We are in the thick of festivities so let me start with some good news. You will soon see season three of The Uma Show on your TV screens. I’m back to planning concepts, storyboarding, strategising, marketing meetings, shooting and yes — even travelling.
We were invited to film a luxury resort just two hours away from Dubai. The pictures were outrageously stunning, plush and divinely calm. There was no way I would have let this go. So, I packed my bag and headed for the airport. Oh, did I mention — this resort is in India.
As I landed, the cool nip in the air, and the sweet smell of home intoxicated me. Diwali celebrations were in full blossom. Shops were decorated with flower torans (garlands) and twinkling lights of all colours and shapes. Busy shoppers were dressed in all their festive fineries, and I was amused at how pretty this celebratory chaos could look.
But when I stepped into my home for the weekend it was a whole new world away from the noise of the city. Set among luscious greens encompassed by over a thousand trees, pristine landscape, and water bodies, regally columned verandas, luxurious rooms, understated yet elegant interiors, the resort reminded me of royal lineage that is so associated with our great Delhi.
Due to the nature of my work, I get to travel and stay at the finest hotels. So when I see the high standards of hospitality set in our home country, I feel immense pride. Visiting a country so rich in heritage and culture is no ordinary experience. India has so much to offer, in terms of history, architecture, cuisine, shopping and entertainment. But sadly, of late, India has been in the news for all the wrong reasons and we Indians are also guilty of buying into the negative publicity. But being an ambassador of India, each of us has a responsibility towards our Motherland. In our enthusiasm to see the world, we sometimes forget to see the beauty in our own garden.
On my last day, I was booked for a Segway ride near the President’s Palace and India Gate. We reached the venue early in the morning, just as the golden sun started to radiate. As the cool morning breeze brushed my hair, and the Segway wheels rolled on smoothly, time stood still. This is the Delhi that I want all young Indians living aboard, to see and to remember. Make a trip back home and lets show our children the immense beauty of home.
