Reflections - A to Z Challenge 2026

This year's A to Z Blogging Challenge was easily the one I enjoyed the most. 

Sometime in the second week of March, I came across a mention on the web or social media (I can't quite remember which) of Dhinga Gavar, a festival unique to the city of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, which is celebrated around that time. I found it quite strange and funny, and that instantly gave me the theme for this year's challenge. 

When I did the "Theme Reveal" post on 13 March, I wasn't actually sure I could pull it off. I was even getting ready to change the topic either before the challenge started or midway through it.

The second half of March was spent in extensive web searches to find various "strange and unusual customs, traditions, and phenomena in India". It was by no means easy finding one for each letter of the alphabet.

The second challenge was finding authentic information about each of them. I was very particular that I would only write those that had been covered by well-known media organisations or had an entry in Wikipedia with credible sources.

I am glad I could find 26 of them; in fact, for a few letters, I even had options. With most of April spent writing the posts, there was little time or energy to visit or read all the posts of other bloggers who had taken part in the challenge or who had dropped by my blog to leave comments. That did make me feel guilty.

The least I could do was read the comments, note down the names so I can return the visit as soon as possible. Fifty-six readers shared their thoughts on at least one of my posts. Plus, there were a few friends who sent messages on WhatsApp.

Every year, through the A to Z Challenge, I meet new bloggers, and this year was no exception. Among the 56 are many of my good old blog pals as well as a few new ones. I was surprised and happy to find comments from a few bloggers whom I had known before but who had dropped off my radar.

There were many anonymous comments too. If it was a login problem that made them comment anonymously, they could have written their names at the end of the comment. I hope they were not from someone I know!

Here is a big thank you to everyone, including the names mentioned below, who read my posts and jotted down their thoughts.

Yamini (who ensured that her comments too conformed to the A to Z pattern. Bravo!), Liz, Tomichan,  Andrew, Lisa, Leanne, David, Marietta, Suchita, Josna, Sundar, Ashok, Viyoma, Vallypee, Darla, SG, KP, Rajesh, Jo-Anne, Chris, Katie, Rudraprayaga, Arti, Frewin, Jabblog.

These are bloggers whom I got introduced to via this year's Challenge.

Little Princess, Karen, Ratna, Linda, Paula, Balaka Basu, Tanvi, A Tarkabarka Hölgy, Al Penwasser, Jean, Crackerberries, Anne, Anuradha, Durga, Pandian, Natasha. Sowmya, Srivalli, Melody, Sintra, Lenni, Ronel, Jemima, Fab, CRD, Idea-ist, Sumeet.

I don't have the links to the blogs of Pinkii Bakshi, Nnenna, Erin Penn, and Kristin.

Blogs are about information, ideas, thoughts, and connections. 

Keep blogging!