Invisible India podcast episodes
Browse our entire podcast library here. We think you’ll find lot’s that will interest you. Be sure to subscribe to Invisible India on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode!
Episode List
All of our podcast episodes from oldest to most recent.
Yoga is Dead | Part 2 | With Jesal Parikh
"If one doesn't understand the cultural context of yoga, you can expose yourself to more harm than good." -Jesal Parikh on "Yoga is Dead" This is Part 2 of...
Yoga is Dead | with Jesal Parikh | Part 1
"The difference between cultural appreciation vs appropriation is in the act of giving vs taking." -Jesal Parikh on "Yoga is Dead" Get ready to have your mind...
Behind the Scenes of an Indian American Marriage
"Thinking that our actions don't affect other people is a very individualistic way of thinking. Neither an Eastern or Western way of thinking is right or wrong." -Jessica on...
The Way of Chai | Kevin Wilson
"Part of being empathetic is calling out the things that dehumanize or hurt people." -Kevin Wilson on "The Way of Chai" Kevin Wilson has formed his identity as fitting in the...
learning a new language without losing yourself
"As a foreigner learning a new language, be very careful not to allow yourself to be put on a pedestal or speak for locals." -Jessica on "Learning a New Language/Culture Without...
Strategies for Learning Fluent Hindi
"My #1 tip for learning an Indian language is: Focus on pronunciation." -Jessica Kumar in "Strategies for Learning Fluent Hindi & Indian Languages" What does it take to...
HELP! I’m in Love with an Indian
"Don't compare yourself to others and force yourself into a box that you will never fit into." -Jessica on "HELP! I'm in Love with an Indian" Are you in a relationship with an...
Inequality & Opportunity | Maid in India | Part 2
"Each household in India has their own caste system, of which the woman of the house is usually at the bottom." -Tripti Lahiri, Author of "Maid in India" Subscribe Listen to us...
Inequality & Opportunity | Maid in India | Part 1
"When it comes to running a household, every day is like an ethical minefield in India." -Tripti Lahiri, Author of "Maid in India" "Maid in India" is a masterful work that not...
Teaching Kids Indian Languages
"The shame some feel in having Indian heritage boils down to not knowing the rich heritage of their background." -Anita Sachariah on "Teaching Kids Indian Languages" ...
Learn Gujarati | Vaishali Patel | Sanskar teaching
"We used to drive 2 hours to the temple every week for Gujarati classes, and we realized that I could just teach my kids at home. That is how Sanskar Teaching began." -Vaishali...
Free Hindi Lesson For Kids | 3 Amazing Fruits of India
"Did you now the mango is called the king of fruits in India? Aam phalo ka raaja hai!" -Jessica on "Amazing Fruits of India Hindi Lesson" Subscribe Listen to us wherever you get...
Episode 53 | Rashmi Chadha | Female Entrepreneurship & Overcoming Sexism
"Surround yourself with people who will stick with you through your failures. Not just those who want to celebrate your successes." -Rashmi Chadha Subscribe Available wherever...
COVID Crisis in India | What is Really Happening?
"We all need to be sharing extra empathy and help for one another in the midst of this crisis. Then later we can figure out who needs to be held responsible." -Jessica on "COVID...
Patna’s TOP 5 Historic Sites and Why They are in Danger
"In the name of becoming a smart city, we are cannibalizing our historic past." -Kunal Dutt, Founder of Save Historic Patna Collectorate" Subscribe Available wherever you get...
The 5 Most Raw Experiences I’ve Had in India
"Let me tell you about the time I got kicked out of my apartment." -Jessica on "The Top 5 Raw Experiences That I Have Experienced in India." Subscribe Available wherever you get...
COVID in India vs the US
"During lockdown in India, essential services literally meant food, medicine and bank. It was a totally different scenario in the US where people were going for socially...
Learning Indian Languages as Indian-Americans with the Carolina Desi
"Being a minority everywhere, we have to fiercly protect what distinguishes us." -Gurtej Singh on being an Indian-American Sikh and retaining the Punjabi language Subscribe...
Working in India | Personal & Professional Relationships with Craig Storti
"In India, there are many ways people communicate no without saying the word “no." -Craig Storti, Author of professional communications book "Speaking of India" Subscribe Listen...
Jessica Tells All | Hindi Learning & Marrying an Indian
"As a daughter in law in an Indian family, I carry the izzat (or respect) of the family with my actions, as much as the feminist in me resists that." -Jessica on being married to...
Growing Up White in India
Subscribe Listen to Invisible India wherever you get your podcasts "Malayalam was the bridge between two cultures for me." -Aparna Mulberry on her upbringing in Kerala At first...
The Realities of Transnational & Interracial Adoption | Part 2
"Adoption is not a fairytale. It is not a rescue." -Melinda, adoptive mother of 2 This month we are focusing on Transnational Adoption and hearing the stories of 3 families who...
Transnational and Cross-Cultural Indian Adoption | Part 1
"It is ok to embrace the other side of yourself. It is also ok not to." -Jacob on "Transnational and Cross-Cultural Adoption This month we are focusing on Transnational Adoption...
What We Would Change About Our Indian Wedding
"In an Indian wedding, its not really about you. Its about the family." -Abhishek on "What We Would Change About Our Indian Wedding" Indian weddings are generally a multi-day...
Exploring Indian Education
"Education should teach you principles and values, not just how to compete." -Shubhada Ranjan on "Exploring Indian Education" From the outside, the Indian educational system is a...
10 Unique Aspects of Indian Weddings
Indian weddings are knock-down, drag-out get togethers work remembering! What are 10 aspects that are unique to Indian weddings?
Karl Rock on Love and Making India Home
Karl Rock, popular YouTuber in India, tells Jessica more of his personal story of marrying his Indian wife, making India home and learning Hindi.
Peepal Farm Founder Robin Singh on Organic Farming, Veganism & Rediscovering the Indian Dream
Robin Singh of Peepal Farm is going against the grain of consumerism in India. A practitioner of radical compassion, he and his colleagues started an organic farm, animal refuge and place for people to connect to nature.
How I Learned Fluent Hindi
What does it take to successfully learn Hindi? Jessica breaks down tips and tricks and answers the most common questions about how to learn Hindi fluently.
Growing Up Gupta – Part 2
In Episode 36, Nikita Gupta, multicultural lifestyle blogger, goes deeper into her story of falling in love with her North Indian husband. How she has overcome stereotypes and fostered an Indian-American home where both cultures are celebrated.
Multicultural Black & Indian Family – Growing Up Gupta – Part 1
“You and I are both American from Chicago, with so many things in common, but if we were to stand next to each other, people would assume SO many different things about you and I...
Why I Learned Hindi (English & Hindi Bilingual Special Episode)
In Episode 34, Jessica takes on what were the motivating factors to learn Hindi and how did she overcome cultural and mental barriers to become fluent in Hindi?
Jamie Alter – Breaking Stereotypes of Indianness
Jamie Alter is certainly a rare kind of person. 4 generations ago, his great grandfather moved to India from the United States, and their family has rooted here. His father, Tom Alter was a famous Bollywood actor.
Ask Us Anything – Part 2
Listeners wrote in to ask us anything! In Part 1, we answered real and off the cuff to your questions about cross cultural marriage, overcoming cultural barriers and managing family expectations as an Indian-American couple.
Ask Us Anything – Part 1
Listeners wrote in to ask us anything! We answer real and off the cuff to your questions about cross cultural marriage, overcoming cultural barriers and managing family expectations as an Indian-American couple.
In Love with India, In Love with an Indian
This episode is a special salute to love. On Valentine’s Day, Jessica went on air with RJ Visha with RED FM 93.5 in Patna to share her love story.
Meet the 2 Idiots – Traveling the World with a Toddler – Part 2
Meet the 2 Idiots, Abhishek and Natasha, who traveled 31 countries, comprising of 39 flights, 3 cruises, and almost a 100 destinations in 8.5 months. They left their corporate jobs and did it together, with a 2 year old.
Meet the 2 Idiots – Traveling the World with a Toddler – Part 1
Meet the 2 Idiots, Abhishek and Natasha, who traveled 31 countries, comprising of 39 flights, 3 cruises, and almost a 100 destinations in 8.5 months. They left their corporate jobs and did it together, with a 2 year old.
From India to Central Europe
In 18 days, we covered 6 countries, 5 currencies, 8 hotels and we don’t know how many languages with our 2 young children. All on a relatively slim budget.
Hinduism and Indian Ethnicity with Dr. Ajay Verghese
Dr. Ajay Verghese, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California Riverside joins us to dive into two urgent topics affecting the social landscape of India today.
Invited- The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness with Leslie Verner
"Western culture steers us towards the direction of isolation for the sake of convenience." -Leslie Verner, Author of "Invited- The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness"...
India’s Unique Sanitation Challenges with Chris Hyun
What are some the unique challenges that India faces in managing toilet waste, water and everything in between?
The Good and Bad of Voluntourism
Even with the best of motives, short term volunteer trips can create chaos and unintended long term problems, especially in developing countries. What are the pitfalls and dangers of engaging in voluntourism?
Misconceptions About the West in India
Do Westerners have a lot of money? Life in places like the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe must be easy. Why do Westerners “abandon” their parents in nursing homes? Is romance in the West really like what we see in the movies?
Teaching Kids Gender Equality
Misogyny, sexism and restrictive gender roles are all challenges that this generation of children are standing up against. In India, we have unique challenges for both girls and boys as the cultural narrative is rapidly shifting of what manhood and womanhood looks like. How do we compassionately parent and empower our children to navigate mixed messages?
Debunking Misconceptions About India
This week, we take on the top misconceptions about India and debunk them one by one.
Do all Indians have arranged marriages?
What is all the fuss about caste?
Do Indians ride elephants to school? (Yes, that question really came in.)
Surviving the Most Common Inconveniences of Life in India
Maybe you’ve heard that India is a rough place to live. If you live like locals, there is a lot you can do to prepare yourself and prevent some of the most common inconveniences of life in India.
The REAL India Experiential Bucket List
Once you’re past the surface level touristy phase, you get into what makes India the real deal. How well traveled are you in India? More than checking off a list of places you’ve been, what have you experienced? Show us the real life you’ve experienced in India!
Indians and the Smartphone Revolution
Smartphones have changed the world. But something quite peculiar has happened in India where the use of the smartphone challenges many social norms and yet supports and upholds other time held traditions.
Gender Based Inequality and Violence Against Women in India
Gender Based Inequality and Violence Against Women in India with Shefa Sikder Shefa Sikder is a hero for women’s issues. She is broadly informed on women’s inequality and laser focused on gender based violence in South Asia.
Varanasi | Gayi, Ghat & Ghanti
Varanasi is where the ancient and modern collide in 21st Century India. Hear about the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world with 5000 years of history.
Breaking Myths on Kids’ Food Habits in India
Have you ever wondered why kids are picky or refuse to try different foods? Have you been frustrated with the mess that feeding your child creates? Do you feel like your children’s food habits are spoiled and you don’t know how to fix it?
Learn Hindi Like a Pro
In Episode 12, Jessica interviews Jon Rider, a linguist, translator, web developer, trainer, cultural liaison and founder of HindiUnlocked.com. In our line of work, we cross paths with a lot of people who are trying to learn Hindi.
Raising Bilingual Kids
"We reduce language to a subject in school, pass or fail… BUT, you can’t dissect language learning like a science project and expect that it will come back to life again."...
Thailand for Indian Travelers
There are no shortage of podcasts and blogs about visiting Thailand, but most of the sites and advice blogs are geared towards Westerners. We take this episode to break down touring Thailand from an Indian perspective.
Being White in India
What is it like to be a foreigner in India? What about a person who stands out like a sore thumb? In this episode, Jessica shares a bit of our backstory of getting married in the US then returning to India as a family.
Ayurveda 101: The Basics of Ayurvedic Medicine
Want to learn about Ayurvedic medicine? Hear from Dr Shari Krishna from Kairali Ayurvedic Center as we talk about her introduction to medicine, life as a South Indian in North India, and the basics of Ayurveda. The ancient healing system of Ayurveda has both scientific and mystical beginnings.
What Did We Do in a 5 Star Hotel?
Feb 19, 2019, 2:34 PM
Hear our comedic take on “5 Ways to Be Tacky in a 5 Star Hotel” and how we exhibited questionable behavior on a recent trip to Gurgaaon.
Dreamy Udaipur | Palaces, Coffee & a Model City of Cleanliness
Voted the highest quality of life in India, Udaipur way exceeded our expectations. We loved every minute of this beautiful, historic, clean and navigable city.
Pushkar And Ajmer – Hippies, Camels, Temples & Islamic Shrines
In this episode we cover a wide variety of information about Rajastan’s vegetarian hot spot, Pushkar and touch on Ajmer’s Khwaja Sahib Shrine. We talk about pro travel trips in India and some specific to Rajastan.
Giving Birth in India
Hear Jessica’s story about giving birth in India and fighting against cultural norms to try for a natural, unmedicated birth. There is a gaping hole of awareness of natural birth in India and there are many reasons contributing to that which are discussed on the podcast.
Pilgrimage to Bodhgaya
A visit to one of Buddhism’s most holy sites in Bodhgaya ushers one into the mind blowing nature of India’s clash- the modern and ancient all in one place. In this episode, Jessica walks you through Bodhgaya and the Mahabodhi temple experience.
Our International Travel Crisis
Imagine, you are on a vacation with your family and the unimaginable happens. Your most important documents, money and devices are stolen out from under your nose. You are stranded in a foreign country for almost 2 weeks because of circumstances out of your control.
Intro to Us | Why Did We Move Back to India?
Who are we? What is this podcast all about? For those of you who don’t know us, we are a cross cultural couple (Indian and American) living and working in India with our two kids.