Journey Chronicles

  Ahmedabad is one place that is pretty close to my heart. I started my career in this beautiful city in 2001 when I landed a job in the reputed architect Bimal Patel’s (who is the chief architect and designer of the new Parliament of our country) environmental and urban planning firm. I got an opportunity to work on some really interesting projects with an amazing team. As part of my work, I travelled extensively to Bhuj and learned about the culture and lifestyle of the Kutchi people, who are primarily nomadic, cattle herders or artisans engaged in making textiles and handicrafts.  I was fortunate to spend time amongst them and experience the Rann of Kutch, the largest salt desert in the world.  I stayed in Ahmedabad for two years before I moved back to Delhi in 2003 and can confidently say that those two years were one of the best days of my life. I met wonderful people, made lifelong friends and never missed a chance to make the most of life. The colourful festival ...

It was a bright sunny morning in May. We were visiting our beautiful home in Manali, nestled in the mighty Himalayas, surrounded by an apple orchard, overlooking the meandering River Beas with a breathtaking landscape. The sun's rays caressed the white and pink lilies growing beautifully in a perfectly manicured garden. The tree leaves fluttered gently with the cool breeze from the mountains and the lush green grass swayed back and forth. A pair of mynah sat on top of an old iron swing kept at the corner of the garden. A few crows were diving in a blue drum filled with water, kept near the garden tap, as if enjoying nature’s spa.   View from home We always looked forward to this time of year, eager to return to our roots and spend quality time with our parents. My daughters eagerly awaited their summer vacations to soak in nature and explore unknown destinations. We had planned a day’s trip to Prashar Lake, a freshwater lake located in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. It is ...

Some things are meant to be and are like a divine call from the God Almighty. Everything falls into place and you just follow the directions given to you to reach your destination. My trip to Mahakaleshwar, Ujjain , in September 2023, along with my mother, was one of them. I wanted to visit the temple for a long time after I watched a documentary on Mahakal on the History Channel. The documentary captured the history of Ujjain, one of the oldest cities of India, with great spiritual significance for the Hindus and showcased the Mahakaleshwar temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas , where Lord Shiva resides in all its grandeur. We landed at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore at 12:30 pm and headed straight to Ujjain, about one and a half hour's drive from the airport. As the name suggests, the airport celebrates the contribution of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, the queen of the Maratha Malwa kingdom who contributed significantly to the region's development. Being an ardent devot...