Author Archives: ramblinginthecity

About ramblinginthecity

I am an architect and urban planner, a writer and an aspiring artist. I love expressing myself and feel strongly that cities should have spaces for everyone--rich, poor, young, old, healthy and sick, happy or depressed--we all need to work towards making our cities liveable and lovable communities.

Did you manage the kids or did they manage you?

Just back from a week out with kids and friends and friends’ kids and I cannot sleep. The images of the week gone by and the to-do list of the week ahead clash inside my head as I toss, turn … Continue reading

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Blossoms and make-believe garden games!

On day 5, when you’ve decided to stay put making one place base camp, the vacation takes on a different nature, a slower rhythm, a relaxed tone. A pity day 6 is when we head back, though a part of … Continue reading

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Getting away: Up in Dharamsala

Family vacations are things you dream of when the work piles up and deadlines threaten to obliterate all possibilities of sleep. Getting away from it all in the company of people you are comfortable is a great way to destress … Continue reading

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Dancing kathak on stage: Why this has been my biggest high in years!

I am slowly beginning to realize just how traumatic urban living is getting to be. Oh, we would not give up this life easily, those of us who have lived in a city for long. We value our ‘freedom’ just … Continue reading

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Castles in the air: Delhi govt, don’t put slumdwellers in highrises without consulting them!

A day after I blogged about the opportunity Delhi would miss by not consulting citizens and involving young design to  inform the redevelopment of large tracts of government land in the city centre, an article coauthored by my colleague Gregory … Continue reading

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Govt, please don’t squander the last opportunity to redeem our city. Sincerely, A Dilliwali

Dear Minister for Urban Development Mr Kamal Nath, Chief Minister of Delhi Ms Sheila Dikshit and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Mr Tejendra Khanna, and all those who can influence the planning process in Delhi, I write to you first as … Continue reading

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The little girl with the artist’s eye!

Sometimes I wonder if it’s just the easy access to technology via phone cameras. Or a narcissistic streak. Or a penchant for documentation. What is it that draws my 5-year old daughter Aadyaa to obsessively take photos of her art … Continue reading

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Mountain: A challenge, an aspiration, an achievement!

This week’s word challenge from A Word in Your Ear is inspiring. Mountain. Just the word evokes so much. A geography lesson. A soaring feeling. A sense of nature, solitude, peace. Memories of family trips. Living in North India close … Continue reading

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Thoughts on Mothers Day

We are not an extremely demonstrative family. Or at least I do not remember occasions being a huge deal in my childhood. Birthdays were celebrated with some gusto, and anniversaries as well. But the rest of the huge number of … Continue reading

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Things that make me go :)

I was extremely happy yesterday. It wasn’t like a lifelong dream had come true or anything like that. But several small happy events and decisions contributed to my high. I realized that is what makes me happy. Not the Big … Continue reading

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