The Eurasian Hoopoe is my Proustian madeleine. I do not see enough Hoopoes nowadays, that whenever I spot one, I am taken back to childhood sunny gardens, chasing them away on aimless afternoons. Their fleeting presence evokes a warm nostalgia, stirring an innocent joy that’s hard to recapture. Mike Unwin, in his evocative book "Around... Continue Reading →
"Twenty-five thousand rupees, sir," the voice on the phone announced. "Actually, twenty-five thousand nine hundred, but I’ve given you a discount." The bill was for my Baleno, my trusty maroon hatchback, now seven years old. Just last month, I took it on a longish drive. It climbed the steep hairpin bends of the Dhimmam ghats... Continue Reading →
In Wilpattu’s shadowed jungle, a snake plummets from the sky, igniting primal fear. Night whispers of nagas and unseen beasts. By dawn, eerie bird omens and elephant tracks haunt the dewy paths. This chilling trip probes the wild’s dark heart, where ancient spirits stir and modernity falters.
We just returned from Trincomalee yesterday. A short 45-minute flight south over Tamil countries and the Palk Strait takes one to Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport. Trincomalee is located on the east coast of Sri Lanka. The road from Colombo to Trincomalee starts off winding through lush green squares of paddy, tall evergreen trees, and red-tiled,... Continue Reading →
Birds are classified as dinosaurs, specifically therapods, rather than descendants of them. Reading "The Rise and Fall of Dinosaurs" reshaped the author's understanding of their vast history. They learned that various dinosaurs coexisted across different eras and drew parallels between T-Rex’s characteristics and birds, gaining newfound appreciation for paleontology.
The Asian Koel is the kind of bird that wins the popular vote from a non-discerning public, like the homecoming King and Queen whom everybody cheers for on stage but nobody likes once they get off the stage. Asian Koels are brood parasites. They swoop down into unsuspecting host birds' nests, lay an egg among... Continue Reading →
I became aware of the existence of Indian Grey Hornbills (Ocyceros birostris) very recently. Until a few years back, whenever I thought of Hornbills, I thought of the Malabar Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis). These more recognizable cousins of the Indian Grey Hornbills are strikingly loud in plumage and vocalization. They have majestic casques and characteristically... Continue Reading →
Last year, we went on a vacation to Coorg. It was one of my most memorable trips. We stayed in Siddapur, in the middle of coffee country, undisturbed and very tastefully done. Every morning, I would wake up very early to soak in the peace and quiet of the surrounding jungles. The whole scenery was... Continue Reading →
We live in a post-Myna world. It took me a long time to realize it, and now I cannot unsee it. An incident occurred early yesterday morning, a telling sign of how much Mynas have imprinted themselves into our urban scenery. I was sitting in my study, casting about in my mind for a bird... Continue Reading →
The Jacaranda tree around the corner of the next block fizzed furiously with grape soda petals exploding in a million tiny floral bubbles. It is my favorite tree, and when it decides to bloom, I cannot walk past it without a stupid grin on my face. One day, it is an unobtrusive tree, a lone... Continue Reading →
Travelling with Fabulosity
Author
This is about my trips and adventures.
Tales of humour, whimsy and courgettes
Games, Illustrations and Short Stories
The Reluctant Book Worm 
You must be logged in to post a comment.