Jason Staines | jason.staines@me.com | 81 posts
Jaipur – in Sanskrit it means “where luvvies meet”. Maybe. I wasn’t able to check as Wikipedia was down in protest when I looked so I had to guess. The modern repository of all knowledge wasn’t the only one protesting. The literati at the Jaipur Literature Festival had their collective backs up after Salman Rushdie […]
August 12, 2011
There comes a point in every expat's India stint where they finally get around to taking Hindi classes. For us, it's taken two-and-a-half years.
June 24, 2011
When we lived in Bombay, mango season was an event - locals discussed the imminent arrival of the bright orange fruit like connoisseurs of fine wines.
June 15, 2011
Delhi's relentless summer heat and the prospect of moving about via rickshaw in the monsoon mean it really makes sense to have our own transport. Of course, buying a car in India - like doing anything - is never a straightforward matter.
May 31, 2011
There are times when Delhi gets just a bit too much and you want to escape and ensconce yourself in a little corner of the world that's anywhere but India. Italy, perhaps.
May 20, 2011
This recipe gives pride of place to one of my favourite ingredients, tamarind, a purple-black pulp that gives dishes a sharp sourness and adds a rich depth to the flavours.
May 6, 2011
Pick a contentious topic to write a book on and in the list might well be the British Army's presence in India. While not the most politically correct of subjects, British rule over the subcontinent is undeniably a central period in the history of both countries.
May 3, 2011
Despite my original desire to live “in residence” at The Imperial Hotel for the duration of our time in Delhi, certain fiscal constraints – otherwise known as reality – intervened and we needed to find ourselves an apartment. Thus began our journey into the world of Indian property hunting.
May 1, 2011
While not strictly a breakfast dish, a favourite start to the day here in India are parathas - fried breads that come in all shapes and sizes.
April 25, 2011
In a north Indian town, a large crowd has gathered. Women in bright saris, their pallus drawn over their heads, line one side of a narrow street. Men line the opposite. On the rooftops above, others find whatever vantage points they can. For a time they stand there, watching the entrance to a small temple.
January 26, 2012