Ladies and gentlemen, I had written about the somewhat degrading processes that we need to face to get a Visa for a trip to the America/Europe earlier, here. The experience makes one ponder the futility of life for sure. I had also written about the, in my mind, completely unfair lampooning…
Category: We Are Like That Only
No, The Indian Tourist is not Ugly!
The number of Indians travelling abroad (not all being Indian tourists) has increased from about 4.5 million in 2000 (total departures, not unique travelers) to about 35 million approx, in 2025. If these 35 million were to form a country, 140 countries of the world would be smaller. Effectively, the…
Confessions of an Indian Applying for a Western Visa
One of the abiding humiliations that citizens of the ‘largest democracy in the world’ have to face is applying for a Visa to other democracies in The West, often having the population of Chinchpokli in Mumbai. I am quite sure each developed country, with the US only as an example,…
Kolkata by any other name, would still be Calcutta!
Self plus The Wife had made a trip to the City of Joy, Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1994. We adored it. The Victoria Memorial, the KC Das Kachoris (established 1866), the Putiram Mishti Doi (1852). Sigh! Nothing brings memories of our visit as evocatively though, as the Calcutta Ambassador Taxis. …
Beauty Queens, Chief Guests and Cliches
Many famous humour writers advise thus – ‘Do not use clichés.’ I say, ‘stuff and nonsense’. Our very existence is clichéd… Please allow me to buttress my argument with two examples. Beauty contests and Chief Guests. Let Us Start With Beauty Contests Most of you dear readers, would have watched…
Men Versus Women – The Photography Divide
Google tells me that Kodak was the pioneer of photography. From there, it was only a short slippery ride to today’s smartphones where everyone got promoted to official food plate recorders. Well not everyone. Make that half of everyone. 50% of humans (women) developed a deep love for cameras and…
Having a Brother-in-law is not something worth tom tomming
Ladies and gentlemen, I have a problem in the shape of a brother-in-law (BIL). Many of you may be afflicted similarly. BILs after all, come free with the spouse, like that small plastic pizza stool/table that comes with a pizza box. The reason I bring this up though is that…