Archive for September, 2011

Anna Hazare – And the Art of Serial Fasting.

Anna Hazare - And the Art of Serial Fasting.

Is it really possible to go without food for 13 long days? Anna Hazare demonstrated this amply by his indefinite fast at the Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi fighting for the tabling of the Jan Lokpal Bill. What amazed everyone was how this 74 year old man managed to fast for that long when Yoga Guru Ramdev had to be admitted to a hospital after barely seven days without food. Ramdev for all his `yoga- cures- all’ posturing was diagnosed with bad liver and blood pressure and was quickly put on a drip.


Narkanda: Gateway to Apple Country

Narkanda: Gateway to Apple Country

The true getaways in Himachal Pradesh now lie beyond its congested capital. And every year more and more tourists are using Shimla only as a night’s stopover before heading out to these greener, quieter , wilder places beyond.
Narkanda is one such small town. It is a hinterland deep in Shimla district which offers visitors not only peace but a chance to explore the beautiful apple orchard countryside.


Wadi Rum- The Arabic Desert Moonscape

Wadi Rum- The Arabic Desert Moonscape

If Petra is Jordan’s historical heritage, Wadi Rum is its Arabian Nights. Its in Wadi Rum where folklore meets imagination. No matter which part this small peaceful Middle-Eastern country you travel in, all reference points are invariably of the desert. Its just as well. Over thousands of centuries, the life of the Jordanians have been shaped by the deserts. Almost seventy five percent of Jordan is desert-like, much of it uninhibited. The civilization is squeezed to a narrow strip around river Jordan and the Dead Sea.


Making of an Apple Orchard House

Making of an Apple Orchard House

When my father said he wanted to build a house in the orchards, I was surprised. What’s wrong with this one I said? We already had an orchard house. Though the house was a bit unplanned- with no attached toilets or modular kitchen, it was still beautiful. It was in the middle of our apple orchards . It was glazed on three sides and had a spacious lounging area around it. The kitchen was the old pahari-style, complete with a chulla where we burnt firewood to warm our hands and sometimes cook. The house had a huge gable with a spacious living room below it and an attic with splendid views of the apple orchard valley.