The National Abu Dhabi
Comment Essays for The National Abu Dhabi
Best Bangalore restaurants for Karnataka food
Good restaurants are not just in the business of selling food. They are in the business of selling memories. For some of these restaurants that I’ve mentioned here, memories are a function of their longevity– we are able to go back to these places time and time again. But that isn’t enough. The food had better be good, else none of the nostalgia will matter. All the places listed here fit that particular bill. Read on to find Bangalore's best Karnataka food restaurants
Does your wardrobe make others pity you?
Does your wardrobe make others pity you? When I took my teenage daughter for her first trip to Mumbai, I was pretty expansive. Wherever you want to go; whatever you want to [...]
The best masala dosas in Bangalore
If you live in Bangalore, indeed, South India, it is hard to get away from masala dosas. I am obsessed with them. Here is a list of some really good-- and very mediocre masala dosas. All worth trying, for the atmosphere at least. But hey, write to me about your good choices and I will go try out your favourite masala dosa. What is one more carbo-load?
There is more to a name than you know
Today, I read in the paper about a chess prodigy whose name is 100% a result of numerology. I find this weird spelling names especially in Mumbai folks. Film stars....Ajay Devgn for instance. Another tangential remark is that I found a bunch of Mint columns that are not on this website. For comprehensiveness, I am slowly uploading them. Reading them.
Why isn’t Ahmedabad the seat of design?
I am visiting this 600-year-old city that Sultan Ahmed Shah founded, for the first time, and I love it. I didn’t expect to. Indians are funny that way. Each of us is intensely proud of the region we call home, and, truth be told, there is enough in each place to be proud of. Talk to a Goan and they will act as if the good life or Sussegado originated in Goa. Talk some more and it becomes hard to argue otherwise. Talk to a Tamilian and they will act as if culture begins and ends in Chennai. Visit Chennai in December and you will become convinced. Talk to a Bengali and they will make your head spin with their literary and intellectual allusions. All Bengalis think Kolkata is the center of the universe and once you get into the ‘adda’ mindset, you will feel the same way too. And now, Gujarat. Deep breath.
Your city determines how grumpy you are
Recently, I read a book called “The Geography of Bliss,” by Eric Weiner. In it, Weiner, a radio correspondent who calls himself a world-class “grump,” visits about a dozen cities around the world to answer what, to him, is a fundamental question: why are some places happier than others? Why, for example, do countries like Puerto Rico, Switzerland and Denmark score higher on the “happiness scale” than African countries like Burundi, Sierra Leone and Togo? Compiled by Dutch sociologist Ruut Veenhoven, India scores a respectable 5.5 in this World Database of Happiness. So do Hungary, Russia, Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan. We score higher than the African countries with a score of 2.5, but much lower than the “happiest” countries of the world that score at least 8.0.
Reflecting on the Republic Day and the March Past
Now that the pomp and pageantry of Republic Day is over, perhaps we should all look inwards and reflect on the thing that epitomizes this national holiday. I speak of course of the humble “march past.” Think about it. If there is one thing that unifies the Indian childhood-- beyond mother’s milk and the monsoon, it would be the march past. Here is a light piece on memories of the march past and what it takes to be a good marcher.
Book review of Where the Gods Dwell
When Rosella Stephens, the gracious editor of The Hindu Weekend, asks you to write a piece, it is hard to refuse. But this was a tough piece to write. To compress a chapter into a line is both a service and a disservice to the author and topic, but that is exactly what I did here. Read on if you are interested in religions and sthala-puranas or stories of a sacred place.
What’s your Covid takeaway?
Bangaloreans are looking back-- and forward. We are asking ourselves and others about resolutions and Covid-takeaways. What changed in our lives? What remained constant? Silk List, an online mailing list, founded in Bangalore had a discussion on this topic. As did many alumni reunions that I attended in person and virtually. I compiled the answers into categories-- and directives. Which one resonates with you?
Israeli wines, gin cocktails, single malt and more
Omicron still rages. But here is a secret. This year, I drank very well. Partly because I was drinking at home, I decided to make a celebration of it. Here are some of the things I enjoyed. A 30-wine tasting at Grover Vineyards, wines from Israel, some unusual gins, and single malts from India.
Episode 30: Birding in Uganda with Judith Mirembe
One of the most satisfying things I do is the Bird Podcast. It releases once a fortnight. This episode is special because it is my first interview with a birder from Africa. The differentiator that we try to maintain is that our podcast has 50% women guests. The other differentiator is that, much like birds, our podcast has no borders. We roam the globe with our guests. We have recently started doing audio and video podcasts so you'll find us on Youtube as well as all podcast platforms.
What do Bangaloreans do for New Years?
Here they come again, the questions: what are you doing for New Year’s? Any plans? Here are some suggestions from interesting Bangaloreans about celebrations. Walks, restaurants, shopping, service, coming home, food, here is a bunch. To celebrate may seem unseemly given the turmoil and crises that many of our family and friends have gone through. But it is also a way to leave behind our guilt and pave the way forward. It is a life-giving affirmation.