Nalini Loves Spinning Travel Yarns

Ruchira interviews a traveller and travelogue writer, Nalini Murlidhar, and talks about two books of hers. An exclusive for Different Truths.  

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved reading books. She read avidly whenever she had time on her hands. Her imagination would embark on flights to faraway lands so different from her own native land. It was a deep, intense experience. Many decades later the little girl is now a graceful lady, a scribe, educationist, a devoted wife, and a mother of two! And believe it or not, she has fulfilled her cherished dream: Of crisscrossing the globe, not once but many times over. And she is indeed fortunate to receive unalloyed support of her husband, who is not only an ardent traveler himself, but also her companion and fellow adventurer. Meet Bengaluru-based Nalini Murlidhar, who has gone much beyond globetrotting. In fact, she has jotted down her experiences and escapades in a vivid and lucid manner in an anthology titled, “Wings on My Feet”, published in 2016. She has also authored a collection of short stories titled, Random Musings, which saw the light of the day, in 2019.  Prior to a tete-a-tete with Nalini, I managed to read her works. Her flawless diction and lucid style are impressive indeed.  In fact, I was overpowered by nostalgia, through her graphic descriptions of a few cities, which I had the opportunity to visit many years ago! Excerpts from an exclusive interview.

Ruchira: A bit about your early years and family background

Nalini: I was born in Chikamagalur, Karnataka, to educated and enlightened parents. My father was a renowned doctor, who was educated at Harvard and spent his retired years working for the poor. My mother also came from an educated and liberal family and was a voracious reader. Most of my education was in Pune since my father was posted there for a long time. I also lived in Mumbai and Delhi before getting married. I earned my graduate degree and diploma in Journalism from Pune University. Subsequently, 26 years later, I did my master’s degree in Journalism again from Pune University.

Ruchira: Why did you choose to write?

Nalini: I was always interested in writing. Even at school I won several prizes for English. I always wanted to be a journalist and writer. Incidentally, quite a few of my family members are good writers as well.

Ruchira: Who or what inspired you?

Nalini: No one in particular.  I suppose the family inspired me. My uncles and aunt also wrote well, and sometimes published their writings in newspapers. I also began writing for newspapers quite early. Also, my grandfather would encourage me as he felt I could write well.

Ruchira: Why did you decide on travel writing?

Nalini: I have visited many countries, as my husband is a keen traveller. I used to write down each and everything we saw at these places. Later, I would write travelogues and send them to newspapers or magazines for publication. ‘Wings on my Feet’ is a compilation of all my travel articles.

Ruchira: Where all have you traveled, globally?

Nalini: America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand.

Ruchira: Your favourite destinations?

Nalini: Rome, Florence, Istanbul, Switzerland, Vienna, Barcelona

Ruchira: Please tell us about your book, Wings on My Feet.

 
Nalini: Wings on my Feet is a collection of travel articles on myriad destinations across the globe, which I happened to visit. For each place, I have given tips about how to, especially if you are a vegetarian. Also, what are must-see places and things, when and how to book in advance for shows, etc?

Ruchira: What is the significance of the name?

Nalini: I chose the name, Wings on my Feet, after the Greek God Hermes (aka Mercury), who is depicted as donning winged sandals and is perpetually on the move. 

Ruchira: The public friends and your family’s reaction to your book?

Nalini: Overall they have liked it. Some were of the view that it gives a wealth of information and a detailed history of each place.

Ruchira: What does travel mean to you?

Nalini: Travel broadens one’s mind. One learns a lot about divergent cultures, art, and architecture.

Ruchira: What does writing mean to you?

Nalini: I love writing. That is the one thing I do not get tired of. It enhances one’s vocabulary and imagination.

Ruchira: Your views on Indian authors writing in English

Nalini: I like Indian authors as they write about a milieu that I am familiar with. However, the language of many of the Indian authors is not particularly good. Only a few write well.

Ruchira: Who are your favourite authors?

Nalini: Barack Obama, Amitav Ghosh, Kavita Kane, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Khalid Hosseini, Jeffery Archer, Larry Collins, and Dominique Lapierre

Ruchira: Please narrate some interesting or humorous incidents connected with your extensive travels 

Nalini: This incident took place in a hotel in Athens. I had used my tiny rice cooker by unplugging the TV. Normally, we thought hotels would not like us using a cooker so we would pack it up after use. When we were checking out, the manager said we had to pay for the use of the TV. We were about to protest. We never switched on the TV but realised that we had used the cooker at the same power inlet. So we paid up quietly! Another instance. Egypt is notorious for locals trying to fleece tourists. But my husband is very smart. He would bargain tenaciously. Once he bought an artefact for nearly one-fourth the price, while other tourists were duped into paying the quoted price! A similar incident occurred in Istanbul too. 

Ruchira: A bit about your domestic tours?  

Nalini: I have been to Kashmir, Leh and Sikkim. All lovely places. The gardens in Srinagar were picturesque and well laid out. Pahalgam and the Lidder River were straight out of the movies. Leh was very cold and desert-like, utterly devoid of vegetation. While on a tour of Gangtok, Sikkim, we went to Chungu Lake in the border area. That journey on narrow winding roads along a high mountain was hazardous as well as thrilling.

Ruchira: You are much traveled. Any dream destinations or bucket lists still? 

Nalini: Yes. I would like to tour Cambodia, Vietnam, and Bhutan. Also, some countries in South America. 

Ruchira: You are a vegetarian. What hurdles did you encounter?  

Nalini: When we were in Europe, a few countries in Asia, we found few vegetarian places to eat in.  I do not like Western food. Therefore, the only stuff I could eat were bread, cakes and pasta or pizza. I had taken a small portable cooker in which I would cook rice. Yoghurt is available at all places, so I would manage to eat rice and yogurt. I usually carry some ready-to-eat stuff like dal, upma, etc. In countries like Thailand, you find a vast array of luscious fruits available aplenty. So, I thrived on fruits happily. Since we wanted minimal expenditure on food, we avoided fancy restaurants.

Ruchira: Are you a shopaholic like most women?

Nalini: Yes. We bought small but beautiful souvenirs from each country we visited.  In Prague, for example, I bought a pair of amber earrings and some corals, in Italy. 

Ruchira: Your advice to travel aspirants?

Nalini: Travel when you are young. Research on the place you are going to beforehand. Instead of opting for group tours, go on your own, the way we did. That way you can see what you want to and spend time in places like museums, etc. Book shows well in advance. That way you can avoid paying heavily for tickets at the last minute.

Ruchira: Now tell us about your other book?

Nalini: I have also written, Musings in Black and White, which is a compilation of short stories. Some of these stories are based on real life. Some of the stories revolve around first-hand experiences or events. Many others are a figment of imagination, though. By and large, the stories are short, crisp, mainly focusing on women empowerment.

Ruchira: What is your advice to young readers?

Nalini: Try to read different authors from various countries, whether fiction or non- fiction. This will give you a broad perspective of culture, lifestyle, and history of various places. This will broaden your knowledge and outlook on life.

Photos sourced by the author