tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:44:17 +0000OrissaEveryday lifeTamil NaduFlora and faunaBangaloreAndaman IslandsAurovilleMadhya PradeshPlaces in KarnatakaIndian templesHindu festivals and customsPondicherryWhat's outside my windowSeasonsCalcuttaHeritage ConservationSociety and cultureChennai (Madras)Indian classical danceThe colours, sights and sounds of South India.http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/noreply@blogger.com (Isabel)Blogger237125IndiaOutsideMyWindowhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-8677441112143875351Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:05:00 +00002012-01-26T10:46:45.795+05:30OrissaPondicherryWhat's outside my windowTamil NaduPlaces in KarnatakaBangaloreMadhya PradeshBellur village, KarnatakaRussell Market, BangaloreRaghurajpur, OrissaMandu, Madhya PradeshKaraikudi, Tamil NaduPondicherryShivajinagar, BangaloreRussell Market, Bangalorehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/UODIv_QElPQ/doors-and-doorways.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/UODIv_QElPQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2012/01/doors-and-doorways.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-4269538127299914980Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:50:00 +00002012-01-22T18:37:44.417+05:30Flora and faunaPondicherryIndian templesOne of the most popular tourist sights in Pondicherry is Lakshmi the elephant. Lakshmi stands outside the Ganesh temple on Manakula Vinayagar Koil Street for a few hours every morning and evening. A local celebrity, she gets many visitors who come to receive her blessings and feed her treats like fruit, bunches of grass and sugarcane they buy from the stalls outside the temple. If you offer her ahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/QYBqJ8yeYdU/lakshmi-elephant.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/QYBqJ8yeYdU" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2012/01/lakshmi-elephant.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-8022259182128249462Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:46:00 +00002012-01-19T16:45:25.138+05:30PondicherryAurovilleSeasonsDriving down the East Coast Road from Chennai to Pondicherry, it wasn’t until I was 30 kilometres away that I started to notice the scars of the cyclone that hit on December 29th. From the road I saw fallen trees, damaged houses, and palm trees leaning over at 90 degrees.In the city the destruction was visible everywhere. Dead tree branches littered the sidewalks, many new stumps marked where http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/t3umLFZblpg/after-storm.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/t3umLFZblpg" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2012/01/after-storm.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-6270704024276508173Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:11:00 +00002012-01-15T13:32:41.714+05:30What's outside my windowHindu festivals and customsTamil NaduBangaloreTwo days ago I was on a bus travelling through Tamil Nadu from Pondicherry to Bangalore. I passed villages where the preparations for Pongal were visible. Markets were bustling and crowded, sugar cane was for sale everywhere, as well as colourful ropes and bells. I assume the bells (and maybe the ropes too but I’m not sure) are for the cattle who are revered on the third day of Pongal, to thank http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/sPe_Wxz1m-0/happy-pongal-sankranti.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/sPe_Wxz1m-0" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2012/01/happy-pongal-sankranti.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-3235475867692210357Sun, 25 Dec 2011 06:30:00 +00002011-12-25T12:00:00.383+05:30http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/fDJjtpCdDz4/merry-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/fDJjtpCdDz4" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/12/merry-christmas.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-7956382800000760265Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:09:00 +00002011-12-21T23:42:52.776+05:30Flora and faunaWhat's outside my windowOne of my favourite drinks is tender coconut water. Tender coconuts are young, green coconuts and are on sale on almost every street corner in every city in South India. The coconut water is slightly sweet and a refreshing drink on a hot day.I often see heaps of green coconuts piled up on the sidewalk or on a cart by the roadside. The seller uses a small machete to hack away the husk and then http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/BrJypAW_QSw/natures-perfect-drink.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/BrJypAW_QSw" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/12/natures-perfect-drink.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-2596596938519728656Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:09:00 +00002011-12-13T22:50:31.540+05:30What's outside my windowBangaloreEveryday lifeI saw this poster in Indiranagar metro station. It features the mug shots of chain snatchers caught in my area.Chain snatching is very common in India. Why? Because married women wear a traditional necklace called a mangalasutra, which is a sign of their married status. These necklaces are made of pure gold and are very expensive, often costing at least 100,000 (1 lakh) rupees (1435 EUR / 1933 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/_Ezg9Wtk96c/beware-of-chain-snatchers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/_Ezg9Wtk96c" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/12/beware-of-chain-snatchers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-6768804657818923565Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:56:00 +00002011-12-06T22:57:21.194+05:30What's outside my windowBangaloreSeasonsI bet whoever the person is who invented earmuffs never even considered for a second that India would be a good place to market them. I’m sure he (or she) never imagined that sultry South India would be the perfect place to make a killing with earmuffs.Yes, it’s earmuff season in South India. Now that ‘winter’ is here, the earmuffs are out. Winter in Bangalore is ‘cold’ afterall. In the early http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/NIOYzUhdFrg/earmuff-season-is-here.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/NIOYzUhdFrg" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/12/earmuff-season-is-here.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-22520534663258003Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:03:00 +00002011-11-24T21:52:33.801+05:30India Outside my Window is now on Facebook and Twitter. ‘Like’ and ‘follow’ me to keep updated on what I’m up to, the places I’m visiting, what I see through my window, and to find out what I’ll be posting about next. I’ll also be putting up other stuff. Like pictures of my cats.Click on the buttons below: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/brBUk7FwYVM/now-on-facebook-twitter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/brBUk7FwYVM" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/11/now-on-facebook-twitter.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-6224113832513561645Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:12:00 +00002011-11-24T18:06:03.926+05:30What's outside my windowHindu festivals and customsIndian templesBangaloreFor the past few weeks I noticed that a lot of the pushcart vendors in my neighbourhood were selling peanuts. This obviously meant it was peanut season, so I knew the Peanut Fair was coming up. Usually by the time I hear about it, it’s already over because it only lasts for three days. I didn’t want to miss it this time.So I started asking around: ‘When is the Kadlekai Parishe (Peanut Fair)?’ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/t15HZrdWSeU/bangalore-goes-peanuts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/t15HZrdWSeU" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/11/bangalore-goes-peanuts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-2123810493356649317Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:19:00 +00002011-11-19T12:32:53.565+05:30BangaloreEveryday lifeIn India, there’s always someone to do things for you. I already wrote about button pushers and household help in previous posts. Today’s post is on the agent.There are a variety of agents to help you get your work done in India. If you’re looking for an apartment, applying for a driver’s licence, passport or foreign visa, or requesting a PAN card, there’s an agent for everything.All over the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/R8vtHxlAhww/agent-for-everything.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/R8vtHxlAhww" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/11/agent-for-everything.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-8497366455422708296Sun, 06 Nov 2011 08:08:00 +00002011-11-18T13:48:54.990+05:30Flora and faunaI got the image above from Wikimedia.My favourite fruit at the moment is guava. It’s been in season for the past few months and it’s for sale on almost every street corner. There are two varieties: white and pink. I’ve been told that the white fruit is sweeter than the pink. But I prefer the pink because of its beautiful, brilliant colour and I’m convinced it’s sweeter too. Pink guavas also seem http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/1YAtjEsUzxY/gaga-for-guavas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/1YAtjEsUzxY" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/11/gaga-for-guavas.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-3162803564620739565Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:49:00 +00002011-11-05T11:41:05.420+05:30BangaloreEveryday lifeFirst it was announced for December 2010. Then January 2011. Then February. Then April 4th to coincide with Ugadi, the Kannada New Year. Then nothing more was heard about the very much-anticipated launch of the Bangalore metro. Finally a date was set in September. Which was then moved to October. Everyone held their breath, and finally on October 20th, the first phase of Namma Metro (‘Our Metro’)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/IDH02BOMBW4/bangalore-metro-rolls-in-finally.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/IDH02BOMBW4" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/10/bangalore-metro-rolls-in-finally.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-3385899261037092236Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:52:00 +00002011-10-31T00:48:05.610+05:30BangaloreEveryday lifeJust next to Russell Market in Shivajinagar is a surprising place. It’s a graveyard of sorts for the carcasses of the city’s battered cars and other vehicles.This scrap yard is where they’re dismantled and dissected.The different body parts are then sorted: axles here, mufflers there. Rows of small stalls sell spare parts. This is where you go if you need a headlight, hubcap, or engine for your http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/VQ4iNJrrEag/shivajinagar-scrapyard.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/VQ4iNJrrEag" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/10/shivajinagar-scrapyard.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-8831326055429657109Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:42:00 +00002011-10-02T01:50:47.442+05:30What's outside my windowBangaloreEveryday lifeFor many people in Bangalore and other Indian cities, their place of work is the city’s roads and footpaths. These entrepreneurs take their services to the places where they’re needed. A good example is the many cobblers who are found on every busy street. When my sandal broke while walking down the street one day – that most important little strip that goes between the toes detached itself from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/Re1ZzcYaYfI/pavement-jobs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/Re1ZzcYaYfI" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/09/pavement-jobs.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-895920927585586239Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:29:00 +00002011-11-23T18:46:48.766+05:30What's outside my windowEveryday lifeI haven’t written about sounds for a while, and since my blog is all about the colours, sights and sounds of South India, it’s time to make some noise.The sound of drumming is a sound I hear often in my neighbourhood, especially since the festive season started with Ganesh Chaturthi. Processions carrying large idols of the god to the nearest lake for immersion are almost always accompanied by a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/VyIqLMLOnbY/drumming-point-home.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/VyIqLMLOnbY" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/09/drumming-point-home.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-1584387687293389145Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:38:00 +00002011-11-23T18:47:10.687+05:30Society and cultureEveryday lifeAfter I moved to India I quickly discovered the luxury of the beauty parlour. Of course these exist everywhere, but in India the beauty parlour seems to be an indispensable part of every self-respecting woman’s life. This is where women go on a weekly basis to get waxed and threaded, massaged and pampered.The reason why this is a luxury I’ve indulged in only in India is because it’s so cheap. In http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/ByhX2FCejA0/afternoon-at-beauty-parlour.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)9<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/ByhX2FCejA0" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/09/afternoon-at-beauty-parlour.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-8377141595051369401Sat, 03 Sep 2011 10:40:00 +00002011-09-03T16:33:28.317+05:30What's outside my windowHindu festivals and customsBangaloreThis past week has been a particularly festive one. On Wednesday, the city’s Muslims celebrated Eid, while the Hindu community was celebrating Gowri puja. Thursday was a holiday on account of Ganesh Puja. This marks the beginning of the festive season. The next few months will see a flurry of festivals and celebrations: Dasara, Durga Puja, Diwali.Earlier this week I took another trip to Pottery http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/AKp897aT8X4/ganesh-puja.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/AKp897aT8X4" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/09/ganesh-puja.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-6618701828964402195Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:35:00 +00002011-09-04T23:43:37.860+05:30OrissaHindu festivals and customsIndian templesWhile I was in Puri, I had another chance to experience the Rath Yatra. The last time I was here I had witnessed the first day of the Rath Yatra when Lord Jagannath leaves his home at the Jagannath Temple, along with his brother Lord Balabhadra and his sister Devi Subhadra, and makes the 3-kilometre journey to the Gundicha temple where they visit their aunt for nine days.This time I arrived http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/kzSI1mGTqXc/jagannaths-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/kzSI1mGTqXc" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/08/jagannaths-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-195341368829294943Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:12:00 +00002011-08-18T10:19:44.576+05:30What's outside my windowSeasons http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/svgtABH-5zs/monsoon-in-pictures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/svgtABH-5zs" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/08/monsoon-in-pictures.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-8793682463173884517Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:19:00 +00002011-09-07T01:14:54.358+05:30I like India's national anthem. The anthems of many countries have a military-march sound to them and are about conquests and victories. Jana Gana Mana is melodious, soulful and stirring, and was penned by the great poet Rabindranath Tagore, who also wrote the music.The lyrics are in Sankritized Bengali. Here's the meaning:Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,Dispenser of India's http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/gE4IiI13mak/jana-gana-mana.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/gE4IiI13mak" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/08/jana-gana-mana.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-3441665759065181371Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:36:00 +00002011-08-13T21:24:50.752+05:30Society and cultureTamil NaduHeritage ConservationOver the past two months, I’ve been away from my usual window, and looking through others… in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Orissa. I’ll be sharing some glimpses of what I saw in these places in my next few posts...One night in June, I took an overnight bus to Karaikudi, a small town in the Tamil Nadu heartland, and arrived in the early morning. I was in the heart of the Chettinad region, a unique placehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/K3wUPJOxEwg/visit-to-chettinad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/K3wUPJOxEwg" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/08/visit-to-chettinad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-910360701457968396Mon, 30 May 2011 12:54:00 +00002011-06-30T19:11:31.058+05:30Flora and faunaPlaces in KarnatakaImage courtesy of Benson Kua.A few weeks ago I was staying on the banks of the Kabini river, next to a nature reserve. It was still April then so it was hot but the best time of year to see animals in their habitat.We took a boat and jeep safari. From the boat we could see herds of elephants on the shore of the river, literally dozens. Big elephants, small elephants, baby elephants.But elephants http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/4iil1R_w50o/dance-of-peacock.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/4iil1R_w50o" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/05/dance-of-peacock.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-2383131172993748811Thu, 26 May 2011 16:13:00 +00002011-05-27T13:40:07.745+05:30What's outside my windowBangaloreEveryday life“What's the landmark, Madame?” This is a question I’m asked on almost a daily basis by couriers, delivery and repair men, and taxi drivers. A written address is not enough to go by in Bangalore. House numbers, mains and crosses don’t seem to count. However landmarks do.I had quickly learnt that Bangalore’s complex system of numbered main roads and cross streets is not as logical as it first seemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/5d6BkWZAhYI/whats-landmark.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/5d6BkWZAhYI" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/05/whats-landmark.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7838568395887650580.post-432968602903953644Fri, 20 May 2011 07:45:00 +00002011-05-24T20:33:58.316+05:30What's outside my windowBangaloreEveryday lifeThe big news this week was the hike in the cost of petrol. It has gone up 5.47 Rs to 63.4 Rs a litre (1 EUR a litre!). This affects everyone. Vehicle owners will be paying more to fill their tanks. Commuters will eventually face higher bus and auto-rickshaw fares.This may push some people to reconsider the way they get around. They may walk the few blocks to the post office instead of taking the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~3/I3-P3frX-Ds/go-reva.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Isabel)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndiaOutsideMyWindow/~4/I3-P3frX-Ds" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.indiaoutsidemywindow.com/2011/05/go-reva.html