India, July 30 -- By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam

A jetlagged pilgrimage through aisles of nostalgia

Jetlag is a strange thing. You arrive in the US, pumped full of optimism and airplane peanuts, only to wake up at 3 am questioning your place in the universe and whether sleep is a myth designed to sell mattresses.

It was during one such groggy morning that my cousin's mom announced: "We're going to the Indian store today. Get ready."

At that point, I would have agreed to anything. I was just grateful to be included in a human activity. Little did I know, I was not being invited. I was being drafted. Because this was not just a grocery run. This was a full-scale, strategic operation. A cultural expedition wrapped in plastic bags and masala f...