About Puneet Sidhu
Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu, travel enthusiast and the author of Adrift: A junket junkie in Europe is the youngest of four siblings born into an aristocratic family of Punjab. Dogged in her resistance to conform, and with parental pressure easing sufficiently over the years, she had plenty of freedom of choice. And she chose travel.
She was born in Shimla, and spent her formative years at their home, Windsor Terrace, in Kasumpti while schooling at Convent of Jesus & Mary, Chelsea. The irrepressible wanderlust in her found her changing vocations midstream and she joined Singapore International Airlines to give wing to her passion. She has travelled extensively in Asia, North America, Australia, Europe, South Africa and SE Asia; simultaneously exploring the charms within India.
When she is not travelling, she is writing about it. Over the past decade or so, she has created an impressive writing repertoire for herself: as a columnist with Hindustan Times, as a book reviewer for The Tribune and as a contributor to travel magazines in India and overseas. Her work-in-progress, the documenting of colonial heritage along the Old Hindustan-Tibet Road, is an outcome of her long-standing romance with the Himalayas.
Recent Posts by Puneet Sidhu
The History of English: Journey Across Time
May 14, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
This short humorous video titled History of English in Ten Minutes qualifies to appear here for three simple reasons:
- It is in the Queen’s English
- It is quite informative
- It is somewhat irreverent
A Hamlet Bursting with Apple Blossoms in Shanag
May 12, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
Not given to poetic outbursts as a natural reaction to beauty, I simply couldn’t help invoking the form on a recent visit to Shanag, a picturesque little hamlet (from where I was looking) in Manali, upstream of the Beas.
For this is exactly how I felt: Blossoms, blossoms, everywhere, Nor any apple to pick! (Due apologies to Mr Samuel Taylor Coleridge). Subsequently, I let my camera do its job, lest much is lost in translation.
Gothic & Himalayan Spa Life in Manali
May 9, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
Manali, perched on the banks of the River Beas in Himachal Pradesh, has never felt the need to nurse a colonial hangover to draw visitors to its naturally bestowed verdant bounty. So when I suddenly hear a lot of chatter about a certain Gothic castle near the Hadimba Temple, curiosity bites me hard.
Replete with chimneys, a Juliet’s balcony, and a turret crowned with a 
crow’s nest, turns out this property is of a recent vintage, and many years in the making, because the owners are simply living their dream: flagstone by paved flagstone, arch by medieval arch.
Evidenced in the stoney facade offset by gracious interiors, is that The Himalayan Resort & Spa is a labour of love of luxurious details. Dark wood floors, leather furniture, hand-crafted chimney pieces and cast iron fireplaces are de rigeur.
The entry hallway, its marble floor inspired by ones in Pompeii, opens onto to yet another remarkable feature: a 
swimming pool sunk into an informal garden, with stone pathways leading off to well-appointed guest cottages, snuggling amidst apple and cherry orchards. And the views? Matchless! For one who is always itching to explore, I must confess I spent much of my time here soaking in the surrounding verdure.
Truth be had, I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if guests choose not to leave the premises at all. Would you, if your 
complete wellness was in the capable hands of the in-house Tattva Spa? I didn’t think so either. Combine that with leisurely constitutionals through the family-owned orchards, and this place has the makings of a destination resort par excellence.
In-step with their obvious stance on quality of experience, the friendly owners are always at hand to trouble-shoot, as also to lend your stay a more personal touch. In deed, one of them found time to keep us company whenever possible. Chatty and knowledgeable he also kept us informed, in style and in splits!
Intriguing India: Gantzer’s The Alluring North
May 2, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
The Alluring North, one of four books that make up the ‘Intriguing India’ series, is not a travelogue, nor a guide-book, nor even a retelling of ancient folklore. It is a little bit of all three. It is, in deed, the vivid journey of India’s ancient history, culture and customs, brought to life through two well-informed people who have travelled, questioned, and analysed.
What is the origin of the fear that a monster lies beneath the surface of Lake Pangong? Who was the Englishman who carved out his own kingdom in the Himalayas? What gourmet dish was created by a ruler to feed his famished subjects? Hugh and Colleen Gantzer, while describing their experiences in a gently evocative style, have unraveled many such fascinating realities that have endured within India.
They begin their travel quest at 18,380 feet. While at Khardung La, reportedly the highest motorable road in the world, a suggestion from a fellow traveller finds them stopping by at his village beyond the pass.
That experience sets them off on an enchanting trip to explore and unveil the many, intriguing facets of North India. Woven along with the physical and topographical descriptions, are narratives of the people and their customs. The first few chapters of the book capture the essence of Ladakh, Kullu and Uttarkhand, sharing insights and anecdotes about little known tribes.
One of which claims Aryan roots, is reportedly descended from Alexander of Macedonia’s army, and resides in the remote village of Dah in Jammu & Kashmir. The Thaaru tribe of feminists from Terai cooks their husbands’ meals and kicks them towards them instead of serving them. Folklore suggests this originated from high-born women marrying their guards on the condition of forever being their superior.
Many mysterious monasteries, and as many high altitude passes later, their journey takes on the guise of a spiritual pilgrimage while they join other devotees in exploring Yamnotri and Gangotri, sources of the world’s two most sacred rivers, the Yamuna and the Ganga, respectively.
From here they head to the less verdant ranges of Eastern Garhwal to experience yet more divinity associated with the peaks of Kedarnath and Badrinath; the former said to be the throne of Lord Shiva and the latter that of Lord Vishnu. They also visit Mana, the last Garhwali village on the Indian side of the border with Tibet. They found its cheerful residents contradicting that claim, alluding instead to it being the first village of Aryavrata, the land of the Aryans.
In the latter half of the book, the Gantzers take reluctant leave of Himalayan legends, moving on to the dusty plains of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, before culminating their adventure at Delhi’s bustling Chandni Chowk. From the trading township of Mirzapur, to the fragrances of Lucknow, to the pastures of Lord Krishna at Braj, and finally to Chitrakoot, temporary home to the exiled Lord Ram, Sita and Laksman, the authors continue to seek the little known worlds of ancient legends. The Alluring North may not lend itself to cover-to-cover continuous reading, but it sure whets your wanderlust. Keep it handy, because you never know when the urge to reach for it may strike.
Manju Jaidka’s Scandal Point Set in Colonial India
April 23, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
Manju Jaidka’s novel Scandal Point is set in a colonial India approaching the twentieth century. A handsome young ruler of an Indian princely state angers the British rulers by falling in love and eloping with the Viceroy’s daughter. It is not an ordinary romance, as the elopement has far-reaching consequences.
It results in a child who grows up unaware of his lineage. Till one day, like Oedipus, he discovers the truth and embarks on a journey seeking his roots. There are no records, no documents, no witnesses, no evidence. Only stray bits of information and semi-reliable clues with the help of which he pieces together the almost incredible tale of his mother’s elopement and its tragic aftermath. Named after the spot on the Ridge in Shimla where the young lovers purportedly eloped from, Scandal Point is a fictionalized account of what may have transpired in their lives as a consequence of that action.
If the premise sounds familiar to the reader, it is because most anybody who has ever visited or lived in Shimla, is acquainted with the much-mouthed, albeit uncorroborated, anecdote about Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala allegedly whisking away the Viceroy’s daughter in a similar fashion. Following a subsequent ban against his presence in the hill station, story goes, he built himself a grand vacation palace at Chail, right across from miffed colonial noses. The author refutes this detail as archival material suggests otherwise; maintaining that he would have been but a year old at the time of said incident. At the same time, it is on record that his father Rajendra Singh had an English wife who bore him a son. What continues to mystify is the reason that led to the eventual disappearance of mother and child- for good- from the annals of history.
It is this point in time that serves as the springboard for Jaidka’s creative leap. She keeps the mother and son alive in her historical fiction, threading together a fanciful tale of political compulsions, palace intrigue, love, jealousy and murder. Much of the novel is narrated in the flashback and through the young protagonist’s perusal of his mother’s diary. A cryptic plea by his mother on her deathbed in Lahore finds the nineteen-year old Kartar Singh setting out to join the dots and learn the truth about his ancestry. Incredulous and confused, he carries out her dying instructions by arriving in Amritsar, unannounced, at the doorstep of Sardar Attar Singh. In response to his desperate questions, Attar Singh hands him some official looking papers, a notebook and a jewel, along with more astonishing details about his life. With his entire world turned on its head, he then seeks an audience, and answers, from the ruler of Kapurthala; where his life takes yet another dramatic turn.
The novel is a quick and easy read as Jaidka skillfully weaves together fact and fiction throughout the pacy narrative. She succeeds in keeping the reader guessing about the fine line, having lifted some of the characters and events in Scandal Point from official records; though some embellishments have very evidently been provided through word of mouth. However, deeper research into patrician lifestyles, and perhaps tighter editing, could have helped in the few, albeit wholly avoidable, errors.
It would have revealed, for one, that Aitcheson College, contrary to what the name suggests is in fact a school. Creative license notwithstanding, the historical placing of characters in a novel disallows the usage of plebian-speak. “Kakaji, tussi great ho”, uttered by the Cambridge-educated ruler, on setting eyes on his newborn son, is a particularly jarring instance. All the same, it is an eminently readable novel, especially for those hoping to demystify colonial Shimla’s most scandalous moment.
B*tches in Bookstores, a Witty Remix of Jay-Z & Kanye West’s Niggas in Paris
April 16, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
With the irreversible changes in reading trends in this age of digital information becoming a disheartening yet certain reality, a song extolling the virtues of physical books and reading in general comes as a breath of fresh air for spine-loving purists.
A witty remix of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Niggas in Paris, the song titled B*tches in Bookstores could well be the anthem for bookstores around the world.Performed by La Shea Delaney and Annabelle Quezada, this video is a must-watch for all book lovers. I have reproduced the song’s lyrics below for everyone to rap along with B*tches In Bookstores. Break a leg, folks!
(Annabelle)
Read so hard librarians tryin’ ta fine me
They can’t identify me
Checked in with a pseudonym, so I guess you can say I’m Mark Twaining
Read so hard, I’m not lazy
Go on Goodreads, so much rated
Fountainhead on my just read, gave it four stars and then changed it
Read so hard I’m literary, Goosebumps series too scary!
Animal Farm, Jane Eyre, Barnes & Noble, Foursquare it
No TV, I read instead, got lotsa Bills, but not bread:
Burroughs, Golding, Shakespeare – all dead
Read so hard, got paper cuts on trains while you’re playin’ connect the dots
All these blisters from turning pages, read so hard, I’m seeing spots
Your sūdoku just can’t compare nor Angry Birds ‘cos lookit here
My Little Birds is getting stares………”This print’s rare.”
Read so hard, I memorize, The Iliad… I know lines
Watch me spit, classic lit, epic poems that don’t rhyme
War and Peace? Piece of cake, read Tolstoy in 3 days
Straight through, no delays, didn’t miss a word, not one phrase
[Hook]
Read so hard librarians tryin’ ta fine me
(That shit cray, that shit cray, that shit cray)
[La Shea]
He said “Shea can we get married at the Strand?”
His Friday Reads are bad so he can’t have my hand
You ball so hard, OK you’re bowling
But I read so hard, I’m JK Rowling
That shit cray, ain’t it, A? What you readin’?(de Montaigne)
You use a Kindle? I carry spines
Supporting bookshops like a bra, Calvin Klein
Nerdy boy, he’s so slow, Tuesday we started Foucault
He’s still stuck on the intro? He’s a no go
It’s sad I had to kick him out my house though
He mispronounced an author (Marcel Proust)
Don’t read in the dark, I highlight with markers
While laying in the park and wearing Warby Parkers
Marriage Plot broke my heart and it made me read Barthes
I special ordered a copy, a softcover not hard – HUH?!
[Interlude]
Belle: Good morning! I’ve come to return the book I borrowed!
Shopkeeper: Finished already?
Belle: Oh, I couldn’t put it down. You got anything new?
[Hook]
[Annabelle]
I am now marking my place, don’t wanna crease on my page
Don’t let me forget this page, don’t let me forget this page
I may forget where I left off so I’ll use this little Post-It
I hope that it stays sticky, I hope it doesn’t fall out
[La Shea]
I am now marking my place, don’t wanna crease on my page
Don’t let me forget this page, don’t wanna forget this page
I got bookmarks at home but I forgot one for the road
(I have a bookmark that I can loan) You know how many bookmarks I own?
[Both]
I am now marking my page
Don’t let me forget this page
Don’t let me forget this page
Don’t let me forget this page
Page!
Japanese Delights: From Kanpai to Umeshu
April 10, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
An all too brief meeting recently, with a dear friend returning to Japan, has left me a little richer in ‘spirit’. Along with lunch and affection, I received from her a hamper of Japanese goodies. One of those, served chilled, is what I sip while I write this post. This is a first for me, sharing an experience even as I savour it…
Called Umeshu, this is a traditional fruit liqueur which is aged with the whole ume fruit, its extract, and spirits. The pickled ume, visible in the bottle, appears to be a cross between a plum and an apricot, is neither, and has a citrusy flavour to it. Since the language on the label is, well, Japanese to me, the only recognisable feature is a heart warming 14% lost amongst the sea of kanji. The effects of which number are manifesting themselves in the best possible way.
I learn that only the finest, fully ripened ume are picked and preserved within a day of harvesting. Then, a year of natural
fermentation, extracts from them the delicate sweetness, and juice-like fruity flavor that I am relishing right now. A few sips into the drink will soon get your olfactory sense used to the overwhelmingly sour aroma, which dissipates, in any case.
Considered a healthy drink by the Japanese, it has found mention in ancient documents related to pharmacy, soon after it was introduced from China in 500 AD. Its medicinal properties are many and it was recognized, way back in the 17th century, as an agent that arrests accumulation of phlegm, relieves sore throats, improves appetite as well as dissolves poisons.
The list of benefits is long and frankly….now back to enjoying my delightful umeshu unhindered. Kanpai!
Incredible Images of India
April 2, 2012 by Puneet Sidhu
This is a selection of pictures I have chanced upon while stabbing the web. Some unseen, some not. To my eyes, they don’t appear to have been digitally altered but I can’t say that with conviction. Still, the images reveal some incredible perspectives by people being in the right place, in the right light. I have not the faintest idea about who these shutterbugs are (and frankly I haven’t tried very hard to ferret the info) but would like to dedicate this post to their wonderful camerawork. Cheers.
Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
River Kaveri, Tamil Nadu
Backwaters, Kerala
Mandya, Karnataka
Rajgad Fort, Maharashtra
Ooty, Tamil Nadu
Cherrapunji, Meghalaya
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Nagaland
Spiti, Himachal Pradesh
Kanchenjunga view, Sikkim
