It is not about the hunt for toilets in India but frantic search for the missing public toilets in three capital cities of Europe that constitutes an intriguing part of my travelogue. Recently, on a group tour to Europe, we visited various tourist destinations spread over different countries by a coach. Europe is amazing; one is mesmerized by its incredible natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, remarkable development, and outstanding organization and discipline. Continue reading “The Toilet Hunt”
Who let the stray animals out?
‘Toddler mauled by a pack of stray dogs,’ read the headline in Chandigarh newpapers. Not the wolves in the periphery but the stray dogs in the heart of the city attacked and killed an eighteen month old baby boy. Shocking! Horrifying it is, but certainly not an isolated case of canine assault. Continue reading “Who let the stray animals out?”
Scriptures – How fair to the fair sex
It was for the first time that I was attending Sunderkand Paath being held at my friend’s place. I was trying to catch up with the ladies as they recited the couplets from the scripture. I could hardly understand anything from the rendition but for one couple that caught my attention, “Dhol, gavaar shudra, pashu, nari, yeh sab taran ke adhikari.” (Animals, uncivilized, low castes, animals and women need to be reprimanded). Continue reading “Scriptures – How fair to the fair sex”
That unforgettable stormy night……………….
It is not unusual for the weather to take an erratic hostile turn during the month of May due to Western disturbances but the panic this time has been unprecedented. Of course, the havoc wrecked by storms in many parts of the country has been tremendous but, the social media played no less a role in whipping up storm hysteria. Continue reading “That unforgettable stormy night……………….”
The Elusive Civic Sense
Deeply entrenched in my memory is a cover story published decades ago in now defunct, ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’ of which I was an ardent reader in my youth. Columnist and scholar Khushwant Singh, then editor of the weekly, wrote in his inimitable, no-holds-barred style as to how Indians were the dirtiest people in the world. I won’t dare make such a statement but ……… Continue reading “The Elusive Civic Sense”
