The Bengaluru Diaries: An Oz eye view

Fiona Caulfield, the noted Australian travel writer shows Bengaluru just how it’s done. Her latest book, Made in Bengaluru, which was launched in the city on June 21, is, in short, a revelation, for tourists and residents alike. A collaboration by Caulfield (who has now made her home here) and Maegan Dobson Sippy, the book is a definitive guide  to all things local; from cuisine and accommodation to comprehensive, well-written compilations of artists, entrepreneurs, craftspeople, designers and shops. Some are well known, others will surprise you!

Made in Bengaluru was launched on Wednesday, June 21 at Virala, an antique store in Cooke Town, which she writes, contains everything from "furniture to curios - across four well put-together rooms." With everybody who has made it into the book in attendance, it was what Caulfield warmly calls "a community," adding, "A lot of the research for the book involved talking to people, of course. It was wonderful to see how willing Bengalureans are to celebrate each other. I visited them all and they finally got the chance to become acquainted with one another, too."

We meet on Thursday afternoon at Good Earth on Walton Road, where Caulfield is scheduled to speak. The place is packed, 20 minutes before the event is to begin, rain and traffic notwithstanding. People darted for empty chairs crammed into every bit of available space, as Caulfield mingled her way through with characteristic ease. It was an atmosphere of warm camaraderie, very much in keeping with the author's emphasis on creating an intimate experience. She's a captivating storyteller and the audience listened, with bated breath on occasion, to stories of her adventures around the world.  “I like being described as a storyteller,” she said, happily. “Made in Bengaluru isn’t just a listing guide, it’s about stories, all told in very few words, which is rather difficult to do!” All writers will attest to the challenges of brevity, so no argument there!

Caulfield discovered her wanderlust in the midst of corporate life - she had moved from her homeland, Australia, to live and work in London. "I realised that I hadn’t actually done much travelling, although I think that was why I set out from home in the first place. Sure, there were the weekends in Paris, but not much more than that, really." When a friend mentioned his plans to travel back to Australia by land, she jumped at the idea. "The idea was to go through Eastern Europe, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, China and Myanmar.” Unfortunately, circumstances led to them flying home instead.

A disappointed Caulfield decided then to head to Africa, much to the surprise (and trepidation) of her friends - "They thought they would have to airlift champagne to me!" She made it to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, however, with mountaineer Wally Berg and was inspired enough by the experience to want to give Mount Everest a try. "Wally had scaled Mt. Everest a few times already.” She discovered that much of it involved trying not to fall into crevices and tying sturdy knots – “It was too intense. I knew I wouldn’t survive that.”

Made in Bengaluru by Fiona Caulfield and Meaegan Dobson Sippy

Resigning herself to corporate life, Caulfield spent a decade with an advertising agency. It was a trip to Kolkata, however, that changed everything. "I was staying at a five-star hotel and asked the concierge one evening to recommend a Bengali restaurant. He told me to try the Thai place in the hotel instead. I realised that for him, the best Bengali food was what his mum made and he assumed that I wouldn't settle for anything less than five-star, considering my choice of accommodation." When a hotel staff member pointed her towards a collection of books, she found, to her amazement, that Kolkata lacked a local guide. "That's how Made in Kolkata happened,” she said.

It set the ball rolling. The world abounds with travellers but with her insight and insatiable curiosity, Caulfield zoomed in on what was missing – the documentation of local experiences. She began her research for Made in Bengaluru back in 2005, “In a non-linear way, of course,” she remarked. “It was a mix of discovery and sifting through what I had already learned.” She threw herself into the job, sniffing out interesting stories and adding many a local treasure to her own collection along the way. 

All of this makes for an immersive and personal experience. “Someone walked up to me at Good Earth and said the book made her feel as if I had written her a letter. That’s what I want to create.” The paper is made in Rajasthan and the cover is hand-embroidered fabric. It might hamper mass production, which doesn’t bother Caulfield one bit! “We have produced around 50,000 copies over the years, but to me, the personalised experience is far more important. It means you go slower, yes, but it’s worth it.”