It is the beginning of summer here, the humidity in the air is already unbearable, though the sea breeze sets in punctually at 3 every evening, bringing with it blessed relief from the heat of the day. And all those wonderful things associated with spring and summer… tiny things just beginning life… Color and life… Continue reading The young ‘uns
Category: – Cities and places
Places I have visited and want to visit, like and dislike…
Paranoid city
The “maximum” city gets more and more paranoid with each day. Last week, it took me more than two hours to reach Bandra from Vashi – the check naka at Mankhurd just after Vashi creek had nakabandi in full force – there were three barriers side by side on the road and the police was… Continue reading Paranoid city
Winter in Bombay…
January is a wonderful time to be in Bombay. The weather is just right… cool enough to encourage walks during the day and open air events in the evenings… and to stay under the rug in the morning (with the excuse of the sun hasn’t risen yet, so why should I) and pretend for a… Continue reading Winter in Bombay…
Mumbai festival 2007
The 2007 Mumbai Festival began officially at the Gateway of India yesterday. An hour late. With the organizer (Shashi Vyas?) calling out – hullo, sound guy, start playing the Mumbai meri jaan theme song. Sound guy? Does sound guy have a name? With Nayya Singh (who is she, god, who is she? and why is… Continue reading Mumbai festival 2007
Pongal and pattam
Pongal o’ pongal… For those of you who missed kite flying on Makara Sankranti… Also read penguins in the air – my post on the Shivaji Park kite festival 2006… Fun for the entire family Kite-ransactions When I have the kite, I can’t find the string. And then sometimes I can find only the string…… Continue reading Pongal and pattam
And the dervish whirls on
He tries to whirl a whirling dervish out of whirl. And does it too. With great charm and grace and ease. In what is a highy colorful a touristy version of the whirling dervish’s deeply religious offering to god. The dancer accompanied by the three drummers (dhafliwale) walk towards the stage and as the three… Continue reading And the dervish whirls on
And then night in Delhi
If days in Delhi are about long hot cab rides with drivers insisting on playing CDs of Kumar Sanu hits, or have the FM stations belting out the latest Hindi filmi hits, the nights are almost magical. The heat of the day is gone, there are early signs of winter in the air. As most… Continue reading And then night in Delhi
Days in Delhi…
I am so glad to be back in Bombay – after a miserable two weeks in Delhi. Miserable for a lot of reasons, not the least being the fact that I spend most of my spare time mulling over how much I dislike the city… Early morning, half asleep on my cab ride from Gurgaon… Continue reading Days in Delhi…
Oh my aching back…
In sunny Goa, not all signboards are scary. Some of them are well, interesting… I hung around for a bit hoping to meet the John massagist (from Delhi) himself. And then figured out that if he is ‘gents’, chances are he would meet only other ‘gents’… And while on Goa, here is a relevant if… Continue reading Oh my aching back…
Football fever in Goa…
There is cricket in Goa. Match on a hot Sunday morning, complete with a small stadium, spectators and commentators… And then there the more serious business of football. On the roads, in the playgrounds, in schools. Even in hoardings. Everywhere… You are in Goa and you are not cheering for football?? Hot? Who says it… Continue reading Football fever in Goa…