–
The Indian Wedding, or Shaadi as its called in Hindi, is a feast-to-all-the-senses kind of an experience, delightful and fun filled, unless of course, you are the one getting married. Well, we are not going to talk about the aftermath just yet.
For now, here is a picture essay of a wedding I attended in Spain this summer. This visual experience would not be complete, without somehow including in your head, the sounds of the jingle of the bangles, the music of the folk dances, the DJ playing it up for us on Bollywood dance floor, the shrieks, the murmurs, the laughs and the sobs, the sounds of kids crashing into the tassels of the bead curtains and the plenitude of well wishes, the chants and the hums.
Enjoy!
The Indian American Life
Modern Times, Ancient Wisdom: What Chanakya and Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillai Teach Us About Leadership Today
Modern Times, Ancient Wisdom When I started my blog 17 years ago, I mostly wrote personal musings as a new mother of two boys. But, over the years, I wanted to write about the different aspects of Vedic wisdom and modern psychology. I was learning how to...
Guinness World Record Attempt For Gita Chanting: Krishna’s Secret of Life Chapter 15
Today, I attended the Guinness World Records attempt for the largest number of people chanting the Gita across the world. It was an event organized by the Chinmaya Mission across all its global chapters, held online via Webex. This year marks the 75th anniversary of...
Unforgettable Travel Essays That Reveal Art, Belonging & Humanity Beyond Any Map
I am writing to introduce you to my travel essays because these are pieces I'm most proud of. I'm attaching a few lines from some essays here. Hope you enjoy them and visit the place vicariously through my words. "I still get goosebumps when I think about the...
Aatma Rama Mantra: Unlock Joy, Inner Peace & Limitless Positivity Through Lord Rama
Hi all,This mantra is a divine invocation celebrating Lord Rama's transformative power to dispel negativity and usher in boundless optimism. With each chant, Rama's presence permeates, casting out darkness and illuminating the path with radiant positivity....
Beyond GenAI Pilots: How Enterprises Build Scalable AI with Governance and Trust
Current State of AI Affairs If you're a transformation leader at your organization, or lead any type of team, you must have seen multiple memos by now from senior leadership on the need to innovate and incorporate AI into your existing workflows. These can come...
My India Travel Diaries: It’s Not a Destination. It’s an Experience.
Travel Around Bharat “Once you have been to India, the rest of the world feels a little less colorful.” ~ Anonymous
Sri Rama Navami: Rama Bhajans, the Sacred Journey of Dharma, and the Birth of Lord Rama
Sri Rama Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Rama. It is observed on the ninth day of the spring festival that begins with the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated across different regions of India under various names, such as Ugadi among Telugu communities. It falls...
It Took a Publishing Scandal to Expose a Broken Industry and the Rise of AI Slop Books
Mia Ballard, a woman living in the UK, had self published a book called Shy girl in February 2025. The book is about a desperate young woman who meets a guy online and is now being held hostage as his pet. It became successful until readers started to question if it...
Sri Rama Rama Bhajan: The Chant For Each Divine Name Of Lord Rama
Hi all,I enjoyed singing this, as its a beautiful string of epithets for Lord Rama, each highlighting a different divine quality or a stage of his life. For the first time I added the tanpura in the background. Hope you like it. Bhajan Lyrics: Sri Rama Rama...
Ugadi 2026: Parabhava Year Meaning – Turning Failure into Spiritual Growth & Self Transformation
పర + అభవ = పరాభవ I received these two messages this morning on the occassion of the onset of the పరాభవ నామ సంవత్సరం. I am grateful that the name of the year symbolises self transformation and our victory over our biggest vices. Read on. పర + అభవ = పరాభవ అని...
Ramachandraya Janaka: The Mangalam Song That Ends Carnatic Concerts & Prayer Sessions with Blessings
Hi all,Ramachandraya Janaka is a classic "Mangalam" that's often sung at the end of concerts or puja ceremonies to invoke blessings and peace. Thank you for listening. Hope you like it. Here are the lyrics: rāmachandrāya janakarājajā manōharāyamāmakābhīṣṭadāya...
The Two Logs in the River: A Ramayana Lesson on Love, Detachment, and Living Fully
Shlokas As Compass Ever since I understood the meaning of a shloka of Adi Shankara's from Bhaja Govindam, I've tried to use it as a way to operationalize my spiritual journey. Shankara says, Satsangatve nissangatvam,Nissangatve nirmohatvam,Nirmohatve...