Matera, Italy, And The Spectacular Sassi (Complete Guide)

27/09/2021.Reading time 64 minutes.

Close-up view of the Sassi of Matera from the belvedere Murgia Timone across the ravine.

All you need to visit Sassi di Matera: things to do, the best cave hotels, restaurants and viewpoints in southern Italy’s unique cave city.

Hampi, India – The Echoes of Glory

24/10/2016.Reading time 16 minutes.

Hampi, India, and its temples and rock studded landscape make it one of the most atmospheric UNESCO Heritage Sites in the country.

Jodhpur – Marwar Meets Andalucia In Mehrangarh

13/04/2015.Reading time 7 minutes.

Jodhpur Flamenco and Gypsy Festival 2015

The fusion of traditions at the Jodhpur Flamenco and Gypsy Festival is a visual and emotive exploration of rhythm. Of the passion and pathos of the Cante with the joyous, raucous melodies of the Thar desert. The mellow tones of the acoustic guitar with the shrill keening of the Kamaicha and the Sindhi Sarangi. The power and […]

The Gnu & Its Wanderlust – The Great Wildebeest Migration In The Serengeti

29/12/2014.Reading time 9 minutes.

Photo essay on wildebeest migration in the Serengeti: the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth. Don’t miss the video of a memorable road crossing.

Armenians In India – The Presence Of Absence

28/08/2014.Reading time 8 minutes.

The Armenian church is in Georgetown, the chaotic trading quarter of Chennai that I don’t ordinarily frequent. The last time I ventured into the area was in search of a particular shade and texture of hand made paper for invites to my stone furniture sale! That, I am ashamed to admit, was over a decade […]

Lucknow – An Ode To Urbanity

28/07/2014.Reading time 8 minutes.

Let’s face it, we are not the most considerate or well mannered of people. If there is a rule to be broken, a line to be cut, or a traffic light to be jumped, you will likely find an Indian elbowing his way to pole position. Any indignant readers quick to rush to the defense of fellow citizens, are […]

Ten Thousand Shades Of Green…..

25/06/2014.Reading time 7 minutes.

I had forgotten the smell of the hills. The fresh clean smell of rarefied mountain air mingled with the spicy fragrance of eucalyptus and the aroma of crushed tea leaves. But as we negotiated each tricky hairpin bend on our drive up the Coonoor ghat, it was the colours that opened the flood gates of my memory. The lush verdancy […]

Art Inspired By Faith

29/01/2014.Reading time 2 minutes.

From dust to dust. Or in this case from the clay dredged from the bottom of the holy Ganges, and back to its murky depths. The journey of Goddess Durga, believed to be her annual sojourn in her maternal home, is a metaphor for impermanence and temporality. Of all life. But also, in the sacred ritual that […]

The Incredible Destiny Of Mirza Ghiyas Beg!

20/11/2013.Reading time 3 minutes.

R & I have had many turning points in our lives. Those serendipitous moments when things could so easily have gone the other way. And we have often argued over whether these were mere co-incidences or karmic interventions. R believes in hard work and sagacity. I do too. I really do. But I am too much of a romantic to […]

Taj Mahal, India – Simplicity Of Perfection ( Story & Travel Guide)

11/11/2013.Reading time 18 minutes.

Taj Mahal, India, travel guide. Find inspiring Taj Mahal photography and travel tips to optimise your visit to the exquisite UNESCO monument.

The Magnificent Mausoleum Of Humayun

05/11/2013.Reading time 8 minutes.

On the couple of sublimely solitary hours we got to spend revelling in the magnificence of this necropolis and the serene silence of its pink stones.

Ganga Aarti, Varanasi – The Light Of Faith

02/11/2013.Reading time 5 minutes.

Temple priest holding up a lighted brass lamp with cobra hood amid hordes of devotees.

Ganga aarti photography from Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi. Presented with sound effects to evoke the dramatic atmosphere and the faith of solemn devotees.