About

Sudha Ganapathi
Somewhere in the greater Caucasus, Azerbaijan. September 2022. Photo: Erab Fuqaha

Hello, and a very warm welcome to “My Favourite Things”.

I am based in Mumbai, where I spend my days at my full-time job, my evenings devoted to books and music, and my nights dreaming about faraway places to travel to. Between all this, I find time to pursue all my interests and blog about them.

I am an avid traveller, a book nerd, an editor, an amateur photographer, a Classical music (Indian, Western and Arabic) lover, a mythology enthusiast, and a former founder of #TSBC (or The Sunday Book Club)… I am all that, this and more! I did say I have varied interests, didn’t I?

When I began blogging here in June 2010, it was to only write about my travel experiences. Soon, I found myself writing about books, music, photography, museums, and my city, Mumbai. About 2-3 years ago, I started writing about art, and occasionally food and product reviews and experiences. In other words, this blog reflects my many interests in history, culture, and heritage, much like my varied educational background in geology, public relations, and Indian art and aesthetics.

This blog completed 14 years on 2nd June 2024 and has been a heady journey of introspection, self-discovery and growth. After crossing each annual milestone, the posts I wrote will tell you more about that journey.

Blogging has also brought in accolades, mentions, and some recognition, particularly in travel blogging. It also allowed me to write for or have my blog posts featured in newspapers, magazines and websites that I greatly admire. Most of my writing, features and mentions are listed on the Publications page.

I love feedback. One of the things that has kept me going is the constructive/unreserved feedback I have received from my readers. I credit this feedback with how the blog has grown and shaped over the years. So please, do not be shy about giving your feedback or suggestions. You can comment here or contact me via the Contact Page. It’s absolutely free. 🙂

Disclaimer: This is MY personal blog and does not reflect or convey in any way the views of the organisation I currently work for or the organisations I have worked in previously, or the organisations I am associated with by way of membership or subscription or otherwise…blah, blah, blah.

Join me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as I explore the world and share “My Favourite Things” with you. 🙂

128 thoughts on “About”

  1. I just love the photograph of you! The image of you in this photo is so different from your image as Publications Manager at work. Look forward to getting to know the many dimensions of ‘Sudha’.

    Best wishes – Rajshri.

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  5. Hi there,

    I’m looking for a good picture of the Mumbai skywalk, to reproduce in a book that Bloomsbury are publishing next year, and I really like the one on your blog showing the skywalk overhead with children playing on a slide below. Is this your photo, and if so, would you be willing to give permission for us to reproduce it and supply a hi-res file?
    I look forward to hearing from you soon.

    All best,
    Emily Sweet

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    1. Hi Mandar,

      Welcome to my blog and thank you for stopping by and commenting. I’m really flattered that you’d want to join me. The reason being that I’m obsessively punctual and at the same time a last minute planner. Most of my friends refuse to come with me on my explorations of Mumbai. 😦

      That said, if I have ever planned an outing in Mumbai well in advance, I will let you know.

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      1. I can understand !!! Punctuality would give your opportunity to enjoy the outing to the fullest !!! But they way you have seen Mumbai is fabulous !!! Cool, If its on Weekend am ready to join anyway !!!

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  10. I was researching the Mount Mary Basilica then St Andrews Church and got linked to your favourite things. I m going to need a 12 step programme because I am hooked. I am visiting my hometown Bandra, in January and was planning on taking off to Kerala , Goa but you have opened a plethora of things to do around town, Sky-walking for one thing. I left Bombay(thats what it was to me) 33 years ago and the pictures jogged, smells, tastes, sounds and feelings. You write with beauty, wisdom and all my senses were on high alert. Thanks.

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    1. Welcome to my blog, Inez, and thank you so much for your lovely comment. Bombay may have officially become Mumbai and changed over the years, but still ha a lot to offer.

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  13. Hi Sudha my first time here… loved your style of writing.. ur enthusiasm can be seen in your words 🙂 🙂 glad am following you now….hope u travel more and we get some good reviews 🙂 🙂

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    1. Welcome Sunita and thank you so much for you nice comments. They made my day 🙂 And yes, I’m travelling again next week, so watch out for new posts on my travels in about 15-20 days. 😉

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  17. I have to thank you for tweeting 2 pink lines. Big Thanks. This is the first time something I have written about has been tweeted. Yay, my cache’s going up.

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    1. You deserve it, Meera. I have not read such a powerful piece packed in those few words. BTW, I have forwarded this to a couple of friends who are also university professors and teach counselling for sexual abuse and incest. They might contact you for using this material in class.

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  18. Hi Sudha, got your blog link from Zephyr and hopefully should get to see you as well this friday. Anything with mumbai and photography pulls me in, i can see your blog is much more than that. I will take time to go through but thought will say hi

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    1. Welcome here, Mayank, and very nice of you to drop in. I too had a quick look at your blog and loved the “Where have the Sundays gone?”. See you later today. 🙂

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    1. Welcome here, Averil, and thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you so much for the follow and I hope that the alerts will intrigue you enough to keep visiting. 🙂

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  22. I chuckled reading the line “and you can read my other two blogs (both of which were study assignments) here and here”. I found ‘here and here’ instead of the name of the blogs quite funny! Can’t explain though if you asked me what’s so funny?:)

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  23. Hi!
    Came to your blog through your guest post on Cybernag. Loved your posts on London and England. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland and just back from a week long tour in London. I can so identify with your posts! Will post my photos soon.

    Keep writing! 🙂
    Maddie

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    1. Welcome here, Maddie, and thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed the London posts. I look forward to seeing your London photographs soon.

      Though I lived in London for a year, I was unable to visit Edinburgh for some reason or the other. I am a fan of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus series, but refuse to believe that the city is as dark as he paints it. I hope that I get a chance to visit that place and hopefully sooner rather than later.

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  26. Hi,
    Would you be interested in reading, and perhaps reviewing, a new Whodunit ‘A Mysterious Death at Sainik Farms’ –set in New Delhi?
    I could ask Rupa Publications to send you a review copy.

    Shall await your reply, rukmani anandani

    Flipkart link: http://www.flipkart.com/mysterious-death-sainik-farms-8129119544/p/9788129119544?pid=9788129119544&_l=gWxQa0snNjHUHKJhnj_y0w–&_r=0ZU9HFbC2Wa8Vn_VO%20f8HA–&ref=83d9cb45-c72e-4b85-9c8d-7b31a871651a

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  29. Hello,

    I’ve been reading your blog and absolutely love it. I was wondering if you’d be interested in reviewing books from Random House India?

    Looking fwd to hearing from you, please mail me at rukunk@randomhouse.co.in

    Best,
    RHI

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  31. Hi there,

    Thanks for documenting at length your visit to Champaner. I’m a freelance writer in the SF Bay Area. I loved your discussion of the Hindu-Moslem sensibilities in the mosques there. I had a few questions for you about this for a writing project of mine. You can read more about me at http://www.saritorial.com. There’s also more about me at kalpanamohan.org. Do you mind sending me your email? You can email me at kalpana@kalpanamohan.org. Thanks so much! I love your writing and your presentation.

    Kalpana

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  32. Hi,

    We’re interested in advertising on your blog / website. Let me know if you’re interested in discussing further about it.

    Thanks

    Amandeep singh

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  33. Hi. I am the author of a debut fiction novel ‘Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai’ released in bookstores last month. I was wondering if you would be interested in reviewing my book. For more information on the book, please visit http://www.rishivohra.com.

    Thank you. Look forward to hearing back.

    Rishi

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    1. Thanks, TGND. This is my favourite pic of me too. Usually, I have my eyes closed or looking elsewhere or just scowling. This photo is special as I was very happy that day, I was at Regent’s Park London, it was a warm enough day to take my jacket off, and I’d just hogged on samosas (my first after nearly 9 months). So yea, life was good that day 😀

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  37. Dear Sudhagee,

    I Came to know about your great ancestry from your blog.
    I am developing an article about MM Dr. T. Ganapathi Sastri and his great contributions to Sanskrit and the Indian society as a scholar and genius. Most of this article will go to Malayalam/Sanskrit/English (and eventually other Indic and so on )Wikipedias. The article has special significance this year as it completes a full hundred years of re-discovery of Bhasa’s Sanskrit Dramas by TGS.

    In this regard, I beg to you if you could send me any and every information that you may know about his life, biography and achievements. I also request you if you can release those great photos of TGS (and his son’s) on public domain (actually as CC by SA) to the Wikipedia’s archive of photographs. This way, we could use those photos on Wikipedia pages as authentic and licensed work.

    In case, you have not tried uploading any images to Wikipedia’s repository at commons.wikimedia.org so far, please visit this link: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:UploadWizard (You need to make a user ID at first).

    You can upload the photos if they really belong to your family or if you can vouch they were captured pre-1950 or so (to ensure copyright issues does not arise from someone else).
    Please let me know about any help you are providing, at my e-mail address. Thanks.

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  41. Hi I really like your blog very much. Just wanted to ask u something. I have 3 websites on mumbai and pune. Those are:
    http://www.townmumbai.com (e magazine of mumbai with web directory)
    http://www.mumbaipuneonline.com (Marathi e magazine of mumbai and pune with web directory)
    And http://www.townparle.com (e newspaper of vileparle)
    I just wanted to ask can I publish some of ur post on my site . I ll give ur name and blog link in that. If yes pls. Let me knw on chandakeskar@gmail.com
    Thanks and Regards,
    Chanda Mantri

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  42. You never cease to amaze me….I am yet to meet a person as versatile as you!! Definitely need to take tips about multi tasking from you. 😉
    P.S. Awesome pic!!

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    1. Delighted to see you here Pooja. And thank you so much stopping by and commenting. And who is it you are calling versatile? Me? I’m just another person who is interested to multiple things 🙂

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  43. Hi Sudha
    Have requested for a book review of Romi and Gang – about the unalloyed dreams of the young in the hinterland. Kindly check your inbox and get back.

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  46. HI!
    this looks like a very refreshing blog! looking forward to explore it!
    i can understand when you say please give your feedback. comments are like goldmines.

    keep posting. am watching you. very closely 🙂
    ❤

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    1. Hello Ana.

      A very warm welcome to “My Favourite Things”. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. Hope you enjoy wading through my blog and fing it interesting enough to come back.

      Cheers 🙂

      PS: Had q quick peek at your blog and i loved your art. Will be returning for a more detailed exploration.

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      1. You are welcome Sudhagee!
        Find some time when u come. You may like a short story posted recently.

        A white door with a yellow knob is open for you. Come over with a cup of tea in your hand and enjoy!

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  47. Hi,
    I stumbled across your blog and really enjoyed your reviews. I am a publisher (2 novels published) in search of identity and would feel privileged to get reviewed by you.
    I will be happy to send a copy to you (soft copy or hard copy. Whichever you feel convenient enough). Let me know if you are interested.
    I’d love to hear back from you. You may contact me at mallam.nareshgoud@gmail.com

    Best Regards,
    Naresh

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  48. Hi, Great blog with some really interesting topics and thanks for your suggestion on books. I‘m will be looking forward to your next post 🙂 Loved reading your posts, so keep blogging and sharing your experience. I blog on similar interests so would like you to visit it : http://adventurousgopal.wordpress.com and Feel free to suggest or comment.

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    1. Welcome to “My Favourite Things”, Gopal and thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. Thank you also for sharing your blog link; I will definitely visit it soon for a leisurely read. Keep visiting 🙂

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  49. Hi Sudhagee, I came across your blog as I was looking for places to explore in Mumbai… and thank you so much for so much information about Mumbai. I have been living in Mumbai for the past 25 years and I’m still rediscovering it. After reading through your posts I’m adding a lot more on my list to learn about the city. Once again Thank You! 🙂

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    1. Welcome to my blog, Scribbles. Thank you so much for your lovely words. I think that even if one lives in Mumbai for a lifetime, it is not possible to know and see everything that the city has to offer.

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  50. After reading just one post, and I knew I’d enjoy your blog 🙂 I’ve been looking for Mumbai blogs and I feel like I’ve hit the mother lode!

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