Rakhee Ghelani

Tag: Indian

  • Is it time for the Girl in India?: Satya Mev Jayate

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    A few weeks ago I wrote about how India had turned me into a feminist after seeing and learning about the treatment of women here.  Many people have spoken to me about this post since in person, via Twitter and on Facebook.  One comment that came up a few times was that my tone was…

  • Morning Walks in Bandra: Pictorial Post

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    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…

  • Enter Maximum City: Mumbai

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    I landed in Mumbai late at night, but even through the darkness and steamed up windows of my taxi, it felt like a world away from the rest of India. Cramped high rise buildings, bright lights and glamorous billboards lined the expressway, I could have been in one of many large cities of the world.…

  • Pictorial Post: Udaipur

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    Udaipur is one of the few places I have visited twice in my past 9 months of travel.  It was my first port of call after leaving my family in Gujarat at the start of my backpacking journey, and was also the last place I visited before moving to my new home in Mumbai. I…

  • A Slice of Luxury: Jaipur

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    In my nine months backpacking across India I have lived on a relatively small budget of between Rs 1,000 – 1,500 per day ($20-$30).  Its not insanely cheap for India, but coming from my very comfortable middle class existence in Australia, it certainly got me out and into the real India.  I have loved discovering…

  • How India Turned Me Into a Feminist

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    I have a confession to make, I am a feminist. Nine months travelling through India has turned me into a feminist and this is me coming out of the closet. I have always considered myself to be egalitarian, striving for equality rather than subjugation of one gender over another. Then I spent 9 months backpacking…

  • Adventures in the Desert Part 2: Pabu ki Dhani

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    This was my home for 24 hours when I visited this small, isolated village in the Thar desert. To call it a village is probably too big a word, it is a simple home which has 4 small huts for visitors, this is Pabu ki Dhani.  Pabu welcomed us into his home so we could…

  • Adventures in the Desert: Jaisalmer

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    I  visited Jaisalmer over 10 years ago with my father and remember it fondly as my favourite place on our 4 week trip together, so I couldn’t wait to return here.  This filled me with apprehension as our train neared Jaisalmer, so rarely is a place as wonderful as your memory of it. Thankfully I…

  • Pictorial Post: Taj Mahal

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

  • Holi Varanasi!

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    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…

  • Delhi as a Tourist

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    Delhi has been a like a base for me over the past 8 months, I have passed in and out several times and been lucky enough to see a lot of it with locals, experiencing the things they enjoy and discovering my own new ones as well. However its been over 10 years since I…

  • Is the real India Invisible? – Andhra Pradesh

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    As I made my way down the east coast of the country, I decided to stop in a few places in Andhra Pradesh along the way, which gave me quite a “real” Indian experience.  First stop was Visakhapatnam, otherwise known as Vizag.  This is a beachside city that is touted as the best beach on…

  • In the Path of Buddha – Bodhgaya

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    I left Delhi feeling the need for a bit of calm and zen; not two words that readily come to mind when thinking about India.  Visiting some of the famous Buddhist sites seemed like a good place to start. I still have such beautiful memories of trekking in the Nepalese Himalayas and the calming effect…

  • Cultural Misfits: Where do I fit in?

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    I am learning Hindi and have found the experience particularly challenging given the rather diverse cultural history I come from ( something I have discussed a bit previously here). My grandparents were born in India, my parents in East Africa and myself in Australia. Growing up, a mixture of four languages were spoken in my…

  • Life in the Indian village

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    I was fortunate enough to spend my Christmas and New Year break with friends in a small village in the Punjab.  Getting to experience the true village life is not something an outsider gets to do usually. In some places I have traveled to village experiences have been offered, but I find these usually to…

  • To Give or Not To Give

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    Its coming up to Christmas, and whilst I am not Christian, it does make me think about some fundamental things like kindness, generosity and most importantly respect.  I like to believe that I practise these principles in my everyday life, however traveling through India recently, I have certainly found myself challenged and internally conflicted in…

  • Foodie Post: The Thali

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    I just love thalis. From a foodie’s perspective, they are the perfect way to sample a regions cuisine in one healthy and well balanced meal. So what exactly is a thali? The word “Thali” actually means “plate” in Hindi, and when you order a thali this is essentially what you will receive.  A stainless steel…

  • Guruvayur and Thrissur: How do you prove you are Hindu?

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    How do you prove what religion you were raised to someone you just met? A Christian can wear a cross, although anyone could do this relatively easily. A Muslim woman can wear a Hijab, but not all do. A Jewish woman can shave her head and wear a long skirt, although only the orthodox do.…

  • Kochi: My Ayurvedic Experience

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    I love natural and alternative therapies, so much so I am actually a qualified massage therapist and have dabbled in reflexology. Whilst I have tried many different therapies including acupuncture (yes I find those needles quite relaxing), naturopathy, homeopathy and every type of massage I can find, the one thing I have never tried was…

  • Pictorial Post: The Keralan Backwaters

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    The backwaters of Kerala are one of the biggest tourist destinations in South India. The backwaters are essentially fresh water tributaries that end up rolling into the sea. I visited that backwaters twice, once from Alleppey where I literally stayed on the backwaters and then again from Kochi. The true beauty for me is about…