The Vedasri Siddamsetty Podcast

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. And then love is random.

A quick note about an interaction we had with the doyens of the Valley school, a KFI school in Bangalore!

A rather long wrap on the best selling book my Robin Sharma, 100 ways according to him on achieving greatness. My favourite one is that on relaxing and probably contemplating by journaling!

Here’s an excerpt in verbatim by Sadhguru. A taste of well-being by Sadhguru is published by the Isha Foundation.

A book wrap that peeks into one of the best books on a life philosophy.

Kludge is a haphazard or a makeshift solution

Move over outfit of the day! OOTD is passé. The word of the day today is “pecuniary”. It means involving or relating to money.

Learn a new word everyday in a minute. Hear how it is spelled and a possible usage of it, real quick and real fun. At the end of the day you’d be a day wiser! What fun 🤩

The archipelago of Indonesia is a treasure in itself, from hosting over 170 million islands (taxi guy facts) to enclosing the Indian Ocean, to a plethora of tribes and now finally a world-class destination that comes forth as a result of a culmination of races from literally all over the world, Bali is a lot more than its country Indonesia. It is another world by itself. And then there is Lombok, another island that goes beyond its country. Jakarta too isnt half as engrossing or life-changing as Bali, it's just another city, probably like the rest of Indonesia. Braving an 8-hour layover in Singapore, Bali is two flights away from India yet it is a lot like India! I could imagine the Cholas spreading their territory all across the Indian Ocean setting sail from Nagapattinam in current-day Tamil Nadu and reaching Srivijaya spreading Hinduism in its many forms across South East Asia. They went for trade, for conquering territory, today we travel along the route in a much faster route for the benefit of their trade, our learning and discovering chasing a sense of wonder. Bali is now the most Instagrammed place on this planet and I can only see why. Travel has lost its meaning over the years, with everything out there, every restaurant reviewed, every spot covered, it feels like we've been there and done that even when we go somewhere for the first time. And I have come to feel that the best moments have always been missed being captured, they slip with time. The moments that are truly filled with a sense of wonder are the ones that aren't pre-empted and mostly aren't planned. Whether it was chancing upon the crescent at Bath or the spectacular Indian Ocean from the throes of the Alila Vilas Uluwatu, the moments of wonder that come unannounced inspire and fill one with a magnificent sense of wonder. A picture tells a thousand words, yet the noveau experience leaves one speechless! Hear me out as I talk about a recent and an older foray into a country a lot like India just as it is a little like India!

Set on a magnificent setting, along the River Bosporous, is a city so grand, housed in a country that has seen dynasties as diverse as ever from the Justians of Rome to the Seljuks, from the Ottomans to the Turks. Reinventing itself at every turn of the century Turkey or now Turkiye has amassed a wealth of memories and dazzles the average tourist with a flurry of domed mosques, whirling dervishes, underground cities chiseled from volcanic eruptions, beautiful art, mouth-watering delicacies and all the underpinnings of a tourist delight, ala the Turkish Delight! And just as delightful as the country itself is our traveller Shirin Ashok, whose excitement and love for travel is not just efficacious but also extremely contagious. As a very fun and outgoing person her vivacious energy rubs off on all of us in equal measure. She is charming, happy-go-lucky and an enthusiast like no other. In short she has all the inklings of an intrepid traveler. Hear her on this episode sharing her tales through the country of Turkey taking the lesser taken path in Kusa Dasi, the touristy lures of Cappadocia and Pamukkhale, seeing the country by night, by day and achieving more day by travelling in July! I for one loved chatting with her just on the eve of my very trip to this intriguing land!

Bhutan is a country steeped in values, with a beautiful cascade of mountains, this Himalayan kingdom displays ideals as lofty as the mighty mountains that they are envelopes by. Equally stoic, calm and composed is our travelista who slays it in the Indian courts as she does on this exquisite solo trip that presented to her experiences like no other and had her literally transformed. When the King of Bhutan introduced for its people the metric of gross national happiness that world noticed this beautiful country, it did turn a few heads, but did you know that the constitution of Bhutan mandates the country to maintain a green cover percentage of 75 percent. Imagine something so environmentally conscious listed in a national document that too stunning with its specific nature. The people of Bhutan are extremely friendly keeping people grounded with closeness to nature. Fast may be a word that isn’t listed in their dictionary but think of a daily soap that actually describes man’s reaction to nature than the usual nature of soaps that define interpersonal relationships! What I personally loved about Bhutan this lovely dame tried to bring back to India after an 8-day trip, pure clean delicious air! From trekking to the Tigers nest Monastery, to living like a local, from capturing the essence of the national dress, to spending time in the Bhutan courts, Sravya Katta does it all, an in true Bhutanese style, slowly without an underlying agenda!

The home of Tashkent the foreboder of the silk route, the key of the Islamic Golden age, Uzbekistan, once a soviet country is ridden with gorgeous architecture, deep-rooted culture and a bounty of the earth, yes am talking about the fruits of the land quite literally. Most of the Uzbeks are Sunni Muslims, they comprise of a wide mix of ethnic groups and cultures including in minority Russians, Tajiks, Kazakhs, Tatars and Karakalpaks. The country has an extremely high literacy rate with 99.9 percent of adults above the age of 15 being able to read and write. That’s a win for any country isn’t it. It is also one of the only countries to declare the International Women’s Day as a holiday. While soups are a popular meal, green tea is the national hot beverage consumed throughout the day unless it’s summer then it’s Ayran to the rescue. It is also home to Samarkand, the region that produces a range of dessert wines from local grape varieties. Their post-Soviet inheritance greatly emboldens their Armed forces. A very lesser known location, tourists who foray into this Central Asian country are treated to a beauty like no other. The doubly landlocked country presents architecture, nature, landscape, people and food like no other. It is artful, soulful and sometimes wistful. The music of the region is called Shashmaqam which took form in Bukhara, translates to six maqams containing six sections.

Scotland is the home to golf! It houses the St Andrews Link, the oldest golf course in the world. It is also the most happy-go-lucky country there is, not listed on the happiest countries in the world, having their own share of rebels and personals, it is nevertheless a country in itself. A part of the United Kingdom, Scotland is inundated with castles, isles, fairways and rainy skies. It is also the home of the finest whiskies in the world. Scottish men wears skirts oops, kilts and women wear pants, can there be a nation more contended with that configuration! There are several things about Scotland which make it so very pretty, but most of all the sceneries are said to be so lovely even if the weather is not. Listen in to this episode as we talk about the fantasy that Scotland actually is. The place to film out of the world stories, think the Game of Thrones, think of stories that require a scene nothing short of wonder. With the twinkling of eyes and creases on the face that only add to jest, with cities that twinkle like Edinburgh to cities that shine like Glasgow, Scotland is a story waiting to unfold at every corner. It’s close to the North Pole, it’s the land of the Vikings and it boasts of Kings and Queens like no other. A delightful account of a delightful little place in the northern part of the United Kingdom!

Brazil is famous, Brazil is gorgeous, Brazil is heart-warming. Talk about the parties in Copacabana or the carnival of Rio, talk about the Amazonian forests that are stunning in all their might or talk about the bustle of Sao Paolo. Join in to hear of lesser known hotspots of Brazil and indulge in some Bosonovian music as we zoom into a country so exotic and so distinct as no other yet as chill and laid back as no other. In a confluence of culture and breathing easy hear of a very real and a very recent account of a trip to Brazil as Roshan Swamy answers our 83 questions flying into the two mega-weight cities of Brazil and finally gliding into the furrows of the grandest tourist attraction and a man-made wonder of the world, the Christ the Redeemer. Wonder is as wonder does and we are equally awe-struck at the wonder that Brazil actually is. Inspite of all its natural and man-made wonders it is a country so deeply steeped in resources that are endearing, packed away in a continent that is less thronged by the average tourist! Brazilian coffee or the midnight life, there is more to Brazil than what meets the eye or should I say the eat gathers. A beautiful one of a kind account of a country so fine!

Morocco is a country of culture of luxury, straddling between two continents, Europe and Africa. Join in as Shilpa answers 83 questions about the country that is at once rich and varied swamped with the Mediterranean Sea, wrapped with the Atlas Mountains. The vibe is wondrous. The very country that has given every glam queen the indispensable Morrocon Argan oil, did you know that the best of this oil is extracted from the goat? Whether it’s Fez that charms one with it’s beautiful architecture, or Marrakech that stuns one with its people, or even Casablanca that has Hollywood besotted, there is something to do for everyone. I am for one hugely thrilled to explore this piece of land, standing out on the fringes of Africa while actually being Europe. There is no end to the dervishes or the feverishness of an ode to culture. While everyone is very well kept, Morocco may well be a secret very well kept!

Costa Rica is a hot-dog country, sandwiched between two oceans. Join in as Unnati answers 83 questions about the country steeped in natural beauty and a content nature. The vibe is absolutely addictive. The place that is about 80% covered in forest, the place that inspired Avatar, the place where Jurassic Park was possibly filmed. There is so much to this place. Tune in and listen away to a real conversation on a real place by a real person. Learn about Costa Rica and get inspired to make a trip to this emerald county that takes you closer to nature than you could ever imagine, whilst brining out your inner spontaneous diva!

Around the world in 83 hours! Coming real soon, listen in to the trailer of what this limited serie podcast is going to be about. 83 Countries. 83 People. 83 Hours. In conversation with people from 9 years to 91 years across different continents, varied backgrounds and various locations. Stay tuned and listen in. Episode drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!!!