Isha Sharvani

OT Was travel a prominent feature of your childhood
Isha Sharvani Most definitely. Through most of my childhood, I travelled with my parents like a gypsy. I remember living in Delhi, Mathura, Orissa, Bangalore and Andhra Pradesh before we finally settled down in Kerala 20 years ago.

OT Tell us what you love the most about Natyashram.
Isha Sharvani Natyashram is a vibrant academy for the performing arts in rural Kerala. My parents, and other dancers associated with it, built it from scratch. I remember there was no electricity there at that time. To see so many people enjoying its facilities today makes me feel so happy. For me, of course, it is home &mdash this is where I come back to after all my travels.  

OT Which was the first country you ever visited on a dance tour
Isha Sharvani To be honest, I can&rsquot remember at all. I have been dancing professionally since I was 13 years old and have been to thirty-odd countries so far, so it&rsquos a bit of a blur actually

OT Which is your favourite city to perform in
Isha Sharvani I enjoy performing in the cities of the UK and Australia &mdash the audience there is very receptive and eager to engage with the artist.

OT Where would you like to go next
Isha Sharvani I would love to perform in the Americas &mdash Brazil in particular. The destination that fascinates me is Dharamsala. I haven&rsquot been there yet, but am looking forward to holidaying there soon.

OT Any travel disasters
Isha Sharvani Well, minor disasters happen all the time, but I believe that anything can be solved if you have your passport and some money handy. 

OT Do you shop much when you travel
Isha Sharvani I am not an avid shopper, but I do enjoy strolling through the local markets wherever I go to imbibe the vibe, taste and smell of the place, and to observe people.

OT Which is your favourite food destination
Isha Sharvani I love the food in Gujarat. My mother is a Gujarati, so I visit the state often and totally dig the food I eat at my nani&rsquos and masi&rsquos places there.

OT What do you like to read when you travel
Isha Sharvani When I travel, I take one book that inspires my imagination and another that&rsquos entertaining, light and cheesy, and read whichever I feel like, depending on my mood. I just finished reading The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri.

OT Which movie, in your opinion, does justice to the destination it is shot in
Isha Sharvani Woody Allen&rsquos Vicky Cristina Barcelona starring Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson.

OT The three things you always carry when you travel...
Isha Sharvani Money, my identity proof and Vaseline.