Welcome to PolkaJunction

Travel.Food.Culture.Heritage

Explore the world through our words and captures

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Know the curator

Hi !
I am Meenakshi, an India based independent writer, and curator of this blog, named PolkaJunction. I write for national and international publications, apart from collaborating with tourism boards and lifestyle brands [ both Indian and global], as a freelance writer and blogger.

On PolkaJunction, I cover stories on travel and culture at the intersection of architecture, arts, UNESCO heritage sites, vegetarian food, traditions, and lifestyle, interweaved with some soft adventure and social responsibility. I also love documenting people who are passionate about handicrafts and collect heirlooms.

Consider to know my blogging endeavours better, by clicking on the READ MORE button…

My journalistic stories based on thorough research and reporting delve into the realms of science, culture, travel and sustainability. These have been published in NYTimes Styles Magazine (Aus), Nature Medicine, The Guardian, BBC Travel, Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic Traveller, South China Morning Post,Atlas Obscura, BBC Future Planet,TripSavvy and others.

You may want to check my bylines, features and brand collaborations given below…

Features , bylines and collaborations

Read our top posts

Fire-dance-Bali

Kecak fire dance – A trance filled Balinese dance based on Ramayana

Read about the Bali dance Kecak,also known as Tari Kecak by the Balinese people.It's often termed the Bali fire dance or trance dance by tourists.

25-things-to-do-chiang-mai

Top Things to Do in Chiang Mai | Unmissable Northern Thailand

Read through the 6 unmissable experiences and 25 things to do in Chiang Mai, with a list of sight-seeing maps and guidance, and an experiential...

A beginner's guide to planning a Russia trip

<img width="225" height="300" src="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Russia6-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium lazyload" alt="A beginner's guide to planning a Russia trip" srcset="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Russia6-225x300.jpg 225w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Russia6-45x60.jpg 45w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Russia6.jpg 575w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" data-attachment-id="8083" data-permalink="https://polkajunction.com/best-time-to-visit-russia-travel-guide/russia6/" data-orig-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Russia6.jpg" data-orig-size="575,768" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"Pixel 3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1570372202","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.44","iso":"444","shutter_speed":"0.042267831741516","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Russia6" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Russia6-225x300.jpg" data-large-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Russia6.jpg" />

Travel tips for Russia and a complete budget travel guide

A comprehensive travel guide for first-timers who are planning a Russia trip, especially from India. With tips on flight bookings, detailed and authentic information on...

Russia guide

<img width="223" height="300" src="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RussiaRedSquare-223x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium lazyload" alt="Russia guide" srcset="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RussiaRedSquare-223x300.jpg 223w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RussiaRedSquare-45x60.jpg 45w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RussiaRedSquare.jpg 761w" sizes="(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px" data-attachment-id="8078" data-permalink="https://polkajunction.com/best-time-to-visit-russia-travel-guide/russiaredsquare/" data-orig-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RussiaRedSquare.jpg" data-orig-size="761,1024" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X00TD","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1571091792","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.37","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.05","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="RussiaRedSquare" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RussiaRedSquare-223x300.jpg" data-large-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RussiaRedSquare.jpg" />

A comprehensive Russia travel guide for first-timers : Part 1

A comprehensive travel guide for first-timers who are planning a Russia trip, especially from India. With tips on the right season to planning a visit...

Gangaikondacholapuram temple

<img width="300" height="225" src="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium lazyload" alt="Gangaikondacholapuram temple" srcset="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7-300x225.jpg 300w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7-768x576.jpg 768w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7.jpg 1024w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7-80x60.jpg 80w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" data-attachment-id="6503" data-permalink="https://polkajunction.com/gangaikondacholapuram-temple-most-elegant-unesco-heritage-site-in-the-world-tamilnadu-india-rajendrachola/gangaikondacholapuram7/" data-orig-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7.jpg" data-orig-size="1024,768" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X00TD","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1529949112","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.37","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0024213075060533","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Gangaikondacholapuram7" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7-300x225.jpg" data-large-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Gangaikondacholapuram7-1024x768.jpg" />

Gangaikondacholapuram Brihadeeswarar temple – Possibly the most elegant UNESCO Heritage Site

A complete guide to the UNESCO Heritage Site of Gangaikondacholapuram Brihadeeswarar temple-one of the Great Living Chola temples of Tamil Nadu, India, that is a...

darasuram

<img width="300" height="200" src="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium lazyload" alt="darasuram" srcset="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1-768x513.jpg 768w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1.jpg 1024w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1-450x300.jpg 450w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1-90x60.jpg 90w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" data-attachment-id="5673" data-permalink="https://polkajunction.com/darasuram-airavateswara-temple-unesco-living-chola-micro-carvings-sculptures-kumbakonam-travel-blog/darasuram1/" data-orig-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1.jpg" data-orig-size="1024,684" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"7.1","credit":"","camera":"ILCE-5100","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1530155547","copyright":"","focal_length":"17","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="darasuram1" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1-300x200.jpg" data-large-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/darasuram1-1024x684.jpg" />

A guide to Darasuram Airavateswarar temple sculptures and micro-carvings(Part2)

A guided tour of the Darasuram Airavateswara(Airavateswarar)temple sculptures and micro-carvings, with focus on Ardhanarisurya, Kannapar, Ganga, Saraswati statues

Darasuram

<img width="300" height="200" src="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium lazyload" alt="Darasuram" srcset="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322-300x200.jpg 300w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322-768x512.jpg 768w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322.jpg 1024w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322-450x300.jpg 450w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322-90x60.jpg 90w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" data-attachment-id="5605" data-permalink="https://polkajunction.com/darasuram-airavateswara-temple-unesco-living-chola-micro-carvings-sculptures-kumbakonam-travel-blog/dsc01322/" data-orig-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322.jpg" data-orig-size="1024,683" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"3.5","credit":"Picasa","camera":"ILCE-5100","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1530157235","copyright":"","focal_length":"16","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.05","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="DSC01322" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322-300x200.jpg" data-large-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/DSC01322-1024x683.jpg" />

Darasuram Airavateswarar temple (Part-1) – A Chola repository of micro carvings and sculptures

A detailed guide to visiting Airavateswarar temple at Darasuram- one of the 'Great Living Chola temples', with a focus on Chola architecture, Chola sculpture and...

<img width="252" height="300" src="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC05942-252x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium lazyload" alt="" srcset="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC05942-252x300.jpg 252w, https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC05942.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px" data-attachment-id="4050" data-permalink="https://polkajunction.com/dsc05942/" data-orig-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC05942.jpg" data-orig-size="768,915" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"4.2","credit":"Picasa","camera":"DSC-S650","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1285355368","copyright":"","focal_length":"12.76","iso":"320","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="DSC05942" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC05942-252x300.jpg" data-large-file="https://polkajunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC05942.jpg" />

Kathakali dance – The colourful classical dance form of Kerala

All about Kathakali dance, the colourful dance play from the state of Kerala in India, that has its origins in the 2000-year-old Kuttiyaatam performed in...

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