The big brooming business: for Mint Lounge
The big brooming business An acquaintance of mine, Chantal, called from New York the other day with a request: she needed brooms; lots of them. Could I source them from India? Chantal is a gaunt French-Algerian chain smoker. She says [...]
HumRaag
Chitra Srikrishna is a classical carnatic singer. She spent many years in the Bay area, which is why you haven't heard of her. She is a fantastic concert-level performer. Chitra and I collaborate on a show/performance called Hum Raag. The [...]
Procrastination
I have learnt how to procrastinate with furious efficiency Shoba Narayan October 7, 2014 Updated: October 7, 2014 05:40 PM It began innocently enough and took a fairly standard trajectory. Prodded by stray comments from the spouse, a sibling, a [...]
What is Chitra Kavya?
I don't know about you, but I know precious little about Indian poetry. I have heard of Kalidasa but that's pretty much it. As a matter of fact, I don't know very much about poetry--let alone Indian poetry. In the [...]
Train Diary 4
The last of my beloved train diaries. For now. Train diary No.4: strangers and friends There are two types of people who travel on Indian trains: extrovert and introvert Shoba Narayan There are two types of people who travel on [...]
For British Airways magazine on Diwali Food
What Indians feast on during Diwali.
Train Diary 3 for Mint Lounge
Why do so few people talk to their fellow travellers on planes and why do some many talk to their neighbours on trains? I think it is because we view planes as mobile offices while train travel is time away from work; more like a vacation; a time to exhale and take stock; a time for diffused thought rather than focus; a time to relax. Planes produce the opposite effect. With no interruptions from colleagues or relatives, we pull out our computers and phones and get work done.
Can paradise be regained by arresting development in Kashmir? for The National Abu Dhabi
This one's for you, Mahen-uncle and Vina-aunty. Can paradise be regained by arresting development in Kashmir? I left Kashmir on September 1st after attending a 75th birthday celebration in Srinagar. The event was held near the Dal Lake and the [...]
Train Diary 2
Train Diary 2: Easy, artless conversations Train travel has both a created ecosystem and inflection points. The first inflection point is when you walk down the corridor to your compartment for the first time, wondering who your fellow travellers are. [...]
Hum Raag in Hyderabad
HumRaag (Chitra and I) will be performing at ISB auditorium on Saturday, September 27th.
Childhood food cravings for The National Abu Dhabi
Wrote this piece on a transatlantic flight. I guess having bad airline food helped kindle taste memories. The best cuisines are those that have the flavours of home Shoba Narayan September 14, 2014 Updated: September 14, 2014 04:59 PM Read [...]
Train diary No.1: we’re all in it together for Mint Lounge
Nothing matches the high drama of a train departure. Where else can you run beside the train, holding on to hand, finger, then little finger, then scarf, before letting go and waving till the train disappears. You certainly cannot run after an airline; and you’d bump into the passing cow if you tried this stunt in inter-city buses. Trains are designed for our sort of goodbye. Everyone is running, sobbing, yelling out instructions, and then frantically waving goodbyes and asking the traveller to call the moment the train reaches destination.