Often skipped by tourist in favour of its more popular cousin the Faluknama palace, the Chowmahalla palace which was built as a replica of the Shah's palace in Tehran, Iran, was rumored to have surpassed the original in it's grandeur.
The socialist idea – Europe 1870 – 3 perspectives
The socialist wanted to do away with private ownership of property and introduce the idea of collective community ownership. I have tried to create three brief speeches to show what I feel the people of Europe might have been thinking. Have fun!
Threesome Awesome in Goa – Aug 2017
I am Mota, a name coined in school; am Zen, a title earned by virtue of my 'know it all attitude' and am going to take you through a journal of three stupendous days of my life spent with two extraordinary individuals.
Puppets of destiny
Indian men and women have traditionally been puppets of destiny governed by tradition and culture. The moment a child is born to an Indian family the process of turning him or her into an ideal Indian man or woman begins; from the food we eat to the clothes we wear it is all about imbibing the culture into the heart and soul. The sole purpose of the whole family that surrounds the child and helps in its upbringing is to carry on the heritage.
Pahalgam – The unforgettable pony ride in paradise
Little did we know about the adventures that awaited us! Roddur had been very eager since he rode a horse in Darjeeling and a camel in Jaisalmer. I was very sceptical since in Darjeeling, I mounted one and got down immediately screaming hypnotically and in Jaisalmer was almost hanging for my dear life at the camel’s butt.
Out of containment
I have been familiar with the term cantonment since childhood well into my forties. But ‘containment’ had never been so up close and personal. We contain harmful chemicals, angry bulls, rising water levels so on and so forth but humans en masse, unbelievable!
The Benefits of Organic Farming
Chemical fertilizers are one of the cornerstones of the Green Revolution in India. They drastically increase the yield of crops grown in the fields. However, they have their own drawbacks.
The G’lander kids
The detour was a small one, hardly a couple of fathoms more than the usual way home. It was bordered by a line of very tall bushes and no one knew what lay beyond. At least the children of Giti’s age didn’t. He never asked his parents as he knew the answer he would get, “There is a time for everything”.
A Tour of Earth from L’Orgrehi
K’Rell was going to Earth, for a business deal. He was travelling in his one-person frigate, upgraded with state-of-the-art security and a powerful FTL engine. He had heard many stories about Earth, and how beautiful it was, both its urban side, and the Biomes. K’Rell was not impressed. Surely it could not be more beautiful than the great cities and vast natural parks of his home planet, L’Orgrehi?
On Amazon – E3PO talks love – Novella
Mohit fights his heart, as the world fights a pandemic; a generation later Neel, his grandson finds himself in the same soup, but will their escapades be identical? – A Cyborg explores.
The Periodic Table
In 1871, Mendeleev published his periodic table in a new form, with groups of similar elements arranged in columns rather than in rows, and those columns numbered I to VIII corresponding with the element's oxidation state. He also gave detailed predictions for the properties of elements he had earlier noted were missing but should exist. These gaps were subsequently filled as chemists discovered additional naturally occurring elements
Space Elevators
A space elevator is a theoretical structure stretching from Earth to space, which allows the transport of materials and spacecraft from Earth to space and vice-versa, without the use of a rocket.
Short Story: C for Choices
One day, long ago, I was sitting at a desk, doodling, instead of studying. I was quite intelligent, and I arrogantly believed that I could probably handle whatever tests and exams I had to give with a minimal amount of studying. Deep down, though, I probably knew that I had to study, and immerse myself in academics, if I wanted to succeed in life. Still, I lazed about and enjoyed myself by doing pointless things.
পুনর্বিন্যাস
সকালটা ভারি সুন্দর ছিল। ফুরফুরে হাওয়া, হালকা মিঠে রোদ। হাতে কাগজ, পাশের টেবিলে চায়ের কাপ। হঠাৎ এক শালিক বাবাজি এসে ডাকাডাকি শুরু করল। সবাই জানে শালিকের ডাক মোটেও শ্রুতিমধুর নয। একটু হুট হুট করলাম, তাতে কাজ হল, সে চলে গেল। চাযে চুমুক দিয়ে দেখি তিনি জুরন্তি নগরে গেছেন। মিতালি মিতালি বলে হাঁকা হাঁকি শুরু করলাম, উত্তর এল না। আলসেমি করে উঠলাম না, কাগজে মননিবেশ করলাম। একটু পরে দেখি নিজে থেকেই গরম ধুমায়িত চা এসে হাজির,হাসি মুখে ঠান্ডা চায়ের কাপটা ধরিয়ে দিলাম পচার মাকে।
Making of Anoushrayan – Entering the teens
I love to see things grow, and a human baby is one of the most intriguing of all. All this time since birth to his 12th birthday, Anoushrayan had been changing slowly - the face, the structure, the voice and the abilities.
Making of Anoushrayan – The journey till 12
It felt so distant. It felt so far fetched. It never felt like an eventuality. Well I was wrong. Every other child becomes 12 every other day and so did Anoushrayan; on 7th Feb 2019.
10 days in Andaman – Baratang – 25th – 27th Dec’19
For a mainlander it is an experience of a different kind, especially if one is a first time visitor like me. Of course, with water filling three fourth of the Earth we all are living on one island or the other, but ours is a huge one, and the more inland we live, it does give a sense of safety – at least from tsunamis.
10 days in Andaman – Jarwa Reserve – 25th Dec’19
Aalu paratha is one of my favourite dishes and to my excessive pleasure whether in Kashmir (had the unforgettable experience of having them on a shikara) or in Andaman I had the fortune to savour them; it almost always comes as a complimentary breakfast. Following the tradition, breakfast was on the house in shelter hotel at Port Blair too.
Chasing Temples in the Capital of Mallabhum (Bishnupur) – 1
Twenty four structures including temples, ruins and a museum in town; a temple 25 km to the north-west, another 10kms to the northeast, a village 22 km to the south-west and a popular pilgrimage 43 km to the south-east; that’s all we had planned for the 3 day trip to one of West Bengal’s hottest tourist destination in winter – The temple town Bishnupur.
10 Days in Andaman – Port Blair – a deeper look – 23rd – 25th dec’19
It grew dark as we whiz past the jetty in Sanju’s car and as we were passing by the harbour front road with the sea on one side and a hill slope on the other, I wished if we could stay nearby and the wish came true! The Shelter Hotel is on the base of the hill slope which houses the Cellular Jail. The ‘honeymoon suit’ as they call it is just another double bedded room with a clean attached bathroom; but the balcony is a love affair for sure. It has a moderately good sit out option facing the sea, right across the road.