oh no she didn't

Kashmir - paradise on earth

an angiti to keep warm (very much needed)

shikaras and houseboats

masjid

maqbara



mandir in Gulmarg




view from the plane


India Gate (Delhi) on Republic Day

the nawabi grandeur that was

I finally got to see what I thought was a glimpse of Lucknow’s Nawabi culture though rumour has it that he’s not a real Nawab. Nonetheless, visiting the Sheesh Mahal was quite interesting. The layers of dust in the drawing room dated the nawabi culture and made me feel a little nostalgic. In fact, the Nawab himself seemed like an artifact amongst all of the eclectic trinkets in the room.

change.

All the AIIS centers were open late so that students could watch the presidential inauguration. All of us met up at the institute to watch Obama take office! Being together + pizza hut + jj bakers + Obama’s presidency made me very happy.

a glimpse of Muharram

Karunesh (my awesome new roommate!), Timsaal, and I went to a majlis in Chowk. I went in as an observer and not a mourner, but I couldn’t help but feel sad/moved by the event. The weeping around me gradually increased and a collective feeling of sadness overtook the crowd. The energy was quite overwhelming. I was expecting the speaker to relate the Karbala incident to the current situation in Gaza. But the event was pretty apolitical, that or perhaps I just didn’t understand all of what was said.

winter break in Amreeka/Mexico

I have to admit it felt a little weird to be going to America for vacation since it’s always been the other way around. Initially, I didn’t feel like I’d need to take a break from India but when December came around, boy was I ready for walking on carpeted flooring, drinking water from the tap, and of course – seeing friends and family! I ended up only being in Dallas for about a week since we also took a family vacay to Puerto Vallarta during my chutti. I even fit in a small nostalgic trip to Austin! Spending five days on the beach was just the kind of relaxation/rejuvenation I needed.