The enormous three-headed bust of the god Shiva presides over a huge 8th century temple hand carved from solid rock on Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbour. That's a one hour ferry ride from another emblem…
This is the second of a group of profiles we will post of people we have met during our trip to India. (For the first pair, click here.) We've changed a few of their characteristics…
You've likely seen the sacred image in bronze many times. He dances, ringed by tongues of fire, the universe held in balance. The lithe, somewhat androgynous figure stands on his slightly bent right leg, his…
One of them is in his mid-50s, a bit stiff and very gangly, a welcoming grin on his face, his hand raised in greeting and dressed in jeans and cowboy boots befitting a frontier past…
"You really need to come back in April and May," the naturalists kept saying, as we considered our options for safaris - in late September. May is the time before the monsoon season, the time…
The Thekkady hills that form the eastern border of Kerala state enjoy a fertile landscape of plentiful rain, rich soil and moderate temperatures. As a result, you can find here a fascinating mix of domesticated…
His yellowed face was still. The heavily kohl-outlined eyes went left, then right. Left, then right, In rhythm to the drum beat now, left, right, left, right. Now up, down, up down, up down, in…
This is the first of a group of profiles we will post of people we have met during our trip to India. We've changed a few of their characteristics and refrained from using any pictures…
(For our post on the role of Leh as a crossroads for ancient and modern visitors, see At the Junction: Crossroads and Borders of Leh, Ladakh, and for our post on the the magnificent geographical…
Our guide was limping around the boat, and painfully mounting steps at the pier. A few days before while doing his job, he had slipped on some mossy, muddy bricks - a norm during the…