One thing you’ll always notice about India is there always noise. This isn’t just in the cities (where it is getting too much) but in the forests, plantations, on the beaches, nature makes her presence felt, birds, insects, animals, there’s always a symphony of sound. I’ve had conversations about this with many Indian friends. In…
India: Knowing a Little Bit About a Lot Goes a Long Way
Face book today reminded me of this post below. It made me think. I started specialising in India as a destination in 1998. We had a policy; if you hadn’t seen it, you couldn’t sell it. I would travel to India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal 2-3 times a year to ‘learn’ the destination in…
The People of India Project – Shilpa Sharma
Shilpa started Breakaway to share her love for travel with others, and the philosophy of the company is very much ‘Beyond the Brochure’ experiences, enabling guests to enrich themselves with the connections made during their travels. Here are her 15 Questions in 5 Minutes: Who you are (naturally!) I’m Shilpa, a Creative entrepreneur with business interests in…
The People of India Project – Gaurav Bhatnagar
I first met Gaurav at the Outlook Traveller Responsible Tourism Awards in Delhi where he was a gold medalist! He is the inspirational figure behind The Folk Tales, which started in 2013 with the aim of offering travelers a chance to experience life in rural India by integrating tourism with socially and environmentally responsible initiatives…
The People of India Project – Sanjay Thakur
Sanjay and I had been in contact for some time but I first got to meet him by chance whilst consulting with a DMC in Delhi on a day when he was visiting. I didn’t know much about the NE of India at that stage, I’d seen some itineraries over the years but they…
People of India – The Young Naturalists – Sunny Shah
I only met Sunny relatively recently, in September to be precise. I’d asked my mentor if he knew of any good naturalists in Gujarat and he recommended Sunny. As it turned out, he was wrong, Sunny isn’t a good naturalist, he is incredible. He has foresight & insight, knowledge & passion, intelligence & vision. I…
Snapshots – A Weavers Village in Guwahati
A village home in rural Guwahati, we were there predominantly to see the handlooms still being used and how they are being kept relevant in today’s market, which is dominated with machine made items. There are around 120 home looms still operating in this region. But what struck me, along with the cleanliness of these…
The People of India Project – Deeya Bajaj
It’s time for this week’s People of India Project and ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for this? At 14, she was the youngest member of a sea kayaking expedition along the west coast of Greenland. At 17, she became the youngest in the world to have undertaken the Trans Greenland Skiing Expedition which she…
The People of India Project -Roopesh Rai
People who dare to be different always capture my attention and Roopesh Rai, founder of Green People, The Goat Village & Bakri Chaap is certainly no exception. As he says, in his own words, ‘There’s always an ‘idea’ in ‘idealism’ and I wear my idealism on my sleeve without fear or apology. Deeply affected by…
World Tourism Day 2020
What’s in a smile? I’ve been writing content for a new travel website for a client, somewhat optimistic perhaps, but he’s determined to be prepared. In doing so, I was flicking through past content for other websites I’ve written seeking inspiration; “Infectious smiles,” was a phrase I came across and smiled to myself, and thought,…
The People of India Project – Rajeev Samant
In 1996, Rajeev Samant had an epiphany when he realized that Nashik in Maharashtra had the perfect climate for growing wine grapes. In 1999, he established Sula Vineyards, Nashik’s first winery, with help from noted Californian winemaker Kerry Damskey. This historic move transformed Nashik into India’s Wine Capital, and today, Sula Vineyards is globally…
The People of India Project – Kartick Satyanarayan
Kartick Satyanarayan is a well-known wildlife conservationist, who has been tirelessly involved in wildlife conservation, animal welfare and nature protection for over twenty five years. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS and heads the Wildlife SOS anti- poaching unit, Forest Watch. Kartick manages Wildlife SOS as CEO and oversees 10 wildlife rescue…
People of India Project – Shubham Thakur
I first met Shubham when he was working at Wasabi by Morimoto at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi. I had the privilege to be dining with Marryam H Reshii who was, shall we say, ‘researching,’ for the Times of India Food Awards. Needless to say, all those elements combined to ensure that we had…
The Women of India: Anu Dhillon Singh.
Conservationist, environment scientist, amateur historian and safari lodge owner (Mela Kothi Chambal Safari Lodge to be specific) , Anu has been on gap-year mode for over two decades, it’s probably why we get on so well! Happiest when clambering through undergrowth & discovering crumbling ruins, she quite fancies herself Indiana Jones, and why not? Who…
Women of India – Anamika Singh
I first heard of Anamika when a dear friend Marryam Reshii (also featured in this series) messaged to tell me I simply must meet this genius of tea. She had just been on her tea course in Dharamshala and was incredibly impressed. Knowing how hard that is to do, I immediately followed up. I’d been…
Women of India – Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu
“Author, travel writer, food critic and columnist, Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu has lived and worked by one motto for two decades: Travel. Eat. Write. Repeat. She sees no reason to change that. Not even with her spectacles on.” Who you are (naturally!) A free spirit What inspired you to create/join your business? Travel writing was…
Snapshots: Hanging with the Girls at Tia Village, the Impressions We Leave behind
I’d spent some time with a couple of ladies who were sitting by the prayer wheel in Tia Village Ladakh. Initially they didn’t want her photo taking and that was fine. I chatted with them via my guide to learn a bit more about their lives. The lady in black had walked to the village…
Discovering Jaisalmer Differently
One can never fail but to be humbled by the hospitality of India’s rural population. I was out on one of my missions, spending ten days in Jaisalmer to discover what else could be done in terms of experiences for travellers. It was June. I know that I should know better, but I’d already done…
Encounters With Locals – The Doctors Surgery
Encounters with locals continued….. This scene, the doctor’s surgery in a village in Rajasthan. The reason, being felled by a top to toe, and by that I mean from my scalp to the soles of my feet, inflamed, itchy, body rash. Attractive I know. Such a blight Is a first for me, I’m not even…
People of India – Yasmin Kidwai
As part of my ongoing People of India Project, I would like to introduce, documentary film maker and fashionister, Yasmin Kidwai. We first met eight years ago when she was making a documentary on expats living in India and more recently at the Indore Lit Fest where we were both speakers, but played hooky for a…
People of India – The Young Naturalists – Surya Ramachandran
Who you are (naturally!) Difficult one with many answers but i’d say…Naturally..i’d say i’m a storyteller, a sports lover and most importantly, a proud south Indian who seems to want to spend 10 months of the year exploring the wild corners of north, north-east and central India. 2. What inspired you to become a…
Encounters With Locals – Prosperity in India
To assist with translation: 1. Globally: To have become prosperous = to have gained wealth. In India: To have become prosperous = to have gained weight. 2. Globally: Subtlety and discretion when dealing with strangers, acknowledged traits. In India: Subtlety and discretion when meeting strangers = No such luck. The Encounter: Picture the scene if…
Snapshot – India in a nutshell
A snapshot on India: Sitting in Manchester Airport, the man next to me asks where I am going and grimaces when I say Delhi. The second sentence out of his mouth is, “My wife won’t go there, there is too much poverty.” I reply in all innocence, “Oh, have you been?” He replies, with a…
The People of India Project: Darby Raju
A couple of nights ago, I went to meet a friend I hadn’t seen for three months, we had lots to catch up on, and quite a lot to celebrate. Our drink of choice was sparkling wine, Indian sparkling wine, pink and chilled and crisp, it hit the spot perfectly. Indian wines have been coming…
The People of India – Victor Dey
I first met Victor in 2000 just after he and his wife Jini had opened up their home, in a coffee plantation, to guests. They remain some of the most charming people I have met in my 18 years in India and are naturals when it comes to hospitality. I had the pleasure of meeting his…
India and a Rather Unusual Wedding Custom
I am not sure entirely, or really even partially, at what point I fell in love with India. I am still not sure I can put a finger on exactly why I did either. It is a place where I do feel more at home than anywhere else, which is strange as I have…
Villages, where the true heart of India lies.
One can never fail but to be humbled by the hospitality of India’s rural population. Having recently been in Jaisalmer, exploring and inventing new sightsseeing options, I had one morning, got up at 0600 to drag myself around several monuments in 38C, before the day truly heated up. Chuntering incessantly about the heat, huffing and puffing…
People of India – About
Several years ago, I started to blog about the people of India, they are, for me, what makes this country so extra ordinary. I have never encountered such resilience and resourcefulness (aka jugaad) as I have from the people who truly belong to this country. From innovators to creators, artists to authors, tuk tuk drivers…
People of India – Bikram Grewal
Bikram Grewal is an ornithologist, author, birdwatcher and conservationist from Delhi, India who has written several guides to Indian birds. His father was a senior civil servant in the Indian government. He has been working with governments and private groups to promote Eco-tourism in Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal and Nagaland. His 2002 book Birds of India…
People of India – Sumant Batra
A lawyer of international repute, social commentator, thought leader and creative innovator, Sumant is a many-faceted person with accomplishments in diverse spheres. He romances with life, lives his dreams and thinks through his heart. A cultural champion, museum owner, collector and writer, Sumant Batra is the founder and architect of a number of innovative creative…
People of India – Kiran Manral
Kiran Manral is, amongst many other accolades, the author of five excellent books, she is on the planning board of the Kumaon Literary Festival, Chair of the Women Unlimited Series of the Taj Colloquium, a mentor with Sheroes and Qween, and is an advisor on the Board of Literature Studio, Delhi. Having (almost) met her for the…
The People of India – JANHAVI PRASADA
Hill stations in India are charming and reminiscent of the British Raj. I live in a house called Abbotsford that belonged to an Englishman, John Hope Simpson, Esquire of the Indian Civil Service in the erstwhile United Province of Agra and Oudh. My great grand parents bought it in 1903. A century year old legacy…