Hi ! Welcome to my creative workspace
I am a full-time freelance journalist and travel blogger based in India, with four years of experience in reporting journalistic stories, and seven years in content writing and blogging. My writings delve into science, arts, architecture, heritage, food and sustainability at their intersection with travel, climate change and anthropology.
My work appears in The New York Times Style Magazine, Nature Medicine, The Guardian, BBC Travel, Smithsonian Magazine, The National UAE, South China Morning Post , NatGeo Traveller UK & India, Architectural Digest, Whetstone Magazine, BBC Future, TripSavvy and many other digital and print publications.
I also curate a family travel and lifestyle blog named PolkaJunction.
Get in touch to commission writing assignments and projects
If you’re a PR person, please know that I never solicit story ideas from publicists for my writing projects. So get in touch accordingly!
Drop me an email at polkajunction@gmail.com
Browse through some of my popular bylines
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[Scroll down to read all my bylines in chronological order]
- All niches
- Food & Agriculture
- Travel
- Arts & Architecture
- Culture & Heritage
- Global Development & Sustainability
- Science & Technology
- Health & Wellness
The New York Times Style Magazine
The Indian Embroidery Atelier Whose Inheritance Is Intricacy
In a region revered for its meticulous needlework, a collaboration between Chennai craftspeople and the scion of a Parisian couture house has opened a portal to the world’s grandest runways.
Hidden Compass
Stolen heritage, recovered artifacts, and sacred rituals from antiquity — an improbable amalgam of forces meld together in this Quest of mine.
Nature Medicine
How to be a good science communicator
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the public have turned to scientists and doctors for vital information. But science communication is a skill in itself, so we asked the experts to share their tips.
BBC Travel
Owing to its nativity, perennial abundance and affordability, the banana is India’s go-to fruit for nearly every occasion and is deeply woven into the country’s cultural fabric.
The Guardian
Making waves: the hit Indian island radio station leading climate conversations
With its unique blend of gossip, jokes and songs mixed with serious global issues, Kadal Osai has built a devoted audience
BBC Future
The world's fastest-growing source of food
The green fronds that grow along much of India's shoreline have large potential as a sustainable food source, while helping to fight climate change.
Smithsonian Magazine
How microbiologists craft stunning art using pathogens
Scientists mix microorganisms with agar, a jelly-like substance from seaweed, to create amazing illustrations in petri dishes
National Geographic Traveller Food (UK)
Spring issue 2021
Published in both — print and digital
Contribution in the cover story on breakfasts from around the world. I wrote about the south-Indian staple, Idli, in this write-up.
SilverKris
The SQ | Neighbourhood Spotlight
Published in both — print and digital
A four-page feature on the Lodhi neighbourhood of India's capital, Delhi.
The National
'Trashionable' Indian weaver spins saris from bananas and pineapples
C Sekar wants to reduce the impact of fashion on the environment even as he leads his community back to its glory days
South China Morning post
The permanent record
Published in both — print and digital
Some of the fragile murals in the Ajanta caves in western India are thousands of years old – and photographs of them have just been added to an archive deep in the Arctic.
BBC Travel
Dosa: India's wholesome fast-food obsession
While South Indians have eaten this go-to breakfast food for thousands of years, it has evolved into a fast food item to be eaten at just about any time, day and night.
The Guardian
Food to go? Covid threatens Hyderabad's famous street food carts
Despite government loans and staff trickling back to work, the pandemic has made survival precarious for the city’s vendors
Atlas Obscura
At This Banana Farm, the Bunches Grow in 430 Shapes and Sizes
India’s “plantain man” has traveled widely to build a collection of unusual varieties.
Adventure.com
Can India’s sacred instrument save itself from extinction?
Even before the pandemic, the gigantic, gorgeous, hand-made Saraswati veenas of Southern India were at risk of extinction. I explore how this centuries-old instrument, and the craftspeople who make it, are trying to adapt with the times.
Whetstone Magazine
Vetiver's super blades of green are rooted in India
The grass has cultural and historical significance in India, apart from being extensively used in south-Indian cuisine
Yoga Journal
The Pandemic Has Wrecked Our Routines. These Ayurvedic Tips Can Bring Them Back
After a year-plus stuck at home, your daily habits likely need a tune-up. Add these rituals—starting today.
TripSavvy
The Complete Guide to Dharamshala, India
Dharamshala is a picturesque hill town in the lap of the Dhauladhar range. It is more of a laid-back and calm destination to spend a long weekend. Plan your trip to Dharamshala with this comprehensive guide.
Travel and Leisure (India)
Look Beyond Biryani & Dig Into These 4 Deccan Dishes Of Hyderabad, Instead
A list of four iconic dishes of Hyderabad and the best places to enjoy them in the city
The Hindu BusinessLine
The three Nusa islands, off the shore of Bali in Indonesia, bring you up close with beauty — of nature and people
Discover India
Sangam, meaning ‘confluence’ in the Tamil language, brought together poets and scholars of ancient southern India, known as Tamilakkam. It heralded prosperous times for Tamil literature and arts, some of which have been chiselled across temples of the Sangam land
Architectural Digest India
Architectural Digest India
Check out these luxury heritage properties that are just 450 kms away from Delhi
Looking for the perfect place to head to, for the long weekend? Here are six luxurious heritage resorts that fall within the 450 km radius of Delhi
The New Indian Express
Nut crafter of Alibaug: A factory technician, who fashions art objects out of coconut waste
He has converted its first floor into an art gallery called Ashirwad Kala Dalan, which contains over 400 artefacts.