A story inspired by a myth. It was night. A pall of silence shrouded a hamlet that clung to the rim of the Pacific. It was a sort of silence you could listen to only if you have lived long enough near a sea and let the waves relentlessly breaking on the shore shrink into a murmur and then into stillness. The villagers had woken up with a startle. For a moment they did not understand anything. They were sleeping … Continue reading
Can a travel writer appreciate a place objectively? Come, let us see. The room sucks! One can hardly spit through the window without hurting the dull green tea buds down below. I paid 3000/- for a room in Gruenberg resort in Chithirapuram. And see what I got! Spacious I admit. But… What do you call a room which has more windows than walls for its borders? The whole building – you must see it – lean and tall like a … Continue reading
Every time I want to unwind without going far from my city Trivandrum, I walk along a private bridge across a river and disappear. A metallic door slams shut behind me. The voice is so reassuring; I feel a mundane life and a demanding society left lurching on the other end of the river, suddenly losing me. The hideout, River County resort is on the way to Ponmudi: twelve kilometers short of the tourist centre, at the opposite bank of … Continue reading
I was on a self-destructive mode. All I wanted was to see my own plans go upset. Long hours of browsing online to pick the best spots of a place, chalking in the schedules, itinerary, booking hotel rooms, fixing appointments to meet the right people. They all suddenly seemed. Bullshit! I ran every journey I made for the last 15 years through my mind, trying to pinpoint the feel of each. Nothing. Only a numbness. A patina of lethargy and … Continue reading
