travel

  • Journey, Destination and Destiny…

    Nostalgia hits you hard when you least expect it. That lump in the throat. That faint smile. That flash of memory that takes you decades back. Recently, I took a train journey again – something I hadn’t done in years.It… Continue reading

    Journey, Destination and Destiny…
  • Cookie box and childhood..

    Yaadein cookies ke box ki tarah hoti hain. Ek baar dibba khula toh sirf ek cookie nahi kha paoge… (Memories are like a box of cookies. Once you open it, you can’t stop at just one). For me, Hyderabad is… Continue reading

    Cookie box and childhood..
  • Quiet beauty of early mornings..

    Have you ever noticed the quiet beauty of early mornings? When I step out before the city fully wakes up, it’s the small, subtle signs of life already in motion that catches my attention:A woman unlocking her shop shuttersA man… Continue reading

    Quiet beauty of early mornings..
  • Look up…

    Travel makes you notice things which you wouldn’t otherwise but only if you look out of the window. Every time I’m in Mumbai, the long commutes give me that time. Four buses filled with children – probably heading to a… Continue reading

    Look up…
  • Mumbai and Me…

    Today’s rain reminded me of Mumbai. A city I first met as a newlywed… Many years ago, I arrived in this city – as a young bride, carrying joy, anxiety, hope, and a heart full of excitement. And in some… Continue reading

    Mumbai and Me…
  • Rain. Maati. Kannauj. A Childhood Connection..

    Yesterday, it rained.And as the first drop kissed the earth, the air filled with that familiar, soul-stirring scent. Petrichor, they call it – but to me, it has always smelled like childhood, like home, like memory. That scent – so… Continue reading

    Rain. Maati. Kannauj. A Childhood Connection..
  • Love you Honda Activa!

    It was the early 2000s. My first job. A sales role. And it required a two-wheeler.My father asked me to visit a few showrooms and pick what I liked.There weren’t many options back then – Just three models. But the moment I stepped into the first showroom, I saw her. A brand-new, shiny black two-wheeler getting prepared for delivery.That black beauty. I just loved it from the moment go.I booked her. Paid in full. All within 48 hours. My father gave me a quick tutorial, and soon enough, I was riding her everywhere – to the office, sales calls, weekend errands. I felt like a queen on her black steed.“Hawa se baatein karna” – I finally understood what it meant. From late-night family visits to last-minute Hazratganj plans, 20 km friend meetups to early morning flower runs for my parents’ anniversary – she was always by my side. Ready. Steady. Go. Sure, it wasn’t smooth for me at first. There were a few tumbles – her body took the bruises, but somehow, she never let me get hurt.I still remember that rainy day – when I hit a deep pothole. In that flicker of a second, I assumed the worst. But her balance saved me. I was a familiar face at the service centre – not because of months, but kilometers.Imagine a girl hitting service milestones by distance! I rode 50–60 km daily, with a personal record of 125 km in a single day – in Lucknow. And now, as you celebrate 25 years in India, just know this:Women love their vehicles just as deeply. Their expression may be different.Their attachment may be quieter. But their love?It runs just as deep. And for a girl in a tier 2… Continue reading

    Love you Honda Activa!
  • Motichoor Laddoos and DD National…

    26 January. Two memories stand out in my memory.  1st one from school where 15 – 20 days before Republic Day, the entire school braved the harsh winters for march past practice. While a few daring ones managed to skip by hiding… Continue reading

    Motichoor Laddoos and DD National…
  • Hum dost the, hain aur rahenge..hamesha!

    “Beet’ta waqt hai, par kharch hum hote hain.” This essence sparked a beautiful ritual – an annual tradition of meeting college friends, after 22 years in 2022. Yes, you heard that right – after 22 long years! Sometimes, the most… Continue reading

    Hum dost the, hain aur rahenge..hamesha!
  • Lights. Laughter. Love.

    Durga Puja.  Every year, these two words transport me back to the cherished memories of my childhood in Jagdishpur. There’s something about the places where we grow up—they become a part of us, forever etched in our hearts. Jagdishpur, a… Continue reading

    Lights. Laughter. Love.