From Dusk To Dawn

The Festival of Lights, Diwali 2021. India is a place where colour is doubly bright. Pinks that scald your eyes, blues you could drown in. Kiran Milwood Hargrove Circles in the sand A colour wheel that spins like crazy. Orange crush Festive decorations become a time machine. Everglow Hand painted aipan mark Goddess Lakshmi’s entry.…

Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) The K- Wave

K for Korea. Hence K- Pop, K- Drama, K- movies and they have taken over my social media completely. Memes, video snippets, gif, gossip, breaking news. Honestly, I’m at sea. I have seen only one Korean film, Train to Busan, that too long ago. I had loved it. It had drama, high octane action, a…

Filmy Thoughts: Dune 2021

Yesterday I watched the movie Dune on the big screen. Thoughts of a giant sand worm with its maw open wide, flashes of startling blue eyes against brown skin and desert sands swirled in my head. Woke up in the morning with the Dune hangover intact. Hence, I had to pour my thoughts in this…

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 was in college when I first tasted it. My roommate thought 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…