Latest Articles
Which idli-dosa is better? Tamilnadu or Karnataka?
Bangalore Talkies: in Karnataka, breakfast is a duet whereas in Tamilnadu, it is an orchestra. I may be wading into the Kaveri here, but a question arose recently in a mixed group about whether the Karnataka or the Tamilnadu interpretation of the classic idli-dosa breakfast was better. Naturally the Kannadigas all thought that the Tamil sambar was the pits.
Where to shop in Bangalore
Where to shop in Bangalore? This is one of the most frequent questions that I get asked by visiting friends: where do you shop in Bangalore? And the answer in the great Indian tradition is “Depends on what you want to buy.” The problem is that most visitors don’t know what they want to buy because they don’t know what’s available.
Taj Wayanad and Environs
Wayanad symbolises all that is romantic about Kerala. The region’s fragrant musk turmeric or kasthuri manjal is supposed to restore skin but finding it isn’t that easy. I go on a trip with my mother to find out if we can snag this wonder root.
Can AI write your next wine review?
Last May, news broke that Artificial Intelligence or AI was used to write a convincing wine review. Is this the future of wine reviews?
The Art of Friendship
Are you good at forming and keeping friends? Every happiness study bar none lists “strong relationships” as a key factor in wellness. But how to do this? Think of it as intention, effort and expansion.
Counting my Bangalore Blessings
“Count your blessings,” Sister Mary would say when I was in high school. I think of her, this stern nun, usually around Christmas. I attempt to do as she ordered.
Celebrating a new Bangalore museum
Every art institution wants to be inclusive but most don’t manage to. What does it mean to be an inclusive welcoming museum? I speculate using the opening of MAP Bangalore as a jump-off point
Khaleej Times: Australian Restaurants
Some time ago, I took a trip to New South Wales, Australia. Here are six Sydney restaurants that I tried and loved.
Old favourites that I wrote for Condenast Traveler (US edition)
My Life as a Geisha
I have come to Japan to learn about allure. I’ve been married for seventeen years, and while my marriage isn’t falling apart, it is fraying at the edges. So I have come to Japan to learn about feminine allure from its acknowledged masters: the geisha. Geisha were created to pamper men—but they were also the freest women in old Japan.
Mumbai Meri Jaan
I am going to Bombay to become a movie star. Why not? Every country in the world, if it is lucky, has a city that allows people to create such gauzy fantasies unfettered by the grim shackles of reality. They thrive and inspire, catalyze personal transformations and fuel creativity, not through wide-open spaces but through vibrant congestion.
Goa Grows Up
Once a hippie haven where even India's tightly chaperoned teens could turn on, tune in, and drop out, Goa has lately gone upscale. Living in a trading port for the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Europeans meant that Goans were forced to interact with the outside world far earlier than the average Indian. This has made them friendly but not overly curious about foreigners.
Scuba diving Lakshadweep
I don't want to write about this place. Few people know of it; fewer still visit. Perhaps that's the way it should be. In this rapidly shrinking world, there ought to be somewhere that remains remote, even obscure; set apart in space and time; offering the promise of mystery, the romance of discovery. Lakshadweep—the name comes out in a sigh.
Lessons from my mother
The thought occurred as I eyed a stunning Persian carpet in a downtown Manhattan shop. The Mogul-inspired piece looked terrific but cost thousands more than I wanted to pay. The smile on the manager's face suggested that he was willing to bargain. But where to begin? Middle age brings with it the sobering realization that you can actually learn something from your mother.
Chasing the Mekong River
Cambodia is like a lotus bud concealing an onion—serene on the surface but eliciting tears as you peel back the layers. The scale of the Angkor temples contrast with the photos of skulls in the Genocide Museum. The peace of a Buddhist monastery gives way to the raucous din of tuk–tuks. I am in Cambodia to meet a monk and to travel the Mekong.
Finding a tai chi teacher
I have come to China from my home in Bangalore, India, to find a tai chi teacher. My pursuit of tai chi has been punctuated by such cultural challenges. When I informed my conservative Indian family that I was interested in tai chi, they were appalled. Why was their Indian child, heir to an ancient and proud tradition of yoga leaning toward an alien discipline?
Singapore fling
Staid, chaste, strict, small—Singapore has heard it all. But this island-nation of 4.2 million people has one thing going for it (many things, actually, but we'll get to that later): Singapore is a sure fling. Having lived in Singapore for two years, I have returned wanting to revel in it as a tourist—to see it all and do it all within forty-eight hours.
Travel Stories (my favourite type of writing)
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