A raga is a melodic composition in Indian classical music that imparts certain emotions. Ragas From the Periphery is a collection that uses language as its instrument.
Phinder Dulai is first and foremost a South Asian writer, and while issues of identity and cultural immersion are central to his work, they are not all-encompassing. His poems are intimate landscapes in which themes of work, family, and community are always present. Crossing cultures linguistically and metaphorically, Ragas From the Periphery is an impressive debut collection.

Phinder Dulai has given readings and talks on Canadian literature, with an emphasis on migrant voices, for schools, colleges and universities both in and outside of Canada. He has worked in print journalism in Vancouver's South Asian media and as an associate producer for Gabereau Live. His poetry has been published in Ankur, Rungh, The Canadian Ethnic Studies Review, and the Toronto South Asian Review. Excerpts of his poetry have been featured in the Vancouver Sun and The Globe and Mail.

He published his first book of poetry, Ragas From the Periphery, in 1995. Basmati Brown was published by Nightwood in 2000. He currently works for the BC government and lives in Burnaby with his wife and two daughters.

Phinder Dulai's profile page