Coffee Manna

There are just so many things I want to write about my trip to India. Everyone here asks me ‘So, how was your trip back home’ and I always say ‘Awesome!’ Because that sums up the entire experience.


But there are a few not-so-awesome bits that make up the awesome whole. Read on here to find out more. My post on Yowoto..,

There's no place like Home!

No, really, there is, quite literally no place like India. The land of so much colour, contrast and some incredible people.
Let's start off the journey with God's Own Country, shall we - Kerala.

Yes, this is how people travel in the monsoons, one handed bicycle riding is quite the rage

Oh. you were expecting something more conventional? Like beaches and backwaters? Fear not! we have that too!

yes, yes, three very excited children at the beach...

...which they had all to themselves. Almost

More beach

and backwaters. 

Did I mention Fort Kochi? That is a different animal altogether. We decided to travel by the Kerala Water Transport (Arun having long ago decided that the rickshawallahs were bleeding us dry and he was having none of it)

who knew? Graffiti filled walls in a communist state

The chinese fishing nets strictly serve the function of  tourist attraction. The actual fishing is done by that guy crouching below it with a string in his hand

In the barges, all manner of vehicles and people abound. I'm surprised it didn't have people hanging off the rails. 

My favourite bit was this though- in our balcony. These little sun birds building their nest.

Incredibly shy things. Had to stay well hidden to capture them in action.

I also happened to spend a few days in Mumbai *sigh*. Not long enough. Never long enough. Although I had more than enough of the death-wish laden traffic.

ONLY in Mumbai will you find posters that were made by posh people for posh people, never mind that the aam-aadmi is never going to get the LoTR* reference (*a friend kindly helped me correct my literary reference. I had erroneously attributed the quote to GoT. Thank you, Amruta!) 

soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur...

Re-use! Re-cycle! even if it's an old wheelchair and the man is using it as a balloon stand. 

In a country where cricket is a religion, seems a fitting monument to the God.

morning walkers

This, is NOT a haunted house. This is, in fact a dear friend's office space. I am happy to report, they are still alive as we publish this.

Bombay was not all concrete jungle. there were patches of hope.

Naturally, no trip to India can be complete without the festivals, and we had our fair share - Raksha Bandhan, Gokulashtami, Ganesh Chathurthy and Onam!

No onam is complete without a Pookalam, is is?

Our clay Ganpati. home-made and prayed. And immersed. Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar yaa!!

That is not Pickwick turning suddenly brave. That is a very life-like Elephant Mannequin all decked up for Onam  

There were of course, the incredible contrasts, from beauty being appreciated on the ramp to being neglected on the road...

...from pets being lovingly brought up to animals being cruelly imprisoned...

... but most of all, it is the sum of the people that make up incredible, inimitable India! Until next time, I will miss you.