Bhutan: Forbidden Border
I read somewhere, several years ago, when Bhutan was an unimaginably far-away fairyland (instead of an unimaginably close fairyland), that Bhutan’s King had some…
Mass Fantasy
I am one month late acknowledging Indian Independence Day, but in a place where the word for “yesterday†is the same as that for…
Tranquilo Traveler on the Radio
This Thursday, September 15, I will be appearing as a live call-in guest on Around the World Radio, an internationally syndicated show based in…
Are Starving Photos Inappropriate?
After yesterday’s post regarding starvation deaths, a creepy feeling gripped my shoulder, and I decided to ask this question out loud. Maybe some of…
New Orleans News
The tragedy in New Orleans has been in and out of the Indian papers. Of interest is that India donated $5 million and Bangladesh…
Empty Cups
These photos were taken by Debasish yesterday, during his visit to a garden which has experienced more starvation deaths in the last two months…
Map: India’s Tea Belt, North Bengal, and Birpara
Some will find a hint of the exotic exuding from the place-names and mountain ranges in this latest cartographic creation. Others will see the…
Leopard Rehabilitation Center
Having not experienced anything resembling a traditional tourist activity for over a month (since our yoga yatra in Rishikesh), there was more than a…
Sittable Feast: What We Eat
And why not follow beverage with food? Why not place a steaming, yellow plate of egg curry on the floor in front of your…
Cha: Pouring the Perfect Cup
The suffering of the Dooars tea workers notwithstanding, tea remains a perfectly tranquilo topic. I’ve been focusing on its production (or, in the closed…