{"product_id":"story-beneath-the-story-book-discussion-the-dig-by-sowmiya-ashok","title":"Story Beneath The Story | Book Discussion: 'The Dig' by Sowmiya Ashok","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJoin us for an engaging discussion with journalist \u003cstrong\u003eSowmiya Ashok\u003c\/strong\u003e, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Dig\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewho will be in conversation with \u003cstrong\u003eRohini Mohan\u003c\/strong\u003e, journalist and author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Seasons of Trouble\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, on what went into the research and writing about India’s most contested digs: the Keeladi excavation in Tamil Nadu. The discussion will be followed by an interactive Q\u0026amp;A with the audience.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHere are the details:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e22nd August 2026, Saturday\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTime: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e6:00 PM (seating begins at 5:45 PM)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVenue: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChampaca Bookstore, Vasanth Nagar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRSVP here to register.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the book: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSince its discovery in 2014, the Keeladi excavation has become one of India's most contested digs - hailed by some as proof of an urban civilization in South India and dismissed by others as political mythmaking. Journalist Sowmiya Ashok traces the serendipitous discovery of this ancient settlement and the political storm it set off. Her journey takes her from the earliest Iron Age sites in Tamil Nadu to the Harappan site of Rakhigarhi in Haryana and the lost port of Muziris in Kerala. Along the way, she chats with archaeologists while sweating under the scorching sun, clings to rickety platforms at a roaring \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ejallikattu \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003earena, and even tastes ancient pottery at an excavation site. Blending sharp insight with humour, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Dig\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereveals how political battles over science and history continue to shape our understanding of India's past.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeet the author:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSowmiya Ashok\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eis a journalist and author of the critically acclaimed book \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Dig: Keeladi and The Politics of India's Past\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. She has worked for prominent national dailies such as The Hindu and The Indian Express. Her work has appeared in leading Indian and international publications. She has reported on politics, policy, social justice, and environment and climate change. In 2019, she was the Beijing correspondent for The Indian Express and has also reported from the US, Taiwan and Sri Lanka. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the Columbia Journalism School. She teaches long-form journalism at the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She lives in Chennai and writes on politics, history and culture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the moderator: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRohini Mohan \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003ea political journalist who has reported in South Asia for over 20 years. She is the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Seasons of Trouble\u003c\/em\u003e, a non-fiction account of war survivors in Sri Lanka, and \u003cem\u003eMission Cycle\u003c\/em\u003e, a children's book on a child in Kashmir experiencing a curfew for the first time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRSVP to reserve your spot.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Champaca Bookstore, Library and Cafe","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43598403010595,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0281\/3607\/9395\/files\/The_Dig.png?v=1785496892","url":"https:\/\/champaca.in\/products\/story-beneath-the-story-book-discussion-the-dig-by-sowmiya-ashok","provider":"Champaca Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}