A prayer for peace in paradise
On day two of our Kashmir trip, I got into an argument with our driver, Javaid. He said that we would start from Srinagar for Pahalgam the next day at 10 am. Now, both Subodh and I…
Savouring Kashmiri hospitality
We are sailing on a brightly painted shikara on Nigeen lake in Srinagar in Kashmir. We have unexpectedly landed in Srinagar on the day of Eid. Our plans were to travel further north, but those have been…
Sighting the pink-browed rosefinch at Mukteshwar
It was my first vacation in the hills of Uttarakhand. From my terrace room in the Ojaswi Himalayan resort in Mukteshwar, I spotted the whole Himalayan range of peaks. Getting up early in the morning to spot…
The frisky Himalayan Bulbul: Punk with a mohawk
We decided to spend a quiet vacation in Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand. This time we steered clear of ‘spot-hopping’. Preferred to take it slow and watch the magnificent Himalayan peaks from my room. But then the bird watching…
The apparent parent
I chose not to have children. So I have never had to go through the rigmarole of attending parent-teacher meetings (PTMs as they are called) and have no clue of what this entails. Until now. My niece,…
Savouring Tamilnadu’s healthy claypot cooking
I am a firm believer in exploring new cuisines and learning more about the flavours of the places I visit. I happened to be in Thanjavur in Tamilnadu, where we, a gang of girls who studied together…
My Saree Stories: Part 20 (Embroideries of India)
India is home to several stunning forms of embroidery. Here is my humble attempt at recording some of the popular embroideries which are featured on sarees. These come from several states of India, and there are distinct…
Axed to death
I have just returned from a walk on my terrace, where the realms of green and the chirps of the birds have soothed my mind. Just when the first gulp of hot beverage goes down my throat,…
My Saree Stories: Part 19 (Ikats of India)
The term ikat comes from the Malay word ‘mengikat’ which means to tie or bind. When it comes to the ikat technique, it is difficult to say where it originated. The art of resist dyeing the threads…
Your idea of beauty is not mine
In the month of September, I returned to Sevagram and it was raining. I rode my scooter to work in the morning. Both sides of the road were lined by overgrown bougainvillea. In all possible shades of…
