This year, for Thanksgiving break, I explored London, as well as the smaller towns of Oxford and Cambridge. It was such a beautiful trip, and was such a lovely experience.
Our first day in London was spent exploring. We visited the Shard, the tallest building in London and had dinner at one of the top floors. The views were gorgeous- we could see London bridge and many of the railroad tracks. On the way back to our hotel room, we passed by London Bridge, and though it was dark, it was still nice to explore.
During our time in London, we toured 3 colleges- Imperial, Oxford, and Cambridge. Imperial was in the middle of the city, but the campus was very nice and I learned a lot about how colleges work in the UK. Oxford and Cambridge were both 2 hour train rides away from the main hub of London, but I loved both of these small towns so much. All of the buildings, especially the housing, had so much character and were old in the prettiest way. At Oxford, we got a tour of both the Bodleian library, one of the oldest and largest libraries in Europe. We also got to explore some of the locations where the Harry Potter movies were filmed!
Our last day in London was my personal favorite- we visited a Formula 1 arcade, and explored the city looking for statues of Snoopy, the iconic beagle from Peanuts. Firstly, we started with the F1 arcade, where they had simulators of different F1 tracks. You could “race” alongside 9 other current Formula 1 drivers, and at my very last attempt in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, I managed to get first. The whole experience was so fun and I loved the decorations and atmosphere of the arcade. After this, we wandered around London searching for statues of Snoopy. Multiple artists had come together to paint statues of Snoopy’s doghouse. The result was a scavenger hunt of sorts, where our prizes were gorgeous paintings, each inspired by a different theme!
This year, I attended the Houston temple’s Kandasashti celebrations. Kandasasthi celebrates Muruga, and tells the story of his victory over the asuras, and his marriage to Devasena.
The Kandasashti starts by granting the vel, Muruga’s divine weapon, to Muruga. Then, we follow the procession to Muruga’s battleground. Different asuras emerge, one with an elephant’s head, one with a lion’s head, and finally one with a demon’s face- Soorapadman. The asuras are lifted on podiums, and surrounded by neem leaves. Muruga, with his vel beheads them all, proving himself brave and victorious. The demon transforms into Murugua’s peacock and a rooster, which becomes his symbol.
After this, Muruga is set to be married. We sat in the main temple, waiting for Muruga and his new wife, Deivanai, to be dressed and wedded. When the curtains finally drew back, revealing Muruga, the crowd’s gasps said it all. The priests bathed Murugu in milk, yogurt, coconut water, rose water, sandalwood, etc. then decorated him for his marriage.
Overall, the process was beautiful to watch, and there was a much larger crowd than I had expected. I learned so much about this festival and enjoyed watching it be reenacted in such splendor, even in the United States.
An arangetram is a Tamil word that means to ‘ascend the stage’. And, on May 25, 2025, that’s exactly what I did. After 6 months of grueling practice, I ascended the stage of the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH) to give my arangetram to an audience of around 300 people.
Prior to my arangetram, I’d always been a lover of Bharatanatyam. I started learning the traditional Indian classical dance form when I was 5, under the tutelage of Dr. Sunanda Nair, a respected and famous Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam artist. Since then, I’ve performed on stages around the United States and have cultivated a deep and sincere love for this ancient art form. As I’ve grown and seen more performances, I found part of myself on that stage. And so, doing my arangetram became my next wish.
Practices started in August of last year and in those 10 months, I’ve gained a lot. My stamina has increased, I’ve become a stronger dancer, and I’ve learned so much about my culture. My dancing has given me a way to display who I truly am, who I have always been, and who I want to be through the rhythmic motions of my hands and the intricate footwork of my feet. By dancing, I feel as if I’m one with my ancestors from ages past, like I’m carrying on the torch first lit so many years ago. And so, getting to do my arangetram meant the world to me.
Through mistakes and confusing choreographies, through 2 hour practices and even longer photoshoots, I never once regretted it. Yes, the process was tiring, and yes, I’d often wake up sore all over, but getting to dance so much was my dream and I was simply fulfilling it. And on May 25, my hard work paid off.
Before the arangetram, I was incredibly nervous. A 2 hour solo performance, more complex than anything I’d done before, was no small feat. But with the expert guidance of my teacher and the music of the live orchestra, everything flowed. I’m so thankful that I was able to complete this milestone and I can’t wait to dance more!
This Thursday, me and my grandparents explored two iconic museums in Houston- Asia Society and the Holocaust Museum.
First, we visited Asia Society, a small museum that illustrates the culture of 5 major Asian countries- India, China, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea. They had stations detailing the traditional cultures of these countries, as well as their food, their languages, and their music. There were stations to “play” the drums from each country in tune with background music and a “train” that explored the countries. At the time we went, there was an art exhibition of Hung Hsien’s work- an artist who used Chinese ink painting techniques to create stunning and vibrant pieces.
Then, we visited the Holocaust Museum. This museum was dedicated to the Holocaust and the atrocities carried out by the Nazis in 1933. It was a poignant reminder of the horrors of World War 2 and the impacts that we still see today. The main exhibit featured a timeline of the Holocaust and there was also a side exhibit about current genocides and human rights, as well as leaders who fought for these rights. It was such an important museum and I’m glad I got to visit.
Last Saturday was Independent Book Store Day, a day to celebrate small bookstores. I visited 2 indie bookstores that I’d never been to before and thoroughly enjoyed both of them!
In today’s world, where we can order anything online, bookstores aren’t getting the same traffic as they used to. Therefore, Indie Bookstore Day encourages readers to support these small bookstores to help them thrive and continue to serve the community.
The first bookshop I visited was Good On Paper. Their shop was so pretty and had such a great collection of books for all ages- kids to young adults to adult/nonfiction. They also had lots of stationary, with cute journals and pens. It was so nice to check out a new bookshop and I can’t wait to read the book I bought from there!
After Good on Paper, I visited Kaboom Books, a used book store. They had so many books, filling every shelf, on all topics. I loved getting lost in the maze of books, just scanning the shelves. I exited with two books about mythology and have already started reading them!
This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff I read this book for school and it was really interesting! Tobias, or Jack, has followed his mother to Utah, hoping for a new life. However, wherever they turn, misfortune follows them, as Jack learns who he is and what he truly wants in life. It was a really interesting book!
One Thousand and One Nights by Hanan al-Shaykh This was a retelling of the story of Scheherazade, who told stories to a cruel king so that she wouldn’t die. I really loved the way the stories were written, each individual story a part of something bigger. It was beautiful to read and I definitely recommend it to you!
Tales of India: Folktales from Bengal, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu by Svabhu Kohli and Viplov Singh This book contained folktales from India, as well as the most gorgeous illustrations! I really enjoyed the way the stories were told in simple terms with Indian vocabulary. It was really enjoyable to read and learn about all these folktales!
Lennon’s life, once ruined, was saved by the Drayton College. The college specializes in “persuasion” and Lennon is one of the most gifted students. But the corruption that lurks around the school is terrifying, ad well as its past. I really enjoyed this book and its plot!
While in New Zealand, we decided to explore the geysers- hot springs that erupt due to the pressure of gases below. We explored both the geysers at Rotorua and at Taupo and they were both magnificent!
First, at Rotorua, we visited Te Puia, which also housed the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute and a Kiwi Conservatory. We started off by getting to see the bubbling mud, which is known for having medicinal properties. After that, we headed to the Kiwi Conservatory. The conservatory was kept dark and quiet, as kiwis are sensitive to light and noise. We weren’t allowed to take photos, but it was definitely a unique experience, as kiwis only live in New Zealand. Then, we saw the geysers, the main one being the Pōhutu geyser. Finally, we concluded with a performance of the traditional Māori war dance, which was really cool to see!
After this, we went to Lake Taupo. The lake is unique as the whole area was formed by a series of explosions. The explosions formed a crater, which was filled by water, forming the lake. The lake itself is quite large, roughly the same size as Singapore. We took a floatplane, a small plane that takes off and lands in water, from this lake to another geyser- the Orakei Korako Cave & Geothermal Park. The park was lush, full of tropical foliage, and geysers ranging from big to small. It was a great experience!
While in New Zealand, one of the places we went to was the Waitomo and Ruakuri Caves- caves famous for their glow worms.
The glow worms are the larvae of fungus gnats and them glowing is how they signal when they’re hungry. The light attracts smaller insects like moths and flies and as they fly closer, they’re caught in the glowworms’ sticky threads and eaten. Eventually, the glowworms form pupa and turn into the fungus gnats. However, these gnats are born without a mouth and a digestive system, clearly not born to survive. They live for around a week or two.
The first cave we visited was the most famous- the Waitomo cave. In these caves, we explored the vast caverns and got to go on a boat ride to view the glowworms from all angles. They didn’t allow pictures, but the experience was legendary and will always be a part of me.
Secondly, we visited the Ruakuri cave, where we were able to take pictures! Other than the glowworms, the cave also had a ton of gorgeous stalagmites and stalagtites, as well as fossils from years past!
Happy 2025! I thought I’d do a small lookback as a way to sum up my 2024 and start the new year. I hope you enjoy!
January
We started the year with a New Year’s dinner at Verandah, an incredible restaurant. While January was pretty calm, there were some memorable moments- such as meeting one of my middle school friends, going to see our school’s winter play, and getting a new vinyl!
february
The main event of February was my dance school’s Kinkinni (annual recital!) I participated in two dances and gained lots of experiences and memories from each. Additionally this month, I went to watch an Odissi performance and unexpectedly ran into a friend from middle school! Overall, it was an incredibly fun month.
march
March was an incredible month! To begin with, we went to the Rodeo, a Texan classic, where I won a big plush as well as a few smaller ones. Later that month, we went to a farmer’s market, as part of a school project, though I enjoyed the trip a lot. After that, I got to see Beetlejuice: The Musical, which was super fun and entertaining. Last, but certainly not least, we went to Muscat, Oman. It was such an breath-taking experience, as we explored the desert, the ocean, and everything in between.
april
To begin the month, we went to Dallas to see an arangetram, a performance that shows the dancer’s talent and knowledge. This month was also the month of the eclipse, which was very cool! Our school also gave us a day off, so I got to go to a park, which led to a lot of relaxation. Finally, the best part of April was getting to go to a concert- Miku Expo! I had an amazing time there and truly loved the atmosphere.
may
In May, I got to visit Illinois! In Chicago, I toured two colleges- Northwestern and University of Chicago. Additionally, me and my dance group performed once again for our school’s annual recital. We also performed at the temple with an item we learned in a workshop which was another great experience! Finally, I got to see another musical- Newsies.
June
June started with another musical- Hairspray! This was followed by a Mohiniattam recital- one of the few times I’ve performed the dance form. I also got to perform with a live orchestra! After this, I was able to meet a friend from middle school and then I traveled to India for the summer. In India, I watched my aunt’s arangetram which was amazing to watch!
july
In India, I was able to watch a lot of dance performances- these were helpful to see how I can improve my dance, as well as understand more about stage presence and lighting, all which’ll definitely help me in my future. Additionally, we took a small trip to Pondicherry which was a great way to relax.
august
August marked the beginning of my school! I started sophomore year, or 10th grade, this year and faced a new set of teachers and a lot more work! It’s definitely a new experience, but I’m learning a lot and having a good time.
september
September started off with a dance performance for an item we learned within a week! It was incredibly fun to learn and perform, and overall, I think it was a great experience. After that, to celebrate my 15th birthday, I got tickets to a concert from my favorite artist- Mitski. Going to her concert was such a fun experience and I’m so glad I was able to go and see her songs live. After this, we went to another musical- Dear Evan Hansen. Overall, September was a great month with a lot of fun performances and viewings.
october
October was another nice, calm month! Overall, I didn’t do much, but I did get more dance performance opportunities! We also got to see Peter Pan, which, while being a more kiddy musical, was still well-done and enjoyable!
november
In November, for Thanksgiving Break, we went to Madrid, Spain! I gained lots of new experiences and got to witness a totally new culture, which I really enjoyed. I learned a lot and got to see some beautiful places. Additionally, we say Shucked: The Musical, a musical about corn! It was really fun to watch and I thought the sets were really interesting!
December
December started off with getting to see the Texas Winter Lights! A hotel had set up multiple light sculptures, all photo-ready and very pretty! I also went to a claw machine arcade, where I won two plushies- a Pikachu and a Kuromi! Finally, to end the year, we went to New Zealand, which is definitely one of the prettiest places I’ve visited. I loved exploring the Hobbit homes, the geysers, and the glowworm caves. All in all, it was a great experience.
As you can see, my year was action packed and super fun! How was your 2024?
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater This was such an interesting and well-written book! Blue has been told from her first days that if she kisses her true love, he will die. So, she’s made a point to stay away from all boys. But when her path collide with the “Raven Boys”, a group of boys who go to the private school nearby, she finds herself drawn into their improbable plan. I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
Cats of the World by Hannah Shaw This was an incredibly cute book with pictures of cats from all over the world! Cats and their lifestyles from countries worldwide are detailed, with an important message intertwined throughout the book. It’s beautiful and really shows the resilience of cats as they thrive in lands you’d have never thought they’d live in. I really loved reading this book and looking at the beautiful pictures!
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka This was an interesting short story about what it means to feel trapped. Gregor is a traveling salesman, the breadwinner for his family, when one day, he wakes up as a giant cockroach. He soon becomes a burden, something others, even his own family, are scared of. It was an incredible read and enthralled me from start to finish.
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas This was a creepy and exciting read from start to finish! Ines wants to start a new life at Catherine House- that’s how it works for everyone, after all. But everyday turns out to be the same…until she gets a visit from the headmistress. Ever since then, her life turned upside down, new and strange happenings changing her perception of this school. It’s a really interesting book!
