My first memory of Madras, 20 years ago

The memory of my first time in Madras is still clear. It was probably 1996 when Madras was still Madras and yet to become the Chennai it was today. That feeling of awe I felt when I first got down in the Egmore railway station, which was foreign yet exhilarating, is something I don’t think…

Pasta for the belly and John Denver for the soul

Who doesn’t love a good Italian pesto? I’m no exception. It is hardly a wonder that there are as much restaurants that serve pasta as good Punjabi thali in Chennai. Needless to say it is a go to dish for many like me. Places like Spaghetti Kitchen and Ox and Tomatoes were my favourite hangout places….

True story: A tale of greed, murder and a haunted house

(Since it is a true story, all names and places were changed or intentionally not mentioned to protect the identity of the family involved.) It is not everyday you find a story that draws you and compels you to write it down. It was one such moment for me when I visited my home town…

A day of disappointments and discoveries in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu

The day was not going well right from the time we started. We were supposed to have reached Tirunelveli at 3.30 pm. Yet, we were having a cup of coffee at a roadside tea stall called ‘Ootai panai tea stall’ under the blazing sun. It was hard to believe it was August and not May….

When work takes you to 12th Century Samburavayar dynasty

I wonder when was the last time I was in the midst of lush green paddy fields surrounded by mountains and smell of tilled earth. It had just stopped raining when I reached Padavedu, the capital of Sambuvarayar dynasty during 12th Century Chola period and four hours from Chennai. The small town under the scorching…

Why Japanese comics are better than its Chinese and Korean counterparts?

There are three types of comics from the East. We all know manga aka Japanese comics. The other ones are Manhua and Manhwa, the Chinese and Korean counterpart respectively.   Does it really make a different knowing what kind of comic you are reading? May be not for the art, story and themes are similar…