Rakhee Ghelani

Category: Culture

  • India You Disgust Me!

    —

    by

    Yes, I realise that title is harsh, but this week India really is just making me feel sick. Today I read this article about a woman who is 7 months pregnant, and when her in-laws “accidentally” found out she was carrying a girl (because pre-natal sex determination is illegal in India) they started injecting her with…

  • Into the Jungle: Satpura National Park

    Into the Jungle: Satpura National Park

    —

    by

    I must confess I hadn’t heard of Satpura National Park, I had heard of all the big parks in Madhya Pradesh like Bandhavgarh, Pench and Kanha, but not Satpura.  It is a relative new-comer on the MP wildlife scene and it is because of this that it makes it such a fabulous place to visit.…

  • Bhopal: The City of Lakes and Surprises

    Bhopal: The City of Lakes and Surprises

    —

    by

    Bhopal is a city that I had never really considered going to. It is unfortunately most famous for being the site of one of the world’s worst industrial disasters (in 1984, a gas leak in the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal exposed hundreds of thousands of people to a toxic gas that killed thousands).…

  • The Magic of Rural Rajasthan: Luxury Experience

    The Magic of Rural Rajasthan: Luxury Experience

    —

    by

    During my travels in India, I have usually done it quite rough, with the one exception where I had a slice of luxury in Jaipur. So when my friend was asked to visit a luxury property in rural Rajasthan I jumped at the chance to go with her.  From the website, Lakshman Sagar looked nice,…

  • The Magic of Rural Rajasthan: Homestay Experience

    The Magic of Rural Rajasthan: Homestay Experience

    —

    by

    When I was invited to visit a homestay in rural Rajasthan I just could not say yes quick enough.  It had been almost a year since I was last in Rajasthan and since my visit to Kutch, I had found myself fantasising about getting back to rural India.  The grime and congestion of Mumbai has…

  • Dating in India: More Than Just Marriage

    —

    by

    I was recently asked to write a relationship column for a fantastic online magazine here in India called Women’s Web. My first topic is about dating in India, something I have written about before here and here.  These posts have been topics of great controversy, but they are based purely on my own experience and…

  • Chilling in Colombo

    Chilling in Colombo

    —

    by

    I didn’t know what to expect from Colombo.  If it was anything like the other capital cities I have seen in Asia, loud, noisy, polluted and full of a frenzy of activity is what I was expecting.  What I got was something completely different. We arrived in Colombo on  a Saturday, it was our last…

  • The Ancient Cities of Sri Lanka

    —

    by

    The Cultural Triangle is one of the most popular tourist trails in Sri Lanka.  I am a bit of a temple junkie, having done so many throughout India over the past 18 months, so I couldn’t resist seeing the famous sites of Sri Lanka.  What I didn’t realise was just how much Buddhist history was in…

  • The Difference Between Sri Lanka and India

    —

    by

    It had been 18 months since I had been outside of India.  That’s a long time, and to be honest I didn’t think going to Sri Lanka was really going to be a big change from what had become normality to me, after all at some points there is only 30 kilomtres separating Tamil Nadu…

  • The Crafts of Kutch

    The Crafts of Kutch

    —

    by

    I have a little fascination with the arts.  Whilst I wouldn’t consider myself to be a creative person, I really enjoy seeing and appreciating a wide variety of arts.  It is one of the things that draws me to India, every region has their own form of art or craft.  Whether it be dance, music,…

  • Diwali in Mumbai

    Diwali in Mumbai

    —

    by

    For my second Diwali in India, I thought I would be alone.  My only family here in India lives in Gujarat, and my parents weren’t arriving until just after Diwali.  As good luck would have it, I received an email from a close cousin of mine in London who just happened to be passing through…

  • Bandh (Closed): Incredible India Indeed

    Bandh (Closed): Incredible India Indeed

    —

    by

    My parents arrived in Mumbai a week ago.  Its been almost 18 months since we have been together, and so they are having an extended visit for a few months with me.  Its been really lovely having them around, I come home to home-cooked food, and its nice to show them my Mumbai. They arrived…

  • It’s the Season for Music

    —

    by

    It seems to be the season for festivals here in India.  Mumbai Film Festival has just finished and everywhere I turn there seems to be another new festival to attend. One thing I did a lot of in my past life (in Australia) was see a lot of music and go to music festivals.  From…

  • Navratri in Mumbai

    Navratri in Mumbai

    —

    by

    Navratri is a festival that is celebrated around October every year (its actual dates are lunar).  In line with its meaning the festival goes for “nine nights”.  I must confess, I don’t know much about the technicalities of why Navratri is celebrated, but I believe it is related to invoking the energy of the Goddess…

  • Indian English: My Top 10

    —

    by

    I love the English language.  Since I have been learning Hindi, I do also appreciate how hard it is to learn any language that is not your first language. That is why I find it fascinating that most middle and upper class Indians speak at least two languages proficiently, if not 3 or 4.  English…

  • Decoding the Indian Man Part 2: Infidelity and Apologies

    —

    by

    Is infidelity a part of Indian culture? Is it one that is accepted? Is it something that women just turn a blind eye to because of economic dependence, desperation and / or lack of self-esteem? Are Indian men capable of apologising when they are wrong? These are the questions that have been occupying my mind…

  • Class or crass: India’s Middle Class

    —

    by

    One of the biggest culture shocks I am now experiencing relates to what is considered to be “class” or behaviour that represents economic and social status.  It isn’t something I saw much of when I was backpacking, but now that I am settled into a rather middle class life in Mumbai, I am really struggling…

  • Morning Walks in Bandra: Pictorial Post

    —

    by

    I have settled into the bayside suburb of Bandra, otherwise known as the Queen of Suburbs. It is home to Shah Rukh Khan and other lesser known but glamorous people and lots of fabulous restaurants and cafes. It is also home to poor fishing communities, some beautiful churches and lots of street side stalls. Whilst…

  • Pictorial Post: Taj Mahal

    —

    by

    The Taj Mahal requires no words, it’s beauty speaks for itself.

  • Holi Varanasi!

    —

    by

    I am not a big fan of Varanasi as I have mentioned in my post the last time I visited. I didn’t really want to go back but it is one of the holiest and unique cities in India and my dear friend wanted to visit, and I think it does need to be seen…