Vedasri Siddamsetty

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!

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.



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!

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.

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.

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!

The woman who screams the loudest wins. Oh well that is a line borrowed from the jungle, for the lion roars the loudest and he is the king afterall. But in the more civilised world, tone and volume make for an important combination. And the screaming belles are best avoided and tuned out with assertiveness.

In a world where you can be anything, be assertive. Assert, so you dont have to reach out to dessert.