Reflections

The importance of being "I" Life is definitely fleeting in nature. To live it up and thus be able to realize my dreams has been a thought of priority in me for the past few months. In this context I got the chance to talk to a lot of women friends of mine. Some have hardly been exposed to the real world while the others have been exposed much too much to the grim and ugly aspects of living so that their entire picture of life and living got muddled. I belonged to the first category until not too recently. Not that I am totally aware now but I know that I am headed that way. I find it a pleasurable journey, where you let go of your inhibitions and get the courage to actually question the various dogmas thrust upon you from the time you arrived upon this planet. It sounds easier said than done. But in this journey I have had some wonderful perceptions. To begin with, I was getting to know myself. In a conventional and orthodox Indian setting, (I was brought up in the strict env...

The charismatic Cochin Featured in National Geographic Traveler's '50 greatest places of a lifetime', Cochin is arguably the ideal starting point for exploring the unfathomable diversity and inexpressible beauty of Kerala. It has emerged as the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala and is perhaps the second most important city on the west coast of India. Cochin or Kochi as it is called today, still reminiscences one of old time glory where the impact of 18th century colonialism is still evident in many parts and aspects of the city. Aptly titled the Queen of the Arabian Sea, the city spans across industries ranging from ship building and petrochemical refining, to handicrafts and spice trading. Among the varied industries, IT is the upcoming one and tourism the all-pervading one. Cochin has undergone an almost sea change in terms of infrastructure, modernization and general upliftment. The marine drive itself is living proof for this. 7 years back it could only boast...