That Ganpati on the Beach
Travelling in times of pregnancy and Covid-19
A slow holiday in Washington D.C.
A travelogue on days spent in the heart of Washington D.C. in the 2019 Holiday Season. My last major trip before Covid-19.
मृगजळ
(Continuing my series on Parks in cities. This one on Central Park) माया नगरी, माया बाजार,भांडवलशाही राज्यांचे हे सुवर्ण दार.काम नाही तर राम नाही,काम नाही तर राम नाही,शहराला या आराम नाही. तरीही, भाग्यवान मँहँटनकरांनाआहे एक हक्काचा हिरवा गालिचा,सामान्य माणसाच्या यादीत असतोCentral Park चा फेरफटका. भटकता भटकता दिसते, त्या एखाद्या गरीब बापड्याला,Park मधून डोकावणारे ते पंचतारांकित शहर.तेंव्हा चंमचंमणार्या त्या मंझिंलींचीही भिडते […]
Alice in Wonderland
(Remembering my walk around Stanley Park, this time around last year) I walk hurriedly like the Mad Hatterbut with an air of a friendly West Coast jet-setter.Very determined, I open the Stanley Park map.A light grey sky cannot deter a Londoner armed with a rainy cap. The Lion Gate bridge adds to its glory as the theatrical sea planes fly […]
A Weekend in Windermere
In a bright red kayak,bouncing upon the gentle waves of Windermere,flowing in a rhythm of two to two. On a thin wooden branch,swinging over the shore of Windermere,dancing in a rhythm of two to two. Up on my sturdy feet,climbing over the hills at Windermere,descending in a rhythm of two to two. On the narrow roads,driving amidst hues of green […]
Timing
Right place, right time. It’s such a cliche. But is it? All of us never chose where to be born, whom to be born to, how to be born and most importantly at what time! My mother often narrates, how I was born on torrential rainy evening in July and getting to the hospital was a nightmare. Ah! The timing! […]
Dear Crystal Lodge
Dear Crystal Lodge Thank you for sending me reassuring reminders that you would be opening soon. As much as I want to get into my airport look, I believe I would be shopping for extra pair of pyjamas (at a discount, ofcourse) instead.Trust me, I occasionally scroll through our last year’s pictures. The happy days by the tranquil lakes and trails in the woods. Impromptu jumps in the pristine waters.I was secretly thrilled as my very adventurous husband was rather squeamish through the daily gondola rides. Nothing was empowering as telling him to take it easy on the Sasquatch zipline.Those dangerous cliffs were also a testament to our fitness. Hardly, a mountain goat! More of those grazers, who get lured by greener pastures(or burgers).Speaking of which, there are days when I contemplate that I should have moved to Vancouver in first place, seven years ago. I bet our Megan Soonbai feels the same way considering, it was her first choice as well.But, believe I would have still suffered the familiarity fatigue.Maybe, another lifetime. Deal?Until, then I hope to have a quick tete-a-te whenever time permits. No, we won’t be returning this Winter. We are Indians, not ski people.Yours longing customerJP (Sorry no, Xo Xo) P.S: I am attaching my picture post a dip in the lost lake. We will leave the ‘Rising out of water’ images to Bollywood heroines.
Dil Chahta Hai:Love and Hope
This is still a special story. Four school friends. Three girls and a boy. Living across different continents over different periods of time. Most importantly at different stages in their lives. The only time the four of them have been together are the couple of carefree odd years they spent in Mumbai in their early twenties. Then? Well, adulting is a serious business.They all got caught up in their lives. Their priorities shifted.The phone calls became infrequent and the messages said they were having time of their lives. Ofcourse, there were moments of ” Tell me I will buy that next ticket and be right there”.You know what the other person at the end of the phone will say to that statement, right?They did have their share of holidays together. Amsterdam, Spain, Paris. But each time, there was a person or two missing from the plan. But in November 2018, I had a rare smile on my face as tepid waters washed my feet. The foursome were finally together.It was only a three day trip. What felt like years of waiting had finally come true.A Goa trip with friends.Isn’t that a coming of age thing for every Indian millenial child ever? So, what if it was a decade too late.It is still what these silly people kept alive in their hearts. Love and Hope.After all these years.
Souvenir
Vast alluring landscapes,Calming azure seascapes,I wish, I could steal the cheeky windIn my hair. Quite sunny courtyards in grand palaces,The buzz on the twinkling beer terraces,If only, I could bag a bit ofthe mysterious air. The dramatic entrances on the stage,The fight with the wild beasts in a cage,I wish, I could borrow some ofthe artist’s flair. Dismissing the ethereal […]
Daydream
Remember the time you were eight, begging your mum to let you play in the hot summer sun? “At four o’clock”, she would say, putting her foot down firmly. You would accept My Lord’s orders rather unwilling and go about pottering around the house. Fling the classics book aside as you had enough of it.With a red crayon in hand, […]
The Colloquial Chutney and Little Miss Elf 