Rakhee Ghelani

Category: Culture

  • Is it too late to save Majuli Island?

    Is it too late to save Majuli Island?

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    Majuli Island, in the remote North East Indian state of Assam, is the largest river island in the world. It is rapidly being lost to the savage effects of climate change. Surrounded by the mighty Brahmaputra River, scientists predict that Majuli Island will be entirely reclaimed by the river within 20 years, and along with…

  • Meghalaya: Root bridges and climacophobia

    Meghalaya: Root bridges and climacophobia

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    Meghalaya is a wonder. In the western corner of North East India it’s rolling hills are silent, a welcome contrast to the busy dustbowl that is Guwahati (in Assam) where most visitors begin their journey. Even the small town of Shillong has lost the romantic aura of a hillside town, now packed with merchants who…

  • Nagaland: The last frontier

    Nagaland: The last frontier

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    Two boys no older than ten wander the dusty roadside, semi-automatic rifles slung casually across their backs. Hearing the vehicle, they meander off-road into the thick verdant forest that’s lush but eerily silent.  I ask my driver where all the animals are and he responds drily, “These Nagas eat everything.” Characterised by headhunters and a…

  • My Shoe Addiction

    My Shoe Addiction

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    One of the rather decadent pleasures of living in India is that you can find anyone to make almost anything you want. For me this has meant that I now have my favourite dress in 6 different colours, (all for cumulatively less than I paid for the original), and I have some rather special shoes…

  • A Taste of Mexico: Valladolid

    A Taste of Mexico: Valladolid

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    My first taste of Mexico was in the small town of Valladolid. There’s nothing special about the town itself, except that it’s a charming Mexican town, but I chose it for it’s strategic position about half an hour away from Chichen Itza, the latest hotspot on the tourist track. I’d been travelling for about 18…

  • Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai: The Lalbagh Walk

    Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai: The Lalbagh Walk

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    Ganpati or Ganesh Chaturthi would have to be one of the biggest festivals in Mumbai. The festival is in honour of Lord Ganesha, who is the remover of obstacles. A Ganesh statue is traditionally installed in the home, or in the neighbourhood in many cases, and people worship it for 10 days. The statue is…

  • The Toilets of Japan

    The Toilets of Japan

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    I know, I know, toilet humour really is the lowest common denominator. But this post isn’t about toilet humour I promise, but rather it’s about toilet etiquette in Japan. You see the Japanese are incredibly clean people, and their obsession with ensuring everything is pristine starts with themselves and in particular their toilets. From my…

  • Dating the Indian Woman

    Dating the Indian Woman

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    A few regular readers have asked me recently why I haven’t written much about dating or Indian men lately. Truth be told, there really isn’t much to tell. I haven’t dated for a long time, and am actually quite happy that way. I do still have some interesting experiences trying to understand men here, but…

  • Exploring Gujarat : Champaner

    Exploring Gujarat : Champaner

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    I’ve been to Baroda (or Vadodara) more times then I can remember as it is where some of my family lives, but I’m embarassed to say I’ve never visited the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Champaner until now.  I did a fly by visit of Baroda last weekend and thanks to my own stupidity…

  • The Big Fat Indian Wedding : Shaadi Time

    The Big Fat Indian Wedding : Shaadi Time

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    This is the fourth and final part of The Big Fat Wedding, you can find the rest here: Introduction Pre-Wedding Rituals The Engagement It was a rather rude alarm that woke me up early in the morning to have my saree draped the morning after the Sangeet. It was a little hard to believe that…

  • The Big Fat Indian Wedding : The Engagement

    The Big Fat Indian Wedding : The Engagement

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    This is the third part of The Big Fat Wedding, you can find the rest here: Introduction Pre-Wedding Rituals Shaadi Time Bright and early on a Tuesday morning the Engagement ceremonies began. The timing of these are generally dictated by astrology, which explains the 7.30am start. The first ceremony is Vratham. This is where Carl…

  • Exploring Sicily : Italy

    Exploring Sicily : Italy

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    What is there not to love about Italy? From the delicious food, beautiful ancient architecture and fabulous style. All the cities in Italy have a different take on each of these, which makes travelling across the country such a treat for all the senses. Over the years, I have visited many parts of this fabulous…

  • The Worst Place in the World: Egypt

    The Worst Place in the World: Egypt

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    So last week I took myself on a fantastic trip down memory lane back to my favourite travel destination on earth, but next on the list just happens to be the only place in the world I have vowed never to return; Egypt. I had always dreamed of travelling to Egypt, it is after all…

  • 15 Minutes in Bollywood: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    15 Minutes in Bollywood: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

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    It really had to be only a matter of time before I became a Bollywood star… after all I have been in Mumbai for over a year now. So when I got a phone call a few weeks ago asking me if I wanted my Australian accent to be famous, how could I refuse? To…

  • Bollywood: Where Heroes Can Be Villains

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    There is an interesting thing I have observed in Indian culture, if someone is admired, lauded or dare I say worshipped, for some reason they seem to be above the law. They can do as much wrong as they want, but very few seem to care. Worse still, if you are poor, then your life…

  • Cambodia: Spending Time in The Beauty of Angkor

    Cambodia: Spending Time in The Beauty of Angkor

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    Siem Reap in Cambodia is one my top 5 travel destinations in the world.  For anyone who has been there or seen images of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and the surrounding region I am sure it is not hard to understand why. The historic sites of Cambodia are simply stunning. I am a temple junkie,…

  • Austria: Christmas In Vienna

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    Austria always makes me feel a little wistful, perhaps I inherited that from my father who still describes a summer spent there when he was a university student with a small sigh. I also visited Austria when I was a student, or more accurately on a backpacking sojourn across Europe just after I had completed…

  • Remaining a Child in the Eyes of a Parent

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    I recently had a friend drop in to visit me at home whilst my father was visiting me from Australia.  My friend came in and I offered him a seat on the couch, my father was working at the dining table.  For a short while he stopped to chat with us, but then went on…

  • Superpower for Some: Infant Mortality and Maternal Health

    Superpower for Some: Infant Mortality and Maternal Health

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    India doesn’t seem to be a lucky country if you are a newborn child or woman who has survived into adulthood.  I have written before about the treatment of women in India here and here  and it is not an issue that will go away.  Whilst I see a lot of bad news in the Indian…

  • Geek Post: The Fascinating Lean Process of The Dabbawalas of Mumbai

    Geek Post: The Fascinating Lean Process of The Dabbawalas of Mumbai

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    The Dabbawalas of Mumbai are legendary. These 5,000 people deliver over 200,000 lunches a day to the workers of Bombay, and have done so for almost 125 years. It is not so much what they do that is remarkable, but the process in which they do it. As someone who has spent years of my…