My Nana, (maternal grandfather) was a Hakim, a doctor of Unani Medicine, and my Dada (paternal grandfather) a lawyer. I never saw any of...

The Hyderabad I knew growing up had changed. Supermarkets, dry cleaners, grocery stores, and bakeries had cropped up everywhere. I saw...

It is freezing outside, but in the house, fireplaces are lit and the atmosphere is warm and cozy. My children and grandchildren are on...

"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere"- Chinese Proverb Leaving home with its familiar sounds and smells and the...

He was a slim man of medium height, with grayish hair and a thin mustache. When he went out of the house, which was not very often, he...

I attended a wedding in California earlier this month. A beautiful event, which reminded me of a wedding years ago. The first family...

It was a cold and wet afternoon, then the wind picked up. I had never seen trees sway with so much force. We gathered on the veranda and...

Women’s College, Kothi: (former British Residency) My quiet neighborhood of Shantinager well behind me, I drove along Lakdi-ka-Pul Road...

It was Mother’s Day earlier this month, an outpouring of love and appreciation, flower bouquets, gifts, and cards everywhere. Words,...

It was Ramadan and I was going to keep my first “roza” along with my cousins. We were all excited. I had kept “half rozas” in the...

I couldn’t wait for classes to be over on the last day of school before the summer break. I thought of the fun-filled days and weeks...

Without television, we relied on the radio to get live commentaries of cricket matches. Cricket enthusiasts would be glued to their...

Every morning at dawn I would hear the azan, the call to prayer. The voice of the muezzin drifting through the early morning silence,...

It is January 1, the date when the Numaish, Hyderabad’s iconic exhibition begins. For almost a month and a half, the Numaish grounds turn...

Back in those days if we made Nihari (a delicious, buttery, spicy stew of beef shank or lamb) it would require several hours of slow...

Looking through the pages of Architectural Digest I came across pictures of beautiful verandas and porches. They remind me of my parents’...

Climbing trees, sitting on the swings, or playing under the shade of the mango or guava trees was our afternoon pastime. As long as we...