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Archive for the ‘india’ Category

How to Survive Auto Rickshaws in the Subcontinent

Posted in how/why, india, mumbai on December 11, 2009 | 30 Comments »

I love rickshaws. They are exciting. They are insane. These days they a little green as well, running on LPG. But rickshaws aren’t for the faint hearted or the weak of stomach. They demand a certain strength of character, and a cheat code: as with everything Indian, there is order in chaos, and once you [...]

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Mumbai 26/11/08

Posted in india, mumbai on November 26, 2009 | 7 Comments »

My only memory of him is of a moving figure behind piles of Newspaper.
I’d pull out a copy of the paper I wanted, say it out loud, leave the coin on the stack and walk away, heading for class or towards a train, back home. In the background a railway employee announced train departures and [...]

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The Boatman on the Backwaters

Posted in india, kerala, lazy tourist on November 9, 2009 | 15 Comments »

The dark brown boat wobbled like a village drunk as I stepped into it. My husband, still on land, gripped my left hand (the right instantly flew up in search of balance). Our boatman laughed. He stood a little away, one hand resting on his waist, the other on a pole. Unlike the resort staff, [...]

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Maintaining Stomach Karma in India

Posted in how/why, india on August 27, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Coming from a rich culinary heritage, I’ve always believed that food is an inherent part of culture. From the sizzling woks to the flavours that burst forth with every bite, food opens doors and offers an insight to the people and history of the region. This is especially true for India, where every state has [...]

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