Writing about this took me so much time because it still feels unreal. The tasks we assign ourselves are research, design, print, admin work, social media, and shipping. All of these happen in isolation, in their own silos, which makes it almost impossible to imagine the other side of the process and people who consume our work behind the screen or through the magazine, showing up in-person.
I am starting with New York because it is still fresh in my head. Last week, on a Saturday, we all gathered at the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House to celebrate the third issue of dhoop magazine. I did have a vision of how the space should look, the way people should move around to experience the magazine. Nikita Biswal (she wrote “My Kitchen Radio” for the third issue) and I set it up in a way that highlights The Big BTS Book, the kitchen set installation, the open layouts of the magazine, the zine ,and the community cookbook.
That’s all for now. Super excited to share more stuff in the coming weeks.
Get a copy of Issue #3 if you haven’t already!!
If you are in India, you can order it from our website.
If you are in the US, you can order it from Kitchen Arts & Letters.
Food is a portal to understanding our world, our communities and ourselves. It provides a unique and critical perspective on everything—from everyday habits to global issues, from the way we design our countries, cities to how we navigate climate crises.
dhoop uses food as a lens. Through this lens, we can interrogate culture, sustainability, design and the systems that sustain life. Initially, we started as a magazine focused on stories of food and its intersections. Over time, it has grown into something more profound—a space, a research platform, embracing a multidisciplinary approach that invites collaboration and deeper inquiry.
So nice to see what you're building. You're SO COOL. 💚