Tag Archives: india

THIKSEY MONASTERY: Ladakh offers respite from India’s busyness

Fifty monks sit cross-legged in long rows. Their prayer books, narrow strips of thick paper bound by string, sit open in front of them. They chant the Buddhist sutras…

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LIVING IN HARMONY: Leh shows what religious tolerance is all about

Two Muslim women in traditional attire walk past a group of Buddhist monks dressed in maroon robes. Stupas, Buddhist religious monuments…

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ANIMAL RIGHTS: Whose streets are they anyway?

Dogs on the streets of India

Leh, India — By day they lay sprawled out asleep in the shade, only getting up every now and then to munch on some trash. By night they spring to life, turning the streets into a high-energy…

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CHECKMATE: Play the game with mindfulness and equanimity

Leh, India

A stray cow is walking toward me. I cross the street to give it space, careful to avoid stepping on a tail of one of the many sprawled out, potentially rabid, dogs that lay on the other side.

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HOLY: A prose poem by Max Reif

HOLY: Prose poem by Max Reif

The word Holy had lost its way. It was speaking on a soapbox in the park. People passed by, oblivious. A few stopped to gawk or jeer. Only one little boy stood listening, enrapt…

MY DENNY’S “AMERICANA” ADVENTURE: Two essays by Max Reif

My Denny's Americana Adventure - two essays by Max Reif

Americans know Denny’s, the chain of so-so diners that in many areas are the only places to go after a night of carousing or, conversely, upon very early rising, as the only places open all night…

GHEE: A healthier alternative to butter (with ghee recipe)

To Ghee or not to ghee: Clarified butter - a healthier alternative

To some it’s known as clarified butter, to others the golden elixir of healing—ghee is a staple ingredient in Indian cooking and Ayurvedic healing known for its versatility, great taste, and many…

BANGALORE: One foot dangling in the future, one hoof rooted in the past

BANGALORE: One foot dangling in the future, one hoof rooted in the past - image roadsigns

Sadar Patrappa Road is commonly abbreviated to S.P. Road, nice and short for those wanting to save some time saying the extra syllables. This is Bangalore after all—the hub of India’s fast-paced…