Postcards From Nowhere with Utsav Mamoria

Utsav Mamoria
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Sep 7, 2023 • 8min

Syncing Senses: The Neuroscience of Music, Grunting, and Eating with Hands

Think Tennis and Taekwondo. Two sports which could not be more different from each other, but they have one aspect in common. Grunting. But what's the big deal about grunting in sports? And if you thought these two were unrelated, may I introduce Indian classical music in the mix? What could possible connect grunting and Indian classical music? This week, we discover the neuroscience that connects grunting, Indian Classical Music and why we as Indians love eating with our hands. Check out the following Coke Studio Songs Paar Channa De (ft. Strings, Noori and Shilpa Rao) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrPvQvbp3Cg  Piyush Mishra on Coke Studio MTV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfk6AzvyX4k and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTFzMPWGLs  Choudhary (ft Mame Khan) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gukvtH_a3I  Tu Jhoom (ft. Abida Parveen and Naseebo Lal) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D4vNcK6D38  Rang (ft. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Late Amjad Sabri) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D4vNcK6D38 And 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Aug 31, 2023 • 8min

Endangered Pasts: Decoding Ancient Bonds between Gujarat & Tamil Nadu

In July 2023, Coke Studio Bharat dropped a song, Khalasi. It took only a few days for it to rake up over 20 Million listens on YouTube, making it an instant hit. It was a bunch of firsts - A Gujarati song, that too one which is not a Garba song, and comes from a completely different musical tradition. But what if told you that it had something to do with two endangered species in India - The Asiatic Lion and The Indian Wild Ass. This week, we travel across Gujarat and understand the hidden and endangered connection with a state over 2000 kms away, Tamil Nadu. Tune in and challenge your fundamental assumptions about India. Check out Khalasi on Coke Studio Bharat (Ideally with subtitles on): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7wSjy9Lv-o And 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Aug 24, 2023 • 9min

Architecture as Statecraft: The Story of Jaipur

This week on "Postcards from Nowhere. we unveil the hidden power of architecture in Jaipur's streets and discover how food-named lanes were tools of statecraft, intricately designed to influence politics and trade and explore how history's complexities defy simplistic narratives, as we delve into the strategic fusion of architecture and power. And 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Aug 10, 2023 • 26min

Pilgrimage to the Land of the Martyrs ft. Varun Oak-Bhakay

If you consider yourself patriotic, do you know about Hussaniwala? It's a small village on the border of Indian Punjab and Pakistan and has a fascinating history that shaped both pre and post-independence India. This week, on the eve of our independence day, we speak with Varun Oak-Bhakay, who travelled to Hussainiwala, the Land of the Martyrs. Tune in, and discover this forgotten piece of Indian history. A detailed account of the skirmishes and battles at Hussainiwala on Varun's blog: https://varunbhakay.wordpress.com/2019/01/16/hussainiwala/ You can follow Varun on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vobwritersblock/?hl=en And 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Aug 3, 2023 • 7min

How Salt built the World's Greatest Civilizations - Part 2

In 1922, The tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in the Valley of the Kings by excavators led by the Egyptologist Howard Carter. It was the first known largely intact royal burial from ancient Egypt and became one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century. Inside the tomb, amongst thousands of objects, two vials stood out, for they were critical in the process of embalming and mummification. A close cousin of the contents of that vial was also found, and it brought to the fore the importance of this spice in Egyptian civilization. But what if I told you that this spice was so important, that it built not only the Egyptian civilization, but another important one? This week, in Party 2 of the series, we travel from Spain to Africa and understand the how Salt built these two great civilizations. Check out Part 1 of this series: https://omny.fm/shows/postcards-from-nowhere-with-utsav-mamoria/how-salt-built-the-worlds-greatest-civilizations-p And 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Jul 27, 2023 • 8min

How Salt built the World's Greatest Civilizations - Part 1

Imagine the badlands of Chambal in the 70's, the setting of Sholay and Kaalia pleading to Gabbar for his life - Sardar, maine aapka namak khaya hai. Now imagine the greatest philosopher from China, Confucious reflecting about the nature of that very namak, and how should rulers rule with morality. What connects the two is Salt. This week, we trace the remarkable story of the condiment on your dinner table, and how it built one of the greatest civilisations the world has ever seen. And 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Jul 20, 2023 • 9min

The Satyagraha for the Soul of Odia Cuisine

In this episode of we delve into the little-known Salt Satyagraha in Odisha, which took place before Gandhi's famous Dandi March. Join us as we explore the fight to save the soul of Odia cuisine, uncovering the historical significance of salt and its impact on the region's traditional dishes. Discover the rich culinary heritage of Odisha. And 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Jul 13, 2023 • 9min

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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Jun 29, 2023 • 28min

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-trail 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-box Melons 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=I03d1slNCXMla8VC Secrets 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.
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Jun 22, 2023 • 11min

The Legendary Biryanis of Tamil Nadu

1957 - Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. A humble betel nut seller decides to start a 4 seater Biryani hotel, with a recipe from his wife. Over 60 years later, that tiny hotel is a sprawling business valued at over 860 crores. So what is so special about the Biryani from Dindigul? Or for that matter of that from Ambur and Chennai? This week, we travel across North, Central and Southern Tamil Nadu to discover the Biryanis of the state, with their unique accompaniments like Dalcha and Ennai Kathrika, and the light it sheds on India’s culinary culture. 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   Till then Check out the other episodes, Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of Trees The Trees that built Venice Elm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern Paper European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees The tree that built New Zealand Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees You can check previous episodes of 'Podcasts from Nowhere' on IVM Podcasts website https://ivm.today/3xuayw9 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.

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