Aug31

Time to get chummy with Muslim friends

Tomorrow marks the beginning (for most Muslims) of the holy month of Ramadan. Considered sacred by Muslims primarily because it is the month in which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed, Ramada is also a time of austerity and self-discipline for Muslim people. Fasting from dawn to dusk in Ramadan is […]

Aug12

An enduring love affair

I have written in the past of how, in many things, we desis remain unabashedly Anglophilic. Of course, the fascination is mutual, even if it is unequal. From the days of Richard Burton (who introduced straight-laced Victorians to Vatsyayana) and Rudyard Kipling (whose Mowgli and Kim remain the gold standards of impish boyhood) […]

Jun23

Oh how I miss thee, mango mine

Among the downsides of living abroad is that one misses out on many delights that are seasonal staples back in the des. Piping hot samosas or vada pav had to the accompaniment of lashing rains. Divinely refreshing traditional thirst-quenchers like khus, lassi, shikanji or kairi sherbets that make sweltering days bearable. The innumerable […]