This year’s stories scanned a world in flux: how Hindi is displacing Punjabi among urban elites, how the ancient rhythms of Ramzan are challenged by the patriarchy, and how a 2019 women-led protest cleared room for a new Muslim public sphere. We tracked how Bengal’s football stands go political, and how Sholay’s angry young man occupies a sanitised identity. Together, these features map the distinct character of a society—and its people—dealing with a future of change while rooted in a deep, complex pasts.
