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…

Dinner In Trastevere, Rome

"We have to visit Trastevere to experience the real Italian vibe" , Mami declared emphatically. Trastevere, in Rome? It rang a bell. I had devoured the Italian section of Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Eat, Love and Pray as part of my Roman research. She definitely ate in that neighbourhood. Well, I was definitely going even if…

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) At Ajanta Caves!

Google Aurangabad and Ajanta Caves comes up as a must visit spot, every time! Incidentally the caves are around 110 kilometres from Aurangabad with absolutely no other historic or cultural site to see along the way. I almost missed it but the pressure of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) was tremendous! Anyway Bunker, our talkative…

Identity Crisis and The Indian Election Mahakumbh!

"Where are you from?" I am often asked this question. I blame my non distinctive looks that place me anywhere from the North Eastern region of India to Nepal, Tibet, Thailand. Once I was even excitedly pegged for a Japanese by my country men. Sigh! Closer home, confusion reigns supreme in my state of Uttarakhand.…

October Bytes#3: Ravana Rush

Dussehra had always meant watching the towering effigies of the Asura king Ravana with impressive ten heads, Meghnad, his valiant son and Kumbhkaran, his fierce brother, installed in the huge open maidan appropriately called Parade Ground. Much of the conversation would centre around how it was a shade better than the year before; bigger definitely…

Stopping by a Tea Shop on a pleasant evening.

Bright, cheery yellow! That is how I remember the nondescript tea stall in the picturesque Himalayan foothills, by the side of the tall iron gates that lead to a sort of retreat. I was looking for the place that served the most 'divine lemon tea'. Was this it? Inside, it looked exactly like any other…

Going Elephantastic in Jaipur

I am in a train returning from Jaipur and this is all I can think of- elephants in Jaipur and not the usual camels associated with the desert state. Apparently I came across one on each day of my short visit, which is mind boggling in itself. I had hoped to see camels roaming the…

WPC- Another face in the crowd

The path winds, golden rays, a hint of green, Are you really seeing it? "Nope. I'm into a portable screen." Clicking pictures, freezing moment in time, That's right, they can speak a thousand words. They scream,"We are all doing just fine." Red, orange, happy and loud, Congrats! A handcrafted persona. "Yay! I'm not just a…

My Hymn For The Weekend-The Jhanda Fair

The widely popular Jhanda Mela began with a gusto on the same day the world turned green celebrating St Patrick's Day. Here it was a sea of saffron as far as eyes could see, it was the opening event of the annual pilgrimage to the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib. For the uninitiated, the Darbar…