Hi! I'm Athira.
Born to Indian parents, this is me, Athira. Brought up in Southern Africa in a small country called Malawi, my calling lies in my writing, photography and spaces of nature.
This is me. Hello :)
The first thing you should know? I’m a nature-loving soul.
I grew up in the Warm Heart of Africa for 18 years, a small country nestled in the central southern region of Africa, called Malawi. These are my roots, and where I find myself travelling to time and time again in order to reset when life gets heavy. I’m hoping to write a book showcasing more about Malawi, using my photography and my writing to take readers on a journey through where I call home; a beautiful country with beautiful people.
Since starting my Substack in October 2023, I’ve left Dubai, a city I had lived at for 10 years. I’d completed my university degree there, where I studied International Business, and took a U-turn with my career, turning towards my love for photography.
This leaves me as a constant learner when it comes to photography; I’m a self-taught photographer. I started out in a corporate marketing job with very different expectations of how I felt my career would look like, and I’ve learnt a lot from my journey starting work in my early twenties, which you can find out more about here.
I’m currently attempting to live a ‘slow life’; trying to find balance between delving into a profession with writing, exploring my photography career, and learning new things. I also enjoy a lot of movement - I find that this balances my emotions and decompresses a stressful day. You can often find me dancing, trying out workouts or a yoga session, or even just flowing with a good stretch and a long walk.
I’ve always loved writing, yet always held back…
I thought it was high time I let go of my fears and just… Write.
I want to be able to give space for my words to breathe on paper. I do my best to write from a space of self-love - the ebb and flow of this journey - and you’ll also find me sharing snippets from my travels alongside beautiful photographs of nature and the world around us.
It is within my writing space that I find joy, and I connect within.
Writing is my gateway for my heart to flow with ease.
I want this to be a safe space.
I’m looking forward to building a community who enjoy nature as much as I do, empathise with the pains of a rushed life without intent, and want to relish in the little moments of joy that this one life has to offer. My hope is that this space will be one of kindness, joy and peace.
Look forward to my weekly writings which I’ll share every Sunday.
I hope you will find resonance in the ‘Pieces from my Heart’.
Some of my favourite pieces include:
My Latest Romantic Notion - inspired from a visit to a market in Rajasthan
I’m excited to be on this journey! I’ll see you soon.
With lots of love and sunshine,
Athira