Susan Jagannath's Blog

I’ve always loved historical fiction – but most of it was set in Europe or England. The I did read a couple of take set in Mughal era – but what about my own heritage? Where were the historical fiction set in the heart of India?
As a storyteller, I have always been fascinated by ruins – the silence of collapsed roofs, the stories etched in stone. My long‑stalled historical fictio...

The Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1646) was one of South India’s most powerful states, known for its military prowess, wealth from trade and monumental architecture centred at Hampi. Much of what we know about the empire is via written accounts by Portuguese and Spanish horse traders. As well as later accounts by Islamic triumpalist writers.

Yet by the early 17th century its splendo...

Hampi is in Karnataka, on the Tungabhadra River, near the border of the modern state of Andhra Pradesh. Among golden granite boulders along the Tungabhadra River in Karnataka, India, is the site of Hampi  – in a landscape once dominated by the wonders of the vanished Vijayanagara Empire (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Over 4,000 hectares of desecrated and destroyed temples, ...

If you’re planning to walk the Camino de Invierno, you’ll want to look beyond the main markers to discover the unique experiences that make this route special. Scattered along the path are historic sites, artistic surprises, and spiritual corners that reveal the true heart of this lesser-traveled Camino.

Here are seven hidden gems you won’t want to miss.

...

When you plan a trip to Kanha National Park, you’re not just visiting another wildlife reserve — you’re entering one of India’s living stories.
It’s a place where meadows shimmer with dew, sal trees touch the sky with silence, and the forest still keeps time by the rhythm of hoofbeats and birdsong. I’ve walked those roads, sometimes dusty, sometimes golden with light, and every ...

Kanha National Park: 10 Questions Readers Ask

If you’ve ever typed “Best time to visit Kanha National Park?” or “How do I book a tiger safari in Madhya Pradesh?”—welcome, my friend. You’ve just wandered into the right patch of jungle.
I’m Susan Jagannath—writer, trekker, and occasional chai-spiller on dashboards—and this is your real-world guide to Kanha, one of India’s most spec...

A Whisper from Kipling’s World

There’s a moment when you enter Kanha and the forest closes around you—the light dims, the cicadas stir, and you half expect Bagheera to slip through golden grasses of the meadows and the clumps of bamboo that creak creak in the tender breezes. Kanha is perfect for a writer. 

And everyone’s here to try to see tigers in the wild. Kanha is contiguous...

You turn one corner off the beach road and everything changes.

Behind you: honking scooters, sunset-chasing crowds, the whole carnival of tourist Goa packed onto asphalt. The pilgrimage to the perfect Instagram sunset, bodies pressed together in that peculiar beach-town desperation for magic hour. Heat rising from the road despite the sudden unseasonal rain. The smell of exhaust...

Five unforgettable days in the Himalayas

From September 27 to October 2, 2025, writers from around the world gathered on a ridge in the Himalayas for an extraordinary experience — the Himalayan Writing Retreat 2025, hosted by bestselling author and writing mentor Susan Jagannath.

This wasn’t just a getaway — it was a creative awakening. Surrounded by breathtaking mountain views,...

The writer’s mind is a magnificent instrument—capable of deep empathy, wild imagination, and breathtaking leaps of connection.
Keeping it healthy isn’t just about avoiding burnout. It’s about fueling your creativity, focus, and resilience. Whether you’re hiking Himalayan paths, sharing stories over cups of chai, fasting, or diving into a new genre, every experience reshapes your ...