Chavadi: The Meeting Place

Shilpa Mutyala, formerly Punja, exudes a quiet, calm conviction in this Chavadi chat with co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha, reliving, among other things, growing up in the US, balancing mom & therapist roles, and sharing the benefit of her professional experience in terms of parenting, integrating with community, and most of all, the importance of taking care of oneself. 

Manjunath Shetty, Ex President of the Bunt Association of North America (BANA) joins co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha to talk about his young formative years, his move to America, and his determination to stay rooted in his culture while embracing all the world has to offer. His love of community shines throughout.Since the episode was recorded, Manjunath, leading the Seattle BANA team, coordinated the 25th Bunt convention and brought together 500+ guests to celebrate decades of shared journeys and collective progress.

Shrishma Naik or Mini as she is better known, brings light hearted banter, yet speaks from the heart to Chavadi co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha, sharing her experiences as a child in Malaysia, her journey of self-discovery through collegiate life in the US, connecting to her roots while holding firm to her convictions as a young adult in India, and blending it all together in Iceland, reiterating her belief that ‘where we come from informs where we go’.

Sandhya Patel draws vivid, nostalgic pictures as she goes down memory lane with co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha, bringing to life her admiration for her parents and their varied interests, glimpses into the four Fs that symbolize being Bunt for her, her prolonged journey to a whirlwind arranged marriage, and building strong bonds with her daughter.

Rohan Shetty talks to Chavadi co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha about understanding the impact of parental actions and his own early life experiences, bonds that grew from them, good things that came out of tough situations, and the importance of being realistic through it all. ‘Ditch the algorithm…join community’ and check out his entrepreneurial venture, Nextspin, an app built for music lovers. 

Guraz Buhariwala, Chavadi’s second SOB (Spouse of Bunt) guest, visits with co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha, sharing his perspective of life, assimilating in four countries, assorted communities, and multiple time zones with the love of his life by his side, all the while learning that life is full of experiences that you learn from.

Puja Shetty, recognized by the Bunts Association of North America for her excellence as the 2026 BANA Regional Leader, gives Chavadi co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha, glimpses into the source of her strength and closeness to community in this narrative of her experiences with natural and man-made events and her determined yet quiet responses to them. * BANA Excellence Award Write-up 

A Chavadi one year anniversary special!Gita Shetty, whose birthday marked the launch of Chavadi: The Meeting Place, reluctantly agreed to talk to co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha. Not fond of talking about herself or her  impact on people, this special guest who has lived through diverse decades since the 1940s, provides insight into her life as one of the younger of 10 siblings, gives a humorous, tongue-in-cheek take of marriage back in the day, and shares great life advice from her own journey through time and  her experiences with adversity.Explanation of unexplained  tulu colloquialisms used through this podcast:Kola: sacred ritual dance for spirit worshipBissu: new year when mango leaves/rice stalks are tied to the front doorYajaman: head of the householdMantap: wedding canopy; pillared hallDhaare maipuna: pour holy water during the traditional giving away of the bride part of the ceremonyHande: cauldronPendal: open-sided pavillionVolu undu: where is it?Aath ithanda yaavuja?: Isn't that enough? 

Ashima Shetty Dcosta shares her personal journey with Chavadi co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha, with a directness, candor, and ‘very chill’ (as she describes her nature) manner that belies the practicality, resilience, and courage with which she faces the highs and lows that life puts before her. 

Arjun Adyanthaya brings honesty, youthful charm and humor to this Chavadi Chat, entertaining co-hosts Siddhant and Lalitha with stories of childhood and collegiate antics, his brief interlude with the underworld, his views on romance and spirituality, and his philosophy that a leopard does not change his spots, but life marches on.