I don’t usually celebrate Onam. Not in any special way.

We did have sadya when we were in India — and we celebrated Pongal, Vishu, Deepavali, and others too. But since moving to the UK, it’s become less about the festival and more about what fits: time, availability, convenience.

So when I realised I’d missed it again — this year — I didn’t mind. It was just another Sunday.

Then came the message:

“You’re invited for Onam lunch this Sunday. No pressure. Just come.”

From a friend of my husband’s — someone I’d known for a long time.

I hesitated. I didn’t know any of the other invitees.

But I went.

The sadya was laid out — kerala-style, with care. We ate. We talked. No expectations. Just a meal, and a moment.

Later, I went to Jagruti’s for chaat — a different kind of comfort. We sat at the table, laughed, and swapped stories.

“Sometimes, the best way to feel at home is to eat something that reminds you of someone else’s kitchen.”

And that’s when it hit:

Belonging isn’t about rituals. It’s about being invited.

We went to look for the blood moon — but only caught twilight. No eclipse. No grand moment.

But it didn’t matter.

Sometimes, the quietest moments are the ones that stay.

Next up in the series: Part 4 – Sustainable Heating & Cooling in Lund

There’s a certain magic in Stockholm — not just in its canals, bridges, and archipelago, but in how the past and future coexist in quiet harmony. After a week of lectures, labs, and midnight brainstorming, I finally had time to breathe — and wander.

And what a journey it was.

🏛️ The Stockholm City Hall: Where History Meets Celebration

I began my city exploration with a tour of the Stockholm City Hall — a masterpiece of Swedish architecture and a symbol of civic pride.

Every year, the Nobel Prize Banquet is held here on December 10th, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The ceremony begins at the nearby Konserthuset (Concert Hall), where the laureates are announced — and then, the guests make their way to the City Hall for the grand feast and dance.

But here’s the twist: the Blue Hall wasn’t always the venue.

In the early days, the banquet was held in the Golden Hall — a room so dazzling, you’d think it was made of solid gold.

🤯 Guess what? It is — but not in the way you’d think.

The entire room is covered in 16 kilograms of real gold, but not in sheets. Instead, it’s gold foil sandwiched between layers of glass — a technique that’s not only elegant but enduring. The result? A shimmer that’s lasted over a century — and will likely outlive us all.

🪷 The Blue Hall: When Space Runs Out, You Move Up

As the number of guests grew, the Golden Hall’s capacity was exceeded — so the banquet moved to the Blue Hall, a stunning space with a deep red hue and a dramatic, vaulted ceiling.

The stairs at the end? They’re reserved for guests of honour and royal family members — a subtle but powerful reminder that even in a democratic city, tradition still holds its place.

🪜 Climbing the City Hall Tower: 306 Steps to the Sky

No visit to Stockholm is complete without climbing the City Hall Tower — 306 steps, to be exact.

I made the climb on a clear, sunny day — and the view? Unforgettable.

The archipelago stretched like a necklace across the Baltic Sea. The city unfolded below — a patchwork of red roofs, green parks, and shimmering water.

And then there was the pyramid-shaped passage — a clever architectural trick that makes the tower feel taller than it is.

It’s not just a staircase. It’s a metaphor: the journey to insight is often longer than it seems — but the view is worth every step.

🎨 The Nobel Museum: Where Words Become Weapons and Wonders

Next stop: the Nobel Museum — small in size, but massive in meaning.

It’s not just about the prizes. It’s about the stories — the courage, the creativity, the quiet revolutions.

One object stood out: a pair of nail scissors from Herta Müller, the 2009 Nobel Laureate in Literature.

She didn’t just write poetry — she cut words from newspapers and magazines to create new texts and images.

A poet who reconstructed language — one snip at a time.

It made me think: innovation isn’t always about building new things. Sometimes, it’s about reimagining what already exists.

🎁 The Gift Shop: A Hidden Gem of Inspiration

And then… the gift shop.

Let’s be honest: I may have gone a little overboard.

But how could I resist?

• Magnets with quotes from Nobel laureates: “We should always explore the things that we are a little afraid of.”
• Tiny books with messages of hope.
• Unique games that turn science into play.
• Tote bags with messages like “Ideas Changing the World”

I walked out with more than souvenirs — I walked out with fuel for the soul.

✨ Final Thought

This week wasn’t just about energy systems or Python scripts. It was about humanity — the stories we tell, the spaces we build, and the moments we choose to pause and see.

Stockholm reminded me that innovation isn’t just technical — it’s cultural, emotional, and deeply human.

And as I stood by the Kungsträdgården (King’s garden), watching the sun dip below the archipelago, I felt it:

The future of energy isn’t just about decarbonisation — it’s about connection. Between people, places, and purpose.

Next up in the series: Part 3 – Onam, On the Other Side of the World
How a Kerala festival, a surprise lunch invitation, and a late-evening chaat dinner reminded me that home isn’t just a place — it’s a moment, a meal, and a shared laugh, even when you’re 4,000 miles from home.

Then, it hit me. I remembered an episode from a podcast called “Beyond the To-do List” by Erik Fisher on “Measuring Productivity”. The message was clear: priorities in life are not set in stone. They change with time as we evolve and move through different stages of life. Even more dynamically, they can shift from day to day or week to week. As long as the general direction of our journey remains on track, it’s perfectly okay to adjust our immediate priorities.

As a working mother and wife, I often felt torn between my professional responsibilities and personal life. There were times when I prioritised work to meet deadlines, only to feel guilty about not spending enough time with my family. Conversely, when I focused more on family time, I sometimes felt like I was compromising my career growth.

That podcast episode provided a much-needed perspective. It was like being told that measuring the success of a fish based on how well it climbs is as absurd as measuring the success of a monkey based on how deep it can swim. Both comparisons lead to failure and a sense of sadness. Instead, the key takeaway was to measure productivity based on the priorities I consciously set for myself in any given week.

Last week was a perfect example of this. It was filled with social events that not only brought joy but also fueled my creativity. I managed to create three distinct cards: one for a housewarming, another for a birthday, and a heartfelt thank-you card for a teacher who had made a significant impact on my daughter’s life. You can see the fruits of our labour below:

Creating these cards was more than just a hobby; it was a special time spent with my daughter. We spent a nice evening together, sharing stories and laughter as we crafted each card. It was a reminder that sometimes, the most productive use of our time is the time we spend nurturing our relationships and pursuing our passions.

In conclusion, productivity isn’t about checking off every item on your to-do list. It’s about recognising what your priorities are and measuring your success based on those. Whether it’s advancing your career, nurturing your relationships, or pursuing your passions, the key is to align your actions with your values and measure your success accordingly.

Let’s embrace the flexibility and find joy in the journey, one prioritised task at a time.