Journal
Where we went. What we found.
2024
Tiruchirappalli
Madurai
South India
Train south. Floods on the way — villages underwater. Trichy, the Ganesha temple. Madurai, the Meenakshi temple. Sarees from the haats. On the train back, a seafarer from the Sundarbans.
2024
Meghalaya
Guwahati
Sualkuchi
The Northeast
A yoga group called Yoga and Happiness. Meghalaya — root bridges, clouds rushing to the top of the mountain. Guwahati, Kamakhya Temple. A goat taken in the night — leopard. Sualkuchi: the weaving village. Two Muga silk sarees.
2024
Panipat
Kurukshetra
Ludhiana
Amritsar
North India
Panipat — the textile hub. Cheapest prices in the Kolkata market. Kurukshetra — Gita Mahotsav, Brahma Sarovar. Mother lost a tooth. Ludhiana — semi-pashmina, woollens. Amritsar — Golden Temple, prasad.
2024
Ajanta
Ellora
Nanded
Pandharpur
Kolhapur
Shirdi
Nashik
Trimbakeshwar
Maharashtra
Ajanta Caves — Cave 17, the Bengal connection. Ellora. Nanded — Sikh holy city, retiring room. Pandharpur — Vittal, everyone chanting. Kolhapur — Mahalakshmi, Kolhapuri chappals. Shirdi — Sai Baba. Shingnapur — the black stone, no locks. Trimbakeshwar — dark road, no lights, big cat warning. Dogs with iron collars.
2024
Mumbai
Surat
Mumbai & Beyond
Vande Bharat to Mumbai. Hotel Ajanta. Gujarati Thali. Mangaldas Market — not cheap. Elephanta Caves. Then Gujarat — wholesale purchase, very affordable. Double decker train back.
2024
Shantipur
Fulia
Shantipur — Four Journeys
Four times. Ghosh er Haat, Bonger Haat, Jagadhatti Haat. Go early, stay overnight. Over 100 kg on the last trip. Carried bags on the train until my finger hurt for a week.
2024
Baharampur
Murshidabad
Murshidabad
Stayed in Baharampur, traveled by car. Silk mark sarees. Brought cocoons home. Tried sericulture. The moths came out, laid eggs, but we had to leave. They did not survive.
2024
Bolpur
Shantiniketan
Shantiniketan
Travelled with Pisi. The haats full of colour. Kantha stitch sarees. Came back later with the Yoga and Happiness group.
The Map
A hand-drawn map showing our journeys across India — from Bhagalpur to Sualkuchi, from Shantipur to Champa.
