Of People and Places

Saptaparni tree illustration, Hoshangabad It was a dark night. I stood in the doorway, bewitched. The whole day, I had been longing to go closer to the tree, but I couldn't spare the time. Its fragrance, mysterious and exciting kept up a silent call that I finally gave in to. The Saptaparni tree was in full bloom. I walked the length of the grounds that joined the building to the gate. I strolled, breathing in the peculiar fragrance that got stronger and stronger as the night wore on. I was hungry for more.Yes, the devil tree had found its mark - I was intoxicated. I was aghast that a treasure like that had been hidden from me all these years. I would never have known of its existence, had I not stumbled on it in the Eklavya campus at Hoshangabad. Saptaparni. What a beautiful name. This evergreen tree has clusters of seven leaves that glisten.Its pale green flowers are dangerous - you will long for them the whole year round! Though, of course these are my sentiments. M...

Se Cathedral illustration ( Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina  ) , Velha Goa ( Old Goa)  I had listened in to this lovely talk by Tahir Noronha about Old Goa, tracing its history, from the ancient city of Govapuri, which then ceded its glory to another port that developed on the north bank of the Mandovi river - Ela. (You could listen to this on the facebook page - Soul.travelling  - Forgotten City of Ela by Tahir Noronha, Tahir is an architect working with Charles Correa Foundation ) Ela was the first settlement on the site that has now grown into what we know of as 'Goa'. Ruled by local chieftains, the places were not unified. It was not until the Portuguese added bits of these territories to their 'empire' ( Estado da India) that the present Goa came into being. Ela was known to the outside world, much before the rest of India. Owing to the trade coming in from the sea with the Arabs and the Chinese, it was  a highly coveted city - facing attacks from ...

When we were children, we had a godrej cupboard full of books - a real treasure trove filled with children's books, classics, travelogues, recipe books, books on architecture, ecology, sustainable living, history, politics, autobiographies, comics  - 'eclectic' is the word. We even had clippings of Tintin and Phantom, painstakingly cut out from newspapers by my father, classified according to date and bound into a book! Sadly, by the time we began to read through them, the termites had already chomped their way through, creating what they must have thought aesthetic shapes and patterns, much to our irritation. Browsing through all these books was a favourite past time. I enjoyed it thoroughly though I cannot say that I understood what they were all about ! The kinds of books that I liked most were those with paintings or photographs in them, of exotic places, people, animals, food, strange customs and traditions. So, I suppose that's when I really learned ...

Stone Chariot illustration, Vitthala temple, Hampi, Karnataka Look closely from atop the Anjanadri hill. The Tungabhadra river gleams in the sun and green paddy fields take on a glow. The strange boulders, so characteristic of the Deccan plateau are everywhere. You shall be transported to an ancient time in history, when travellers from faraway Portugal, Persia and Italy came to trade and behold this wondrous city - The city of  Hampi. Though a few ruins and well preserved structures still remain behind, I reckon it is only a shadow of what had once been the capital of the powerful and wealthy Vijayanagara empire. Nevertheless, you can still imagine how lush and prosperous the place must have been. It is an ancient land. Even before the Vijayanagara empire sprung up, its proximity to the Tungabhadra river made it an important area for many other civilizations. In fact, it is believed to be Kishkindha, the kingdom of the Vanaras of Ramayana. I remember the coracle ride t...

How about a little cheer in times of gloom? This is the story of farmers in Karnataka who have formed companies to market and sell the fruits and vegetables that they grow. A story of farmers with very small holdings, mostly tenants who don’t own the land - but who, through collective efforts, have already started supplying to bulk buyers in cities like Bangalore. Since the lockdown, their activities have intensified. Now they have the concept of ‘farm to fork', selling produce in apartment complexes and gated communities directly to people like you and me, out to buy some fresh produce to make our dinners. The unique thing is that when you buy from them, you are not just satisfying your own needs. You are contributing to food security, investing in ecologically safe farming practices, providing employment to a large network of enterprising youth in villages, and strengthening the resolve of farming communities to secure their livelihoods. And you could do ...

Mumbai never fails to astound me.Its energy, the multitude of people and the gorgeous amalgam of different cultures, different temperaments, and a quickness - a jostling that leaves a Bangalorean like me quite breathless. But then some might say it's a stereotype. I don't know. I haven't spent a long time there but whatever I have seen leaves me a bit starry-eyed. When the British came here, they recreated a sense of their home. And one of the most magnificent specimens of Victorian Gothic revival architecture was the Victoria terminus, now renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus. It's a crazy looking place, and it makes me feel like I am in a Harry Potter movie, as do most other buildings in the area. I really love the architecture and how it has withstood changes. Mumbai has evolved rapidly since the time it was built but if you feel like indulging in a bit of nostalgia, in a bit of time travel, all you need to do is take a walk in South Mumbai.

Don't wear a mask like this gentleman here! The three ply mask is roomy enough to accommodate all kinds of noses. And really there is no point in wearing it if your entire mouth and nose are not covered! You'd be surprised at how many people I saw at the airport nonchalantly hanging their noses in the air - breathing in, breathing out like everything's normal. I was in Bhopal when the lock down was announced. And extended. Again, extended. And yet again, extended. But  I have no complaints. I was well taken care of, surrounded by friends who are like family, and plenty of good food. I became something of a culinary expert myself. But then again, who hasn't become one during the lock down? When all else fails, turn to food!Eat food, cook food, feed others. But the way back home was fraught with challenges. I have had flights cancelled five times and had to cancel three train tickets because of the confusion surrounding travel. Nervous, paranoid I stepped into...