Fort Kochi sits in the middle of the state of Kerala, in south-west of India. Kerala is ‘God’s Own Country’ as the marketing campaign has been shouting for years. That’s true. You go to Kerala to learn that there are more greens than just bottle green and olive-green. But no, Fort Kochi doesn’t succumb to the rest-of-Kerala’s diktat. Kerala is all about the backwaters? errr… you hardly experience that … Continue reading fort kochi & why i love it
I’ve been away. not from my home but from this blog for around a month. it’s embarrassing to move from regular blogger to irregular blogger to a non-blogger. and that’s whats happened over the last few months. i don’t have any excuses, yes i’ve been busy but i managed to find time before. well, anyway, i’m back. and plan to get a lot of stuff online … Continue reading a quick update and other things
two articles were published today on two different e-zines (is that what you call them?) one of them is on my favourite topic – graffiti; but with interpretations or musings… tell me what you think. where did the wall graffiti at fort kochi come from though i prefer my title – “kochi – art or wallpaper?” and the other, a first for me. a poem, … Continue reading first of firsts – two articles published on the same day
An honest confession, I haven’t seen too many museums in India. And the few I have seen are mostly archaeological museums. I enjoy them, but after a point I get a little bored. I’m an interested but not a passionate museum visitor and I need more variety. A line of statues belonging to the same period, are great, but I am unable to see the differences. Imagine if … Continue reading Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai – main exhibits!
“you’re a vegetarian? oh…ok, yeah there are nice places for that too…” the homestay owner said in a rather disinterested voice… i understand. after years of being a vegetarian traveller, i know when people are flustered. and a vegetarian in kerala is always looked at as a weirdo. why come here and eat if you can’t eat the fish & etc… that’s the feeling. for all you vegetarians out … Continue reading top places to eat vegetarian fare at fort kochi
this piece recently appeared at thealternative.in. i don’t know how many of you subscribe to your facebook page so thought might make sense to paste it here too. let me know what you think. catch the original piece here: the pyaus of an erstwhile bombay. (yes, not everyone appreciates or understands my love for the democracy of smallcase.. so i listen. caps it is) The … Continue reading The pyaus of an erstwhile Bombay
you live in maharashtra and are searching for that ‘lovely’ hill station to escape the heat. (a modern myth – there is no brilliant hill station close by) lonavala is hardly a hill station anymore. it’s definitely not cooler in temperature. matheran – you’ve been there, love it. but it’s too dusty to go in the summers; you need to wait for the rains… you are left … Continue reading panchgani & mahableshwar can also be fun
i would like to pack my bag, not have to work and travel all my life. wouldn’t you too? BUT (and there is always a but in most dreams) there are bills to be paid, EMIs to be deducted, restaurants to eat at and tonnes of books i must-must own. so we stay put, dig in our heels, settle into this city, feel jealous of RTW travellers and look forward … Continue reading confessions of a serial traveller
this was the first time i have consciously seen lavender flowers (and i think these are lavender flowers). i saw them from a distance and went running saying, ‘lavender, lavender…’ so if these aren’t lavender flowers please don’t tell me so, i’m oblivious-ly happy. (pun completely and totally intended; i thought through it – i wonder why people say unintended!) i have heard about those beautiful … Continue reading lavender flowers and whispers
i have to admit it, i cannot lie. i visited chennai every summer when i was in school and recently lived there for two whole years but i didn’t know all these things about chennai. when i visited last week, i decided to act like a tourist and comb the streets for facts, fiction and stories that quenched my thirst. and wow, what a find! i dare you, … Continue reading 6 things YOU didn’t know about Chennai & Madras
merry to go around 