Savarnas only? An ethnographic account in and outside of Kothrud, Pune

‘Savarnas Only?’ is an exploration of the neighbourhood of Kothrud in the city of Pune (Maharashtra, India) through text and snapshots, reflecting the researcher’s immersion in the field and with participant-observation. With its mixture of elderly residents, corporate workers and students; bungalows and gated communities, and quiet streets and parks, Kothrud is outwardly a middleclass, professional neighbourhood with marked Brahmin and Maratha influences. Yet in a contemporary Maharashtra still bound by the persistence of caste structures, slum precincts and related discrimination, Kothrud as a place also articulates complex socio-cultural, religious and political attitudes. In terms of theoretical exploration and structure, the piece’s fragmented and multi-dimensional approach allows for creative and emotional resonance common to arts-based inquiry and its presentation of social research data. ‘Savarnas Only?’ ultimately reflects on insider/ outsider dynamics, intra- and internationally, and their delineations within places as sites of culture.