Maya Swell Press

Further back in the journey, someone had pointed out that you couldn’t really have experienced everything that Indian trains had to offer unless you had at least one trip in general class. The sleeper class that I had used up till now had reserved seats, and allocated bunk beds. General is chaotic, allocated only in […]

Heading from Mapusa by any means necessary, back in one version of ‘real India’. By any means necessary of course means an overnight bus. Plenty of ’em, and no booking necessary. No time to book a train, so … it’s just not the most pleasant way to get around India … add all the things […]

Hampi (as in ‘humpy’) is another of those pieces of India that are somehow in a bubble of time. Like nothing has changed there for a 1000 years, maybe an empire or two rise and fall, and leave their assorted bits and pieces lying around … The scenery is lush piled on desolation. Granite pebbles […]

Back in Bangalore, motivated by another batch of lessons in Hindustani raga. Not looking forward to Bangalore, but the arrival is much less chaotic, and I avoid the accomodation touts altogether. This time, I find a decent cheap place, 150Rs. After a few nights, I find that the airier doubles are only an extra 20Rs. […]

I had read in that infamous guidebook about a style of ritual dance-performance, Theyam. This led me from Madikeri to Kannur in northern Kerala, apparently the hub of Theyam activity..I had been wanting to get another dose of Kerala since the beautiful morning train journey from Chennai, and the Theyam seemed like a beautiful, mad, […]

Real time, around March 15 …. initially I’d thought that Madikeri would be a brief stop between Virajpet and Kunnur, but as the bus pulled into town, I felt relieved to see so much green. Kushalnagar is still in harsh country, but Madikeri is very much in the hills, plantation country, very green, well wooded. […]

After the comedown from Mani’s amazing wedding, and the incredible sights and people met I spend a few hours in Mangalore quite isolated. Kadri is taken up with family business, loose ends and ritual. Many attendees are heading straight back home after the wedding, and the Kadri floor is thinning out very quickly. I have […]

One long cross town auto journey, and I’m at Chennai central station, with what I hope is an Indian railways e-ticket booked in my name … bound for Mangalore, with only a fellow student knowing that I’ve packed everything, and am splitting from this tight assed school situation. After talking with Kadri earlier in the […]

Chennai has a well earned reputation for being a difficult city to get around in. In fact this is both true and untrue. Your two main options are auto and bus. There is a train route that cuts down the coast, and links to the airport, so it’s not a great deal of use in […]

Only about 70km from the chaotic new India bustle of Chennai is the Mamallapuram world heritage site. The primary attraction here is a wealth of 10th century temples and stone carvings … and the beach … and the European restaurants …. and the street hustlers selling you as many crappy bead necklaces they think you […]