Of Wine Gurus And Wine Tales

I come from a long line of tea drinkers. Wine on the other hand was rare, strictly for the grown-ups, seasonally brought out around Christmas. Perhaps that’s what made it more luxurious and decadent in my mind. I had to wait for college to taste it. My roommate decided that the dark red, sweet, Port…

It’s All About The Light And The Way A Gurkha Fights.

"If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or a Gurkha."-Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw A legendary statement made by a legendary man. I had my light bulb moment when I first heard of the Battle of Nalapani. It was fought between the Gurkhas and the British right here in…

Memories Of The Golden Temple, Amritsar.

Have you ever been to a place, saw the things you knew were there, then have your mind completely blown away by something you see unexpectedly? “Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown." Anthony Bourdain Perhaps Anthony Bourdain knew best. I was in Shri Harminder Sahib, aka the Golden Temple in…

Memories So Sweet And Dubai Airport Treats.

I love airports! There I’ve said it. As a veteran of Indian bus and train travel, I’ve pushed my way through countless narrow aisles, clutched my bag in a death grip and dragged my suitcase behind me. I have squashed myself on everything from ledges to perching on suitcase edges to corners of the seats.…

Spots And Dots Of A Kumaoni Pichora

The last time we wore our ‘Kumaoni pichora’, or 'leopard spotted stoles' as my youngest insisted on calling, was for my cousin’s wedding two years ago. I took this picture of my mother around that time. She was among the few ladies who glowed in her distinctive Kumaoni nose ring. Draped on her was the…

Pandemic And Its Panic Buttons.

“Mum, I tested positive for COVID!” I am numb for a second. The setting couldn’t be more unreal for I am in a taxi. The Knight and I are on our way to the airport. Just a few seconds ago we were congratulating ourselves on leaving the baby of the family safely in the big…

Make A Wish At The Aeroplane Gurudwara in Punjab, India

So what connects a miniature airplane to a gurudwara (a place of worship for the Sikhs) in Jalandhar ? This particular gurudwara goes by the name of Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh Gurudwara except it is also referred to as the ‘Hawai Jahaz (aeroplane) Gurudwara’. Intriguing, right? A bit of online research and ...voila! So there…

The Discovery Of The Most Amazing , Amusing Podcast-The Amelia Project

Lately I’m living a dreary life of eat, sleep and repeat. When I’m not battling blues or worse, boredom, I am on a look out for anything that will shake me from my stupor. Sadly my usual fixes- Netflix and my novels, have failed. Even my latest love, the audio books don’t excite me; the…

The House That Nana Built.

82 Araghar was my Nana's house, my second address all through my growing years. It was tall, white, double storey opposite the Araghar Post Office. In fact Nana's house looked like a slice of cake with pretty white trimming, served on a narrow platter. A gushing canal ran along its boundary walls for many years…

Story Of my Spirited Hike To The Daultabad Fort.

A fort on a steep plateau like hill was the Daulatabad Fort in Aurangabad. Other than a faint outline, not much was visible from a distance. The fort sang its siren song and I was spellbound. I had a sudden urge to walk its highest ramparts. Climbing up to the fort was not easy even…