They say once in a while, in the quiet of a moonlit night, Krishna, the beloved Hindu god, still comes to Vrindavan. On a recent visit to the town, I mused that if he actually did, he probably won&rsquo;t even be able to recognise this chaotic, over-crowded place as the serene one on the banks of the Yamuna where he was born! So much real estate development has taken place there; it is as if the very essence of Vrindavan has changed. Even before we entered the town, we started seeing billboards advertising modern high rises with ultra-modern amenities &mdash; all this practically in the lap of Lord Krishna and within striking distance of all major temples. One billboard took the cake. It read, &ldquo;Your parents took care of you, now take care of them by buying them a retirement home in Vrindavan.

Geetanjali Krishna: Living next door to Krishna 

Business Standard

Last week, in Mumbai, I had a great urge to eat some vada pav. This greasy everyman&rsquo;s snack, comprising a deep-fried patty of potato wrapped in a heavily-buttered bun and seasoned with a liberal dousing of sweet and sour chutneys isn&rsquo;t just a Mumbai staple. The value of this cheap, spicy and calorie-dense snack is that it often suffices as a daily meal for many of the city&rsquo;s teeming millions. &ldquo;I eat one every day on the train while going home after work,&rdquo; said Monica, a young lady who worked as a nanny in the building where we were staying, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s the best treat I can give myself after a long day&rsquo;s work and saves me the trouble of making dinner when I get back!&rdquo; So I asked her where I could get the best vada pav. &ldquo;Oh you can&rsquo;t eat it!&rdquo; she cried with an exaggerated shudder.

Geetanjali Krishna: Flavours of the street

At the fabulous Dastkari Haat Samiti fair held in Dili Haat in the first fortnight of this year, I was especially intrigued by one tiny stall. Everyday when I passed it, regardless of the time of the day, it was so surrounded by people that I couldn&rsquo;t even see what it was selling. When I finally managed to peep in, I was even more intrigued. On display were some sundry birds crafted out of iron, agricultural implements and some kitchen utensils.

Geetanjali Krishna

Geetanjali Krishna

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Geetanjali Krishna: Living next door to Krishna

Geetanjali Krishna: Flavours of the street

Geetanjali Krishna: The saucepan man from Tonk