REVISITING SHERLOCK HOLMES

Detective stories have always been fascinating, not because of the crime itself but because of how it is solved. One character who has consistently stood out is Sherlock Holmes, created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Most people have encountered this character at least once, whether through a school lesson, a novel, a film, or a television series.

I have always admired his way of thinking, which appears effortless, though it may not be so in reality. The concept of a mind palace is particularly intriguing. It is a remarkable and effective method for remembering information.

While browsing one day, I came across a title related to Sherlock, and it immediately caught my attention. I decided to watch it, and it felt somewhat like fan fiction. Seeing Sherlock portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch often gave the impression of how well James Moriarty understood him. This made me wonder what it would be like if there were a story exploring how they might have known each other in the past.

Later, I discovered a show that seemed to present exactly that idea, set in a parallel universe where Moriarty and Sherlock are friends. I enjoyed watching it and ended up binge-watching the series. The show, Young Sherlock, was engaging, perhaps because of its unusual perspective. Traditionally, Sherlock’s world revolves around himself, Watson, and his cases. In this version, however, we see a different side of him, especially in his interactions with his family.

The relationship between Sherlock and his brother Mycroft Holmes is portrayed as warm and affectionate, which is quite different from their dynamic as adults. Overall, it felt like an enjoyable return to a familiar character, and I truly appreciated the experience.

Sadhya : A taste of Keralam

Food is something that always wins our hearts, especially when our stomachs are empty. It had been a long time since I last ate authentic Kerala food. Since it’s a cuisine I don’t get to enjoy often, I truly love it, though I prefer it with less spice. However, in many places, the spice level can sometimes be unbearable for me.

After craving it for so long, my eyes fell upon a South Indian restaurant named ‘Keralam.’ The name itself suggested the kind of food they would serve. Still, I wasn’t completely confident, as I had visited many restaurants that claimed to offer authentic South Indian food but ended up disappointing me.

The ambience was so similar that it almost felt like I was in Kerala. As we entered, everything seemed pleasantly unfamiliar. Once we sat down, one thing that caught my attention was the doodles of Malayalam actors; they were so cute. Next came the menu. Even though we had the menu card, the server enthusiastically listed a variety of dishes commonly found in Kerala.

After a short discussion, we decided on sadhya. The wait wasn’t long before the banana leaf was placed before us. Soon after came the red rice, still steaming hot. Then followed the various curries like sambar, aviyal, thoran, mango pickle, puli inji (a slightly sour ginger pickle made with tamarind), papadam, and more.

Everything tasted absolutely delicious. The last time I had a proper sadhya was at a wedding years ago. Eating it again felt refreshing and nostalgic. Today, it’s all about that sadhya, reviving memories and flavours that had almost been forgotten.

This meal was a beautiful revisit to an old experience, a moment filled with warmth and love, as we spent time together as a whole family, enjoying authentic flavours.

 A Much-Needed Break: A Trip to Bangalore

After a long and busy schedule, this trip was truly a much-needed break. Our visit to SAICS in Bangalore was something we had been eagerly looking forward to, especially since it was the college where my father studied. Traveling from Delhi was quite a long journey, taking two nights and a full day.

We traveled by the Rajdhani Express, which brought back memories of journeys from years ago when the train had just been introduced. I fondly remembered a family trip to Kerala, where we had especially enjoyed the food on the train, like breadsticks and soup, which are no longer served. This time, I carried a half-read book hoping to finish it, and I had also downloaded a few movies since there would be no network during the journey. However, I was so tired that I ended up sleeping most of the time. I was awake only during meal times and for a few hours in the evening.

We arrived early in the morning, which was quite unexpected. At the railway station, feeling hungry, we bought idlis, the biggest ones I had ever seen! From there, we booked an Ola cab to reach our place of stay. The ride felt both different from and similar to Delhi, though there was very little traffic, probably because it was early morning.

After reaching, we soon headed to the college. We were provided accommodation in hostel rooms that were comfortable and almost like hotel rooms. After freshening up, we went for a walk around the campus. There were many trees and greenery all around, which made it feel very different from Delhi. The roads were neat and clean, and the weather was pleasant.

As we returned to our room, I felt that there was still so much more to explore, and we had a few hours ahead to enjoy and discover the place.