From India to Boston, With Gratitude 🇮🇳❤️

Some moments make you pause and feel deeply grateful.

Yesterday was one of those moments — celebrating India Day at Boston Harbor and being felicitated by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I felt incredibly proud, humbled, and grateful for this recognition and for the journey that brought me to this moment.

For me, this day is not only about celebrating our heritage — it is about giving back, building connections, supporting one another, and making a difference in the community we call home.

A beautiful reminder that we can carry our roots in our hearts while building something meaningful here in Boston.

My firstborn and a mother from my group accompanied me. We had a fantastic train ride, but we were a little too early, so we decided to hang out in the North End of Boston — one of our favorite neighborhoods.

Italian sandwiches and tiramisu make a 90°F day a little easier! It was hot, but the ocean breeze was perfect.

After a fabulous lunch, the parade was much needed. It was time for some walking, chatting with friends, and soaking in the energy of the day.

It was a long day, but a wonderful one. It was beautiful to see folks from all walks of life coming together to celebrate India and our shared heritage.

And, of course, a cotton saree came out of my closet — a perfect blend of the colors of the Indian flag. 🇮🇳

From a train ride with my son and a DMN mom, to lunch in the North End, to standing at Boston Harbor being recognized for work that is so close to my heart — it was one of those days I will remember for a long time.

Grateful for the journey, grateful for the community, and grateful to call Boston home. ❤️🇮🇳

A cotton saree - colors from Indian flag. from Queen of Hearts - Deepa Mehta's collection. 

Guest writer Anand - Another Train, Another Convention, Another Anand Story

Another adventure, another train ride, and another story from Anand! This time, he takes us to Fan Expo Boston at the Thomas M. Menino Convention Center for another exciting day. What makes these adventures so special is seeing how confidently Anand continues to expand his world, one trip at a time. Here’s his latest “Open World Expansion Tour” story—straight from the traveler himself!

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"Next Stop: Thomas M. Menino Convention Center. The Fan Expo Boston is making its way at this iconic convention center. In a way, it's like Boston Comic-Con." — some commuter rail, subway, ferry, or bus announcer

I should be used to this by now. Putting in "Next Stop" every time Anand tells me about a new event happening might sound repetitive, but then again, I can't stop him from attending conventions, concerts, or taking the train to Boston again and again. He's public-transport-independent (that term has stuck to him now), knows the train systems (yet he always tells me he can navigate the train system to shut me up), puts his events on the calendar, and tells me and Mr. Husband about his upcoming events. A month after his concert and night-out in Boston and playing his newest video game, Anand finally attends the Fan Expo Boston in Seaport at the Menino Convention Center. The 7th stop of his "Open World Expansion Tour." I just can't catch a break from this man when he sends me his stories. Maybe I should just take a vacation every time Anand attends another Comic-Con or concert, but on the other hand, I am happy he is opening up his world even more, since these events were his idea.

As always, Anand took the train from Franklin to South Station. Unlike Anime Boston, Anand didn't have to walk very far. Seaport was close by, so he could walk there! Just like the past conventions he attended, Anand knew the lines would be very long and everybody else would be in costume. But what costume would Anand wear? The same Anime costume he wore for Anime Boston and WesternMass Comic Con, of course, but then again, you'd see some people in anime costumes and cosplay at Comic-Con events anyway. Even though getting pics with celebrities were expensive, Anand and I both know that he is still new to Comic-Con, despite this being his 4th convention adventure.

Unlike before, I didn't have to ask Anand to take pics of Comic-Con. As always, he'd be hesitant, worried that some would say no, but everything went well for him. Since a large majority of people would be in cosplay and costumes, they'd be willing to get pictures. Surprisingly enough, Anand was able to eat at Fenway Wahlburgers. Unfortunately, the Green Line was unavailable, so Anand had to eat at South Station. After eating and heading back to the Fan Expo, Anand made his way back to South Station, and boarded the train home safely.

These milestones are huge! This man just couldn't stop thinking about the many adventures he's been going on! What I hope to get Anand to do is maybe travel outside of Massachusetts, but he'll always say no . After all, Anand is his own person. I'm hoping he doesn't—oh wait. No, no, no. I think Anand's gonna tell me about Comic-Con…happening in Providence, RI again…as well as…more concert outings. Seriously, Anand? How many stories are you going to keep sending me?! I need a vacation...

Our village on the Dance Floor- Bollywood Dance Cruise

With Desi Moms Network, I have organized so many events over the years. Every single time, I dream up something new, get excited, and then somewhere in the middle of planning I ask myself, "Oh my God... why am I doing this?" Between the endless messages, coordination, last-minute changes, and wondering if anyone is even interested, it can feel overwhelming.

Then the day arrives.

We all meet.

We laugh.

We have fun.

And I come home completely exhausted, telling myself, "That's it. I'm taking a break."

Within a week, another idea pops into my head... and before I know it, I'm organizing the next event.

That's been my story for years.

Water Country in June was an incredible success. I told everyone, "I'm done! I'm taking July and August off." Sure enough, before I knew it, we had already done two more events, and then we were planning another one.

One of our moms shared information about a Bollywood Dance Cruise and suggested we all go together. My first response was, "I think I'm done organizing for a couple of months."

But I couldn’t let it go.

I reached out to the organizers, got some discount and we were in. I honestly thought maybe 10 or 15 moms would sign up.

Instead...

Twenty-two of us checked in. 

This turned out to be one of the toughest events to organize. It was late at night, in the city. Many women don't drive at night. Some don't drive on highways. Some had never gone out this late with friends. For many, just saying "yes" was stepping outside their comfort zone.

Making this happen took many phone calls, encouragement, and a little insisting. Thankfully, because we had done a cruise before, many moms already knew how much fun they had missed the first time, so convincing them was a little easier.

The discounted tickets made it affordable, and then came the best part—carpooling. A few moms took the train, but most of them shared rides. The journey itself became part of the evening.

Finally, the day arrived.

I thought we'd have fun. 

But these women completely surpassed every expectation and every vision I had.

Our group was one of the biggest on the boat. It was hot, humid, crowded, and the DJs weren't exactly setting the dance floor on fire. We started slowly, chatting, catching up, and enjoying the view.

Then something happened.

Our group walked onto the dance floor.

For the last hour and half, they absolutely owned the party.

They danced like nobody was watching.

They laughed like there was no tomorrow.

Two of the moms had never attended any of our events before, and watching them smile, dance, and simply belong was probably my favorite part of the night.

We have only a handful of pictures, but dozens of videos.

And honestly, I think those videos tell the real story.

They are a reminder of what a village can do for you.

For one evening, these women were not introduced as moms raising a child with a disability. They weren't thinking about therapies, appointments, IEPs, or caregiving responsibilities.

They were simply women.

Friends.

Laughing.

Dancing.

Living in the moment.

And maybe that's one of the most important things our village gives each other—not just support during the difficult days, but permission to enjoy the beautiful ones too. 

The first gang to arrive

On the India Street

The boat didnt go far from the harbor so I could see this bldg.it is beautiful - I come to this bldg once a while for some events.