Satuani: A ritual to mark the beginning of summer
Although I originally belong to Bihar, I did not grow up there. So I’m always on the lookout- trying to gather little details of the unique customs and traditions of the place. On Friday, that is on…
Saturdays and khichdi
One of the most delectable dishes that Bihar has to offer is the masoor dal khichdi. It isn’t the usual bland khichdi which is served to people who are ill. Instead this is flavourful, with added vegetables…
A divine morning
Some mornings are divine. You wake up to the find out that the rain gods decided to work overtime during the night. The whole world has been washed clean and the leaves are glistening green. The air…
Borborygmi: the rumblings of your stomach
This morning I read a good (and ‘gud-gud’) piece written by Indraneel Majumdar which talked about the nocturnal rumblings of an overworked stomach. It instantly transported me back to my medical school lecture theatre, where Dr Jalgaonkar,…
Padmaavat: Bhansali brand of grandeur on 70 mm
Padmavati (I just can’t bring myself to call it Padmaavat- reminds me of Amaavat or aam paapad!) is not about the brave queen of Mewar. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus has just one person completely overshadowing everything…
Dhaga: Desolate but beautiful
On Saturday, Saurabh and I decided to get away, and explore the quiet interiors of Wardha and we landed up in Dhaga. As we moved from Anji to Mahakali and beyond to Dhaga, the landscape changed, and the trees…
The hunt ends after three decades!
My day today has been like the happy ending of a Manmohan Desai film. For over three decades I had been searching for my favourite class teacher in 4th and 5th grade, Ms Manju Ghildyal. We were…
The spot-billed pelican: Calm swimmer
It was so calming to spend several minutes watching this spot-billed pelican swim away at Kaziranga National Park. Pelicans are known for their distinctive beak and throat pouch, which they use to scoop and store fish. I’m reminded of…
A viper in my garden!
Ah! The daily excitement of living in a place like Sevagram! A Russell’s viper appears in our garden. Thanks to ‘Sarpamitra’ Jeetendra for catching it and releasing it into the wild. Russell’s vipers are one of the most venomous species of…
Kaziranga National Orchid and Bio-Diversity Park
At Kaziranga, 2 km from Kohora, you must visit the orchidarium and biodiversity park. We just got a few minutes before the place closed down for the evening, but we were guided into the greenhouse by a…
