Round-the-World Honeymoon
Darjeeling Sunrise: Moonset and Massifs
byIt took several days to settle into the “Queen of the Hills,†as Darjeeling is known; the town was totally socked in by an…
Leaving Birpara: The Toy Train Not Taken
byThe reason the Dalgaoan-Birpara Railway Station does not appear on my map of the town is because, until my final week, I had not…
The Moldy Backpack Blues…
byFrom my freshly trimmed mustache To the bottom of my walkin’ shoes… Tranquilo Traveler Rule #1: When your backpack has been sitting in the…
Viswakarma: God of Broadband, DSL, and Ethernet
byThe mustachioed, elephant-riding, dainty-looking deity on the right is Viswakarma: God of Technology, Machines, Iron-work, Masonry, Carpentry, and all Trades and Handicraft. His Puja…
Durga Puja Part 2: Oh Boya—It’s Bijoya!
bySorry, I couldn’t resist. It’s just that I’ve been listening to “Shubho Bijoya!” all day, as Birparians wish each other a happy final phase…
Kichuri: It’s what’s for lunch. And dinner. And in between.
byI’ve mentioned “kichuri,” the ubiquitous Bengali dish, several times and, partly in response to my mother-in-law’s request, and partly because we’ve been served so…
The U.S. Government: Raising Anxiety Around the World
byYou’re not alone, New York—unsubstantiated fear-mongering knows no national boundaries, especially when it involves indistinct and uncertain terrorist alerts from mysterious sources. On October…
India News: A Poem from Today’s Headlines
byTWENTY-NINE HEADLINES (AND ONE CAPTION) Death for Bali bombers, cries mob on rampage Al Gore not in the race Chinese duo in space
Our Other Roommate: Shelob the Shaggy
byThe first time we met Shelob, we murdered several thousand of her children—freshly hatched spiderlings which were seething over one corner of our bathroom….