Retrieved via the Wayback Machine. Originally posted by Manisha Lakhe

this was a recce trip. in pure military style, i was going to figure out how i was going to make the most of every event of every day of this festival.

rampart row: check.
aaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhh! who mixed colors and children together?

(note to self: bring earplugs when there are kids, and try not to swear loudly when wading through them or the perpetually exhausted parents imitate deer in headlights.shudder!)

max mueller bhawan: check.

need to figure out how ‘charulata’ and ‘naach’ could ever be shown in one place.

M C Ghia Hall: am directionally challenged, but the booth babes and boys (correction! the very nice young ladies and lads) point in the general direction of chaos. check.

workshops from tai chi, paper making, to all kinds of dance

(line dancing in a crowd? hmm. great camouflage for those with two left feet, must try it)

NGMA: check
David Sassoon Library: check

place to infest. if you are as hungry as i am to experience words.

(must smuggle in food here! wonder if food smells will distract perfomance poetry.)

Horniman Circle Gardens: check

Caferati, the online writer’s group, has just met here last week (they have an interesting concept when once a month online masks come off and people meet to read and discuss works in progress). and theater under the stars is a great idea.

(bring odomos!)

the main street: check

there’s a riot of color here already. and it’s just the first day.

(remember to bring camera!)

(bring lots of ten rupee notes. it’s great to buy little souvenirs from hawkers. and practice bargaining. but i don’t know where i am going to keep the six foot puppet that i bought today.)

heritage walks: no. i refuse to wear sensible shoes. i like heels. they save you when crowds get over enthusiastic.

besides, these walks have challenging clues to keep creatures with single-celled brains like yours truly far far away. they wish to meet people who can identify ‘Chrysophyllum’ trees, and who can play follow the leader. i am quite happy to get sidetracked into Samovar (it’s having a paratha festival! they’ve added some interesting combinations to their menu)

all right. i got stuffed. maybe i shall work out the extra calories when i queue up for Shantaram’s autograph tomorrow (no, no, not for me, but for Reema aunty’s sister’s brother-in-law who is a very eligible and good looking bloke in the foreign country where H1 visas are required.)

oh, and bring friends.they help you maintain a diet, and stop you from buying six foot puppets, no matter how cute the mooch looks (on the puppet, not the puppetwallah).