Genesis - soumya.org

Window Dressing

A casual glance towards the window revealed a delicate ballet in progress as the window washers waltzed down with their high tech equipment and low tech buckets...

House Guests In Majkhali

An appropriately long weekend found us staying at a friend's vacation home in Majkhali, Uttaranchal. A dozen miles from the cantonment town of Ranikhet, the cozy bungalow functioned as a great base for birdwatching, some trips into 'town', visiting the Jhula Devi temple, a memorable forest hike to a remote local temple and most notably some breathtaking Himalayan views...

Credit Cards Accepted

If you thought that your creditworthiness was defined by your spendthrift ways and your credit limit...think again...the owner of this shop has a totally different algorithm for computing your score...

The Vada Pav Stall - Fuelling Bombay

Caveat Emptor: If you have not spent time in Bombay, this post may appear a bit whimsical, but for those fortunate souls who have, please be aware that the photos in this series may cause your senses to have violent flashbacks and cravings for a taste of the fuel of Bombay's teeming masses...the  humble vada pav.
Be it a cart or a table precariously perched on a footpath, the vada pav stalls sprinkled liberally over the city (some with a legendary fan following and usually quirky timings) offer a quick bite to the hungry rickshaw driver, harried worker or frugal student. The enterprising ones also provide a menu of ussal, missal and bhajji, each of which can be mixed and matched to create a quick change of flavor for the discerning palates of the hasty traveler.
Of course each one of us has his or her particular idiosyncrasies like sukkha or geela (dry or wet) chutney, green chilly toppings or sometimes just preferring to bite into the garlicky heaven of the vada sans bread! But before I drive you nuts, please grab a 'cutting' and take a peek into the world of a particularly enterprising vada pav stall...

Independence With A Flair

Today is the 60th anniversary of India's Independence. As the country celebrates with  irrational exuberance...Here's to a very Happy Independence Day!

The South India Club

A quest for a convenient location during a wedding in Calcutta, saw us spending a couple of nights as guests of the South India Club. Founded in 1926, the club was once a bastion of culture and community for the south indian diaspora in the East, with an outstanding member list like Nobel Laureate C.V Raman and President Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. Today the club is an aging relic clinging to its past heritage, a grand old lady slightly compromised by renting out the premises for weddings and not turning a snooty nose at the many non members who flock partake the exquisite food from its canteen. Here is a trip down nostalgia lane at the South India Club