Welcoming hearts and hearths
That vacation, we kids were told to clean and vacate our rooms as we had guests coming over. It was a familiar dictat. We lived in a two-bedroom house. Every time guests came over, the children would…
A study in contrasts
Both my grandmothers were poles apart. Nani and Dadi. My last memory of seeing them must have been when I was around thirteen. Then we lived in Pondicherry, a lovely coastal town which used to be a…
Memories of another day
Facebook has this feature called ‘Memories’. It is a feature which gives you great learning. Every morning it pops up something which was posted on your timeline on the same date, several years ago. It shows you…
Scorching times ahead
It has been a rather harsh summer. The earth is parched. We hear that wells are drying. We now get restricted water supply at fixed timings. Three hours in the morning and three in the evening. Summers…
The quaint fishing village of Tai O
After our visit to see the Tian Tan Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery in Lantau Island in Hong Kong, we set off to visit the Tai O village. Buses are available in Ngong Ping and it…
The Legends of Macau’s A-Ma Temple and Tai Ut Rock
We were in Macau and casinos didn’t interest us. So off we went to explore the heritage and history of this former Portuguese colony. One of our first stops was the A-Ma temple. Built before 1488, A-Ma…
I’ve never been (Un)happier: Shaheen Bhatt’s candid story
This is a short book written by 29-year old Shaheen Bhatt, who has spent most of her adult life dealing with clinical depression. Shaheen Bhatt has an enviable pedigree. She is the daughter of celebrity parents: Mahesh…
Losing your voice
I’m sitting outside a government office. This is one of the best offices in the city, I was told when I was first ushered in. This is now my third time here in the last month. I…
Who is Lady Buddha?
We were caught in a downpour in Hong Kong. We took shelter under the awning of a souvenir shop outside the Po Lin Monastery. As we waited for the rain to slow down I peered at the…
