Jodhpur - how welcoming you were to us! I know that Jodhpur, much more than Jaipur, is a place I'll visit again!After my workshop at Central Academy, Pal, I heard stories about the Jodhpur Fort. I heard about how there are people who do not want to leave Jodhpur because they cannot live without their daily darshan of the fort. I don't know how true that is, but it is true that the fort took our breath away! Sure, India has many beautiful forts. I've been to a few. Sinhagad - I've been more times than I can count. Daulatabad - I went long ago, and among the few things I remember is the fact that the whole place smells of bats.Mehrangarh FortCost per adult (Indian) Rs 100Still camera Rs 100Audio guide Rs 170Visit duration We spent just about two hours. I recommend three hours at least!Mehrangarh Fort was something else. From the structure of … [Read more...]
You Can’t take an Elephant on the Bus
It's Children's Day; what better time to celebrate a picture book I loved? You Can't take an Elephant on the Bus is one of the books in this year's Reading Challenge collection, and I loved it!I enjoy picture books that rhyme. I also enjoy whacky books that don't have a hidden agenda - to teach, preach, etc. I love how books express crazy ideas that make me chortle as I read. So naturally, I loved You Can't take an Elephant on the Bus.The theme for this years Reading Challenge is The Big Friendly Read, and it celebrates 100 years of Roald Dahl. For me, the joy of Dahl lies in his crazy ideas that defy reality and defy parents who want to teach their children through any book they find. I could not wait to start reading the books in the collection, and this one lived up to my expectations!If you can't take an elephant on a bus, and you can't make a whale … [Read more...]
The Reading Challenge is Back!
The Reading Challenge is back at the British Library, Pune, and this time, the theme is 'The Big Friendly Read'! Celebrating 100 years of Roald Dahl, we have a lovely collection of books as usual. Many feature Dahl characters that I fell in love with as a child, and of course, many others with the wonderful illustrations of Sir Quentin Blake. There are all kinds of stories, though, so even if you've read everything Dahl ever wrote, there will be something for you to read too!For those who have never taken part in the Reading Challenge, it is an exciting programme conducted every year at the British Library, Pune. If you are anywhere between 5 and 13 years old, you can register. There are two sets of books - junior books and senior books - and all you need to do is finish reading six books in six weeks. If you do, you will get a certificate, maybe even a medal!I will … [Read more...]
Monkeys at Matheran
The monkeys at Matheran are notorious. Everyone has a monkey story - here's mine.I stepped out early in the morning, and was charmed. I love the freshness of mornings, and Matheran was exceptional. It was one of those times when I felt I simply had to share the morning withe everyone, so I went back into the room and tried to wake everyone up. Unsuccessfully. Before long, I myself had slipped back into bed. The warmth of the bed was as enticing as the cool outside.I woke up with a start. Sitting on our chair, with a packet of milk powder in its hand, was a monkey. It had pushed open the door and had taken what it saw first. As the sleeping humans slept on, it surveyed the room, wondering what else to grab.Unfortunately for it, the sleeping humans awoke and shooed it out. It bounded out casually with its milk packet.Later, I saw it in the trees. It had bitten a hole … [Read more...]
Matheran – Day Two
At Matheran, all we really wanted to do is get away from all the people and explore. So, the day after our visit to the market, we decided to walk to 'Nature of Panorama Point'. I, for one, could not stop smiling at the name.The moment we left the smell of people and horses behind, there was no one. Everyone wanted to go to the market, it seemed. We left them far away and walked along a mud path, breathing in freshness that seems to have disappeared from Pune. The weather was not consistently pleasant - it did get hot - but who cared?I love walking through a forest of greens. I love leaves brushing past me. I love the smell of the hills!We saw dragonflies and butterflies everywhere. Even though we were with someone who is afraid of butterflies (lepidopterophobia), we were enchanted.After over an hour of walking, we met a few people, cheerily greeted them … [Read more...]
Matheran – Day One
Everyone keeps talking about Matheran. All my life, I've heard about how beautiful it is. People keep telling me that there are no cars, only horses, and that it's a breath of fresh air. This Diwali, I finally went to Matheran--and realised that everyone was right!In The Toy Train, I wrote about how the steam engine in Darjeeling was pulled off the tracks because there too many accidents. And guess what? That's what happened to the toy train at Matheran. I don't take ownership for that; I promise!The moral of the story, though, was that we drove to Matheran and then walked everywhere instead of taking the train, and it was simply lovely.The day we reached, we made our way up the narrow gauge rail track to the market area, a place bustling with life. The sun set slowly as we wandered around, watching the street light up.People say all kinds of things about night … [Read more...]
The Boy with the Tiger’s Heart
The cover of The Boy with the Tiger's Heart is one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. When I picked up the book, I didn't notice the tiger, and when I did, it took my breath away!My reading of the book was certainly influenced by how beautiful it was. Every time I closed the book to take in what I had read, I saw that tiger, those wonderful silhouettes, the wonder of the image. And the book was impressive.Set in a dystopian city where the wild is considered so dangerous that it must be destroyed, The Boy with the Tiger's Heart is the tale of three children who want to know what the world beyond the Green Wall is like. Jay, the boy with the tiger's heart, is an incredible character that made my hair stand on end.A pacy book, I kept reading with a mixture of fascination and horror. I enjoyed it and I hated it. But it was well worth a read.TitleThe Boy with the … [Read more...]
Journeys with Shakespeare
When I was asked to speak about Shakespeare at a gathering of school principals and English teachers, I was more than a little nervous.I borrowed and read books; I watched DVDs about his life; I pulled out notes from my Master's course on Shakespeare ... And I enjoyed myself thoroughly! Reading about Shakespeare again made me chuckle and wonder at the amount people have read and written about him. The interpretations people have come up with are amazing! From saying that he was (definitely) a moneylender to saying that he was a butcher's son who would make a speech while killing a calf, I read a range of stories, and that's why I decided to talk about just that - a few of the stories that make up the Shakespeare that we "know" today.After my talk, Mr Sridhar Balan spoke about the First Folio, a delightful session that drew the audience in and explored Shakespeare's journey … [Read more...]
Indywood Media Excellence Award
My father Sekhar Seshan received the Indywood Media Excellence Award for magazines at the Indywood Film Carnival held at Ramoji City, Hyderabad!The Indywood Film Carnival is a four-day festival with fifteen major events, including Golden Frame Awards, International Film Business Awards and Indywood Excellence Awards. … [Read more...]
The Puppy Who Wanted to Fly
I enjoyed reading this short, simple play by Caron Thomas, one of the girls at the Writers' Club at St. Mary's School. I've published it here for you to read (with her permission, of course).The Puppy Who Wanted to Fly Caron Thomas Characters Puppy Little bird Mommy Daddy Cat__Scene I A warm afternoon, under a tree. Stage right: A large field with many trees; stage left: a cottagePuppy: I wish I could fly just like the birds. (Goes around the tree and scratches his head) Yes! I have decided. I will go to the birds and ask them to teach me how to fly. (Looks at the tree) Hey, hey everyone please teach me to fly.Little bird: Ha, ha! How will you fly? You’re a dog, you don’t have beautiful wings like us! (Puppy runs away making a sad face)(Blackout) __Scene II A warm afternoon in a cottage. Stage right: a dining table; stage left: the living … [Read more...]