With a four picture diary the idea is to keep things simple and focused by capturing just four photos that define the day, each answering a specific prompt:

Where is it happening?

What are we doing?

Who is involved?

and Why? 

Where is it happening?

Puducherry, often called India’s “Little France,” is a unique coastal enclave where Tamil meets European. As a former French colony until 1954, its heritage is most visible in the White Town district where we stayed. Here, cobblestone streets are lined with mustard-yellow colonial villas, bougainvillea-draped walls, and distinctive arched windows.

The influence extends beyond architecture into the lifestyle; you’ll find chic restaurants, French-named streets (Rues), and bakeries serving authentic baguettes and croissants. Even the Sunday art market (see my Insta) felt French influenced.

What are we doing?

Checking out the street art.

Puducherry’s charm was boosted a few years ago by French artist Jace, whose whimsical “Gouzous” turned colonial walls into cultural landmarks. Why does the UK lag on this? While we birthed Banksy, many of our more neglected communities often face rigid regulations and “artwashing” fears.

In Puducherry, Jace’s work is a playful dialogue with heritage. In the UK, street art often feels either sanitised by councils or a precursor to gentrification.

I’ve visited many estates owned by housing associations where I’ve felt depressed or underwhelmed. If we can’t make the leaves look or feel better, please let the community do it.

Who is involved?

This is Madame Shanté (or is it?), at Le Café de Madame Shanthé.

The cafe honors Shanthé, a woman who became a local icon during the mid-20th century. She was an Indian woman who fully embraced French culture, often seen elegantly dressed in a saree but speaking fluent, sophisticated French.

In an era when professional kitchens were dominated by men, she established herself as a formidable host and cook, blending French techniques with local Pondy flavors.

When we ate there, this lady didn’t claim to be the original Madam Shanté, but neither did she deny it. It was only after I left that I verified she died before this cafe was even built.

Anyway, who cares about the truth if it makes a good story.

Coined by J.R.R. Tolkien, mythopoeia (or mythopoesis) is the deliberate act of “myth-making.” It refers to the creation of a fictional mythology that feels ancient and grounded. In a community context, this is when people create urban legends or art (like Jace’s characters) to give a place a shared identity.

An Indian woman taking on the French patriarchy with her cooking skills, and her legacy living on alongside a Christmas tree in early 2026.

I’m all for it.

Why? 

Why is buying alcohol in India so bureaucratic?

Each state writes its own rulebook, creating a chaotic patchwork of laws across the country.

The primary driver is the “Revenue vs. Morality” paradox. Booze is a massive cash cow for states (often 15–25% of their tax income), but politicians must appease conservative voters. This leads to paternalistic restrictions—like limited hours, dry days, and placing shops in inconvenient locations—to show they aren’t promoting vice while they still collect the profit.

In states with government monopolies (like Kerala or Tamil Nadu), the lack of competition and “cage-style” counters create those massive queues.

Conversely, liberal hubs like Goa allow private shops to flourish.

The picture I took about is of a packed off license that had a higher staff to customer ratio than your average Apple Store. You couldn’t just point at a bottle and say “I’ll have two of those”. You had to remember what you wanted and order it from a guy at the till who then passed it to a colleague to record the transaction in a ledger, who then sent his minions to collect it for me. I counted about four people involved in each transaction.

As an aside whilst I was taking the photo Karen was moved on by two security guards in the employ of the off licence for loitering. Amazing!

Four more soon. If you want even more follow me on instagram

Namaste!