Postcards From Nowhere with Utsav Mamoria
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
How a failed musician gave rise to Journalling
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re even remotely interested in mental health, you’d have heard about the benefits of journalling. While it may seem like an obvious thing t...
How Modern Accounting Invented the Sketchbook
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! In the first episode of 2025, we travel back to Florence in the medieval ages, and how the adoption of double-entry system of accounti...
Why did we Evolve to Become Funny?
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that no other animal really laughs? The closest to laughing is the "play sounds" that some apes make when tickled. So then how come human...
Why Men Cannot See As Many Colours
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we explore the connection between language and the perception of colour, and why colours may not be as black and white as we imagine ...
How the Japanese Yakuza birthed the Video Game Industry
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we trace the unexpected origins of video games—in the notorious Japanese crime syndicate, the Yakuza. Tune in to find out how a los...
Behind the Japanese Obsession with Perfection
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we travel to medieval Japan to trace the origins of Kodawari, or the Japanese pursuit of perfection, that is still proudly held by ar...
The Art of Spying on Whales
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk about the magnificent elusive creatures who can hold their breath for over a hundred minutes, who possess a sound-based naviga...
The Last Papermakers of Buddhism
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we explore the disappearing art of Buddhist papermaking in India, which is only practised by less than 10 Tibetan households in a remote villag...
How a 17th Century Couple's Art Found Its Way into Radiohead and Coldplay
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss the artistry behind something we across everywhere around us that we don’t pay attention to: fonts. We trace the history...
How Ferment in English Middle Ages gave rise to Google Search
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we go back to a time when Science was considered blasphemy, reading was synonymous to reading the scriptures, and a University meant ...
The Private Maps of Our Lives
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss the fascinating story of Onesimo Pena, Frans Haartman, Jemboa Tran, and Corlis Benefideo—exceptional writers and cartogr...
Could Climate Stress Change the World's Greatest Pilgrimages?
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As climate change leads to harsher weather conditions and calamities across the world, the ways we travel are definitely bound to get affected. Will t...
What the Greatest Artists in the World Teach Us about Life
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The more you look at the iconic painting The Great Wave off Kanagawa, the more you find in it. Starting off with the explicit nuances of the art that ...
How Libraries became Centres of Power
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a game of finding the common connection, you get: war, imperialism, wealth, and resistance. Would you guess the answer to be books? In this episode...
Ramayana and the Fundamental Difference between Indian and Western Epics
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we understand the difference between Indian and Western narratology by taking a closer look at Ramayana; what makes the epic quite li...
The Problematic Usefulness of the Travel Guidebook
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm sure we've all owned, or seen a copy of a guidebook to a country or a tourist destination. While internet itineraries might have replaced the phys...
How a Working Class Woman became the World's Greatest Fossilist
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A baby girl who was miraculously brought back to life after being struck by lightning; a tween girl who obsessively dug up the skeletal remains of a 2...
How a Humble Geologist Shaped the Industrial Revolution
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode we talk about a 19th century canals and railways surveyor in England who was obsessed with rocks, fossils, and maps. And how this o...
The Journey of The 6% Club
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is not your usual episode of Postcards from Nowhere. But it has everything to do with the show - the genesis of the show almost 5 years ago, and ...
What Deep Time can Teach us About Slow Travel
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, I'm Utsav Mamoria and I'm back with another episode of Postcards from Nowhere after a brief hiatus. In this episode, we talk about how Greenland's...
The intertwined destinies of Ramen and Japan - Part 1
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dive into the fascinating world of ramen with our latest podcast episode! Meet Osaki Hoshiri, a man who eats 800 bowls of ramen a year and has dedicat...
The Social History of Tea
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the captivating journey of tea from its ancient origins to its modern-day significance in India and also we unravel the social, psychological,...
The Strange History of the rise of Beer in Europe
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Unlock the surprising history behind your favorite brew in this episode! Delve into the captivating tale of how two pandemics and the guidance of prie...
Sex, Drugs and Gobi Manchurian
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Delve into Bangalore’s culinary obsession with Gobi Manchurian and explore how language influences our food experiences. Journey back to Calcutta's ...
Why East Asian food lacks Desserts
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered why do East Asian cuisine's lack of desserts. From the subtleties of taste to the deep-rooted philosophies, explore why sugar takes a ba...
The Ubiquitous Art of Cooking in Leaves
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered about the culinary secrets hidden within the folds of nature's humble leaves? Join us on a tantalizing audio journey that delves deep in...
Why we are all Hungarians from Rajasthan ?
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Unveil the enigmatic ties between Rajasthan and distant lands in this trivia-packed Episode ! From the exploits of Paan Singh Tomar to the fascinating...
Why do we have Addresses at all?
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that the famous 221B Baker Street, home to Sherlock Holmes, sparked a real-life address feud in London? Dive into the intriguing world of...
Why does Japan have no street names?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if for a moment, I transported you into the heart of Tokyo, and you discover that the city has no street names? And not just Tokyo, all of Japan ...
Why dictators love town squares ?
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Embark on a journey from Poland to China in this riveting episode as we explore why dictators are drawn to town squares and how these very squares bec...
The Unkindness of History: Lenin in a Theme Park
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, join us on a journey to Krakow, Poland, where a statue of Soviet hero Vladimir Lenin undergoes a bizarre journey from a symbol...
Two Billion Euros and the Polish Temple of Memory
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Embark on a riveting journey with this week's episode as we trace the tumultuous odyssey of a priceless painting worth two billion Euros. From Hotel L...
The untold story of Holocaust heroism: 'Under the Eagle' Pharmacy
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Journey back in time to Krakow's darkest hours during the Holocaust, where ordinary heroes emerged from the shadows. Explore the remarkable story of T...
The complicated legacy of Schindler's List
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode takes you on a journey through the complex legacy of Spielberg's Schindler's List. Beyond the heroism, we explore the enigmatic truth beh...
The surprising evolution of Polish food
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
1981, Communist Poland At the peak of the Soviet rule in Poland, the country had run into enormous economic hardships. Food became scarce, and citize...
The Oak Tree that chronicled Poland's Modern History
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Prepare to be transported to the heart of Krakow, Poland, where an ancient Oak tree holds secrets of a nation's tumultuous history. Step back in time ...
The Strange Polish notion of Holocaust Envy
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the chilling tale of Cywia Asterblum, a student condemned in 1936 Poland for protesting anti-Semitism, setting the stage for a dark period in ...
Love European Cities? You are walking on Poop
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Discover Krakow's dramatic transformation from devastation to grandeur after the Mongol invasion of 1241. Join us as we delve into the secrets buried ...
The Complicated Legacy of Tintin
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What could possibly be wrong or complicated about the legacy of the one of the most loved boy detectives in the world? Tintin has been and will contin...
The Neuroscience of Trying New Cuisines
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine the last time you had some horrendous food. Like the kind which not only tastes bad, but also gives you a recoiling diarrohea. The one you tak...
Syncing Senses: The Neuroscience of Music, Grunting, and Eating with Hands
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Endangered Pasts: Decoding Ancient Bonds between Gujarat & Tamil Nadu
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 i...
Architecture as Statecraft: The Story of Jaipur
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 s...
Pilgrimage to the Land of the Martyrs ft. Varun Oak-Bhakay
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fascinat...
How Salt built the World's Greatest Civilizations - Part 2
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How Salt built the World's Greatest Civilizations - Part 1
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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. N...
The Satyagraha for the Soul of Odia Cuisine
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 explor...
The story of Milk from the Highlands of Tibet
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 continen...
Cycling through Asia and Europe ft. Pritam Sukumar
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 soari...
The Legendary Biryanis of Tamil Nadu
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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, th...
How Sangam Landscapes shaped Tamil Food
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
27 Women poets, 102 anonymous and a total of 473 poets over centuries created a body of work, which came to define Tamil culture. And then most of it ...
How the Ice Age shaped Indian food
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the evolution from primates to humans, we lost our hair and developed a layer of fat. But as science is discovering now, we also lost our ability t...
How India developed a tense relationship with Alcohol
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we travel through time, through stories of Lord Buddha, and verses of Arthashastra to modern times, and understand how India developed a te...
HDFC Investverse | Balancing Your Work, Finances, and Hobbies
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you wish to buy a new car? Or build the house of your dreams? But don’t know how to plan for your goals financially. Well, worry no more we got y...
Vedic Vices: The Story of 'Chakna'
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The 1949 Prohibition Act in the Bombay Province gave rise to a clandestine alcohol operation in the city called Aunty Bars. Apart from serving locally...
Colonial Tamil Nadu's Coffee Puranam
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Would you believe me if I said that Tamil Nadu once hated filter coffee? If this sounds absurd, this week we travel in time to colonial Tamil Nadu and...
How food, caste and class defined Tamil worship rituals
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Every year in early January, thousands of people, barefoot walk about 160 miles to the town in Tamil Nadu. They are devotees of the Tamil god Murugan,...
How Buddhism shaped Sri Lankan food
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
543 BC, Lord Buddha had left the earth, and his body was cremated in a sandalwood pyre at Kushinagar, in modern-day Uttar Pradesh. His left canine too...
How caste made foods taboo : The story of cooking dogs.
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Each year, Yulin in the Guangxi province of China catches the worlds attention for its dog meat festival, and receives harsh criticism. Closer home, a...
Catalonian Human Pyramids, Dahi Handi and Marathi Sants
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On 16 November 2010, UNESCO declared this among the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This is usually seen in the Catalon...
The war influenced cuisine of Tamil Eelam
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The midnight of 1st June 1981 is etched into the history of Jaffna. The city witnessed a one of its kind of violence, which was not just physical, but...
The famine induced cuisine of North Korea
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
27th April 2018 The supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un stepped over the De-militarized Zone (or DMZ) boundary line and entered South Korea. It...
Genetics, Milk and the Great Indian Sweet Divide
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the legends of the Puri Jagannath temple, an irate goddess Laxmi is placated by Lord Jagannath by offering her a sweet. Its the same sweet which le...
Rashomon and the Kaavad storytellers of Rajasthan
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 19th century, the Maharaja of Travancore levied an absolutely bizzare tax: Any woman who had come of age and had breasts had to pay a bre...
Malaria, Leeches and Wayanad Ramayanas
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Banasura Hill in Wayanad is one of the tallest mountains and is named after Banasura, son of the great demon king Mahabali and himself a legendary ki...
Integral Calculus, Women Circumnavigators and Bougainvillea
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
1756, France - A 27 year old man publishes two volumes on integral calculus. His work is recognized by his peers, he gets elected to the Royal Society...
Egyptian Pharaohs, Incense Trade Routes and Agarbatti
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
1470 BC - A five-ship caravan by Egyptian Pharoah Hatshepsut undertakes a unique voyage, possibly the first plant-collecting mission masterminded by a...
An Empty Chair, Stalinist Russia and Rave Idli
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
1939, Edinburgh. The 7th International Congress of Genetics was being held, but it was not just another scientific conference. It was held after a gap...
Black Death, Bahubali and the World's Most Expensive Spice
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After its arrival in Crimea in 1347, it rapidly spread through Constantinople, Spain, France and southern England. By 1350, it devastated Northern Fra...
Living Fossils, National Identities and 200 MM year old trees
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we travel from the Wollemi National Park in Australia to the Xingdoushan Nature Conservation Area in China to uncover the story of two livi...
The tree that built New Zealand
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometime around early 1880, Edward Morse, an American zoologist and archaeologist, travelled through Japan. On a train ride between Yoko-hama and Toky...
European Impressionism, Japanese Nationalism and Cherry Blossom Trees
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the autumn of year 1280, Kublai Khan, the only non-Han to rule China convened a meeting at his summer palace in Shangdu, Inner Mongolia. He wanted ...
Elm Trees, National Revolutions and Modern Paper
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1765, colonised America was hit by a British stamp tax. A group of local businessmen in Boston calling themselves the Loyal Nine began meeting in s...
The Trees that built Venice
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1964, the directors at the National Library of Spain in Madrid made a startling discovery. Owing to an error in the printed catalogue, two hitherto...
Anne Frank, Lootera and Endless Life of Trees
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On May 18, 2016, students in Islington, north London, gathered to attend a tree-planting ceremony. It had a small plaque explaining that the tree had ...
Udta Punjab, Falcons and Mahabharat War Formations
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1634, on Baisakhi day, a Sikh hunting party set their hawk or Baaz upon the royal Baaz of the Mughals. The Sikh Baaz prevailed, and the Mughal Baaz...
Inuit Throat Singing, Polar Bears and Stillness
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"In January 2022, Tanya Tagaq, a 47 year old Canadian singer released her album - Tongues.The Rolling Stone called her ‘one of the avant-garde’s m...
Impossible Journeys, Polynesian Navigation and BRT Wildlife Sanctuary
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The island of Satwal in the Pacific Ocean is incredibly small - Just 1 square kilometre and supports a population of 500. And yet, it is home to Mau P...
Led Zeppelin, Harry Potter and Murals of Belfast
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1971, Belfast witnessed a rising rock band debut their unnamed fourth album. Despite their first three albums breaking sales records, the album had...
Ancient Celtic Language, Yetis and the Wood Wide Web
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1920, Colonel Charles - Bury was nervous about a diplomatic conversation with the then British Viceroy of India. He wanted to convince the Viceroy ...
The X Club, Colonialism and Foghorns as Music
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1864, London saw the formation of a club consisting of nine members. It was called the X Club, since it committed its members to nothing. In fact, ...
The strange, colliding worlds of Tagore and Yeats
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On 4th May 1799, the British forces defeated the famed king of Mysore in a battle, largely owing to the king's chief minister betraying him. About 850...
Amelia Earhart, Microscopes and the Mental Health Crises of Northern Ireland
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On 20th May 1932, a 34-year-old woman set off from Newfoundland, the easternmost province of Canada. She flew for almost 15 hours, and created aviatio...
Magdalene Laundries, Alternative Rock and the Shame Industrial Complex
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the summer of 2009, as the world was still reeling from the impact of The Great Recession, a young man, by the name of Kieran McGuinness, was tryin...
The Troubles, Derry Girls and The Cranberries
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1993, a young alternative rock band was touring England. The lead vocalist, passed through a town near Liverpool which had been the site of a bruta...
Three Irish Women, Emigration and India's National Anthem
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
1856, Dublin City. Over 3,600 soldiers sit down for a celebratory banquet after a hard fought Crimean war. But where does one find a building large en...
Titanic, Mosul and the Global shame of Western Museums
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On 15th April 1912, the RMS Titanic sank into the Atlantic Ocean. 100 years later, the city of Belfast inaugurated the opulent Titanic Museum, built a...
Irish roads that go nowhere, Houses no one lives in
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Across the countryside in Ireland there are roads which go nowhere, and there are houses nobody lives in. The thousands of traveller less roads and em...
Bombay, Paris and the improbable victory for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 1960’s, a young man from the Varad village on the Konkan Coast of India goes to study medicine at KEM Hospital in Bombay. Continents aw...
U2, Body Snatching and the Irish Way of Death
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Three of the most iconic Irish bands walk into a bar - The Dubliners, The Chieftains and U2. They grab a few drinks, clear their throats and then proc...
Trinity Long Room and the Soul of the Irish Nation
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On 25th August 1992, the Serbian paramilitaries set fire to the National Library of Sarajevo. The library burned for 2 days and 2 nights before the fi...
Gaelic and the stunning decline of the Irish Language
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2016, a strange event unfolded in Cork County in Ireland. A staff member at the Flying Enterprise pub in Cork city was asked not to speak in Irish....
Lost Treasures, Dynamite and the Irish Nation
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does an instant Scottish classic, published in 1824, a book which has captured the imagination of the world since have to do with the troubled hi...
Soma - The world's greatest unsolved culinary mystery
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Once consumed, feelings of infusion, vitalisation, empowerment, elevation, even travel into other worlds or possession by the divine had been reported...
Podi, Jesus Christ and the LTTE
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the town of Rameswaram in Coastal Tamil Nadu, a boy is born into a fishing caste household. Across the Indian ocean in Sri Lanka, another boy is bo...
Appam, Vindaloo and the trade cuisines of Kerala
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1568, the Raja of Kochi gifted land to a tiny religious community, so that they have a place of worship away from home. This community was fleeing ...
Cooking Rhinoceros, Rajputana Kings and Fake Meat
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, you would find a painting of Raja Ram Singh I, the ruler of Amer or present-day Jaipur. The king is eng...
A 400 Year Old Curse, Coffee and Indian Chinese food
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1612, the royal family of Mysore - The Wodeyars brought upon themselves a curse which lasted 400 years. About two thousand years before that, the M...
Nine Poisons, Tamil Mountain Gods and Food as Faith
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2003, at a famed temple in South India, a 5000 year old idol was to be replaced. The temple officials decided to make an idol and several kilos of ...
Taboo Foods, Hindu Epics and Dharma
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Blood filled sausages, goat’s head in sour gruel, grilled stomach membrane and barbecued river rats - If this grossed you out, you must listen to th...