Vedasri Siddamsetty

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Living it up .

  • Oh Jeeves!!

    Growing up on a staple of Wodehouse, now as a thirty-something trying to manage a house the person I miss the most and am trying to manifest with all my might is Jeeves. The cook, the maid, the driver and all on one side, a perfect housekeeper, lets say a butler on the other, but to tie them all together wouldnt it be so lovely to have Jeeves in toe! While reading the Empress of Blandings, which happens to be my favourite book whipped up by Wodehouse, I couldn’t help but laugh my heart out heartily. Every tome after that was also something to lighten up the mood and the vibe. In his flowing English English, with matters of marmalade and the ring of a bell, the laid-back nature of the English countryside conjures up in one’s mind, irrespective of which library or hostel dorm room one is perched on.

    Having one to be at the beck of a ring is something by 1931 born Grandfather still manages even at the turn of a century, but he has his butler english and generational precedence to thrive on, today the only bell that has me jumping out of my seat is the sound of ringtones from the mobile phone, all without the depth and the alacrity for sure. The beauty of the tingle of the phone is severely unmatched. I would wonder what it would be to have Jeeves watch over my 7 year old. The conversation that is already so delightful would for sure turn spiffy! Jeeves the character is very smart, so is the little fellow, who reminded me this weekend that he isn’t so little anymore. Much the reason to have a prompt butler to seize the day with copious amounts of wit and wisdom.

    For one he would very aptly answer all the questions put to me by the child and put out once and very quickly at that, the question of why, that is directed to me all along. The husband very conveniently puts out the why with the act of being deaf and somehow the question why comes straight back at me, also because of the time we spend being idle is a lot more perhaps! Again a reason to have Jeeves at hand, and one who can answer along with the son’s questions, mine too that happen to announce the arrival of the benefits of self reflection! The high competence of Jeeves has me all the time. Infact he would have corrected me just now, decidedly proclaiming that even if around, he would be my valet and not a housekeeper. Well, Oh Jeeves!

  • Things I never knew I’ll learn at LC.

    Constituting a very diverse set of women all vibrant, all enthusiastic and always on a high, I have learnt the art of living to its very best at LC. The organisation that buzzes with activities and a multitude of to-dos keeps the quintessence of being alive at its very core. With never a dull day, there is learning everywhere. Whether it is speaking for hours about a cause that matters the most to us, or female friendships that take us along on this boat of life, or the art of making every moment count, the art of food and frolic, the art of gentility or the way of being a community that holds each other close. But more than ever I learnt the art of being in tandem with each other, always as a friend, as an equal, loaded with empathy and the generosity of the spirit.

    The days are different, as different as can be yet the fraternity that bonds for life, the friendships we make through LC are one for keeps. I never knew I’d learn that these friendships are as precious or even more than the ones we make in school! Thats quite a bummer for if chaddi baddis can be made at LC then well it would have to be a school!! 😉 School is where learnings come at its peak and so do the learnings come at LC, from 80Gs as Treasurer or learning when to speak (and give those vocal chords a rest) as CP, the most fun thing I learnt at LC is how to make the best use of Canva! It’s literally like “move over AutoCad” you have a new friend on my deck! Thank God for that software, also, I learnt how to use AI!

  • From the South.


    Vietnam, literally translates to from the south, in Chinese language and they probably hinted at the land that lay beyond China. Steeped in the principles of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism each represented by the lotus, the peony and the chrysanthemum the Vietnamese people embody the best principles from these three religions to form a confluence of their own. Ho Chi Minh, their resistance leader and the first President had quoted, that to reap a reward in ten years, plant trees, to reap a reward in one hundred years, cultivate people. It’s not yet been a hundred years since he proclaimed thus, we stand at fifty years so far, but seven days in Vietnam and we know that they are on this path of reward. Not that trees are any less in this leafy country that is so gorgeously green even if it’s that money plant on the window sill, the basil in the balcony or the leafy trees that line the streets. The best thing about Vietnam is its people, and then of course everything else stems from that. With an oppressive weather, a crippled economy and communism breathing them down or holding them up (it really depends on which side of the capitalist fence you’re on the perspective changes dramatically) if they can still be nice, I wonder why can’t the rest of the world! The French people colonised the country in the late 1800s before which the area was ruled by kings and had a boastful collection of ceramics, art and architecture that spoke of the love for Confucianism by the kings, as the religion mandated dutiful citizens and a general social code. The french imprinted their own love for coffee, that is vastly observed even today with a multitude of coffee shops dotting the major cities in the country. A lack of fresh Dairy even had Chef Giang invent the egg coffee where the yellows of the eggs are beaten together to form a froth implying of the famous frothy top of a perfect brew. The French Quarter in Hanoi and several buildings stand as beacons of the french rule in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, then called Saigon. Later when the resistance movement began, asking to not be under the French rule, the cities saw a unique way of fighting and finally when the French left the country they divided into the North and South with what looks like the use of a ruler, the line is so ridiculously straight! The divide continued to have a completely different influence on the two zones, while the North turned to communism, the idea of the government with all the power and the south with the brew of capitalism. As the years went by the north began to dream of a unified country and tried very hard to take over the south. At this point, defending capitalism more than South Vietnam, the United states dove right into the country offering aid and literally fighting the war for them. This was the United States lost for South Vietnam, as the guerrilla forces employed by the North Vietnamese were of no match. The Hanoi vs Saigon is still around today as some look nostalgically to the past and one up each other!

    On a trail from the South to the North we enjoyed the lucidity of Ho Chi Minh and the haze of Hanoi all while our bodies fought to remain temperature controlled! The heat in July can be nothing short of oppressive in Vietnam. Yet as we strolled the streets ala the French, we were beckoned by the cycle rickshaw guys who give the best views (and commentaries) of the streets and walked through the lush green alleyways. Ho Chi Minh is renowned for its vegan restaurants and options of food that we truly relished through a vegan tour. The tour had us eating over 10 items curated by Spring, a former chef who understands good taste keenly. Famous for Bahn mis and phos vietnamese cuisine can be bland or fiery, as you like it! The tour took us to Tue Tin resturant for Xoi Man, a savory sticky rice served with a variety of toppings like mushrooms, pickled vegetables and soy protein, Bun Ca Ri, a vermicelli with a rich curry sauce made from shitake mushrooms, bell peppers and coconut milk, Cha gio, a vegetable spring rolls, Linh Cafe where we had Da me, a tamarind drink with peanut, Ca phe Muoi, a salted coffee, then to 270 Vo Van Tan in District 3 where we had Bun Thit nuong, a vegan barbeque noodle, Goi Cuon, a summer rolls, then proceeded to Chuoi Nep Nuong Vo Van Tan for Chuoi Nep Nuong Vo Van Tan, a grilled banana cake with sticky rice and coconut milk, then to Ban Co Street for Bot Vhien, a carrot cake with no carrot then finally to Che Hien Khanh for cold sweet soup with longan, lotus seed, jelly, lychee and water coconut. Each of the items on the menu were delicious and at the end of the tour we were stuffed beyond measure. Upon the suggestion of Spring, our guide we ventured to Kido for some hip clothes shopping and discovered Secodee right next door. Ho Chi Minh Fine Art Museum exhibits treasures from the Champa region that borders greatly on Hindusim, Buddhism during the age of the Buddha, oil on canvas from the French times and finally roughly sketched quick drawings during the resistance war scrawled in pencil. The Reunification Palace that functions even today for state functions is a stellar example of modernist architecture. The fenestrations and window system of the palace were absolutely impressive. The Palace was once the Nordom Palace built by the french to be used as a state palace, yet during the wars it was bombed and suffered great damage because of which the original palace was razed to the ground to build this masterpiece. After keenly observing this palace, one begins to identify various such buildings around the city. The palace also features a bunker where the president and his family would take refuge. This was also where the US army commanded their forces in the South of Vietnam. The palace and its exhibitions are executed extremely well and I loved specifically the interior design of the rooms in this palace, the gold room, the green room were my absolute favourites. After soaking in this modernistic marvel and loving every bit of it we went off to Chin Chin Noodle which could easily have been my most favourite place to eat in the whole of Vietnam and the Lia Coffee shop right across. Madame Xo dimsums are as they say to die for but the place itself is so cute and thoughtful that it wasnt surprising to see two girls in satin short dresses taking what could be easily numbered umpteen instagram worthy pictures. A water taxi ride back to the city centre and the upmarket area of the city hall is where one can witness the city totally bustling with people, balloons and a fun vibe. The coffee shops around the hotel Caravelle are lovely. Saigon as it was called is a beautiful city with a lovely vibe that is hip and youthful. The best city in Vietnam for sure. Our airbnb was in a bookstore and it is amazing how much the country reads, the book street in Ho Chin Minh next to the post office is quaint and so fun but almost all the books available are in Vietnamese. Just like in France, we can spot a lot of readers across the city and across the day, like in the metro, in a park or practically anywhere!

    Making our journey upwards to the north is literally like entering another world, Hanoi is historic to say the least and the first place we ended up in the Hanoi old quarter was a temple. The Buddhist temples with the Lady Buddha deity and all the offerings are completed with plants like the holy basil and the lime plant next to the main pagoda housing the altar. The Hoam Kiem lake is a beautiful lake in the old quarter that is fringed by stately buildings housing some major fashion brands, important government buildings, fancy hotels and entertainment centres. Off these main roads leading to the Hanoi Opera house is the Rue Paul Bert now rechristened back to Dam Dai Vang Son a vibrantly happy street that exhibits the development of the street over time through maps, funky art and some black and white ancient photographs. In this area we witnessed the Lotus Water Puppet show where stories from the yore are told with fireworks, music, singing and all the drama for entertainment. The diverse stories in the puppet show document the peoples love for water, for the stories of their kings and the lucky tortoise, dancing, gay singing and funny happenings in the world. In Hanoi the train street where a functioning railway track is transformed into a cafe and restaurant scene is spellbinding. And the train that passes is a full throttle train which is both exciting and interesting to watch and may I add a tad bit hazardous too. One may be blown to a tizzy having been so close to a moving train, I completely held my breath all through the experience or should I say multitude of experiences as the train passes through very many times during the day and even more times during the weekend. The train street is lined with shops along the tracks that sell local merchandise like the embroidery Vietnam is very popular for, food that again Vietnam is very popular for and other shops selling merchandise of the place.

    The next day amid clear blue skies we ventured out to the UNESCO recognised and hugely lauded Halong Bay. An expanse in the ocean that has many limestone formations topped by rainforests, the emerald green waters are the route of immense cruise ships foraying into the area looking into these formations where in kayaking into the caves is the thing to do. For our part we ventured into the beautiful Halong Bay by flight. The Hai Au aviation gets one into the throngs of the bay through a very scenic birds eye view. The view from the top is exceedingly beautiful as usual. Flitting with the expanse below the beauty of the world is brought to one’s notice right to the front. Getting on a seaplane was the first for me and as the amphibian glides across the ocean and then takes flight makes it truly scenic. The pilot kept his door open as long as we were on the water and the fluttering of the wind is tremendous. The Ha Long city is one for the tourists with tree lined avenues reminding one of Miami with long lines of date palms. In the sweltering heat Mixue forms for an amazing stop. This Chinese owned chain has over 26000 stores and is studied in Business schools for how rapidly and consistently they have grown. Back to the city and to the grind of the Old Quarter, we went back to Cafe Giang and slurping on the cold chocolate checked out several blogs that were filled with places to eat for vegetarians in Hanoi. Chay food was a great stop and alongside the next day we checked out Quan Pho Chay anh Hai. Now though the former was splendid, the latter deserves a whole lot of mention. This pho place is possibly the best pho place in all of Hanoi, but the thing is it is open only for breakfast and only till 11 am! And to beat that he has only one dish on the menu every single day, and that dish is very delightfully delicious. So people come there sometimes every single day of their stay to have the dish on menu. We also checked out ivegan a super food store in Hanoi, which was great but not only Vietnamese, it is mostly continental. Sitting down to finally sketch in Vietnam, I found myself discovering new details as I sketched. Finally making a trip to the shopping streets in Hanoi, the wares in the marketplace are of all kinds, with each street hawking one particular type of goods. Gingko concept stores had great soft organic cotton. The width of each building in the old streets of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are very narrow. A building of 4 floors easily standing on a width of a little over 6 or 7 feet. The Hanoi Museum of fine art has an extravagant collection of lacquered paintings while the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is an ode to the country’s most popular man. His words, quotes and settings of his life are recreated in the museum of the Mausoleum while the mausoleum itself stands against the backdrop of the areas lined with trees and dotted with french buildings. The one pillar pagoda in the compound rising out of the lotus pond teeming with lotuses is quite the sight. As usual, each of the pagoda has lime shrubs and basil plants, but this one was surrounded by bonsai trees in heavy stone pots. The Temple of Literature is a temple for Confucius and showcases the steeles that were erected to show off the knowledge and pay respect to the gurus of the people. The main exhibition had artists of the day exhibiting their works for sale, one of the paintings that really struck me was a silk on silk, wherein an opaque silk art is framed 2 inches away from the front silk that is more of a gauze like bringing out a beautiful three-dimensional effect.

    A country that is in the building, but also a country that stuns with its emerald greens whether its the water or the lush greens of the land!

  • Oxygenation!

    The other day I was listening to a gentleman and guru who has named himself AiR abbreviation for Atman in Ravi. He said that the best thing to do on a plane is meditate, as a plane pulls off the runway and makes altitude start breathing and well deeply breathe all the way, unless you fall asleep and then as the Dalai Lama says fall into the best meditation there is – sleep or simply allow yourself to actually be aware and meditate all through. Well that would be some in-flight entertainment alright. Now in a similar vein I was told that the best thing to do in traffic is oxygenation again! Driving or not, obviously in the former do not close your eyes. In the air while we are 30000 ft up in the air we are dependent on the air-conditioning facility of the plane and the car, well just make sure the air circulation vent is closed in case of sitting in traffic!

    But the best place to fill up oxygen in the lungs is in the surrounds of trees and plants that are harbingers of this gas that is known for multiple life processes. Of the breathing exercises we know of, anulom vilom or alternate nostril breathing is one of the best and can be done for half and hour or so balancing out the parasympathetic nervous system. In addition there are many more, Brahmi for instance keeps the humming within the system and activates the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the human body that connects all the vital organs, when activated also calming the nervous system. Brahmi is done by covering the eyes with fingers and humming while the mouth closed, humming like a bee.

    And then there is a breathing style to beat nazar or the evil eye (!), its called the Sitali, where the breath is drawn in through the mouth and released through the nose. In such a case, while breathing in through the palate one can roll the tongue, else pursing the lips to form an ‘O’ shape is also good. Ujjayi breath that is also called the Ocean breath or the Victorious breath is one where one constricts the throat to produce an oceanic sound from the throat. And the best ones to have immediate calm is keeping the outgoing breath twice as long as the incoming one. In those are the 4-7-8, where the breath in is 4 seconds, a hold of 7 seconds and then an outflow of breath for 8 seconds, and the cyclic breath when two breaths are drawn in instantly and then a breath is left out for twice as long as the duration of the two inhales.

    Breath is life, the way we breathe can showcase the mental and physical body so being mindful of our breath can give away a lot of our state of being. While some practitioners also sing eludes to the fact that too much breathing and too forced can also cause oxidative stress to the body, so breathing gently and slowly are the best ways to draw in the life force. Some sages have reduced their breaths to 4 breaths per minute, which is real slow breathing! While the mammals that live the longest have the slowest breaths, think tortoise, the ones with the fastest breathing speed, live the shortest, think of the proverbial hare. We also lose our excess weight as carbon dioxide that we breathe out and hence aerobic activity brings out the weight loss in this fascinating human body.

    So well then, sit up straighter, give the lungs space to shine, draw in an eager breath, let the abdomen expand and then let it all go in twice the time, all this while making sure you are under a tree and away from the road as much as possible!

  • Man in space!

    Subhanshu Shukla sent out a message to fellow Indians who have got for themselves a taste of space with the Indian origin astronauts Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams, Namaskar he said, and drew pride and applause from the country. Slated to complete over 60 experiments during his time in space his flight is said to speed up India’s space missions to follow. While it is thrilling to be in space, the need for such programs are always questioned. His 14-day visit to space will not be the first from India, but will be the second with Rakesh Sharma being the first man in space.

    As we waited for the space ride in a local theme park I wondered that the love for space programs is embedded in the human DNA as my 7 year old’s eyes light up every time one makes a mention of space. The idea of reaching out to the far beyond, in an anti-gravity environment is one for the future or should I say present. While Elon Musk has been running a very successful space program company, the way he works requires a special mention. Talking to a relative who worked real close with Musk in SpaceX his love for working with first principles is quite a winning point.

    Breaking frontiers or finding new frontiers is quite the way forward to keep the world enthused and happening so so say the same. Never a dull day in the world is just an understatement for how it can never be a dull day in space either. Man on earth may well be the man in space, even if that means he’s a tad bit lighter with the lack of gravity. Cheers to India’s future space programs, its a program that lights me up too. Just visuals of the Mangalyaan in space had be covered in goosebumps!

  • There is an AI for that.

    We have finally outsourced thinking and what a relief that can be but also a blessing to those who don’t think! There is an ai for that is the handle of the website with the same name and one that is literally mind boggling for me. An AI for song creation, an AI that can design your space, an AI that tells you what to eat or even to take that decision. And while being particularly brainless may be a lure, there are some who believe that AI can be worked with together in tandem or what’s that world, better collaborated with. But then I feel aghast when the Husband hands me a deepseek generated letter or the Father quotes ChatGPT for the best schools in Bangalore or the Brother looks at astrology notes from Gemini. Perhaps that’s because I like to write and this is a case of sour grapes for ChatGPT maybe actually writing better than me, is mode polite and follows grammar to the T.

    When I ambitioned for a smart phone, a smart watch, a smart refrigerator I decided that my watch would track my parameters and drive me to be more healthy, yet I realised I couldn’t quite outsource my will-power(!). Last time I checked willpower is a purely offline resource and one that is pretty personal. The AI tracking telling me to do this or do that sounds to me like a warden and wants me to duck from its control. Who wants to be controlled I suppose, and that’s when the power off works wonders. Perhaps it is time to usher in an era of NI or natural intelligence. And with the tremendous growth in population aren’t we not leveraging on Natural brain power?! Today when architects are bringing put render after render of what the space is going to look like, I feel like the entire surprise of creation is thrown out of the window. That said I am not old school totally and love the fact that technology allows me to have books on my finger tips, my family just a video call away or knowing what an influencer thinks is the future of clothing.

    I have been styled by my stylist parked away in Sikkim, or my nutritionist 2000 kms away, my personal trainer who lives in the same city whom I have never met! The way technology flattens the world is amazing for and wonderful all the same. But as we replace sunlight with red light therapy, awareness with validation and knowledge over wisdom, I balk at how AI is being celebrated like the future. Don’t read, listen, don’t think, ask is letting the grey cells develop in some, while not in others. People are excited to use tools to measure, to embrace AI wholeheartedly, to not have to fire a neuron! But then the AI is best entrusted work that frees up the human brain to be human, basically de-robotising the man, the tasks those can be avoided can!

    As for me am just happy that two people subscribed to my blog this week, ascertaining the fact that people do still read. And have written this without the help of AI, though it may have been laced with alacrity, it would not have been me!

  • Summer hacks!

    Some love to run to the mountains while others chart the coasts for uninterrupted sun time, it all depends on where you live. Far up in the northern hemisphere or Deep South in the southern there is so much joy at the tilt of the earths axis to get the best there is of the sun. And summertime always means fun time apart at the poles. But along the equator is another story, being out between 11 am to 4pm can be totally disastrous. And while I kept my 7 year old out of the sun all that time, the need for proper engagement, read robotics have got me inching out at the times I would never want to step out in the summer. While the people of the world stay divided between the use of sunscreen or not, I have my two cents about it. Being on both sides of the fence all the same. No sunscreen could give one cancer but slapping on the sunscreen could give one enough issues to literally not make life not worth living.

    My low down on the matter?

    Stay out of the sun for long periods when the suns axis is more that 60 degrees from the horizon and if you can’t then use umbrellas, parasols at-least intermittently.

    Using a mobile gadget or even any blue light emitting device is a thing for worse exposure than the sun, that said limiting constant exposure to the phone is a great idea.

    Summer heat can trigger various reactions in the human body for our optimum temperature is only about 36.5 degrees Celsius and not much more like it gets in the summer. For that a fan, an air conditioner, again maintain a temperature where the difference to the outside temperature is not more than 10 degrees could really help. And not allow the human body processes to function unhindered being hydrated helps a lot. Drinking water helps but could well be accompanied with electrolytes to facilitate the cells to absorb the water.

    Swimming is a great way to keep cool and also get some weight off the bones for a while at-least! That said sailing on the boat with other like minded people can keep the mind off the heat and at those times kindly refrain from talking to people perched in cooler times for then the other side of the grass may not be greener but will definitely be cooler! Comparison is but a thief of joy, of-course. I also have a theory why wearing thin cotton clothes that cover your body all your hands and your feet is a great idea so direct sunlight does not hit the skin. Drinking a lot of sherbets and fruit juices can be of great help to maintain energy levels. Everyone has their own ways to cope with the heat, if that I am sure. So then again try not comparing summer to winter when my brain sometimes freezes! it’s just a matter of time when the earth tilts it’s axis once again.

    

  • Hello fat!

    Being comfortable and happy in the mind reckons being happy and comfortable in the body my friend quipped as I lamented over the gain of fat mass on the body. Fat is a layer of insulation protecting the body I am told, and I am left wondering what my body thinks I need protection from, either way the muscle is the better warrior isnt it? But turns out that fat is the better fortress! While I thank my body for asking this extra layers that keeps me warm, even in the coldest of climate, my wardrobe is screaming out at me with the latest fashion that looks better on skinnier bodies. Well, my wardrobe is full of Zara clothes, and we all know what Zara up caters to!

    So well fat, though you have been an uninvited guest, I would really like you to leave. And with that the summer I have quite an action pack lineup of things to do and just when I was ready to bring out my workout. I found something very funny that was set by Trump. While he prefers fast food because he believes that it cannot be tampered with, Donald Trump, the President of the United States believes that each human being is like a battery and the more you use your battery. The more it gets depleted. He claims all his friends at his age are busy getting knee and hip replacement while he has steered clear of it all by his secret formula. And what is that secret formula? It is not exercising! He says that he is going to live a long and healthy life just because he hasn’t exercised after his days of youth. and that’s just when I remembered a book. I read when I was much younger reading on my father‘s bedside table. Every path is paved with gold was the memorial of the CEO of Daewooo motors, Kim Joo Choong. this man at one point ran one of the most successful organisations of his time. He literally echoes Trump sentiment. He doesn’t drink or smoke or even exercise, which, according to Trump are the reasons for the wear and tear of the human body.

    While I somehow relate to their way of thinking, I feel like Mr Choong says you actually live your life completely doing things that are required on a day-to-day basis like in his case, he would walk miles on his factory floor. Even Trump says his campaign trails are his exercise regimen where he walks a lot. Being active also means to regulate movement throughout the day, which is possible if you are not changed to your desk. Their way of thinking echo with me towards which one see no point in spreading it out at the gym, the beautiful endorphins that flat my system, the clear skin or the skinny body somehow don’t motivate enough. But I genuinely would like to have a very active lifestyle with fancy goals, like Trump. Just when I was starting to get totally influenced by these two figures. I picked my plate for breakfast, loaded it with food and sat down with a thumb on the table, bending down to sit on the chair in a really fast motion and well alarmingly catching my back. The pain was tremendous, and when I went up to the Spa to ask them to help me to release this catch, I could see the words written, far and wide on my husband‘s face, “all this happens because you do not exercise!”. I wonder if Trump battles with his occasional catches. But all the athletes and the gym bots I know have their own share of sprains, strains and tears.

    Being healthy, optimises your way to live life. But being too healthy, may also take the spice out of life. At the end of the day, it’s living alive, true to yourself, wherever that may take you. And no matter, which route you take, there is always the potli massage!

  • Who reads anyway!

    I have been mulling over this for a year or so, whether to actually keep running my blog because, well who reads anyway. all my friends watch movies. Even the most sorted readers have actually stopped because of child care or house. Care or people care are simply because of life. I was appalled when a friend of mine said that he began to read Amar chitra Katha because the words in typical stories are extremely morose. Then a bookstores like blossoms which runs profitably writer, Ruskin born who are making their millions so I am on the lookout for people who actually read. On a recent trip, I finished five books and had decided that I shouldn’t be reading anymore, because my all the words have literally gone and jumbled up in my head, my head is literally full of words. But during this time, I realised that my skin improved Valey because well while reading books, I had no time to stare at the phone enhance happily, missed out all the blue light showers that I was giving myself all these days.

    Shalini Passi said that she wouldn’t certain conversations or certain because well, they’re not good for her skin. I think the first thing we can start to bring together is books and read books because well, they may really be good for asking, considering fill up almost 3 hours, which we would otherwise look into social media specifically our phones. So while I feel, I have finished my yearly quarter of books, yes. Done with my quota books for the entire lifetime. I am now wondering whether I should write this blog or well technically dictate this blog, but I stopped writing a long time ago. While I did try the podcast for a couple of sessions when Spotify made it hard to record Spotify, I promptly gave up. It was all about being easy. Well I am water and I flow on the easiest path!

    So are you a break from my most consistent hobby, which is reading? I’m going to do other things like reading the newspaper, which I rarely do, I’ll probably take to reading balance sheets! So what are your suggestions my dear readers for reading things which are not books well, maybe magazines cut the deal. My books have been a constant companion since childhood this year. I’m going to look out for real companions and spend more time in chatting talking dictating post on my blog. Probably dictating a whole book like Trump. Coming to Trump have a lot to say, maybe that’s for another blog post! One week in the hills has made me realise that some experiences really fall short of words. The orchestra of the English language, it does not always allow us to communicate what is felt. Some experiences are truly awe inspiring. smile, I put a hold on books. I am still open to reading a lot of other things, including perhaps people! So the next time you see me in the street, you may well catch me, smiling at you, instead of being lost in my thoughts with a face that shows a rather absorbed expression. I’m really looking forward to this new hobby of reading people.

  • The Land of the Gods!

    Uttarakhand at the northern part of India, shares it’s Himalayan border with China and Tibet yet it holds in it’s midst the soul of India. There are no doubt Gods, then there is nature and with the two confluencing in this beautiful Indian state there is peace and calm amongst the rains, thunder, lightening, steep slopes and even narrower bends. Before we landed at the Jolly Grant airport we did a plethora of studying of videos by influencers and none of them matched our feeling of actually being here and unearthing jewels that are not in the notes of any travel influencer. Now I am thoroughly certain that travel journals are pretty much useless because as they day, you can’t have the same river twice as either the river has changed or the shore. For time is the invaluable factor that changes the experience if not for the person themselves coming here with a different feeling.

    So read on with your own discretion!

    The Jollygrant airport is extremely quaint just like Dehradun that is inundated with beautiful cafés yet offering the latest of the brands in it’s glitzy malls. Our places of interest were the Doon School and the Forest Research Institute, both of which were awe-inspiring campuses with red brick buildings and an alumni that makes one delight. The Doon school for one gives out all those Harvard feels but this boys school misses out the Hogwarts dining hall. It makes up the lack with a wellness centre (why in the world!) and some seriously noteworthy old boys. Equipped with all the latest facilities, even their curriculum is a crisp IGSCE, the curriculum that has taken the world by storm. The student boards were impressive with very relevant topics being mulled on by the students. The Forest Research institute that trains the Indian Forest officials also reiterates the importance of forests and documents with great alacrity the types of Indian woods. As an architect employing wood in all her projects u was mostly excited to see how other Indian woods measure up against my Favorite teak. There is no parallels to teak I found, a fact I knew but garnered a scientific reason. The fact that a popular Ali’s Bhatt movie was filmed there is unfortunately the talking point rather than its super informative museums.

    The Dehradoon zoo was given a miss yet we managed to visit the famous eatery Kalsang eating the momos and ramen. Well it didn’t measure up against our local Favorite Shokudo, a gem of a place and I couldn’t help but surmise how Bangalore serves up better Tibetan food than Tibet itself. The world is flat indeed, as decided my Husband chiding himself for not waking early in the morning to catch the sunrise from the same balcony that he sat and saw the sunset from! I had to promptly remind him that the sun does not rise from the same spot that it sets at. This my seven year-old quipped on how do I really know that this earth is round? Did I see it with my own eyes, it could all be half Bluff. Well, the greek philosopher’s who first argued that the Earth is flat would be so amused with this evening, conversation of ours.

    Mussoorie is probably India’s least populated but beautiful hill station in Uttarakhand. The mall Road of Mussoorie literary serves up the latest and fashion, hair accessories, clothes, stockings, and even Korean brands that bring you the latest in skin care. The pretty Mall Road is split in two levels offering great views from both the levels. The bakeries in the mall road are actually delightful and as old as time. Several children’s play areas that dot the Mall Road were super effective in keeping the seven year old glued. My new find in terms of the stores was Koja a curated store of Corean goodies. This small Road has been the subject of many a short story of Ruskin Bond and hence I had to pick my loot of Ruskin Bond books from the Cambridge book depot. The library chalk on one end of the Mall Road and the Kurri Chowk at the other end of the Mall Road protect this road from the use of vehicles in the evenings. The steep climb from the mall Road to our hotel ensured that we were in good appetite all the time. Hotel climbed up along the Gun hill with its pretty pastel coloured room cottages.

    Almost seeing Ruskin Bond characters running around the Mall Road, we had to go to Landour that is located at an elevation from Mussoorie. Landour is a Cantonment town with the Indian Institute of technology management located in its tiny precinct. in Landour Cha Dukan is a lovely tea stall right from the British era. Landour Ba house is another magnificent landmark. The Landour Infiniti loop as it is called takes one in an infinity symbol pathway across the top touching upon the Lal Tibba scenic point. Cafe Ivy was another favourite something that not many influencers talk about. At a Prakash and Co, we loaded up on our gems and bought some for friends and family. Landour is also this place where Ruskin Bond resides in a two bedroom flat with his adopted family. He claims that though he could live in this world, he picks a tiny two bedroom flat in Landour that shows him the Shivaliks or the lower Himalayas and the might upper Himalayas on a sunny day. We were undoubtedly mesmerised with its stone streets. Deodar pines. The field of Landour is simply remarkable.

    Winding out from Mussoorie, we headed to Kanatal, literally is secluded with nothing but the hills for company. This is also just like Landour, a perfect place to probably do nothing. The sweetness of doing nothing they say, but can be cherished if it is only for a little time! From Kanatal we did, what would go on to be probably the best memory of the trip that is to visit the Tehri Dam. This one location not guided by any influencer in spite of the videos we saw about the space. The rope way that we took from Kanatal to the Surkanda Mata Temple was state of the art, but the cable car that we took across the Tehri Dam literally won our hearts. The Surkanda Mata Temple in itself was extremely beautiful as a piece of architecture and the vibes that had for the devotional. Located at an elevation of about 2700 m above sea level, this temple looked much like Nepali architecture in its build and feel. With many army personal visible in the location, we knew we were close to the international border! Not as close, but closer than we would have been in Bangalore!

    The Tehri Dam is extremely exquisite with a dam built on the blue waters of the Bhagirathi River, the upstream of the head stream of the river Ganges. This dam is used for generating hydro power. It is used to store water for the people in the Garhwal region. Chatting up with the local on the other side of the cable car we were told how beneficial Modi‘s government had been to Uttarakhand. I could test the fact having been here more than 20 years ago when this state was merged with the present Uttar Pradesh. Having been on a school trip, Mussoorie was a place where a lot of my friends lost bags, wallets, and it just seems so scary. But this time around it seemed super safe that I myself ended up walking on a nature trail all by myself. This beautiful state of India definitely deserves a lot more, but then it also has. It has the Chardham, which is Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri, the mouth of the river Ganges. It is a holy spot in fact, the entire state I feel has this excessively holy vibes to it. Not to mention the holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh amongst its others. I am told by the locals here, then Nainital is very beautiful and I remember it just as that. With the weather in the hills quite unpredictable, it could be raining once second and bright sunny the next the calm that the mountains give to the passing clouds is truly commendable. Sitting on my hotel, balcony, one night with my husband and son sick, I was treated to a red display, a sound and light show of thunder and lightning. It was probably not rare in this part of India, but to me, it was exciting of a lifetime. Much like Arora Borealis lightning streaked up the sky, like the white in an x-ray, and then after a couple of moments was accompanied by thunder. The view of the hill in the dark without much habitation, made it look like a black cat sleeping under the velvet sky, starlet velvet sky. The sky full of stars provided the perfect backdrop for this beautiful light and sound show.

    On our return we headed to the holy city of Rishikesh, a beautiful spirit pervades this Indian city that witnesses according to me the best part of the Ganges. The Triveni ghat is so serene inspite of the many people who visit this ghat for the Ganga Aarti. At Varr we treated ourselves to the temple thali, an artisanal thali that serves temple food of popular temples around India. My Favorite was the pudina paani! Rishikesh is vast and sprawls across to make space for pilgrims who visit this Garhwal region for pilgrimage or pleasure! Uttarakhand has a vibe of this anonymous celebrity like an oxymoron where the question to be mulled about is whether God is nature or is nature God?

    PS. This beautiful state also comes with its share of disclaimers. The winding roads and the altitude had me looking after a sick adult and a sick child. Messed up digestive systems, headaches and generally a difficulty in the hills, not to mention the traffic jams of Landour could bring out the temper in most drivers or existential questions in others. I myself quite okay, pulled my back with a sudden motion of sitting! Just plain and simple sitting. Talk of tragedy. Then the drive and the general effect of sitting during the various modes of travel gets to one. The importance if posture was one of the things that were imprinted on me. It’s not easy to be a Pahadi like they say, but if you are one then you are blessed.

  • Learning grace at 38!

    Far ahead seems an apparition

    That closes in without a reason

    And through the looking glass

    There is a vision of the past

    One that we choose to unsee

    But that comes back to thee

    There are always many whys

    Inspite of the sweet delights

    A lingering feeling of cries

    That provoke many a sighs

    For what could’ve would’ve

    And what should’ve may’ve

    Only if it had a reason to be

    And set the mind totally free

    Being a lover of what is

    Is the only way to whiz

    Off the stories of yore

    That could make a bore

    Whatever is the reality

    Is certainly the responsibility

    When the words come easy

    There is a way to be breezy

    And that is giving attention

    To things other than tension

    The excitement of the new

    Can certainly drive out the blues

    And as the reds and pink arrive

    They bring with them the drive

    To be more easily forgiving

    Of all the humble beginnings

    We see through the looking glass

    But then cannot change the past

    Then instead of being past caring

    There is a way to be full of daring

    Surrendering to life with all it’s is’es

    Blowing out to the wind the kisses

    The present is the only present

    A gift we choose of reckoning

    The sadness of the could nots

    Do tie their formidable knots

    What is yours will forever be

    Yours no matter how busy the bee

    It comes in its time when it doesnt

    There is a mandate that it mustnt

    So dust off the sprinkles of the coulds

    Let go of the worlds of the woulds

    There shouldnt be the words shoulds

    For nothing is better understood

    Than what is actually in the hood

    Whatever will be will be

    And that mindset sets one free

    From all the needed validation

    Across the mighty hall of nations

    No matter what the rat race

    Learning grace at thirty-eight!

  • In the Start-Up Capital

    As architects we are forever starting-up, building green field projects from scratch or brownfield ones staggering up something with what have in our midst but in the real start-up world, what is built is sometimes physical, sometimes non-tangible and at the most digital, tech-oriented and thats what grows exponentially. While most start-ups intend to build a product, a service and then sell to the bigger companies, exiting at the right time and of course making millions, there are those that are built to last, well the Tatas and Birlas were at one time a start-up. So finally after 9 years of living in the Start-up Capital of India, I managed to find myself at a start-up conclave, where 11 people presented their ideas, that have been in the running for 6 months or more and showed their projections for the future.

    As an architect I am not trained to read balance sheets, future growth projections, but then learning this aspect seemed so much fun, and it also is apparently what the world runs on. We do enjoy the products of the world and are deeply reliant on them. Watching how ideas come to life, is exactly what an architect envisions in every project, yet these ideas impact not just the few who use the building or see them but influence the economics of a place too. The brands that caught my fancy are of Debelle Cosmetix, a breathabale and cruelty free nail paint company, Naarica period underwear, who’s pitch was nothing short of stellar, the Moggu studio for fancy, feminine shirts, the healthy bowl compay Urban Fork founded by two very enthusiastic twin sisters educated in Boston and finally the Pink Earth, the girl who makes stunning jackets and skirts. With the fun round up I couldnt stop but wonder what product I would have like to start a company on! Just when I zeroed in to nails, walked in Ashwini the founder of Debelle!!

    Well that just meant that I would have to think some more but the whole experience of seeing these entrepreneurs being mentored and firing up their ideas to execution was a high point. The josh as they say is always high in the start up circle and what better than to have the idea outlive you. The idea of making lives better, of owning the creative cycle of the idea, seeing it taking a course of its own is a lot like being an author or architect all the same, yet the risk and the rewards could at times be incomparable. From what I see in the start-up space the start-up could be either service oriented or product-oriented and apart from the intellectual property it has to be worked on from the team to the actualisation.

    For once being in the start-up capital I felt enlivened by the feels of this space and I know whats going to be on my mind for the next few days! A start-up idea ofcourse!!