Weekend Plans?

Hills bloom at Palampur

If you haven't made vacation plans yet for the long weekend, here is help. My curated list of memorable weekend getaways for you to enjoy getting away from the city.

Read the article on Rediff here.  

Republished article on Churu

Churu refuses to hide behind the dust from the decades gone by. My Rediff article on Churu was recently republished by the travel website 'The  Better India' that aims to find hidden unspoiled secrets of India.

If you did not read it before, read the article here. 

The time when foodies rocked Bangalore

Lovely terrace seating at The Fatty Bao

You've heard about my Bangalore weekend. Now, it's time to get jealous. My latest article on Rediff takes you on a food journey through the legends and the new-kids-on-the-block in Bangalore. Read it here

The BEST dosa in the world @ CTR

I'm happy

I'm happy. At this point, right this moment, I am happy and unapologetic about it. It does not imply that I'm unhappy otherwise, it simply means what it says. I'm in Bangalore for the weekend to meet my friends. To make new happy memories and feel like a giggly teenager again.

I don't want this to be a justification post. That's all I have been doing recently. Justifying to myself why I am here, why it's not criminal for me to leave my daughter with the husband in Mumbai and come hang with my friends. When I was explaining to N why and where I was going, I caught myself telling her that mama is going to Bangalore for work for 2 days like papa goes. I quickly corrected myself and told her that I did have some work (which I do) (*still justifying*) but I was going to meet my friends. And she understood. I did not want her to grow up thinking that there is something wrong in wanting some time to yourself. Kids are amazing creatures, stronger and more perceptive than we think.

So what have I been doing? Lazing, eating, drinking, chatting....days filled with my girls thinking of what all they can do to make me feel special. Not many people are blessed like I am.

I also surprised myself by missing home. I miss my baby and I miss normalcy. I'm looking forward to taking that flight home today. Which is what makes me more happy than anything else. The realisation that this trip wasn't an escape of sorts. Rather, it was simply a break from being responsible and letting myself feel like a girl again.

The full story of the places I scouted will be out soon when I publish the article. But the crux of the matter is this - that I'm happy. 

5 Things you must discuss with your partner before you marry

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love and being true to it far tougher. When we're young and meet someone we think we want to spend our lives with, we often dive in headlong. We don't really care about peripheral issues like money, in laws, children etc. Love shall conquer all, we think.

Love is important but it is not all pervasive. There are other factors in a couple's life, which if both partners are on the same page for, can make the journey of life much smoother.

My latest article on Rediff talks about 5 such decisions a couple must make or be aligned on before they decide to get married. Read it here. 

10 Things I Will Miss About Delhi

Nostalgia and homesickness galore, my latest article on Rediff lists out the Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Delhi. Ofcourse, listing only 10 is close to impossible, but it's a start.

Read the article here.

D-Day like never before - Lok Sabha Election Result 2014

16th May 2014. The day that will decide the future of India. The most awaited result of the Lok Sabha elections post the emergency, the results of this are as sure as they were in 1977. And like that year, the Congress once again is sure to be shown the door. But unlike that year when we punished a party for inciting communal imbalance, today we will be celebrating the rise of another one that did just that. For some, it is a day to rejoice, for others, to despair. For me, it is a day that I shall pray, pray very hard. Not for a miracle because I know what the result of this election will be. But pray that this empowerment does not unleash a catastrophe, immediate or subtle in the balance of this nation. 

India is a complex country. A diverse democracy, the only thing that keeps this balance in place is an immense level of tolerance for all other communities. But politics is a dirty game. And to ensure longevity in its corridors, people have made what history can only name as gross blunders. 

I know that the leaders are a savvy lot. They know what works at a state level can not work on a national scale. They understand the global checks in place and the perception that must be maintained. And I pray that this pragmatism keeps their attention towards the economic development for which they will be chosen today. But fractal politics has its way of creeping into the hearts of the ambitious. I hope that the government that is formed today honors the faith of those millions of people who (unlike me) believe that they can change the fortunes of our country. I hope they prove me and my fears wrong. I will be only too happy to accept my biases and my belief that people can change will be re-instilled. 

16th May 2014. Remember where you were this day. Like the Americans remember where they were when JFK was shot. Whatever the next few years hold, today promises to be a historical day. I for my part, will have my hands folded in prayer, asking for peace, mercy and prosperity. And just in case god is too busy listening to other people...I'll have my passport ready!