Postcards from Nowhere is a travel podcast that takes you on journeys exploring culture, history, food and people in the form of stories. With over a decade of travel stories in his kitty, Utsav Mamoria narrates the stories of the strange, obscure and fascinating things about the world, often interspersed with practical tips and deep realizations, which would shape the way you travel. Tune in to the new episode every Thursday.
The Private Maps of Our Lives
In this episode, we discuss the fascinating story of Onesimo Pena, Frans Haartman, Jemboa Tran, and Corlis Benefideo—exceptional writers and cartographers; who were actually the same person. And an American student who was obsessed with this man and his work, and ended up discovering this truth, hunting down the elusive author and meeting him. If you’ve not come across this man’s name in history, that is because he does not exist in the real world. He is part of Barry Lopez’s compelling short story, The Mappist—which made me think. Corlis Benefideo believes that we’re all lighting candles in the pitch dark of this miraculous world. What are your candles that you will never extinguish for anyone? If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn I now have a YouTube show! Check out the first two episodes of To Your Heart's Content where my co-host Deepak Gopalakrishnan and I interview a broad range of people who are in the business of Content—from musicians to marketers and artists: https://www.youtube.com/@TYHC-6PC
9/5/2024 • 14 minutes
Could Climate Stress Change the World's Greatest Pilgrimages?
As climate change leads to harsher weather conditions and calamities across the world, the ways we travel are definitely bound to get affected. Will tiny island nations be safe for travel in a few decades? What about resorts on secluded hilltops? In today's episode, we discuss how climate stress could impact the world's biggest pilgrimages like the Haj and Kumbh Mela. Would we see a time when the time and the way these are held is governed by what climatic conditions allow, rather than religious decree? If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out: https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=64962d49821d4d6c
8/22/2024 • 10 minutes, 40 seconds
What the Greatest Artists in the World Teach Us about Life
The more you look at the iconic painting The Great Wave off Kanagawa, the more you find in it. Starting off with the explicit nuances of the art that you missed, and then moving on interpretations and meanings to draw from it. In today's episode, we look back into the life of Hokusai, the Japanese artist behind the famed painting who changed his name 30 times in his long-spanning career; and what his work and approach to art can teach us about living our lives better—all versions of it. If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out: https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=852d0217e4d2420e
8/8/2024 • 9 minutes, 59 seconds
How Libraries became Centres of Power
In a game of finding the common connection, you get: war, imperialism, wealth, and resistance. Would you guess the answer to be books? In this episode, we go back to a time when libraries were treasures that emperors and elites boasted of, and learn the surprising reason why these prized possessions got neglected after a certain point in history. We find the truth in the maxim Knowledge is Power, and discuss the unfading popularity of biblioclasm as a means of oppression, and as an aid in ethnic cleansing. If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out: https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=04ee832982324d4e
8/1/2024 • 10 minutes, 30 seconds
Ramayana and the Fundamental Difference between Indian and Western Epics
In this episode, we understand the difference between Indian and Western narratology by taking a closer look at Ramayana; what makes the epic quite literally timeless and why our ancient stories usually fail the "history test". If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out: https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=a439556531bc4ecf
7/25/2024 • 10 minutes, 17 seconds
The Problematic Usefulness of the Travel Guidebook
I'm sure we've all owned, or seen a copy of a guidebook to a country or a tourist destination. While internet itineraries might have replaced the physical guidebooks today, the concept of 'tourist guides' are still very much around. Did you ever wonder why and when making these guides became a thing? In today's episode, we travel back to a time when Rumi lived in Konya, Turkey, and uncover the enchanting story of an Indian fakir who disappeared without a trace one day. We discuss why guidebooks often leave out such stories, and trace their problematic origins in Eurocentricity. If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out: https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=9a36b9a609284db8
7/11/2024 • 10 minutes, 44 seconds
How a Working Class Woman became the World's Greatest Fossilist
A baby girl who was miraculously brought back to life after being struck by lightning; a tween girl who obsessively dug up the skeletal remains of a 200-million years old 'fish lizard'; and the woman who ran a fossil-shop that was visited by the King—we dive into the story of Mary Anning's extraordinary life as an unheralded female paleontologist in 19th Century England in this episode. We also contemplate on how many accomplished women's histories we fail to pay attention to when we travel, because they have either been erased, or overshadowed by men. If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out: https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=3eb0b09dc044461a
7/4/2024 • 10 minutes, 56 seconds
How a Humble Geologist Shaped the Industrial Revolution
In today's episode we talk about a 19th century canals and railways surveyor in England who was obsessed with rocks, fossils, and maps. And how this obsession made the industrial revolution possible, helped make an English professor in the 1990s a successful Champagne baron, and the police partner with geologists to solve a murder mystery nearly 200 years later! If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @postcards.pfn My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=ebc9d3040dbf4ea3
6/27/2024 • 11 minutes, 46 seconds
The Journey of The 6% Club
This is not your usual episode of Postcards from Nowhere. But it has everything to do with the show - the genesis of the show almost 5 years ago, and it has led to one of the most significant milestones in my life - The 6% Club. To get the entire story, just tune in. Check out The Six Percent Club: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Follow Deepak Gopalakrishnan aka Chuck on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/?hl=en Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckofalltrades/ Deepak runs a wonderful newsletter called Things of Internet. It’s a digital marketing and branding newsletter, with occasional forays into interesting online things. Ideal for marketers and agency folks, enjoyed by the curious and trivia-hungry. Each issue has updates, links to articles, content recos and more! Check it out here https://thingsofinternet.substack.com/ Follow Utsav Mamoria on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42/ My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=6c0091b3eb304bba
6/20/2024 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 14 seconds
What Deep Time can Teach us About Slow Travel
Hi, I'm Utsav Mamoria and I'm back with another episode of Postcards from Nowhere after a brief hiatus. In this episode, we talk about how Greenland's ice sheets act as time capsules that give us glimpses not only of climate history, but also human history. And the concept of Deep Time, as a reminder for us to slow down and focus on a place's present and its people when we travel. If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple podcasts. You can reach out to me on Instagram: @whywetravel42 (https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )
6/13/2024 • 9 minutes, 52 seconds
The story of Milk from the Highlands of Tibet
By some counts, at its peak, the Mongol Empire stretched nearly 31 million square kilometres, an area of land roughly the size of the African continent. But what did this Empire led by Genghis Khan eat during the long conquests over highland passes and treachrous mountains? And what could it have to do with a bunch of scientists from the Max Planck instiute of Geoanthropology, looking at the teeth of Tibetans buried thousands of years ago? This week, we travel to the Highlands of Tibet and uncover an alternate history of milk. We discover the lessons it holds as we understand the food choices of the places we travel to.
If you are intrigued about Central Asia, Samosas and Hospitality, check out the episodes on Uzbekistan
Beauty of Uzbekistan and the Geometry Box: https://omny.fm/shows/postcards-from-nowhere-with-utsav-mamoria/beauty-of-uzbekistan-the-geometry-boxMelons of Samarkand: https://omny.fm/shows/postcards-from-nowhere-with-utsav-mamoria/melons-of-samarkand
Vincent Van Gogh and Uzbekistan: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=I03d1slNCXMla8VCSecrets of Doors: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=InTTDLzqdrZWSvf5
Train Journeys and Humanity: Part 1: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=I2xUGZmKqpNnFmKl
Train Journeys and Humanity: Part 2: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=I2fOFK5K0YFNLT3F
World's most popular snack: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=ImYiIkxnf8vNTFNn
For reflections on walking, check out Walking: An Act of Resistance: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=IlhRj0aYOdW8A8Pu
You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )
Do follow IVM Podcasts on social media.
We are @IVMPodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
Do share the word with your folks!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2023 • 9 minutes, 26 seconds
Cycling through Asia and Europe ft. Pritam Sukumar
He quit his cushy job at Amazon and travelled from 2015 to 2019. He has jumped into lakes and seas in Argentina (more than a few times), watched soaring condors while trekking in the South of Chile (well, one condor but a really majestic one), walked from the end of Switzerland to the end of France, motorcycled for more than a year in India, cycled 6000-8000 kilometres from Tajikistan to Slovenia, become a certified paragliding pilot and mountaineer, and other such cool-sounding stuff.
But that is not the only things we will talk about. This week, like our guest Pritam Sukumar, we take the road less travelled. He cycled through Asia and Europe for 9 months, and our conversations ranged from the mindfulness of cycling, and writing about negative travel experiences to the generosity of strangers and the idea of home. Tune in, as we cycle through Pritam’s thoughts and experiences of being a citizen of the road. Also check out the following
Pritam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pritamps/
Pritam's newsletter on Substack: https://pritamps.substack.com/How Pritam met his wife Ania while volunteering in a farm in Slovenia https://pritamps.substack.com/p/how-i-met-my-wife
Racism on the Refugee Trail: https://pritamps.substack.com/p/3-racism-on-the-refugee-trailIf you are intrigued about Central Asia, Samosas and Hospitality, check out the episodes on Uzbekistan
Beauty of Uzbekistan and the Geometry Box: https://omny.fm/shows/postcards-from-nowhere-with-utsav-mamoria/beauty-of-uzbekistan-the-geometry-boxMelons of Samarkand: https://omny.fm/shows/postcards-from-nowhere-with-utsav-mamoria/melons-of-samarkand
Vincent Van Gogh and Uzbekistan: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=I03d1slNCXMla8VCSecrets of Doors: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=InTTDLzqdrZWSvf5
Train Journeys and Humanity: Part 1: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=I2xUGZmKqpNnFmKl
Train Journeys and Humanity: Part 2: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=I2fOFK5K0YFNLT3F
World's most popular snack: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=ImYiIkxnf8vNTFNn
For reflections on walking, check out Walking: An Act of Resistance: https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/show/e?eid=IlhRj0aYOdW8A8Pu
You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )
Do follow IVM Podcasts on social media.
We are @IVMPodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
Do share the word with your folks!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2023 • 28 minutes, 21 seconds
How Sangam Landscapes shaped Tamil Food
27 Women poets, 102 anonymous and a total of 473 poets over centuries created a body of work, which came to define Tamil culture. And then most of it falls into oblivion for much of the second millennium AD. They were preserved by and rediscovered in the monasteries of Hinduism, particularly those related to the Shaivism sect, near Kumbakonam, by colonial-era scholars in the late nineteenth century. This week, we travel to Tamil Nadu and uncover how Sangam Literature shaped food in Tamil Nadu. Tune in, and discover, how our landscapes and ecology shape our foods, and how they get modified by the forces of time. Special thanks to the kickass producer of our show, Anthony for graciously taking time for this episode. He runs his own show Kannagi Kaviyam https://bit.ly/42IzzSG Thanks also to Deepa Iyer, who kindly helped with research and gave direction to my curiosity for this episode. Go check out her Kolam's on her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/dipsiyer/?igshid=NGExMmI2YTkyZg%3D%3D
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2023 • 11 minutes, 45 seconds
How the Ice Age shaped Indian food
In the evolution from primates to humans, we lost our hair and developed a layer of fat. But as science is discovering now, we also lost our ability to synthesis a few compounds which were critical for the long term survival of humans. But what if I told you that the last Ice Age had a lot to do with it? This week, we uncover the fascinating story of how genetic mutations and climate change shaped Indian food, even before humans existed. Tune in, and discover the natural forces which impacted Indian food, in ways you would not have imagined.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2023 • 7 minutes, 38 seconds
How India developed a tense relationship with Alcohol
This week, we travel through time, through stories of Lord Buddha, and verses of Arthashastra to modern times, and understand how India developed a tense relationship with Alcohol.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/25/2023 • 8 minutes, 23 seconds
Vedic Vices: The Story of 'Chakna'
The 1949 Prohibition Act in the Bombay Province gave rise to a clandestine alcohol operation in the city called Aunty Bars. Apart from serving locally brewed alcohol, they also saw hawkers selling snacks, which eventually came to be known as Chakna. But Chakna is not a modern invention, and in fact has documented history tracing back to Vedic times. This week, we travel from present-day India into ancient times and uncover the story of ‘Chakna’, the snacky necessity which accompanies every drinking session in India. Tune in, and discover how has Chakna evolved to what it is today, or basically Who moved my Chakna!
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2023 • 8 minutes, 49 seconds
HDFC Investverse | Balancing Your Work, Finances, and Hobbies
Do you want a buy a new car? Or build the house of your dreams? But don’t know how to accomplish that financially. Well, worry no more we got you.
In today’s episode of Investverse, an investor education initiative by HDFC MF, Anupam will be in conversation with Utsav Mamoria, a consumer insights expert, traveler, and host of the podcast Postcards From Nowhere.
In this episode, we will cover everything from equity investment to the importance of setting long-term and short-term goals, and so much more.|
Follow HDFC MF on all platforms -
HDFC Mutual Fund (@hdfcmf) • Instagram photos and videos
(29) HDFC Mutual Fund: Overview | LinkedIn
HDFC Mutual Fund (@hdfcmf) / Twitter
Follow Utsav Mamoria on all platforms -
Postcards from Nowhere (@whywetravel42) • Instagram photos and videos
(17) Utsav Mamoria | LinkedInUtsav Mamoria (@utsavmamoria) / Twitter
Follow our host Anupam Gupta on all platforms
Anupam Gupta (@b_50) • Instagram photos and videos
Anupam Gupta (@b50) / Twitter
(1) Anupam Gupta | LinkedIn
You can check out this show on the IVM Podcasts website and app, or wherever else you get your podcasts from
This is an Investor Education Initiative by HDFC Mutual Fund
For KYC, change of address, investor complaints redressal, etc. visit, https://www.hdfcfund.com/information/key-know-how
Mutual Fund Investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme-related documents carefully. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2023 • 11 minutes, 50 seconds
Colonial Tamil nadu's Coffee Puranam
Would you believe me if I said that Tamil Nadu once hated filter coffee? If this sounds absurd, this week we travel in time to colonial Tamil Nadu and discover the story uncover the story of how the state went from hating to loving coffee
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2023 • 8 minutes, 59 seconds
How food, caste and class defined Tamil worship rituals
Every year in early January, thousands of people, barefoot walk about 160 miles to the town in Tamil Nadu. They are devotees of the Tamil god Murugan, and carry a specific food item with them. Similarly, in the peak of summer, another set of men take the same journey, but carry a different food item with them. But why do they do so? This week, we travel to the Palani (Pazhani) region of Tamil Nadu, and uncover the complex food, caste and community dynamics of the worship of Lord Murugan, and what it teaches us about encountering new religious practices.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2023 • 8 minutes, 48 seconds
How Buddhism shaped Sri Lankan food
543 BC, Lord Buddha had left the earth, and his body was cremated in a sandalwood pyre at Kushinagar, in modern-day Uttar Pradesh. His left canine tooth was retrieved from the funeral pyre by his disciple, Khema. Over the decades, it changed hands and found itself in Kandy, Sri Lanka. So important was this tooth, that palaces were built around it. And thus began a tradition of ritual offerings at these palaces. This week, we travel to Sri Lanka and uncover how Buddhism shaped the food of the country, and how its principles are incorporated into everyday Sri Lankan food practice.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2023 • 8 minutes, 56 seconds
How caste made foods taboo : The story of cooking dogs.
Each year, Yulin in the Guangxi province of China catches the worlds attention for its dog meat festival, and receives harsh criticism. Closer home, activists have been trying to ban the dog meat among the tribes of Nagaland, even though the tribes enjoy protection under section 371A of the constitution. This week, we travel back in time, browse through the Manumriti and the Upanishads, discover the connections between dog eating and caste, and why we must not judge people for their food choices.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2023 • 9 minutes, 42 seconds
Catalonian Human Pyramids, Dahi Handi and Marathi Sants
On 16 November 2010, UNESCO declared this among the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This is usually seen in the Catalonian region of Spain, the Balearic islands and Valencia. This also has a sibling 7000 kms away on the coast of India. This week, we travel from Catalonia in Spain to the town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra to find the similarities between the two art forms. We uncover the Warkari movement, its impact on Hinduism and the story behind the much loved 'Dahi' of Dahi Handi. Tune in, and discover the true spirit of Dahi Handi and the lessons its holds for us.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2023 • 9 minutes, 31 seconds
The war influenced cuisine of Tamil Eelam
The midnight of 1st June 1981 is etched into the history of Jaffna. The city witnessed a one of its kind of violence, which was not just physical, but imaginative - aimed to strike at the heart of the city’s soul. And what eventually led to change the fate of a people. This week, we travel to north and eastern Sri Lanka, and discover how the decades long civil war impacted the food of its most notable minority - Jaffna Tamils. Tune in, and discover what it means to travel a country ravaged by war, and what travellers need to be mindful of.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2023 • 9 minutes, 21 seconds
The famine induced cuisine of North Korea
27th April 2018The supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un stepped over the De-militarized Zone (or DMZ) boundary line and entered South Korea. It was the first time since the 1950 Korean War that a North Korean leader had entered South Korean territory.As a symbol of peace, the Kim Jong Un also got a chef from Pyongyang to cook a signature dish from North Korea, one that became a symbol of North Korean cuisine. This week, we travel to the border of the two Koreas, and discover the famine-induced cuisine of North Korea and the need to preserve your family’s culinary heritage.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2023 • 9 minutes, 41 seconds
Genetics, Milk and the Great Indian Sweet Divide
In the legends of the Puri Jagannath temple, an irate goddess Laxmi is placated by Lord Jagannath by offering her a sweet. Its the same sweet which led to a battle between Odisha and West Bengal with each claiming to be the original inventor of it. But the presence of the sweet itself is a testament of a pattern in sweets in Eastern India, and even in Southern India. This week, we uncover two food divides in India: one lesser-known and one well-known, both of which have the same underlying cause. It has nothing to do with politics, culture, agriculture, weather or even ecology. Tune in, and discover the story of how genetics shaped Indian food.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2023 • 8 minutes, 48 seconds
Rashomon and the Kaavad storytellers of Rajasthan
In the early 19th century, the Maharaja of Travancore levied an absolutely bizzare tax: Any woman who had come of age and had breasts had to pay a breast tax, and bare her breasts to anyone who was of a higher caste to them. This was one amongst the hundreds of taxes the lower castes had to endure, which put them in a cycle of perpetual debt and poverty. And then came a revolt which led the Maharaja to revoke the tax. This week, in the fifth episode of India's Linguistic Heritage, we explore the bizzare story of the origins of modern Malayalam, which has everything from a breast tax to a religious power struggle. Tune in and discover, what this story means for us as travellers, everytime we encounter a new culture.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2023 • 9 minutes, 35 seconds
Malaria, Leeches and Wayanad Ramayanas
"Banasura Hill in Wayanad is one of the tallest mountains and is named after Banasura, son of the great demon king Mahabali and himself a legendary king with a thousand arms. But what could he have to do with the fact that Malaria is endemic in Wayanad? Meanwhile, the entire district is known to have leeches, with the exception of the town of Pulpally, which is Leech free? And what could it have to do with the famed Hindu epic Ramayan? This week, we travel to Wayanad in Kerala and discover the connections between Malaria, blood-sucking leeches and the lessons for us in the Wayanad Ramayanas."
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of Trees Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built Venice The Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern Paper Elm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New Zealand The tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 Mn year old trees Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2023 • 8 minutes, 47 seconds
Integral Calculus, Women Circumnavigators and Bougainvillea
1756, France - A 27 year old man publishes two volumes on integral calculus. His work is recognized by his peers, he gets elected to the Royal Society in London, but his career as a mathematician also ends with those two volumes. A few decades later, a man circumnavigates the globe, but does not immediately get recognition for it. And all this is connected to one of the most popular flowers in the world. This week, we celebrate Women’s History Month and uncover the tragic history of the discovery and naming of one of the most beloved flowers known to mankind and the systematic denial of the contribution of the woman who discovered it. Tune in and discover, what history could feel like if we acknowledged the contribution of women.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of Trees Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built Venice The Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern Paper Elm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New Zealand The tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 Mn year old trees Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2023 • 8 minutes, 13 seconds
Egyptian Pharaohs, Incense Trade Routes and Agarbatti
1470 BC - A five-ship caravan by Egyptian Pharoah Hatshepsut undertakes a unique voyage, possibly the first plant-collecting mission masterminded by a woman. The voyage is successful as the touring party returns with 31 live plants of a certain species. Over 4000 kms away, in a port once considered one of the greatest in the world, an extract of the same plant is making its way around the world. But which plant is this, and why does it matter today? This week, we travel from Luxor in Egypt to Bharuch in Gujarat and discover a lesser-known trade route, whose key commodity has meaning and consequences for three major religions in the world. Tune in, and discover the lessons of time and death, some inherent, and some manmade.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of Trees Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of TreesThe Trees that built Venice The Trees that built VeniceElm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern Paper Elm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern PaperEuropean Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom TreesThe tree that built New Zealand The tree that built New ZealandLiving Fossils, National Identities and 200 Mn year old trees Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: IVM Podcasts - Apps on Google Play or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/16/2023 • 8 minutes, 33 seconds
An Empty Chair, Stalinist Russia and Rave Idli
1939, Edinburgh. The 7th International Congress of Genetics was being held, but it was not just another scientific conference. It was held after a gap of 4 years, and the most discussed subject had nothing to do with genetics. Everyone was discussing an empty chair. A few decades later, the prime minister of one of the largest nations in the world was frantically reaching out to the world to solve her food shortage problems. This week, we travel from Edinburgh to Stalinist Russia and then finally to Bangalore to uncover the story of an empty chair and the origin story of Rave Idli. Tune in, and discover what does it say about our food practices.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of Trees http://bit.ly/3Yhrm66 The Trees that built Venice http://bit.ly/3Jwr1s8 Elm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern Paper http://bit.ly/3wIitqN European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees http://bit.ly/3RlGCgj The tree that built New Zealand http://bit.ly/3wJnWNU Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 Mn year old trees http://bit.ly/3WWxGPF
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9 You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42 (https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2023 • 8 minutes, 8 seconds
Black Death, Bahubali and the World's Most Expensive Spice
After its arrival in Crimea in 1347, it rapidly spread through Constantinople, Spain, France and southern England. By 1350, it devastated Northern France, the British Isles, Germany and the Scandinavian region. It then crept up to Russia, touching Moscow in 1353. It killed an estimated 30% to 65% of European population. Thousands of kilometres in a town in Karnataka, a ritual which takes place every 12 years makes it an important piligrimage site for Jains all over India. What is that 'it' that devastated Europe, and led to the frenzied demand for a foreign plant? What does that have to do with a Jain piligrimate site and the world's most expensive spice. This week we travel from 14th Century Europe to the town of Śravaṇa Beḷagoḷa in Karnataka and discover the connection between Black Death, Bahubali and the world’s most expensive spice. Tune in, and come to the sobering realisation that our actions often catch up with us.
Till then Check out the other episodes,
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of Trees http://bit.ly/3Yhrm66 The Trees that built Venice http://bit.ly/3Jwr1s8 Elm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern Paper http://bit.ly/3wIitqN European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees http://bit.ly/3RlGCgj The tree that built New Zealand http://bit.ly/3wJnWNU Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 Mn year old trees http://bit.ly/3WWxGPF
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9 You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42 (https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or all other major audio platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/2/2023 • 8 minutes, 45 seconds
Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
This week, we travel from the Wollemi National Park in Australia to the Xingdoushan Nature Conservation Area in China to uncover the story of two living fossils, and how trees can shape national identities.
Till then Check out the other episodes of "Ireland Untravelled"
Lost Treasures, Dynamite and the Irish Nation : https://ivm.today/3okwxm5Gaelic and the stunning decline of the Irish Language : https://ivm.today/3zmhE9iTrinity Long Room and the Soul of the Irish Nation : https://ivm.today/3PnZkSEU2, Body Snatching and the Irish Way of Death : https://ivm.today/3IQ6fl3Bombay, Paris and the improbable victory for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland : https://ivm.today/3AJLa9BIrish roads that go nowhere, Houses no one lives in : https://ivm.today/3PGG95XTitanic, Mosul and the Global shame of Western Museums : https://ivm.today/3R9uBceThree Irish Women, Emigration and India's National Anthem : https://ivm.today/3KfZdqz
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42)You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2023 • 10 minutes, 14 seconds
The tree that built New Zealand
Sometime around early 1880, Edward Morse, an American zoologist and archaeologist, travelled through Japan. On a train ride between Yoko-hama and Tokyo, he noticed something odd - A shell mound. This discovery revolutionised the field of anthropology and archaeology in Japan. About 1500 kms away from Tokyo, lies the island of Yakushima, in the Kagoshima pre-fecture. In 1968, a Japanese cedar tree was discovered. 83 feet tall and 54 feet wide, its size was hardly its most amazing feature. What could connect a shell mound and a Japanese Cedar tree? This week, we travel from Yakushima island in Japan to the Waipoua (Why-poua) forests of New Zealand, explore a unique partnership, and uncover the story of the tree that built New Zealand. Tune in, and discover what lessons the creation of modern New Zealand hold for us.Till then Check out the other episodes of "Ireland Untravelled"
Lost Treasures, Dynamite and the Irish Nation : https://ivm.today/3okwxm5Gaelic and the stunning decline of the Irish Language : https://ivm.today/3zmhE9iTrinity Long Room and the Soul of the Irish Nation : https://ivm.today/3PnZkSEU2, Body Snatching and the Irish Way of Death : https://ivm.today/3IQ6fl3Bombay, Paris and the improbable victory for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland : https://ivm.today/3AJLa9BIrish roads that go nowhere, Houses no one lives in : https://ivm.today/3PGG95XTitanic, Mosul and the Global shame of Western Museums : https://ivm.today/3R9uBceThree Irish Women, Emigration and India's National Anthem : https://ivm.today/3KfZdqz
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42)You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2023 • 7 minutes, 54 seconds
European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees
In the autumn of year 1280, Kublai Khan, the only non-Han to rule China convened a meeting at his summer palace in Shangdu, Inner Mongolia. He wanted to mount and attack on Japan, and eventually did so in 1281. Seven hundred years later, Japan was fighting another war it was losing quickly - World War II. What could possibly connect these two wars fought in completely different eras? And what does that have to do with cherry blossom trees and a cocktail you can find all around the world? This week, we travel to Japan, and uncover the story of Cherry Blossom Trees, and how they shaped European Impressionism and Japanese Nationalism.
Till then Check out the other episodes of "Ireland Untravelled"
Lost Treasures, Dynamite and the Irish Nation : https://ivm.today/3okwxm5Gaelic and the stunning decline of the Irish Language : https://ivm.today/3zmhE9iTrinity Long Room and the Soul of the Irish Nation : https://ivm.today/3PnZkSEU2, Body Snatching and the Irish Way of Death : https://ivm.today/3IQ6fl3Bombay, Paris and the improbable victory for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland : https://ivm.today/3AJLa9BIrish roads that go nowhere, Houses no one lives in : https://ivm.today/3PGG95XTitanic, Mosul and the Global shame of Western Museums : https://ivm.today/3R9uBceThree Irish Women, Emigration and India's National Anthem : https://ivm.today/3KfZdqz
You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts websitehttps://ivm.today/3xuayw9You can reach out to our host Utsav on Instagram: @whywetravel42(https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42)You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.