With my newly purchased binoculars, I headed out to Kasavanahalli Lake. As lakes go, this one has always led a tenuous existence. When I last visited a month ago, I left agitated. Sewage poured in from the unauthorized dwellings clustered along its edges. Pigs lolled in black mud. Men and women squatted among the bushes,... Continue Reading →
I knew I was in trouble when my internal monologues started featuring a full supporting cast with feathers — and that one of them was now due an apology. You see, the red-wattled lapwing is one of the most distinctive birds I encounter. Visually and aurally. I still remember the first night I properly heard... Continue Reading →
"Adhalle Adhinde Oru Sheri" Roughly translated, it means "Isn't that the right of it?" A simple, elegant, if slightly cryptic Malayalam phrase that gently reminds us: no matter the situation, there is an inherent rightness—a quiet spirit of goodness—in doing the better thing. It goes beyond legal obligation or strict equality. It’s a soft acknowledgment... Continue Reading →
Every four years, I reactivate my invariably expired telly license to watch the FIFA extravaganza. I relive the glory days of watching matches on a single channel at ungodly hours. I used to be able to rattle off names like Salvatore Schillaci (as I write this, I have sadly learned that he has passed away),... Continue Reading →
A few mornings ago in Mysore, I stepped out onto the porch, wincing from kidney stones. The Farm is usually my happy retreat — binoculars glued to my face, ridiculous grin in place. But that day, pain was winning. The previous afternoon, I had hobbled deep into the property, stick as a crutch, very aware... 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 →
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 Cricket Pages
I am taking notes
Life in Kana-text (er... CONtext)
Travelling with Fabulosity
Author
This is about my trips and adventures.
The Reluctant Book Worm 
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