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When the comments are better than the article

February 12th, 2023|

My previous column on idli and dose (Karnataka) or dosai ITamilnadu) or dosha (Kerala) or dosa (North India) brought forth so many comments.  My head is spinning.  Please read.  Many call me out on my biases, which is great.  Many offer critiques of this "stupid" article.  Some link it to history, mean sea level, Dravidian roots, fermentation methods and ingredients. scroll all the way down below "Recent articles" for the comments section.  Enjoy.

Which idli-dosa is better? Tamilnadu or Karnataka?

January 28th, 2023|

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.

  • Bazaar
Where to shop in Bangalore

January 18th, 2023|

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.

The Art of Friendship

January 8th, 2023|

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

December 22nd, 2022|

“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.

  • Lord Shiva in the iconic Nataraja pose
Celebrating a new Bangalore museum

December 7th, 2022|

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

Interviews with His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Old favourites that I wrote for Condenast Traveler (US edition)

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