Does India Read? Do Indians Read?
And if they do what do they read?
Well, India is slowly getting into the habit of reading books! And a lot of them have been enjoying reading books. But, this India that I am talking about is not the one that is into literature books. But, a new emerging audience of readers is discovering reading books is not for the joy of it. But, to improve my English speaking skills, Vocabulary and diction. These readers are the ones who make up the large population that we have. But again are we growing in numbers? Who enjoy reading Mythology, Romance, and Young Adult books. The authors who have successfully managed to capture their audience are the likes of Chetan Bhagat, Preeti Shenoy, Durjoy Datta, Ravinder Singh, Anuja Chauhan, and Robin Sharma to name a few…Others like Amrish Tripathi and Devdutt Patnaik are Gaining popularity amongst new readers who are interested in reading books.
But, what are the avid literary Indian readers reading today?
They are the ones who like reading Amitav Ghosh, Sudha Murthy, Chitra Banerjee, Arvind Adiga, and Arundhati Roy, which are some of the books which the other Indian audiences are reading.
But, the positive side of the reader reading in India is they have started reading books of Indian authors from India.
Tag: travel
Travelling Through a Local’s Eye!
Travelling has been one of my best experiences in life
During COVID when we were confined to being just in one city, one place and the limitation of not moving from our comfort zone at home, or being at Work.
Having a supermarket and coming under Essential service, We were open throughout.
As things started to ease, all we wanted to do was travel first and we travelled to Mumbai, And that time, going out for Coffee and a meal was something so refreshing and beautiful.
We visited Juhu Beach, To breathe in some Fresh Air, And enjoy the calmness of the Sea.
A few months later we travelled to Kolkata and the experience of reliving the city of Joy was wonderful, Mocambo, Kusum Rolls & Hangla’s Rolls, and Flury’s were all so wonderful.
But, at the same time, we experienced the Durga Puja, Visiting the Pandals, Witnessing the Art & Culture of the city with artisans challenging themselves to have innovative designs and ideas for doing up their pandals.
If we hadn’t known the locals, This experience wouldn’t be the same as we experienced it first-hand.
Even Amritsar, A city where mom has spent about Two decades of her life before she moved to Mumbai and then Nashik.
Knowing the Ice Cream, The Chaat place, the Kulcha Counter, Poori Aloo place, Fruit Cream and the Lassi place. Making the trip even more memorable.
We had also travelled to Japan Pre Covid, and Brazil this year and in both these places we knew people locally. And both these places, we enjoyed ourselves so much, because of the recommendations we received, The travel Tips and the insights into the travel destination. In both, these countries we explored and found hidden gems that would only be known to locals.
That’s one of the reasons why I have enjoyed travelling to countries and hope to know people around the world, so you can live and Travel like locals.
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Brazil! South America Journey
After Nearly a year of waiting!
The trip or opportunity happened.
The 25+ Hours journey through the UK to Sao Paulo was slightly tiring.
The first impression, Sao Paulo is a huge city!
The architecture and construction are lovely.
Water! No Water in the rooms! This was going to become a common observation as we would travel around the country!
The restaurants too don’t serve you water.
This was quite alarming, Maybe the water isn’t quite hygienic here! Or maybe they aren’t hospitable or maybe they are going through a Water Crisis.
Sao Paulo had the appeal of New York, Wall Street and Fifth Avenue. The Liberade, Japanese Neibhourhood did remind me of being lost in Japan!
The Food whether it was the local Brazilian Meat, Mexican Gucaomole, American Burgers, Italian Pizza, Thai or Japanese was the best in Sao Paulo. In the places we visited, we realised they were either part of the best Restaurants in the World and Latin America or were part of the Michelin restaurant guide.
The Cafes and coffee were also some of the finest we had here in the city!
Rosewood in Sao Paulo. Ranked #25 in the Worlds best was truly an experience. Walking into the lush green arches and being welcomed by books at the entrance/Waiting area. As you make yourself comfortable through the hotel you pass through a couple of more coffee table bookshelves before you reach the restaurant, which you feel is in the middle of the forest.
The Acai Berry Smoothie, Pastrami Sandwich and Burger were the juiciest, healthiest and most satisfying meals of our trip.
Rosewood was a nice experience.
The city, Was so clean with ample of dustbins, unlike Japan. Where you struggle to find even one.
The shopping malls, Each one competing with the size and the interiors.
The weather, Yes, we did feel the heat waves.
The roads were so broad and well-maintained. It was a challenge to find even one pothole in the country.
Rio was a tourist hub, and so was our instruction. Be extra careful while walking on the streets of Rio, After 5 pm avoid strolling on the street with Mobile Phones, Jewellery or Watches/Smart Watches.
The Sugarloaf Mountain & Christ The Redeemer have to be our typical tourist highlight. One for the sunset view and the other for getting the structure to the top.
Copacabana Beach was going through a post-event pack-up! Madonna had performed a free concert two days before we planned to reach Rio de Janeiro.
Language is a huge barrier! The locals don’t understand English and as Tourist, we had no understanding of Portuguese.
Brazil has their measurement too!
P being M , The universal Medium size, G being large, GG being Extra large in clothing. For Footwear too, they are normally a size or two smaller than the Typical US sizes one Wears.
Salvador was a small quaint colourful city that would remind you a lot about Europe’s small towns.
While travelling across the city we flew through GOl or Latam. The local airlines of Brazil were always on time and internally we travelled through the Uber App with minimum communication!
Oh! One thing that was a huge disappointment was Google Maps! Often they did not take us at the right location, either 100 meters away from our location or would be pinned at another entrance/Exit of the same location.
The Google Maps, were always not updated with locations that had been permanently closed or had being relocated to another location.
In both of these times, We were faced with challenges on how to communicate to the exact location.
While planning Brazil I had also noted a few bookstores I wanted to visit in Brazil!
To my disappointment both of the bookstores that were listed for the longest time as the most beautiful bookstores in the world had been closed now! One in Sao Paulo And the other in Rio. While I visited other bookstores across the cities. There weren’t any books available in English at all.
Brazil with two of the most prominent global events like FIFA and the Olympics in the past decade is still not considered a Tourist Destination. With Food options, the Weather being pleasant, Globally recognised homegrown Fashion brands and Warm and friendly people you wonder if the Country’s not being Safe Image is playing a key role in tourism.
Information:
Currency: 1 Brazilian Relias = 17 INR, 1 USD – 5 Brazilian Relias
Time Zone: -8:30 Hrs From India Time.
Sao Paulo Guide:
Sightseeing: #saopaulo
@becodobatman.oficial
@japanhousesp
@ibirapueraoficial
@minhaliba
Cafes:
@confeitariacolombo : One of the Worlds Oldest Cafe! 175 Years old Cafe. #rio
Coffee: #saopaulo
@coffeelab_br
@89coffeestation
@takkocafesp
@wecoffee.br
@thecoffee.jp
Eat: #saopaulo
@ranchoportuguessp
@nbsteak @michelinguide
@aizomerestaurante – Part of @theworlds50best #latinamerica
@pingyangsp – #11 Best Place to eat in #Brazil
Taro Sushi – Michelinguide
@rosewoodsaopaulo -#25 Worlds Best Hotel @theworlds50best
@sisenorbrasil
@brazpizzaria – #4 best pizzeria brand in the World
@pecorinoteresina
@apizzadamooca – #77 in the Worlds Best Pizza
Chocolates: #brazil
@dengochocolates
@kopenhagen_
Personal favourite for Shopping :
@farmrio
@osklen
Stay:
@belmondcopacabanapalace
@santateresamgallery
@ferahoteis
Cafes:
@confeitariacolombo
@plagecafe
@cafeliercarmo
Eat:
@labicycletterio
@gurume_oficial
@omirestaurante
@restaurante.tereze
Mee copacabana palace
Shopping:
@salvadorshopping
Shopping Rio Sul
#saopaulo
@morumbishopping
@jkiguatemi
A few Facts:
Carry Cash & Change – The change isn’t easily available in the country.
Brazilian prisoners are allowed to reduce their sentence by four days for every book that they read.
Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of coffee.
Brazil is the largest orange producer in the world. Responsible for more than 30% of global production.
Brazil is the 2nd largest tobacco producer in the world.
Brazil is home to the largest population of Japanese people outside of Japan.
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Watches!
Today if you look around more than sixty percent people wear a smart watch!
About 30 % don’t wear a watch at all.
The Rest 10% wear a traditional watch.
What makes smart watch so popular is it being health conscious , A fashion statement or affordability?
How has the Smartwatch replaced traditional watches?
Are Smartwatches, worn to track Health & fitness levels or are they just a cultural movement replacing traditional watches?
Do we wear a watch to keep an eye on the time or do we look at a watch being the only legitimate piece of jewellery a man can wear?
More recently Timex took
A dig at smartwatches – “Read the time, not your emails, Watches like they used to be”
Are watches a necessity? Or are they considered a luxury?
So many brands like Titan, Sonata, HMT are heavily investing in the market with newer collection and stores. But what sets the traditional watches apart from the smart watches? A statement or A piece of accessory or a watch makers history?
Are collaborations the only way for traditional watch makers to Woo the market and Buyers?
Timex X Peanuts & Swatch X Omega to name a couple that have gained popularity recently. Or is it bringing back classic designs from the watchmakers?
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Some Of The Must Visit Cafes In India!
When you have lived In a city like Mumbai for a long time and have had the opportunity to enjoy some of the best Yum food in the city and also get equally good food at home, It
becomes difficult to find food that tastes just as good in the city or town you travel for vacation or Work.
While travelling around the country, there have been some amazing cafes for Food, Coffee or The View and occasionally all three elements.
Here are some of them I have visited and recommend
Goa: The La Plage Cafe in Goa.
The beach view is amazing, The Coffee is good too and the seafood options are Yum.
Babka in Anjuna has the best Eclairs, Coffee and Pasta.
Kolkata: The Roastery House location, The White & Yellow colours on the walls Definitely make you feel you are in Kolkata the cold brew options In coffee and the Baked fish in mustard is amazing!
Bengaluru: Araku’s Orange Cold Brew and the savoury Waffles have been two of the best things from the cafe. The Roastery within the cafe, The Mod Bar Espresso machines, and the Coffee table Books at the cafe does not make you get enough of the cafe.
Lavonee Cafe’sAcademy has been the Foundation for many patisseries and Pastry chefs in the city and in India and no wonder the Cafe Gets the Bake and the coffee right! The breakfast menu has been one of the most beautifully presented and filled with Taste and texture in the Bengaluru city.
Conoor: The Culinarium cafe en route to Ooty has one of the most breathtaking views. The coffee option, The Bakes( Lemon Cake) was one of the perfect ones I have had not too sweet or not too sour.
The pizzas were amazing too!
Dharamshala:
Moonspeak Deli Cafe – A tiny cafe near the main market is a hidden gem!
The coffee Ricotta Cake has been one of the most delicious Tea-cakes I have ever had!
The coffee was also well-balanced and the Ham and Bacon sandwich was very good too!
The Cliffs In Palampur is a cute little cafe that’s like a cottage in the woods, with a small corner filled with books.
The Marble Cake, Filter Coffee, and Mutton Kheema Dosa were the highlight of our meal
The Other Space: There wasn’t any other space like this one in Dharamshala!
The day we visited this space, we witnessed Hail and Rain from the balcony of the cafe while sipping our Coffee and enjoying Spaghetti at this cafe.
You just can’t miss this for the view!
Varanasi:
Vatika – A cafe Overlooking the Ghats of Varanasi and you are enjoying the most delicious pizza, you could not imagine you could get here! For desserts, you must have Apple Pie with Ice Cream and try their Saffron Milk and Paan Stuffed With Rose Petal Milk.
A K H I L N A N D A 