Lamakaan

Maruvan, in association with Lamakaan invites you to an engaging Book discussion on

You Me & the Gig Workers: The sly comforts Of an APP economy
DISCUSSION with VANDANA VASUDEVAN
author of the book OTP Please!


Vandana Vasudevan is the author of the much discusssed and appreciated book published last year dealing with the great shift in the business and consumption paradigm brought in by the App ecology.

The discussion will focus especially on the lives and working conditions of gig workers.

On the book:
A great shift is underway in how we buy, eat, move, work and sell owing to technological intervention. Tech platforms―whether a Swiggy, Amazon or Uber in India, a Foodpanda in Pakistan or a Pathao in Bangladesh or Nepal―have eased the pressures of modern life. They have freed up our time, provided jobs to grateful millions and delivered guilty pleasures and last-minute necessities to online buyers.
But behind the dazzle of the digital, much is opaque. Gig workers live a precarious life while internet retailers cope with the oppressive rules of global behemoths. Consumers wonder if there are are consequences to instant gratification and the extreme ease of living.
OTP Please delves into the wondrous new world of electronic commerce by connecting diverse stories and perspectives gathered across South Asia, from Peshawar to Patna and Colombo to Kathmandu. It explores the emotional dynamics between the different actors on this stage, the workings of tech companies and the implications for policy. Deeply researched and breezily narrated, it is essential reading to understand this extraordinary digital age that we inhabit.

On the author
Vandana Vasudevan has written extensively for mainstream newspapers and has been a columnist for several years for Mint and DNA. She studied in the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and has worked in the corporate sector for many years. She shifted career tracks and became a development sector professional, consulting for various national and international organizations after obtaining a PhD in urban development from the University of Grenoble, France. Besides OTP Please, she is also the author of Urban Villager: Life In An Indian Satellite Town and Tough Customer.
Despite these serious pursuits, she is a fun person, paranoid of being boring and hence always strives to be interesting and entertaining.

All are Invited!

The White Library is back with a new 3-part chapter: Translating Palestine. For the months of May, June, and July 2026, we'll be gathering at Lamakaan to attempt to translate select bits and pieces of Palestinian fiction, and have conversations about the process of translating. This isn't a reading circle, but a creative writing one. Do join in, even if you've never read Pal. literature before, or have never translated before. :')

An Evening of Manto
A powerful theatrical production based on the works of Saadat Hasan Manto.
Through sharp storytelling, dark satire, and haunting human moments, this production brings Manto’s world alive on stage. Exploring themes of identity, borders, morality, and the fragile truths of society, the performance reflects on questions that remain deeply relevant today.
Presented by a committed ensemble of actors, the evening promises an intense, thought-provoking, and emotionally resonant experience.
Raw. Relevant. Uncompromising.
Join us for a theatre experience that revisits Manto not as history — but as a voice that still speaks urgently to our times.

Chalam Literary Universe/ చలం-రచనాప్రపంచం:
This event is a tribute to the timeless literary legacy of Gudipati Venkata Chalam, one of Telugu literature’s most revolutionary voices. Known for his bold exploration of human emotions, individuality, and social constraints, Chalam’s works continue to challenge and inspire readers across generations.

The session will delve into the layered complexity of his characters—individuals caught between desire and duty, freedom and societal expectations. Through thoughtful discussions, we will explore how his characters transcend time and how their inner conflicts remain deeply relevant even today.

A unique highlight of the event is the imaginative concept of a “Chalam Character Universe,” where characters from different works come together, interact, and question each other’s choices and beliefs. This creative exploration opens new perspectives on Chalam’s literary world and its philosophical depth.

The event will also examine Chalam’s profound impact on gender equality. Long before it became a widespread discourse, he fearlessly wrote about women’s autonomy, identity, and emotional freedom, challenging patriarchal norms and redefining the role of women in society.

Blending literary analysis, creative interpretation, and tribute, this event invites participants to engage with Chalam not just as a writer, but as a thinker whose ideas continue to resonate in contemporary times.

Project Ninaivu is a space for remembering.
Derived from the Tamil word for memory, Ninaivu explores the quiet, intimate ways we hold onto people, places, and moments. As an initiative for discovering and exploring Home Bound Archival practices, we are planning to initiate more conversations around Archiving in domestic spaces. This workshop will be part of a three-series, the first one to be conducted on the 30th of May. Starting from exploring one's own personal history, we slowly move forward to practical methods to conserve our stories.

History is not just for “winners”, we all carry bits of our ancestors within us, so why not preserve the items of the past! Remember that photo albums, the embroidered handkerchief, the great aunt's cookbook, and so on, can be cherished for next generations. It's an initiative to pause the long gone days and see beyond the digital world. Let's join in this journey of archiving, preserving and also creating personal histories. Bring an object with a memory and let's share the story together!

A solo Kuchipudi dance recital presenting traditional pieces with expressive storytelling, rhythm, and classical technique. The performance showcases the beauty of Kuchipudi through abhinaya and nritta.

This is the story of a woman, a fighter.She is more than just a woman. She is stronger than she thinks she is. Listen to her joys, her plights and her fights. Witness the world of this not so ordinary woman in an ordinary ruthless world of heartless men. This is her story of fortifying her lost identity in her own words.

Performing Classical Dance (Bharatnatyam)

Maruvan, in association with Lamakaan invites you to an engaging Book discussion on

You Me & the Gig Workers: The sly comforts Of an APP economy
DISCUSSION with VANDANA VASUDEVAN
author of the book OTP Please!


Vandana Vasudevan is the author of the much discusssed and appreciated book published last year dealing with the great shift in the business and consumption paradigm brought in by the App ecology.

The discussion will focus especially on the lives and working conditions of gig workers.

On the book:
A great shift is underway in how we buy, eat, move, work and sell owing to technological intervention. Tech platforms―whether a Swiggy, Amazon or Uber in India, a Foodpanda in Pakistan or a Pathao in Bangladesh or Nepal―have eased the pressures of modern life. They have freed up our time, provided jobs to grateful millions and delivered guilty pleasures and last-minute necessities to online buyers.
But behind the dazzle of the digital, much is opaque. Gig workers live a precarious life while internet retailers cope with the oppressive rules of global behemoths. Consumers wonder if there are are consequences to instant gratification and the extreme ease of living.
OTP Please delves into the wondrous new world of electronic commerce by connecting diverse stories and perspectives gathered across South Asia, from Peshawar to Patna and Colombo to Kathmandu. It explores the emotional dynamics between the different actors on this stage, the workings of tech companies and the implications for policy. Deeply researched and breezily narrated, it is essential reading to understand this extraordinary digital age that we inhabit.

On the author
Vandana Vasudevan has written extensively for mainstream newspapers and has been a columnist for several years for Mint and DNA. She studied in the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and has worked in the corporate sector for many years. She shifted career tracks and became a development sector professional, consulting for various national and international organizations after obtaining a PhD in urban development from the University of Grenoble, France. Besides OTP Please, she is also the author of Urban Villager: Life In An Indian Satellite Town and Tough Customer.
Despite these serious pursuits, she is a fun person, paranoid of being boring and hence always strives to be interesting and entertaining.

All are Invited!

The White Library is back with a new 3-part chapter: Translating Palestine. For the months of May, June, and July 2026, we'll be gathering at Lamakaan to attempt to translate select bits and pieces of Palestinian fiction, and have conversations about the process of translating. This isn't a reading circle, but a creative writing one. Do join in, even if you've never read Pal. literature before, or have never translated before. :')

An Evening of Manto
A powerful theatrical production based on the works of Saadat Hasan Manto.
Through sharp storytelling, dark satire, and haunting human moments, this production brings Manto’s world alive on stage. Exploring themes of identity, borders, morality, and the fragile truths of society, the performance reflects on questions that remain deeply relevant today.
Presented by a committed ensemble of actors, the evening promises an intense, thought-provoking, and emotionally resonant experience.
Raw. Relevant. Uncompromising.
Join us for a theatre experience that revisits Manto not as history — but as a voice that still speaks urgently to our times.

Chalam Literary Universe/ చలం-రచనాప్రపంచం:
This event is a tribute to the timeless literary legacy of Gudipati Venkata Chalam, one of Telugu literature’s most revolutionary voices. Known for his bold exploration of human emotions, individuality, and social constraints, Chalam’s works continue to challenge and inspire readers across generations.

The session will delve into the layered complexity of his characters—individuals caught between desire and duty, freedom and societal expectations. Through thoughtful discussions, we will explore how his characters transcend time and how their inner conflicts remain deeply relevant even today.

A unique highlight of the event is the imaginative concept of a “Chalam Character Universe,” where characters from different works come together, interact, and question each other’s choices and beliefs. This creative exploration opens new perspectives on Chalam’s literary world and its philosophical depth.

The event will also examine Chalam’s profound impact on gender equality. Long before it became a widespread discourse, he fearlessly wrote about women’s autonomy, identity, and emotional freedom, challenging patriarchal norms and redefining the role of women in society.

Blending literary analysis, creative interpretation, and tribute, this event invites participants to engage with Chalam not just as a writer, but as a thinker whose ideas continue to resonate in contemporary times.

Project Ninaivu is a space for remembering.
Derived from the Tamil word for memory, Ninaivu explores the quiet, intimate ways we hold onto people, places, and moments. As an initiative for discovering and exploring Home Bound Archival practices, we are planning to initiate more conversations around Archiving in domestic spaces. This workshop will be part of a three-series, the first one to be conducted on the 30th of May. Starting from exploring one's own personal history, we slowly move forward to practical methods to conserve our stories.

History is not just for “winners”, we all carry bits of our ancestors within us, so why not preserve the items of the past! Remember that photo albums, the embroidered handkerchief, the great aunt's cookbook, and so on, can be cherished for next generations. It's an initiative to pause the long gone days and see beyond the digital world. Let's join in this journey of archiving, preserving and also creating personal histories. Bring an object with a memory and let's share the story together!

A solo Kuchipudi dance recital presenting traditional pieces with expressive storytelling, rhythm, and classical technique. The performance showcases the beauty of Kuchipudi through abhinaya and nritta.

This is the story of a woman, a fighter.She is more than just a woman. She is stronger than she thinks she is. Listen to her joys, her plights and her fights. Witness the world of this not so ordinary woman in an ordinary ruthless world of heartless men. This is her story of fortifying her lost identity in her own words.