Monthly Archives: March 2012

Positivity in the face of disaster: Our experience at Gurgaon’s burnt down slum- March 31, 2012

Posted on March 31, 2012 by

A slum of about 80 houses burnt down in Sector 57 in Gurgaon yesterday.  When a group of us visited this morning, the sight was not pretty (see pics below). The fire happened in the daytime when everyone was at … Continue reading →

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Posted in Housing, Migration, Urban poverty | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Exhausting yet totally satisfying: A great party at home- March 30, 2012

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

At the absolute end of a marathon day of cleaning, organising and finally experiencing a birthday party for a four year old and a thirty six year old, I can safely say that I am wiser, richer (and not monetarily) … Continue reading →

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Posted in Emotional, Social attitudes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Small retailers are superbly efficient: Another party planning tale- March 29, 2012

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

So today was the errand day. First stop was Landmark. A huge pan-India chain selling books, music, stationery, toys, etc. We were trying to buy return gifts for Aadyaa’s friends and Udai’s, who would be coming for the party tomorrow. … Continue reading →

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Posted in Gurgaon, retail | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Collaborative creations: Planning a b’day bash- March 28, 2012

Posted on March 28, 2012 by

Today is Aadyaa’s birthday and amid the deluge of phone calls and errands, we sat down to make invitation cards for her classmates (we’re having the party the day after, on Friday)! Aadyaa loves paint and I had the idea … Continue reading →

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Posted in design | 3 Comments

Mies turning in his grave? Mish mash architecture in Indian cities- March 27, 2012

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

On the 126th birth anniversary if Mies van der Rohe, a formidable name in the architectural community, I cannot help thinking what his reactions would be to the kind of aesthetic we commonly see in Indian cities and towns. When … Continue reading →

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Posted in design, travel | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Resilience & buzzing activity at Russell Market, Bangalore- March 26, 2012

Posted on March 26, 2012 by

Earlier this month on a work trip to Bangalore, I had written about how traders in the city’s Russell Market were taking a private initiative to rebuild it without waiting for the city authorities to do so. This trip gave … Continue reading →

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Posted in governance, Heritage, identity, Public spaces | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Enjoying Bangalore’s open spaces-March 25, 2012

Posted on March 25, 2012 by

Bangalore was a great launch pad for our Coorg vacation. Today, we experienced the wonder of the city’s weather eating breakfast in the lawns of the Bangalore Club. The kids, after gobbling dosas and idlis, made gleefully for the swings. … Continue reading →

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Notes from Madikeri- March 24, 2012

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

As we began our drive back from the Kodagu Valley, we stopped a short while in Madikeri to walk around and buy some fruits. The Brits called it Mercara, this quaint town set in the heart of coffee country. The … Continue reading →

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Adventure trail: Testing our limits- March 23, 2012

Posted on March 23, 2012 by

One of the loveliest aspects of leaving the city is the experience of enjoying the outdoors. Here in Coorg, the forests beckon and the weather is warm but not enough to drive us indoors as it certainly will be when … Continue reading →

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Posted in personal development, travel | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Water, elephants and peace away from the madding crowds- march 22, 2012

Posted on March 22, 2012 by

Already in the lap of nature in Club Mahindra’s Kodagu Valley resort in Coorg, we took the opportunity to delve further into the jungle to visit the elephants on the Tala Cauvery river. The drive offered a visual treat of … Continue reading →

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