Palolem is one of those places that keeps seducing you after it has already won your heart, and every day you wake up knowing you will fall in love a little more. The beach is…
In Praise of the Indian Toilet
On the evening of my final night in India last year, my friends asked me what I was going to miss most about their country. “The food,” was my immediate answer. And the people, of…
Bye Bye Bombay, Goin’ to Goa
After a minor snag in getting my train ticket, I was finally on my way from hot and hazy Bombay to the golden, palm-lined beaches of Goa. There was no heartache this time in leaving…
Kaivalyadhama Center for Yoga and Panchakarma in Mumbai
I wasn’t planning on getting any panchakarma treatments until I traveled further south to Kerala, but then I stumbled upon Kaivalyadhama in Mumbai while searching the web for a place to buy a neti pot.…
What To Do if You Get Sick
The first time I went to India, I was lucky enough not to get sick, even though everyone told me I would. This time I was not so lucky, but lucky for you, I now…
Tourist Tips for the Final Day of Ganesh Chaturthi: Anant Chaturdasi
There’s a lot about Mumbai that makes me think of my home town, New Orleans, and Ganesh Chaturthi, which reminded me a little of Mardi Gras, was no exception. But unlike in New Orleans, where…
R. A. Podar Ayurved Medical College in South Mumbai
Amid a lush garden of banyan trees, the stately yet somewhat decrepit R. A. Podar Ayurved Hospital just south of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link offers no-frills treatments for locals and foreigners alike at some of…
Ganesh Chaturthi 2017
Lord Dhanvantri might be the deity most frequently associated with Ayurveda, but Lord Ganesh is also said to know the ancient teachings of the practice. One of the most beloved gods in the Hindu religion,…
Ayurveda and Panchakarma Basics
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term meaning the “science of life,” and it is considered the sister science to yoga. At the most basic level of understanding, Ayurveda is the area of knowledge that allows us…
Packing for India
The one-month countdown has officially begun! I’m set to leave August 22 from San Francisco, so it’s time to get packing. While there are plenty of sites out there with suggested packing lists for India,…