#KashmirDiaries: The journey begins!

I’ve always wanted to visit Kashmir.

A typical Kashmiri house with sloping roofs

A typical Kashmiri house with its sloping roof

Growing up, I heard stories about Kahsmir’s legendary beauty from my mother and maasi, who had been there as children. I saw it pictured on the silver screen, as Bollywood stars played out their romances in shikaras on the Dal Lake and in the meadows and valleys of Kashmir.

Then militancy struck the valley in the 1990s and continued seemingly without end, and I wondered if I would ever be able to visit Kashmir. But after over a decade of strife, things have normalized somewhat and tourism has opened up once again. Though incidents do happen in the valley occasionally, they have never, to my knowledge, targeted tourists.Continue reading→

#MicroBlogMondays: Love is a Universal Language

Love is a universal language: Birds in love, Bharatpur Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India

Seeing these birds, their sign of affection high up there in their tree perch, oblivious to the other birds and tourists gawking at them, made me stop and think about love.

It’s the most basic human emotion there is. Love makes the world go round, after all!

And yet, it’s the most controversial one too.

We live in the 21st century, and people are still regularly persecuted for being in love.
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Delhi Lens: Art Show: Deck of Cards

Deck of Cards | Taash Ke Patte brochureOn a recent Saturday, while I was struggling – and failing – to paint a vase of impressionistic flowers, a friend invited me to join her for the preview of an art show at the British Council. Titled Deck of Cards | Taash ke Patte, this is a unique show that juxtaposes the state of Indian art in 2016 with that of the UK from the 1970s.

It all started in 1976, to be precise, when a UK-based gallery sent 54 leading British artists a playing card and asked them to interpret that card using any medium of their choice. The show, when it opened, was a resounding success. Over the years, the entire collection has toured to over 22 countries and resulted in a physical pack of very artful playing cards that are still available today.Continue reading→

An evening of soul stirring music with Samvad

Music has no boundaries, no religion, no caste, creed, color. No discrimination. Music just has soul. It has the power to bring together people from around the world, from different backgrounds, from varying musical traditions, and to meld them into a cohesive, soul-stirring whole.

SamvadContinue reading→

Travel Postcard #9: Ready for take-off

  
In the wee hours of the morning, well before the sun rises from its slumber, we gather together around the fire. Blowing on our steaming mugs of coffee, biting into a chocolate covered buiscuit, eyes wide with excitement and anticipation, we watch as air is pumped into a balloon…as it rises tall and magnificent in the pre-dawn light. And then it’s time for a fire…pumped into its immense cavity, as it stand, fluttering in the breeze, eager to sail away with the wind. And soon enough, it’s time to scramble into the basket that will take us high up above the world…soaring…floating… exclaiming in wonder at our very first hot air ballon ride. 

Have you ever been up in a hot air balloon? If not, would you want to?

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Delhi Lens: Big Bongg Theory – restaurant review

I’ve never been a fan of commercial Indian food – unless its mughlai, which is a totally different ball game! When I say Indian food – I really mean North Indian food of the butter chicken, paneer pasand variety. Recently, however, I’ve been on a regional Indian food trail in Delhi. With the restaurant business booming, and people willing to experiment with flavors and food, there are a lot of excellent, often stand-alone, restaurants offering regional cuisine. Some of these are old, some are new, but most of them are excellent! This is my humble attempt at chronicling my gastronomical journey across India, without having to pack my bags and head out of Delhi! Bon Appetit!

Located adjacent to Axis Bank, behind a tiny community park in Shahpur Jat, is Big Bongg Theory – a little gem of a Bengali eatery.

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{X} Xenodocheinology: For the love of hotels

Have you ever experienced Xenodocheinology?

Part of the travel experience, for me, is choosing the hotel. Our travel philosophy is to utilize the maximum resources on sightseeing and shopping, and keeping a very limited budget for our hotel stay.

If you thought limited budget = seedy little hotel/backpacker’s hostels/soulless hotels, think again. A little research is all it takes to find charming places to lay your head down at the end of a day of hard sightseeing.

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{U} Travel Postcard #8: Under the Indian Sun

City Palace, Udaipur

The Indian summer makes outdoor eating a rather difficult proposition, except during the winter. And when the setting is such, within the City Palace at Udaipur, how can you pass up the chance to grab a quick bite under the umbrella, enjoying the  people and the ambiance around you?

Tell us about a memorable meal from your travels!

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{T} Travel Postcard #7: Tibetan Prayer Wheels

Tibetan-prayer-wheel

Traditionally, the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is written in Sanskrit on the outside of the wheel. Also sometimes depicted are Dakinis, Protectors and very often the 8 auspicious symbols Ashtamangala. According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on the lineage texts regarding prayer wheels, spinning such a wheel will have much the same meritorious effect as orally reciting the prayers. – Wikipedia.com

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