What goes into naming a train? The Indian Railways has dozens of trains named after women - good women, strong women, virtuous women and brave women. We go through the list, wonder about the women who travel by trains, sometimes getting lost, and sometimes finding themselves. This episode was written, narrated and produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Menaka Raman is our Senior Producer. Yashwanth Vinay is our Sound producer. Ashrita Achar is our Associate Producer. City of Women is executive...

Ikyatha Yerasala is a journalist and content creator who has been documenting Kannada and Kanglish slang for the past five years. Her Instagram page Slangaluru is a vibrant space where old slang words are remembered, their meanings sometimes subtly altered for the times we live in, and new slang is coined in collaboration with the community. Listen to Ikyatha share her favourite slang words. TW: Mature themes and language. Listener discretion is advised.  Our thanks to Ikyatha Yerasala.  ...

Menaka always wanted to be one of the cool, sporty girls in her school. As a child she’d play for hours on the street, but as she got older she found herself retreating indoors, a place she was told was ‘safer’. As she grew older, how did she reclaim her right to exercise and play outdoors?    Our thanks to Mathangi, Aakanksha, Yamini and Kamala.   Written and hosted Menaka Raman. This episode is produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Our Sound producer is Yashwanth Vinay. Our Associate Producer...

 Sometimes we all want to escape for a little bit: from our homes, our lives, and even our selves. On a solo trip to Jaipur, a woman tries on a new skin and tells the story of what happened.   This episode was edited by Ashrita Achar and produced by Samyuktha Varma. Menaka Raman was this episode’s interviewer, story editor and she is City of Women’s Senior Producer. Our thanks to Nisha and Priyadarshini Gogoi. Our Sound producer is Yashwanth Vinay. Our Associate Producer is Ashrita Achar....

Love is a many splendored thing. And so are booty calls. One intrepid woman shares her journey from not wanting a boyfriend, to falling in love to getting on dating apps in search of love. And while she doesn’t always find love, she does find lust.  Trigger warning - this episode contains mature themes, listener discretion is advised.   This episode was edited by Ashrita Achar and produced by Samyuktha Varma. Menaka Raman was this episode's story editor. Priyadarshini Gogoi was our fabulous...

Welcome back to a new season of City of Women. As India celebrates her 77th Independence Day this month, we thought it only fitting to begin this season with an interview with oral historian and author Aanchal Malhotra. As part of our Literary City of Women series, we speak to Aanchal about collecting stories, specifically women’s stories, and the impact they have on those that share them and those that receive them. Aanchal tells us about what it's like to travel to a foreign city for the...

Salma is a Tamil author, poet, politician and activist. Her novel மனாமியங்கள் published in 2017 was translated to English by Meena Kandasamy and published as Women, Dreaming. The book takes you into the inner world of women, women who have little opportunity to experience the world outside. Salma spoke to us of the escape books have provided, her desire for freedom and how she transgressed the boundaries laid down for her. Plus a reading from her book.  This episode was edited and produced...

Where do you find those moments of sweet solitude? Adrija shares some of hers.  Thanks to Adrija for sharing her story with us!   Thank you to Adrijia recording this conversation.  This episode was edited and produced by Samyuktha Varma. Our Lead Producer is Menaka Raman. Our Sound producer is Yashwanth Vinay. Our Associate Producer is Ashrita Achar. City of Women is executive produced, hosted, and written by Radhika Viswanathan and Samyuktha Varma. City of Women is a Vaaka Media...

From hostel gates to Chamanlal: two women talk about their night outs in college. A weekly ritual that begins with deciding where to go and that ends with an unfurling on the dance floor.   Thanks to Yashaswini and Priyadarshini.  Priyadarshini Gogoi was a guest producer on the episode. Ashrita Achar edited and produced this episode. Menaka Raman is our Senior Producer. Yashwanth Vinay is our Sound producer. Ashrita Achar is our Associate Producer. City of Women is executive produced,...

For some women, their world is confined to what lies inside the four walls of their home and their dreams to what others tell them they can and cannot do. A son looks back on his mother’s love for sport and the moment it found expression in a neighbour’s home, and the victories and defeats which became a metaphor for her own unsung talents and missed opportunities. Thanks to Ayan Biswas for sharing his story with us.  This episode was edited and produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Our Lead...

Literature has always been a source of joy and inspiration for us at City of Women and we wanted to find a way to express that love. We bring to you a new kind of episode in which we talk to and hear from authors about certain moments in their books that explore how women inhabit the cities they live in. In this episode we hear from Shrayana Bhattacharya, author of Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh about fights, friendship and the fandom of Shah Rukh.    This episode was edited and produced by...

Freezing water, bathrooms from hell and bras designed to torture. Being a part of the National Cadet Corps isn’t fun and games. But there’s also camaraderie, exploration and certain kind of freedom. Two former cadets reminisce (and sing) about their NCC days.  Thank you to Abhirami and Swarna for recording this conversation.  This episode was edited and produced by Radhika Viswanathan. Our Lead Producer is Menaka Raman. Our Sound producer is Yash Vinay. Our Associate Producer is Ashrita...

A summer afternoon, a terrace and laundry = Afternoon Delight.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen

How many round trips can a woman take before people notice and take offence?   Today on City of Women Minis: Bus 618.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen

Can a lifetime of insecurities and shame disappear in 10 seconds?   Today on City of Women Minis: Puppy Shame.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen  

‘Such’ things don’t happen in First class. Or don’t they? Today on City of Women Minis: First Class.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen  

If the City of Women ever had a pod sibling, we think it would be Other Men Need Help, an award-winning podcast that playfully looks at how men present themselves to the world, and what's underneath. Presenting Brown Bad Boys, one of our most favorite episodes from Season 2 of Other Men Need Help. Other Men Need Help is executive produced, hosted, and written by Mark Pagán. Ben Goldberg, Caitlin Mae Burke, and Rebecca Seidel are OMNH's lead producers. Navani Otero is their producer. Cierra...

A woman recounts going to the cinema, with and without a chaperone. A double bill.  Today on City of Women Minis: Chaperone. City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen

An empty street. A light breeze. A woman and her bicycle. Today on City of Women Minis: Night Cycling.  City of Women is created and produced by Vaaka Media. Find us on Instagram at @cityofwomenpodcast or on Twitter @thecityofwomen

Sometimes, you aren’t in the mood for full meals. Presenting City of Women minis: short episodes you can listen to in the time it takes to eat a momo. Episodes release really soon - subscribe now!  

A slash of lipstick. A certain bag. Shoes. A book. Props come in all shapes and sizes. We use them when we step out to say something about ourselves, to shield ourselves to signal to others who we are. In this episode, we draw upon our shared experiences and those of the women we know, to tell two interconnected stories about props both animate and inanimate. Created and produced by Radhika Viswanathan and Samyuktha Varma. Our Associate Producer is Menaka Raman. Music, sound, mixing, and...

Have you ever had a fight on the street? As a pedestrian, a driver, a commuter on public transport? What triggered you? Maybe you were already having a bad day. Maybe it was one more motorist going the wrong way on a one way street. Maybe your personal space was being invaded and you decided you just weren’t going to have it anymore. In this episode we trace the history of one woman’s road rage. Written and produced by Samyuktha Varma and Radhika Viswanathan. Our Associate Producer is...

Hi Everyone! We’re not releasing an episode this week, because, well, this is going to be a crazy week. We thought we would leave you with a small taste of an ongoing side project that we’re calling “An Anthology of Women's Laughter”.  We’ll be back next week with the regular episode.  City of Women is written and produced by Radhika Viswanathan and Samyuktha Varma. Our Associate Producer is Menaka Raman. Music, sound, mixing, mastering by Erwick D’Souza. 

‘You’ve got guts yaaa!’ How many times have you been called gutsy or brave for doing something… well normal? An early morning run alone? A solo trip? Moving to a new city? Are they  acts of bravery? Or are they normal things that get cast as brave because you’re a woman doing it? And what about all the times you did these things and… nothing bad happened? TW: Mature themes and language. Listener discretion advised. Thanks to Uma, Deepika and Abhi. Supported by the Google Podcasts creator p