renewal

The Road to Vegas & The Road Back

April 24, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesarrival, blogger, Departures, driving, highway, India, instapassport, lasvegas, latergram, Love, passion, quote, renewal, Roadtrip, sfo, Travel, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, USA, vegas, wanderlust

It was evening.

The road from San Francisco to Las Vegas stretched endlessly—a ride that felt like it had started in another lifetime. Smooth, uneventful, devoid of the delightful chaos of an Indian highway.

No bulls appearing out of nowhere, no tractors playing chicken—just long, sweeping roads with scenery that tried its best to keep things interesting.

But ahead lay Las Vegas—a city of stories, possibilities, and whispered legends. Excitement pulsed through us, and for a moment, even the car engine seemed to hum in anticipation.

And then, I saw them—the cars leaving Vegas, heading home. Their passengers, wrapped in a quiet emptiness, faces drained of whatever the night had held.

That’s when a line from English, August floated back into my mind:

“The ecstasy of the arrival never compensates for the emptiness of the departure.”

I smiled. Because some truths, like the Vegas skyline, glow even in the dark.

(at Las Vegas, Nevada)

Colours, Coin, and a Question

April 23, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesalagar, blogger, celebration, chithiraifestival, crowd, culture, Dance, destinations, facesyoudontforget, festival, Festivals, India, instapassport, Love, Madurai, music, paint, passion, pretense, renewal, Tamil, tamilnadu, tradition, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust, work

He appeared with a tap on my shoulder, cutting through the jostling crowd at Madurai’s Chithirai Festival. While chaos swirled around us, he stood calm, his face a riot of colour—deep devilish pink, adorned with glinting trinkets.

He smiled and held out a vessel. Ah, money, I thought. It paints the town red. Or, in this case, a shade of pink that refused to be ignored.

Carefully, I wrestled my wallet free, handed him a few notes. His eyes widened.

Was it the amount?
The act of giving itself?
Or my awkward attempt at wallet gymnastics in a jostling sea of people?

Surprise gave way to a grin, and suddenly—out of nowhere—he blessed me with a peacock feather.

I asked for a picture. He stood, smiled, then vanished into the festival, dancing to a new tune, swallowed by the crowd.

But his azure blue eyes lingered long after.

And a question stayed with me—Do we all wear paint to earn a living?

(at Madurai, India)

The Beat of Tradition, The Dance of Renewal

April 22, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesalagar, azhagar, blogger, Blogging, chithiraifestival, culture, Dance, destinations, farmers, Festivals, folklore, instapassport, Madurai, music, renewal, Rural, tamilnadu, tradition, Travel, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust

You can’t miss the beats—they travel miles, weaving through memory and the moment.

Folklore spills onto the streets of Madurai, as rural dancers take center stage—bare-chested, bells jingling, raw energy flowing. Nothing polished, nothing rehearsed. Just movement, music, and meaning.

This is Chithirai Festival.

There’s no perfect synchrony, no scripted spectacle for the screen. Yet, there’s joy. A gay abandon of culture, faith, and spontaneous rhythm. A festival that isn’t just performed—it’s felt.

A new warp and weft to an old tradition.

A treat to the senses. A soothing of the soul. A renewal—of memories, of roots, of fresh dreams taking flight.