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.