I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember. Long before I was willing to acknowledge it. It started with submitting my poems and essays to local community magazines while growing up, to later writing for the school magazine, editing a high-school weekly journal and eventually choosing Literature as one of my three main subjects in college.
I then dabbled in an exciting (but exhausting!) career in copywriting with multiple big and small agencies between 2006-2010 before I moved to Goa in 2010 with my husband, seeking a quieter, simpler life. I had two of the most fruitful professional years here, working in a communication agency. Life in Goa gave me the space, freedom and most importantly, the stillness and solitude, to explore other interests and find multiple means to enrich myself.
In 2012, I opted out of full-time work and the world of copywriting to focus on other forms of writing that allowed me to push the envelope writing about things that excited me (as opposed to what a brand or a client expected of me). I wrote a moderately successful (and now defunct) food-blog for several years, and ran a small home-baking business for a couple of years alongside freelance writing.
Eventually, I launched my career as a full-time freelance writer in 2014. This work-style allows me ample creativity and flexibility to write about a variety of topics close to my heart – life and living, travel, food, art and stories about people. I have had bylines appear in Live Mint, Conde Nast Traveller India, BuzzFeed, The Telegraph, The Hindu, VICE, The Establishment, Times City, and Huffington Post, to name just a few. You can see a complete portfolio of some of my recent work here.
Halfway through 2017, I moved back and now spit my time between the two cities I all home — Bangalore and Goa — which makes for a lot of interesting thoughts, observations, feelings and fodder to write about. My other interests include reading, dabbling in my kitchen, fitness and cycling, photography and dancing. I’ve been writing this blog for a decade now, chronicling all the big and small, significant and irrelevant details of my life.
Hey i was jus searchin for Cafe’ Tato pictures n i found one of ur pics in ther… u n udaya!!
Very nice blog… m gonna start cookin soon…. thanks
arrey wah, now this is a surprise!
:) thanks
My eyes keep going back with lust on “bumming around and doing nothing” . I know, that is where my salvation resides. :P
good luck with yours ;)
I think deep down we’re all beach bums at heart. And no matter what we do we come back to the same needs.
Hey update your Food Blog address here :)
Oh yes! Thanks for pointing it out :P
I love your new picture :)
Why thanks K-girl!
so glad I stopped by your space: )
Why thank you :) its always nice to get some old fashioned encouragement from a blogger whos already been there and done that!
Okay – this could be me writing these lines – There’s a reason why I still cant decide what my single-biggest calling in life is. Is it music? Is it writing? Is it art? Is it photography? Is it travel? Is it cooking? Is it bumming around and doing nothing? Yep, I can’t decide.
And I think that’s a great thing. Indulge in everything. :)
Am surprised I hadn’t read this one for long. hmm. Let me go drool over your food blog now :P
I dont recall seeing much of you around here, either.. Thank you for delurking then :)
:)
The part where you say you are “WIP”.. I so identify with that!! I am gatecrashing your club!! You’ll be seeing me around!! :)
Haha, its always nice to meet other WIPers :P Welcome to the club.
When I was 18 and had no idea what I am gonna do, I thought I had time.
When I was 20 and still had no idea, I panicked.
Now I am 23 and yeah, you guessed it, no idea whatsoever, I have left thinking about. Mostly I would be just cooking and clicking and having a happy domestic life eventually. And you know, I am sure I will be satisfied cent percent. :)
That sounds oddly familiar :)
There is no need to decide which is your greatest calling in life. Just continue to happily be all of them! (And I´m also in that fishbowl). x
Oh! the confusion this greatest calling in life has created! And I am not even as many things as you. I mean, seriously God, you should have send a instruction manual with us! Or, maybe some Pandit can help us out. Ok, forget the last line. :P
Glad to be here and heading to the food blog now. :)
Haha instruction manual sounds like a good plan :)
It’s my first day on this blog but it already makes me happy :)
Welcome to the circus :)
Haha :)
Hey! Having spent a lot of time on your site in the last couple of weeks it makes sense to write to you and not just be a stalker :-). I just love the way you write! You will see me here more….and thanks for adding me on instagram, was keen on seeing goa as you see it.
Thanks for dropping by and leaving your kind words, Divya :)
You are living my dream! I completed my higher education in goa(i know sounds like an oxymoron) and those two years were perhaps the best in my life. Just came across this blog. My weekend is set. Keep writing!
GIM i presume :)
You know I use to bang my head trying to figure out the single-biggest calling in my life. But I soon discovered there isn’t just one calling. So I stopped looking & started living in the things present at hand, writing, for instance (now).
And when my head is in the clouds, I dream of white elephants!
Why Haathi?
Wearing many hats help define us as spiritual beings having a human experience, The more, the merrier, super talented lady:)
Not sure about the spiritual bit but definitely feel merrier this way. Thanks Vishal :)
I know u’ve been busy but if u have time, do hop on my space. Btw, a small request: Howz bout doing a small guest post for my blog? Do lemme kno if you have time and also planning to make a request for ur interview on my blog.
Do lemme kno:)
Just no time for my own blog right now Vishal, dont think I can do justice to anothers by way of a guest post. And why on earth would you want to interview me?!!!
Ok I understand. Not an issue. Have been doing interview of fellow bloggers whose work I enjoy.
Anyways. Thanks and not an issue. I understand.
Cheerz
why haathi??
Hey. I came across your blog through several clicks. I am not certain, but I think it started from Archana’s kitchen. I started reading the initial post and then ended up enjoying them so much that I had reached back to 2014(I think).
So I thought I will let you know. I am not trying to creep you out(I was waiting to use this reference!:P), but your blog made me feel like I know you already.
Not creeped out :) Thanks for delurking and leaving a comment – nobody does that anymore!
Hey Revati
Bumped into you as I was browsing for dates and banana cake eggless recipes
I love your free spirit- I am one too and can relate to it😃😃😃
Thanks for writing in Priya!
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