Chennai was an interesting city to stay in. I had heard a mix of things before arriving. I had been told that it was a progressive city with friendly people and delicious food. I was told the beach was beautiful but dangerous. I was told that the city was “safe.” I heard it a city […]
Making Myself At Home
After living for a few weeks in Delhi (and about a week in Rishikesh), when I arrived in Chennai, I had a lot of thoughts about what it means to “feel at home” or “make yourself at home” somewhere. I used to think that those phrases always implied creating comfort, but now, approaching two months […]
Final Night in Chennai!
We had our final celebratory gathering last night in Chennai with Chalapathy and Anitha’s (our program leaders) and their friends downtown. Packing up now to travel in Kerala for the week before heading to Varanasi for the final month of the program.
Cultural Unity
I met with Sathiya Moorthy, the director of the Observer Research Foundation, a public policy think-tank in Chennai, to interview him for my independent research on Hindu nationalism and Indian foreign policy. Sathiya and his wife, Lakshmi, had a lot to say about the BJP, politics, security and defense, and a whole range of other […]
Wrapping up our time in Chennai
One of the highlights of our trip in Chennai was the fact that we were so close to the ocean. There were a few days in which I walked with others down to the beach, usually accompanied with fresh juices or milkshakes made right outside of our hotel. Chennai is known for the struggle of […]