By Ratna Raman. ‘Mimosa pudica’ is identified as feminine and the traits of ‘lajja’ or ‘pudica’ become a pattern of behaviour associated with the female gender. Lajjawati is a woman endowed with shyness or ‘laaj’, who can be easily discomfited or embarrassed. In Tamil, it is known as ‘totta-shurungi’ which translates into English as that which would shrink upon touch.

By Ratna Raman. In VS Naipaul's semi-autobiographical ‘A House for Mr Biswas’, there are only fleeting glimpses of its most attractive woman character. What if she were to tell her story and that of Naipaul – or Anand, her son in the novel – instead of the other way round? Hence, her story.

By Ratna Raman. Aubergine. Brinjal. Baingan. Begun. Celebrated and reviled. Loved and devoured. The humble vegetable adorns the kitchen in every corner of the world. Including all over India.