The Adorable Giant Pandas
Ever since I got to know that I would be spending a few days in Macau this summer, I began reading all I could from the internet. And I got really excited at the prospect of finally…
The serene Po Lin Monastery in Hong Kong
We first caught sight of the Po Lin Monastery between the misty clouds from the Ngong Ping cable car. And then again we spotted it from the top of the peak when we climbed up to see…
Cable car ride to the Tian Tan Buddha
Hong Kong is otherwise a great place to be awed by its skyscrapers and to experience some retail therapy. But if like me, you are not particularly enamoured by high-rises and prefer green spaces, a day trip…
The world mourns for Notre-Dame de Paris
Last night, not just Parisians, but people world over were distraught to see the Notre-Dame aflame. Fire engulfed the structure and horrified onlookers gasped as they saw the iconic Gothic spire collapse. The world mourned as fire…
Shaam-e-Sarhad: A day at a border village in the Rann
In January this year, we were in Gujarat to be part of the Rann Utsav. The festival held in the Rann of Kutch from November to February each year attracts several tourists. We were to spend an…
Soof and Khaarek: Ways to select a bride?
“I hadn’t seen my wife before my wedding”, says Mukeshbhai. “But I was sent several samples of embroidery made by her. That told me so much about her.” We are at Kala Raksha in Sumrasar Sheikh village,…
Maata ni Pachhedi: Celebrating the Mother Goddess
Somewhere among the pages of a thirty year-old diary, which I maintained as a schoolgirl, I still have “Maata ni Pachhedi” scrawled. The diary had questions from Quiz Time and India Quiz, and everytime Siddhartha Basu asked…
Usha Uthup: The bad girl with Kanjeevaram sneakers
Dressed in a gorgeous Kanjeevaram silk saree, her trademark big bindi adorning her forehead, she climbs up the stage gingerly. She is 71 and her hair has streaks of grey. She looks the complete antithesis of what…
The Tree of Life insignia and Sidi Saeed Mosque
On my first trip to Ahmedabad, I was at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A) for my niece’s convocation ceremony. IIM-A’s logo is the Tree of Life insignia. The insignia is derived from the intricate stone-carved window…
The Jaipur Literature Festival: A carnival to remember
Resplendent peacocks welcome you as you enter the gates of Diggi Palace. And then you are subjected to an airport style scan and frisking — only done a lot more politely and quickly. The vibrant colours of…
