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Goa - the very name evokes laziness, sunny skies, colourful beaches, vibrant artwork, peppy music, dance, laughter - a ticket to Bohemia!  Needless to say, a visit to this paradise demands a travel write-up. But I won't talk about the usual Goa tourist attractions. I like to think of myself as a traveller rather than a tourist.  We stayed in North Goa this time, and checked out some nearby beaches and villages. So, let's talk about a bus ride from Candolim to Calangute. A football ground passes by. Some locals arguing in Konkani. The bus is choc-a-bloc with ordinary Goans going about their daily business. We pass fancy restaurants, malls, churches, small eateries, some "pure-veg" restaurants (yes, they exist in Goa!).  The bus drops us at Calangute bus stand, and we walk around a kilometer to the crazily crowded beach. Calangute and Baga have become what locals describe as fish markets. Punjabi songs blaring, hordes of tourist, shops peddling everything under the sun,...

2023 was, what can be called, the reboot year for Bollywood , as the Hindi film industry is popularly called. Snubbing the threat posed by over-the-top, melodramatic commercial pot-boilers from the South, Hindi films emerged stronger, more meaningful, and more rooted to reality. Barring some bloopers like Adipurush, Kisi ka Bhai etc., and some absurd misogynistic fare like Gadar 2 and Animal (that surprisingly brought the moolah), the Hindi film industry produced some of the best films this year.\ What was striking was the variety of fare and the irreverence of the stardom of the protagonist. Small, medium-sized, well-made films that focused on content won the race, and made a name for themselves. Maybe these weren't blockbusters or money-spinners, but they did make an impact and secured their place in the annals of good cinema. The Best of 2023 Image source - IMDb 1. 12th Fail : Topping this list is this Vidhu Vinod Chopra directed, Vikrant Massey front-lined film for its sheer h...

The book launch took place at Abhijan book cafe, College street, Kolkata on 22nd Dec.  Sharing some pics There was a lively, stimulating discussion on issues affecting youth today, like gender fluidity, body shaming, excessive competition, social media obsession, etc. Stories in this book centre around these topics, focusing on imperfections in people. It's these imperfections,  this brokenness that is endearing, that makes us human. Published by Shades Publishers, Kolkata, the book is now on stands. # booklaunch #youngadultfiction #storiesforeveryone

3 Days to Go!! My new book for young adults,  Fragrance of Dried Flowers is soon to be launched at a book cafe in Kolkata! Am I excited? You bet! #booklaunch #booksforteens #youngpeoplereading #shortstories #youngadultfiction #abhijanbookcafe #shadespublishers #casualreads #lightreads #winterreads 

Continued from my last post.... So, we left Lepchajagat very reluctantly and started towards Batasia, Darjeeling, where we had booked our last day and night. The trip by car took just 40 minutes and we reached by 12.30 noon. The bright sunshine made everything look splendid - the flowers, the mountainside, the roads, the tall pine trees.  Over the winding roads we went, soaking in the brilliant sunshine, our hearts full of the beauty all around. Day 3 Our hotel in Batasia was a small functional hotel, not too fancy, but providing all amenities like room service, geysers, heaters and provision of meals. The outstanding view from the room made up for any fancy fittings however. I could spend days just looking out at the hills and trees from the window.  View from the window It was cold here too, and the heater (on charge) was a welcome comfort. Freshening up a bit, we went outside for lunch. There was a lovely dhaba at the corner of the road, one that offered spectacular views f...

There's a different kind of solace in the mountains. It's the calm that comes after weathering several storms and disturbances. It's the kind of solace that lived experiences and the resultant acceptance of life teaches us. It's a wise, deep calm. After some trips to beaches, nature resorts, holy and historical places, this time family and me decided to spend a few days in the hills. And what better than some offbeat location near the queen of hills - Darjeeling?  But Darjeeling main area was too crowded to offer peace to city-bred people like us. So begun the search for offbeat places around the area. We shortlisted Jorpokhri, Lepchajagat and Mongphu after extensive Google searches. Then the search for suitable accommodation, as we are stickers for cleanliness and good food, and must have the basic amenities like geyser, room heater, provision of all meals etc.  Lepchajagat scored on this front, with West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Nature Resort situated rig...

Let's face it. Festivals are stressful, and exhausting. Yes, we have the time of our lives, dressing up, visiting people, sharing gifts, bonhomie and general cheer. But our rest and relaxation schedule goes for a toss, doesn't it? Take Durga Puja in Kolkata. So much preparation in terms of spring or rather autumn cleaning, buying, distributing, then cooking, home decoration, planning outfits and pandal hopping schedules.  Then comes the build-up to the pujas - the last-minute buys, scrambling to the beauty parlour for fixing hair or skin, visits to the doctors for chronic ailments (since medical professionals go missing during festivals), buying accessories, make-up, etc,  Visits to relatives to distribute clothes and sweets, reconnecting with old friends, bonding with neighbours, meeting with para club members, all these become essential social etiquette during festivals. And suddenly, its Navratri Chaturthi already, and people are posting pictures of the famous pandals, exqu...