nanochronicles

[nanochronicles]

Journey of a Lifetime for Tiger.

Tiger was 35 days old when he came home with me. From that moment, our bond became unbreakable. He has been my anchor through life’s storms, providing calm during the chaos. Two years later, this whirlwind of a dog, Maxx, arrived in our lives. Maxx carried his own set of traumas, but over time, he learned to trust us. The two became inseparable, even though they sometimes squabbled.

Leaving India 4 years ago was heart-wrenching—I had to leave behind these two pieces of my heart. I returned every year just to spend time with them, something my friends and family came to understand.  

We lost Maxx this year to kidney failure. He was only eight, and the loss shook us. I decided Tiger, now ten, shouldn’t be left alone. That’s when the journey to bring him to Italy began.

May 2024

Our first step was researching how to travel internationally with a pet. The process seemed daunting. Boxer dogs, like Tiger, have snub noses, making air travel risky as many airlines don’t accommodate them. Finding the right airline was our first challenge. Countless calls resulted in repeated “no” responses.

We started the paperwork anyway. Before leaving for Italy, we microchipped Tiger and completed his Titer test for rabies, which came back perfectly. Yet, no airline seemed willing to take him.

One agent in Trivandrum claimed he could handle everything. Desperate, we paid him in advance, only to be cheated. Then my mom found Furry Flyers. Vinayak Prabhu was a saviour, he helped us streamline the process. Despite the distance, he answered every query promptly. He even recommended ITA Airways, the only airline willing to fly Tiger.

August 2024

With the help of my friend Chiara, who spoke on behalf of me to the kindest ITA’s ticketing agent, she took the time, with no rush to answer all our queries and explain the procedures to us. I booked flights for Tiger and me. ITA offered direct flights from New Delhi to Rome—our only viable option.

My friend Chiara helped me speak to the kindest ticket agent in ITA, to get everything confirmed that Tiger could in fact fly, she explained the type of cage to every document we would need. In the next days I booked the flight for me and Tiger.

October 2024

ITA airlines flew direct flights from New Delhi to Rome, this was our one only viable option.

Living in Trivandrum meant we first needed to cover a 3,000 km train journey to New Delhi.

What I thought would be a tedious journey was the most smooth and enjoyable train journey I had with IRCTC, we booked the Rajdhani coupe, so we had a private cabin to ourselves.

The train staff kindly informed us of stops long enough for Tiger’s pee-poop breaks and we stretched our legs and tiny paws.

Tiger’s giant cage for the plane, accompanied us, taking up considerable space but becoming part of our adventure.

First leg of the journey was done or so we thought.

Once in Delhi, we faced two more days of preparation, including obtaining his “Fit to Fly” certificate. I booked a hotel near the airport through Booking.com, only to find it filthy and unsuitable. Without wasting time, we moved to Gurgaon, a gruelling 2.5-hour drive through Delhi’s notorious traffic.

In Gurgaon, Sandeep and Vizhal from Petspot helped us settle into a decent hotel. With their assistance, we completed the paperwork smoothly.

But seeing him off at extra luggage area at the airport was gut-wrenching for me and I am sure he was scared too. We packed his favourite blanket, my T-shirt, and his toy, hoping they would comfort him during the 8-hour flight. Despite reassurances from the ground staff and flight crew, anxiety consumed me until I saw him safe in Rome.

I cannot cannot explain the joy we both had in seeing each other after the longest flight our life (& I have flown 15 hr flight, it was nothing compared to this)

Clearing customs in Rome went smoothly, but we still had a 2.5-hour train ride to Bologna. Tiger’s giant cage posed yet another challenge, barely fitting into the train’s doorway. The train supervisor showed mercy and allowed us to continue without fines. Meanwhile, Tiger’s health was visibly affected by the sudden 20°C temperature drop. Shivering, he endured the final leg of our journey.

Finally, we reached home. The hardest part lay ahead: new environment, new people, new house (no big garden), apartment, city life.

November 2024

The first week brought illness—fever and cough—requiring antibiotics. All through this he adjusted to his new surroundings. He started coming to work with me, new routine set in. We got him to wear a sweater and jacket to help him cope with the cold temperatures. He seemed to enjoy all of it.

December 2024

Though he improved, bronchitis struck the last week Stronger medications were needed, and recovery remains ongoing.

It is going to be 2 months; we are still learning to adjust to everything new.

Tiger’s resilience amazes me. We assumed the journey would be the tough part. At ten years old, he’s adapting to a completely new life. He’s learning to trust new people, embrace a new routine, and navigate this 180° shift from his familiar world. I hope his health stabilizes so he can enjoy a good quality of life in his new home.

Gratitude

This journey would have been impossible without a village of support. Everyone I knew from friends to family came together for Tiger and me.

My Mom – The cornerstone of this effort, I couldn’t have done any of this without her, there was a time I thought I couldn’t fly back with Tiger due to work; we even considered her flying from Bahrain to Trivandrum and then making all this journey with him. She was meticulously working on planning the trip, checklists, excel sheets, and calendars marked, pushing people to get answers. She is the main reason for Tiger in Italy!

Dr Lawernce – Tiger and Maxx’s vet of ten years, always available day or night. I cannot thank him enough for supporting me through the loss of Maxx, preparing me for what was to happen, and making it comfortable for him to pass over the rainbow bridge without too much pain. Even from afar, he continues to guide me through Tiger’s health challenges.

Dr Jacob Alexander, Tvm Zoo Director – He was referred to me by Dr Lawrence, he was vital in sorting all the documents we needed to have for the travel. But he went the extra mile in helping me prepare for the first 3- 4 months in Italy, he wrote down a list of precautionary medicines to carry with him, as he will need time to readjust to everything new around him, from supplements to emergency pills for vomiting to skincare and eye health. I am lucky to have found such good people who cared about him too. His suggestion to document this journey inspired me to share our story.

Lily Chechi: She has been caring for Tiger since the day he came home. In truth, she always preferred Tiger to Maxx, even if she won’t admit it. She was heartbroken when I decided to move Tiger to Italy but also faced the reality that it was becoming difficult for her to take care of him as she was also aging. Her love and care have been a cornerstone of Tiger’s life.

Raju: He sort of became Tiger’s best friend. Over the past few months, Tiger grew deeply attached to him, enjoying rides in the Nano to the vet or simply for a day out. Raju accompanied me and Tiger all the way to Delhi and stayed with us until Tiger boarded the plane. He made the journey so much smoother for both of us.

Furry Flyers & PetSpot - A heartfelt thank you to Vinayak Prabhu from Furry Flyers and Sandeep and Vizhal from Petspot. Their efficiency and genuine care made an otherwise overwhelming process seamless. From documentation to ensuring Tiger’s comfort, you were instrumental in making this journey successful.

My friends – Clement, Jobin, Cyril, Arjun, Nidhi, Chiara, everyone had a role to play in his safe travel. Someone helped me to connect with a friend who had flown with a pet dog, to understand what to prepare for, someone helped me reassure me that everything would be okay, and someone helped me get confirmation for train seats at the last moment. All of them kept in contact through the journey checking on his wellbeing. You don’t say thank you to friends you buy them a beer when you meet again.

My family – Everyone who has been worried about him, his safety and health, sending him duas and prayers and hugs and kisses, thank you for your support always.

Vincenzo – Last but not least: A special message must be written to the love of my life, he who has never had any pet or ever lived with a dog, (must underline this fact) for readjusting his whole life around me and Tiger, from picking us up at Rome airport to getting us home with that giant cage that wouldn't fit into any place. It has been hard for him, and at times he probably might have thought that we must move out. But honestly no words for everything you do for me, I know you do it only because you love me!

A New Chapter

This journey has been as much about Tiger as it has been about the kindness and collaboration of many wonderful people. While the road ahead may bring challenges, it’s also filled with hope and love. Here’s to Tiger, the bravest dog I know, and the incredible team that made his journey of a lifetime possible.

[nanochronicles]

Epitome of sartorial elegance

Photo Series 1/6

I got this picture from my vellyachan (uncle, my Dad’s elder cousin) a couple of days back, everyone who has been in lockdown has probably been going down memory lane, dusting up old images and he came across this really old picture of my grandfather. He shared it immediately with me, knowing how close my grandfather and me were. It somehow coincided with the fact that his  2nd death anniversary was coming up in a few days. That’s today.

He captioned this image - “Epitome of Sartorial Elegance” and I can’t more than agree with him, he was always the best dressed and most stylish person of his times. Old pictures are proof of that, and even to his last few days he was well groomed and impeccably dressed, owing to his military days. In this picture you see him posing for the photographer with so much sense of style and carrying off that jacket with such savoir faire, just like from those old war time movies. This was taken a couple of days before he got into IAF. He also did share a couple of amazing stories about him from way before my Dad was even born. ‘My grandfather had tried to get into UC college, Aluva, but he ended up joining the Indian Air Force (IAF) instead. He used to live in Trivandrum, and he always made time to visit his nephews in our Aluva family home, he used to borrow a motor bike or a scooter and drive all the way up, not thinking twice’. Family meant lot to him.

Series 2/6

I guess that’s from where I too get my sudden binges to just travel, on your terms. My grandfather drove almost everywhere until he couldn’t after his sickness. I remember how he loved long drives, at his age past 80 he still had no issues sitting through a 4 -5-hour drive without any stops. He has told me several stories from his Air Force days, how he bought his first Royal Enfield bike, when he was posted in Madras, and it costed him some 900 bucks at that time, only a handful of some 150-160 pcs of bikes were in production at that time;  how he travelled with Indira Gandhi while she was the then Prime Minister( her first term I believe), and that she handed him a book that she had finished reading  when she disembarked the flight; how he got suspended for 2 weeks after  taking out a flight that was parked on the runway, why did he take it out I asked? He just felt like going for a ride, is what he said; he was a Flight Engineer not a Pilot. I guess being in IAF earned him great many privileges and freedoms, and I remember him to this day as a man who enjoyed his freedom the most, and always encouraged me to do what I enjoyed, like driving for that matter, he enjoyed speed driving too..

Series 3/6

I was pretty scared of him in my childhood and was never close to him as a child.  I learnt his other side, his love for family only once I started working, mostly after I moved away from home and he would make sure he visited me every time I came down for a break from Mumbai. But he and me really got close once I moved back to Kerala, I think he felt the disconnect too that he never got to know me growing up either, and  now makes me feel like  I got very less time with him. I got close to him at a point in my life when I was completely shattered, I was trying to heal from it, trying to find out what kind of a person I am,  I was exploring myself as a person, why I reacted in certain ways and why am I like this. His presence throughout those difficult times made me feel normal, made me feel secure, like I wasn’t alone. And trust me most of who you are is inheritance. My love for cars and bikes, driving, traveling, food, how I relish my freedom all of it, was in my DNA. He was crazy enough to bring his beloved prized procession, a car all the way from Dubai, a Mazda 808 or known as Grand Familia, he got it transported via ship in the 1980s.  Well that’s passion. He was a strong-willed, stubborn, hardworking, self-made man, he hated depending on anyone or asking for any sort of help. I saw him, and I saw myself. That’s why when he said he was ready to move in and be with me, I knew it was a difficult choice for him, but as he had reassured me long back  “if ever a day comes when I’m unwell and need to be taken care of, I’ll come to you”.  This was the start, he had started needing help, so I choose to  take care of him, I did not hesitate for one moment, I knew this was something I wanted to do and I’m so happy I had that precious time with him through his last days.

Series 4/6

I never opened up to anyone about what really happened to him, he was 87, but he was healthy and fit, he would even change the tyre of  his bike, do his own shopping, go see his doctors, sharp on time, even service his car himself, well because he never trusted another soul with the functioning of a motor vehicle. Old practices die hard.

 He suffered from Cerebral Atrophy, showing signs of dementia, he had slowly begun to deteriorate, he started to  forget things, his keys, he would write things down and forget where he kept that  paper, he had to double check everything, initially we didn’t catch it, we didn’t even imagine, we thought it was his OCD and his paranoia of being in control of things all the time  and we let it be, so as not to agitate him in anyway. But it did disturb him, and it affected him pretty fast, and he knew he was having some problem and that affected his will power too.  Brain atrophy — or cerebral atrophy — is the loss of brain cells called neurons. Atrophy also destroys the connections that help the cells communicate. It can be a result of many different diseases that damage the brain, including stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder, it causes the brain cells to degenerate and die. It is the most common cause of dementia — a continuous decline in thinking. Most people are almost symptom free and then they start functioning differently, with most people it’s slow, forgetting names and people, but  with him it came quickly, he had trouble handling routine habits,  repeating questions, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, or confused about them, confused about day and night, cold and hot,  many warned me that some people wander away and get lost, but thankfully that never happened with him,  he was always watched and there was someone always with him at all times when I couldn’t be there. I’m so grateful even to this day for all the help I got from my friends when I was taking care of him during his last few months.

Series 5/6

There is no real treatment or cure for brain damage from Alzheimer’s disease, or other forms of dementia. It is a very scary disease; it affects the caregivers too. My grandfather had severe sleeping problems, he used to go to sleep at night, just to wake up in the next 1 hour or so assuming it was already day  and ask for me, I had to bring him back to bed or when I wasn’t there the nurse had to take extra effort coz he would keep asking for me and settle him down calm him down. This could carry on for the whole night, toward the later stages it got worse. And you can’t get angry or upset with them, you need all the patience you can find in the world to be with a person who suffers from dementia. They are so confused all you can do is convince them in a gentle way and this happens daily, which also takes a huge toll on you, mentally, physically. It can exhaust you, emotionally drain you. I remember crying over the phone one day to my mom, asking her how to deal with all of it. You need all the help you can get. And gladly at that time I did, in form of friends and family, home nurses I got support, and we were able to make him comfortable to his last days. In a way I’m glad he didn’t suffer much, the last month was extremely difficult for all of us and him. I can’t even imagine being in a position like that, being confused and derailed, losing your identity as a person. From a man who had it all together and composed, did things the way he wanted to and lived life on his terms, for him to have to depend on someone else must have eaten him away. We all say it was his sheer grit that he will never choose to live like this ever, that took him away so early and without much suffering. He lived life on his terms, and he died on his terms too, I guess.

Series 6/6

Vellyachan didn’t have more pics of my grandfather but he did share another interesting story on one of my grandfather’s many adventures, he and one of his buddies swam across the river, Periyar when it was almost as high as the recent floods in 2018. It seems his sister- in law was screaming her heart out to somehow stop them, but they dint heed to it, and swam, to cross the river, and lived yet another day to tell the tale. Well that’ him for you all. 

 I’m still discovering a lot of him and a lot of who I am along with it. Death is not the end, but a road to the next adventure, I guess. There’s more picture of him at the family home in Aluva, hoping to find more hearty and adventurous stories that my uncles can fill me on, vellyachan said there are pictures with little notes written behind them, it just make me so curious to get to know that younger version of him, what was he like, am I anything like him?  

29 April 2020

[nanochronicles]

Terra Madre, regeneration through farming.

I’m looking at the blinking black line on this white page trying to frame sentences in my head about the experience of working on a farm. Physically, I can feel the pain in my arms and legs, like the next day after a hit workout. It’s a sweet pain. It’s a pain that gives you satisfaction. People who go to the gym might relate; physically.

Here I am tucked away in this small town in a corner of the world, in silent Cilento. This summer I have had the privilege to cook with some remarkable produce, from this Mediterranean region. From fresh vegetables, cereals, and grains to seafood.  In these past 3 months, I have gone to the market to pick it up fresh on farmers’ day, I have directly come to the farm to pick up the produce kept aside for us. But I never woke up at 6 am to start milking the animals, feeding them, taking them to graze, and later, even witnessing cheese making from that morning milk. Walking under the high afternoon sun to hand pluck tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, aubergines, and bell peppers filling up crates of them. Those same crates that used to arrive in the kitchen receiving area. 

It is exactly like Alfredo the guy I was working with told me, “So now you completed the circle, you're full". Yes, I am. So full does my heart feel that I understand better the meaning of the word 'content’. It's not that feeling when you're very hungry and you've been given a full plate of food to fill your stomach, satisfactory was too meager a word to describe this feeling. It is that inexplicable feeling of happiness at the end of the day when you're washing away the sweat and dirt from your body, you then sit down to reflect on your day and all you feel is contentment.

As I plucked the last of the tomatoes and the aubergines of this season, I couldn’t help but think of a happier place to be. I was at the precipice of the next crop rotation. Finishing up the last harvest of the vegetables of this season, inspecting the newly sown seeds of the autumn-winter season: fennel, cauliflower, broccoli, and salad leaves- winter is all about those leafy greens and summer those bright-colored vegetables. I was in a new territory, food yes but a city-born and bought-up girl I knew nothing about farm life, but it felt like home, fitting in, from the farm animals to the mean machines on the farm.

When I started here three months back, I was on the verge of a probable breakdown. I had not stopped working, I was finishing my studies while working, then moving to another city, and going to India for a few weeks what I thought was a break turned out to be more stressful than it should have been. And I knew I had not slowed down for months at a stretch and it was really taking a toll on me. I never had worked like this before, I always made sure to take care of myself. I wanted to just stop and give up and go back home. But being here for these last 2 days has healed me. Physically I was working, I was on my feet from 6 am but mentally I couldn’t be in a more peaceful situation than this. I knew that Mother nature has its own way of regenerating you, but I thought you had to stay still, do absolutely nothing, relax, switch off from social media and sit with a book, but not really.

Regenerative agriculture is the most resilient way forward for the current climate crisis. Regenerative agriculture focuses on soil health and regeneration of the topsoil, letting that soil heal and improve, and getting ready to nurture the next crop. I was reading an article my friend recently shared about the need to regenerate ourselves, at first, it felt silly, like coming from a person who had the resources to take a break from work but, I was also reading 'Women who run with wolves' it talked about similar things and it started to make more sense. We, women, do need to regenerate ourselves like the soil to be able to receive more. But we are always running behind the next project and next client, forgetting ourselves and depriving our spirit. It is not easy to achieve all the things we want to, sometimes we need to change course. We neglect to hear the inner wolf voice that’s telling us to stop and realign our direction. We are nurturers and growers at the end of the day, this is our common connection with Mother Earth. I do envy Edmondo and the others for having this life every day, even though I understand it’s not an easy life for them.

For me, the last two days of work at the farm was the regeneration I needed. It put into perspective a few things for me, including an understanding of who I am. ‘Who are you without your work?’, is a necessary question you need to ask yourself. Grounded on that soil, on mother earth I understood the true meaning of what it meant to be content, joyful, caring, loving, sharing, kind, grateful, and humble.

Life is indeed a full circle.

Thank you to Luigia, Simona, and Edmondo Soffriti and to every single person at the La Petrosa farm for welcoming me and making me a part of your family and for teaching me and sharing your knowledge. I shall remain forever in debt to each of you. Thank you to Future Food Institute for making this happen.

Grazie Mille.

[nanochronicles]

Ramadan Kareem💫 A time of giving and sharing; Share a meal with a someone who needs it, there's so many who are less fortunate than you and me. Let this month of giving be not cause you expect anything in return. Have a safe happy Ramadan. #ramadankareem #fastingforsharing https://www.instagram.com/p/CNok6_cJRzP/?igshid=kmda9gui5bft

[nanochronicles]

French version of a Tiramisu, a Classic Opera, a rich French dessert with flavour combinations of chocolate and coffee layered in almond sponge cake. It pairs so well with a cuppa of Espresso or an Americano for your evening tete-a-tete. #frenchpastry #patisseriefrancaise #frenchpastries #operacake #espresso #foodstyling #foodphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CNjsvZopLoJ/?igshid=14gnck2w677k7

[nanochronicles]

"And when at last you find someone to whom you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter - they are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the small cramped dark inside you for so long" - Sylvia Plath #quietcorners #messyminds #poetrycommunity #simpleminds #poetrylovers https://www.instagram.com/p/CNhPcHPJ58W/?igshid=1iwodue6x3m5b

[nanochronicles]

With the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, V.S Sunil Kumar, at the product launch of MM orginals Coconut paste, where he gave an new insight to the future of the Coconut products from Kerala and how we are already on the top of the market worldwide. Proud to be associated with such an innovative product, that has clearly gone through enough R & D to get to where it is now. #mmorginals #productinnovation #coconutpaste #keralagram #productofkerala #chefconsultant #foodstylist https://www.instagram.com/p/CNPQBqPprjO/?igshid=l6hae7au6dcl

[nanochronicles]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sandhya S Kumar (@travellingchef_sk)

Product Launch MM orginals Coconut paste #mmorginals #productinnovation #productlaunch #foodstyling #chefconsultant #foodstylistindia https://www.instagram.com/p/CNPPIkYpWRT/?igshid=1807pvnaqbqem

[nanochronicles]

Honoured to have been part of the MM Originals team. Worked as Chef Consultant for this innovative product that was launched last month. #mmorginals #productinnovation #chefconsultant https://www.instagram.com/p/CNPOvrXpkVo/?igshid=1gqbj5rrjfbuk

[nanochronicles]

Treasures for a lifetime. My grandmom's recipe books, handed over to my mom and then later to me. Books printed in the 1970's, neatly folded tips of some pages, marked for later obviously. Going through it I realised my childhood was filled with delicacies that came from these books.. weekend specials, after school, birthday parties, family get-togethers.. Also on the side a hand written note by my mom with my eating schedule as a baby.. I ate healthy, delicious and a lot... Thanks ma @sherin_shangrila https://www.instagram.com/p/CNMcEoWpfcc/?igshid=7posm966hg22

[nanochronicles]

Quaint Tea stalls of Kerala Even though a coffee prominent state, that morning strong cup of tea is must for most Keralites. Chaiyakada, here you'll see the elderly of the community, mostly men, who meet before-after work for a round of morning-evening tea along with the daily newspaper and a warm tete-a-tete, discussions varying from inflation to politics to even big time gossips and even sharing the burdens of struggles at home #communitylove #homecommunity #keraladiaries #keralavibes #teashops #tealoversclub #keralagram (at Trivandrum, India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNKfUfppK9t/?igshid=n4exju53x3wm

[nanochronicles]

🌈Happy Holi🍭🦄🦜💐 May your life be filled with all colours of life!! #holifestival happyholi #festivalofcolors #holiindianfestival #doubleexposure #streetphotography #mumbaistreets #streetgrammer #lensonstreet #ig_streetphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CM9MTD-JCf3/?igshid=1oj3k1m3pckmw

[nanochronicles]

Have you tasted this wild jackfruit ?? Locally known as Anjili chakka, Wild Jackfruit. A tropical evergreen tree species. These ripe jacks are so sweet and fun to eat. It's a natural body cooler and also and aphrodisiac. #anjilichakka #wildjackfruit #tropicalfruits #keralavibes #keralagram #keraladiaries #localfruit (at Pathanamthitta) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMtkNRtpm0I/?igshid=pcboqhastswi

[nanochronicles]

Thank you everyone for all the birthday wishes that poured in from midnight. Had a lovely day around people I love and care, missing a few though🥰 Starting yet another year with nothing more than gratitude and love. 💟 📸 Loving this pic: @paavam.mallu.boy (at Kochi, India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMjFht3JuIj/?igshid=aru421y6rkdy

[nanochronicles]

Archives of Mumbai #streetphotography #mumbaistreets #workingclasshero #lensonstreet #lensculturestreet #urbanphotography #streetgrammer (at Khar West) https://www.instagram.com/p/CML4OARJjx6/?igshid=1onf7ss9gh8b7

[nanochronicles]

Open Now. Thaalis by Bare Eats Everyday a new thaali for Lunch. #newcloudkitchen #northindianfood #southindianfood #cloudkitchen #bareeatsmedia #thebareeats (at Kakkanad, India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMJhyWTJii2/?igshid=lriylilxmv7z

[nanochronicles]

Thaalis by Bare Eats Every day a new Thaali. North Indian- South Indian options available everyday. #thaalisbybareeats #northindianfood #southindianfood #bareeatsmedia #cloudkitchen (at Kakkanad, India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMJgjmnJ5Pz/?igshid=cr69rsxgowde