Why I like small airports of India

September 9, 2025

Why I like small airports of India

Coimbatore, or Kovai, is a Tier 2 city in the state of Tamil Nadu. The district butts into Kerala at the Walayar border, becoming almost like…

September 5, 2025

Ranipur Jharial: The End of the Beginning

One thing I’ve realized about field research is that it takes time. Time to understand the setting, the people, and the community. Time to build relationships…

August 26, 2025

A Return to the Weavers’ Village

This day began with a quiet insistence. I wanted to find the weavers’ village I had visited a couple of years ago. Memory and instinct led…

August 23, 2025

Field Notes from Ranipur Jharial – Journeying Closer to Yoginis

Traveling from Raipur to Kantabanji on the Vande Bharat was unexpectedly smooth and serene. A short two-hour ride, nearly empty compartments, and a quiet cabin made…

August 21, 2025

Ranipur Jharial Diaries – Day One: Transits, Textures, and a Soft Landing

This journey began with transitions: a domestic pilgrimage of sorts from Coimbatore to Chennai, and then to Raipur. Lately, I’ve been deeply appreciating India’s smaller airports.…

August 15, 2025

Why Bharat Matters: A book Review

Why Bharat Matters, by India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, was published by Rupa Publications in 2024. The very choice of publisher is telling: Jaishankar could…

August 14, 2025

Independence Day Book Review: The Indic Quotient by Kaninika Mishra

While she originally intended to focus solely on the world of yoga, over the course of her investigations, Kaninika Mishra ended up bringing out the importance…

July 8, 2025

Weekend Notes: A Road Trip, Reflections, and Resonances

Last weekend, I set off on a road trip with my dear friend Uma and her 20-year-old son, Anand. Traveling with them was both lighthearted and…

July 5, 2025

Field Research in India: Expecting the Unexpected, Embracing the Unforgettable

Conducting field research in India—especially in rural or far-flung regions—is an experience unlike any other. It demands more than academic preparedness or a solid methodology. It…

July 2, 2025

Learning to Live: My Tryst with an Autoimmune Condition

For the last 2+ years, I’ve had an autoimmune condition. Expect, for a long time, I didn’t know it. Even today, looking at me, you wouldn’t…

July 1, 2025

Top Tips from My Time in the Timeless City

A lot of people come to Kashi. They’ve been doing it for thousands of years. Mostly, they come for religious reasons. I came to Kashi a…

June 28, 2025

The Book Is Out—Now the Real Journey Begins

My book My India officially launched in April 2025, and while the process of publishing was no small feat, I’ve quickly discovered that what comes after—the…

Category: india