roots of this once underground movement that is now part of mainstream EDM culture. Meet the eclectic characters who were part of the scene and listen to their mad stories. Meet Ray Castle, musician, DJ, author, and filmmaker, a pioneer of the scene, and hear us discuss his book MOON JUICE STOMPER, a chronicle of the peak years of the Goa scene. Learn about the early beginnings of electronic music as a truly transnational phenomenon. Follow us as we trace psychedelic and tribal dance culture from the sixties to its reinvention as Acid techno. Tune in, turn on, and drop out...

Tune in to find out more about sex, Neo-Tantra, spirituality, cult, religious abuse and exploitation

With Vikram Zutshi, Lea Horvatic and guests:

Aaron Ullrey  

Aaron Ullrey attended Michigan State University where he studied English, Religious Studies, and Education, intending to be a High School teacher.  Accepted to University of California Santa Barbara, he moved to the west coast in September of 2001.  There he studied under David Gordon White on Hindu polytheism and magic, and also the history of Buddhist Tantra (Vesna Wallace) and Tibetan Buddhism (Jose Cabezon).   He studied Sanskrit, Hindi, and Tibetan at UCSB but also at UW Madison via the South Asian Summer Language Institute.  In 2006 he filed his MA thesis, “The Power Before the Thrown: The Role of the Purohita in Indian literature,” and he also advanced to doctoral candidacy (the same week!).  His dissertation research and field work were funded by Vanderbilt University, Fulbright-Hayes, and the American Institute of Indian Studies, enabling several long stays in South and Southeast Asia, including Nepal, India, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.  Throughout graduate school Ullrey taught many at the University of California Santa Barbara and several summer courses with TIP at Duke. In 2016 he filed his PhD dissertation, Grim Grimoires: Pragmatic Rituals in the Magic Tantras.  He may be reached through his website www.ihsociety.com     

Michael Perin Wogenburg   

Michael Perin Wogenburg is the protector of an esoteric spiritual teaching from the left-hand path of Tantra. Spirituality, art, the mystical, and the occult have always been a fascination for Michael, even from his childhood in Villach, Austria. He received his “Forbidden Yoga” after an agonizing journey that started with his wife’s death in 1998. His grief drove him to search the whole world for insight into the human mind. Finally, he found it in secret India.     Michael inherited a hidden teaching from an ancient line of Tantric gurus. His Forbidden Yoga is cryptic and arcane. He only reveals it to select initiates. The centerpiece of Michael’s practice is the Sensual Liberation Retreat. SLR combines elements of performance theatre, psychoanalysis, animist rituals, and Tantra for deep, psycho-spiritual healing.    Forbidden-yoga.com Michael-perin-wogenburg.com  

Maya Yonika   

Maya Yonika is an artist, star of the documentary, ‘Sex Magic Manifesting Maya,' and author of her autobiographical page-turner, ‘No Mud No Lotus.’ Maya’s book covers her struggles with trauma, addiction and her challenging search for healing through Western ‘Tantra’ and ‘Sacred Sex.’ Maya ultimately found solace through the Shamans and Yogis of Indonesia as well as her experiences within the Advait Tantra School in South Africa. Today, while Maya proclaims no specific discipline or lineage, she sees the essence of Tantra within our present societal transformations.    

Book  ‘No Mud, No Lotus’  http://www.amazon.com/No-Mud-Lotus-Spiritual-Awakening-ebook/dp/B00BU3WRBG  https://medium.com/@mayayonika 

Sex Magic Manifesting Maya Movie Youtube Trailer  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo6j5fdp4UE

Hosted by Vikram Zutshi and Lea Horvatic.   

Follow us: Twitter: @bigturtlepod Instagram: @thebigturtlepodcast Facebook: @thebigturtlepodcast  About guests: 

Romi Grossberg

Romi Grossberg is a social worker, writing therapist, meditation teacher and public speaker.  She has specialised in mental health and emotional well-being for the past fourteen years, practicing Holistic Counselling online and in-person from her base in Thailand. For her Holistic Counselling includes the social, emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health of the individual, recognising they all need to be inline to create true balance. She thrives on helping people learn practical skills and coping strategies to help them lead the life they want. Romi is also the author of ‘The 5-Minute Guide to Emotional Intelligence’ and ‘The Key, A Social Emotional Toolkit for Teens.’ Romi works in-person and online with adults and teenagers and runs group workshops and courses.   www.romigrossberg.com  

Patty Hlava, Ph.D.  

Patty specializes in guiding individuals to find their power, heal their wounds, and own their lives. She is a personal transformation guide and self-empowerment coach; a professional with a deep love of learning, balanced with a playful side. She works with people who have been isolated or shamed for being who they are, helping them experience deep connection and belonging in their body, in nature, and with others in the world. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology, and has published research in the areas of gratitude and relationships. As a Certified Yoga Health Coach, ICDS Intrinsic coach™, meditation instructor, Ayurveda Wellness Counselor, registered yoga teacher, and author, Patty is an expert in guiding individuals toward sustainable changes for mind, body, and spirit—the habits that lead to deep connection and authentic living.  Learn more at: www.AwakenPeaceHealing.com  

Freedom Cole  

Freedom Cole is a practitioner of Jyotiṣa, Āyurveda and Yoga therapy. He is initiated into a traditional Jyotiṣa lineage which traces back to the royal astrologers of Odisha, India. Freedom is the author of two books and numerous articles. With his training in Sanskrit, Vedic philosophy, modern psychology and two decades of practice, he is able to translate the ancient principles into practical clinical application.  https://shrifreedom.org/   https://www.scienceoflight.net/