Advertisements Advertisements Photo: Drazen_/Getty Images Following the cancellation of UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s India visit due to the COVID-19 crisis, India has become the 40th country on the UK’s Red List. By implication, most travellers won’t be allowed to enter the UK if they are coming from or through India. Health Secretary Matt Hancock […]
Advertisements Advertisements Watch the urban expansion of Greater Noida on Google Earths Timelapse feature. Photo: Google Earth You may not be able to travel at the moment due to the pandemic, but you can travel back in time thanks to Google Earth’s new Timelapse feature. You can watch the Bandra-Worli Sea Link pop over Mumbai’s […]
Desperate times call for desperate measures. And so, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has planned to turn a bunch of hotels across Mumbai into COVID care centres, or what are being termed as “step-down facilities”. As per this order dated April 14, these step-down facilities will be used for COVID patients with mild symptoms. Those with […]
In our series #CommunityTable, tastemakers from India and around the globe celebrate their favourite restaurants, veggie meals and ingredients. Anissa Helou’s cookbook Feast:Food of the Islamic World documents Islamic food culture in a way it hasn’t been before and presents an exquisite journey through place and time, from Senegal to Indonesia via the Arab, Persian, […]
Very few fruits conjure up a picture of summer as mangoes do. Whether it’s in the form of milkshakes or aamras, the heat-inducing pulp sits on a pedestal around this time of the year. But there’s a universe of fruits out there, some even more weather-appropriate for India’s rising temperatures than the king of fruits. […]
Advertisements Advertisements Travellers arrive at Mumbai International Airport. Photo: Imtiyaz Shaikh/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) In a move to contain against the second wave of COVID, the Maharashtra government announced a 15-day curfew on Tuesday. Section 144 will be enforced from 8pm on 14 April until 7am on 1 May. All non-essential, non-emergency travel is […]
I am not ahead of the curve when I say that the next big thing in the alcobev segment is, without a doubt, Tequila and mezcal. Don’t believe me? Ask The Rock, Kendall Jenner or even George Clooney, who sold his Tequila brand Casamigos to Diageo in 2018 for a good chunk of change. But […]
Advertisements Advertisements A selection of Indian dishes. Photo: Magdalena Bujak / Alamy Stock Photo You may not be travelling much these days, but thanks to this startup, you can still relish your favourite meals from across the country. JustMyRoots is an online food delivery service that not only caters to those specific lockdown cravings but […]
Till a few years ago, instant coffee would be a go-to for many of us. But that’s changed, thanks to the emergence of craft coffee brands and specialty brews. The art of making these coffees might sound complex but all you really need is the right equipment, some good coffee beans and a little coffee […]
In our series #CommunityTable, tastemakers from India and around the globe celebrate their favourite restaurants, veggie meals and ingredients. Author Nandita Iyer picks her ingredient of 2021, and tells us why gourds are more delightful than we think What’s the best vegetarian dish you’ve ever eaten? Why? Where was it? I’m sure there are many, […]
Explore Indian landscapes that date back to over two centuries ago, from colonisation to freedom, at the New Found Lands: The Indian Landscape from Empire to Freedom. The exhibition curated by Dr. Giles Tillotson will showcase at the DAG in New York from 2 April until 31 May. The artwork tells a visual story of […]
Advertisements Advertisements Gateway of India deserted after a night curfew between 8:00 pm to 7:00 am came into effect in Mumbai. Photo: Hindustan Times / Contributor With the second wave of COVID-19 in India, several cities are now implementing strict restrictions to curb the spread of the disease. From night curfews and weekend lockdowns to […]
An Indian summer is a melee of memories, books, long holidays, afternoon siestas, and an assortment of fruits. While summer fruit is synonymous with mango, each part of the country has its own seasonal fruits that make striking cameo appearances through the long spell of hot weather. Take, for example, the bel or wood apple. […]
Advertisements Advertisements An illustration of the IATA Travel Pass mobile application. Photo: SOPA Images / Contributor With the end of the pandemic still some time away, it seems we will have to cope with the maze of health permits for a little longer. But the travel industry has been working at easing some of this […]
Summer afternoons are balmy at best in India’s sunshine state. As I drive from Sangolda village towards Panaji, Goa’s capital city, I decide to beat the heat with a quick stopover for a gelato at the O’ Mio gelateria at Porvorim. Little do I know that there is a surprise in store. Apart from local […]
In our series #CommunityTable, tastemakers from India and around the globe celebrate their favourite restaurants, veggie meals and ingredients. RPG Chairman Harsh Goenka loves to travel, is a patron of the arts and experiments with local cuisine wherever he goes. In this interview, he tells us about his most memorable meal and more. The best […]
Picture saffron straight from the fields of Pampore, Bhut Jolokia from the southern Nagaland and fiery dried red chilies from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. It takes a chef to understand the value of provenance. Award-winning chef Prateek Sadhu’s travels across India have taught him precisely that. His search for exciting hyper-local ingredients has taken him to […]
My week on the Cote D’Azur in the autumn of 2019 was my last holiday before the pandemic. The world at the time was innocent to the blow it was about to be dealt in the form of the COVID-19 virus merely two months later. I wrote this piece soon after my return from France. […]
If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us one thing, it is how swiftly the course of our lives can change. Now more than ever before, it is important to help our planet flourish, protect nature and, at the very least, stop cruelty towards other creatures. In that spirit, we’ve put together a list of beauty, accessory […]
For Thrissur-based couple Harikrishnan J, and Lakshmi Krishna, the pandemic was a blessing in disguise. It helped them realise their ultimate travel dream. In fact, it was even before the pandemic hit that the couple had begun planning for a lifetime of adventure and exploration. “Our love for travel resulted in a backpacking honeymoon trip […]
Advertisements Advertisements Idli platter at Roseate Hotels and Resorts When US Vice President Kamala Harris was recently asked about her favourite Indian dishes she listed “idli, with a really good sambhar” as one of them. A few days earlier, the idli kicked up a row of sorts on social media platform Twitter, when British historian […]
In our series #CommunityTable, tastemakers from India and around the globe celebrate their favourite restaurants, veggie meals and ingredients. Lifestyle influencer Mira Kapoor loves everyday Indian sabzis and believes in sustainable healthy eating. In this interview, she tells us about her favourite vegetarian dishes, ingredients and more. What’s the best vegetarian dish you’ve ever eaten? […]
Vegetarian food is no longer a poorly thought-out list at the end of a restaurant menu. Across the world, restaurants are embracing the flavours of local vegetables and bringing a whole new range of food to the table. Here’s where you can find the best vegetarian food in Colombo, New York, Dubai, Singapore, London and […]
Advertisements Advertisements Thandai. Photo: ajaykampani The festival of Holi is all about letting go and celebrating. Vibrant colours are flung into the air, white kurtas become canvases for splashes of coloured water and fistfuls of bright-hued powder, and everyone from little children and parents to grandparents join in the fun. If there’s one drink that […]
Advertisements Advertisements Aerial view of jellyfish swimming underwater in Male, Maldives. Photo: It seemed like everyone seeking respite from lockdown life in 2020 made a beeline for the Maldives’ crystalline seas and photogenic water villas. And the rush continues. The Maldives has always been a top contender for dreamy honeymoons and proposals. But over the […]
Nestled in upper Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, the town of McLeod Ganj is a heady mix of culture and food, with eateries jostling for space with monasteries and trinket shops, colourful prayer flags lining the streets and meditation retreats thrown into the mix. McLeod Ganj may be better known for its Tibetan fare, thanks to […]
When it comes to destination weddings in India, you are spoilt for choice. Whether you’re looking for an opulent palace wedding, a relaxed nuptial by the beach or an intimate wedding tucked away in nature, Indian destinations have something for everyone. Here are the best hotels to get married in India now ROYAL RETREATS IN […]
Advertisements Advertisements Beyond Your Wits by Great State Ale Works; The Maka di Honey Ale and Belgian Blanche. Photos: Instagram/@greatstate.aleworks ; @we.are.maka As summer comes around and temperatures rise, Sunday afternoons are best spent with a chilled beer. While beer is largely associated with German or English pub culture, a lesser-known fact is that there […]
Advertisements Advertisements Taj Exotica Resort and Spa A beach vacation in the summer is great. But a beach island vacation is even better. With white sand beaches, mangroves and lush tropical rainforests, the Andamans provide the perfect escape during the summertime. Here are six resorts that embrace the natural beauty of the islands and give […]
A sleek, all-white, state-of-the-art coffee bar is waiting for you. The aroma of freshly-ground coffee will greet you, and on the menu, dishes inspired by Japan, the Mediterranean and Korea will tantalise your tastebuds. You could be anywhere in the world, but one sip of the coffee and you’re likely to be transported to the […]
Advertisements Advertisements A Sapling in the soil. Photo: Sahil Ghosh / EyeEm / Getty Images. As the earth’s green cover continues to shrink and global warming and climate change become more imminent, it’s more important than ever to be conscious of the fragile ecosystem we live in. Across the country, a growing number of individuals […]
There are many things that go into the making of an icon. In the case of Swati Snacks, it is by setting new standards for chaat and introducing Mumbai to the wonder that is panki—a delicate and savoury rice pancake steamed in a banana leaf. “Nobody knew what a panki was back then and I […]
Up until a decade ago, Indian spirits were lesser-known among their global peers. But it’s a different story today. There’s a small but growing tribe of brands that are producing some top-quality spirits in the country and Indian whisky is leading the pack. These brands are putting India on the world whisky map with nuanced […]
How do you plan a wedding during a pandemic and ensure you get all your friends and family to be a part of your celebration? By hosting it across different destinations for something that’s equal parts gram-worthy and memorable. That’s just what Shaza Morani, director at Cineyug, an entertainment and events management company, did for […]
A cold, cold heart is Elton John’s elegiac reprise in his chart-topping ballad Sacrifice. A cold heart is also a thing of joy in Madurai. The curiously named jigarthanda (literal translation: cold heart) is a drink that celebrates excess, eschews conventions and piles on known treats of summer (think ice cream, chilled basundi, cream, milk) […]
Advertisements Advertisements This special series invites you into homes of interesting people in interesting places. Read the other stories here. You can sip tea at a different spot every day for a month, says Usha Hooda, who has opened up her dreamy mountain home in Himachal Pradesh to guests. Called Mayascrest, the stone mansion sits like […]
Just in time for the sweltering summer, the city gets a new craft brewpub. This time, it isn’t a brewery from Bengaluru or one by a homegrown hipster. One of the biggest names in the business, Scottish craft brew brand BrewDog has launched its first brewpub in the country. After the launch of a few […]
It wasn’t quite love at first sight with the solkadi. It was a sweltering summer afternoon in Janata Lunch Home, a tiny coastal food speciality restaurant and somewhat of an anomalous institution in Mumbai’s hip suburb of Bandra. The afternoon grew hotter as plates piled up featuring fiery pomfret fry slathered in a red chilli […]
Advertisements Advertisements City Palace and Lake Pichola in Udaipur. Photo: John Philip Harper After a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Udaipur, the district administration has directed hotels, airport authorities and airlines to exercise caution when working with travellers from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. Hotels in the City of Lakes now […]
Advertisements Advertisements A wholesome meal bowl. Photo: Cavan Images / Alamy Stock Photo Home-made food can be great. But that also means meal prep, cook time and a whole lot of decision-making. If you want to eat healthy but simply don’t have time to cook at home, there are a bunch of meal subscription services […]
Takdah, which translates to “land of the fog” in the ethnic Lepcha language, is a British-era cantonment in West Bengal that offers sweeping views of tea gardens and mist-shrouded hills. At Prabhdev and Mridula Singh’s quaint farmstay Kaleege House, you won’t be short of either. Why Takdah? Sitting at an altitude of about 5,000 feet, […]
The Bucket List has got a real-life remake. Except it’s not the final countdown that drove three senior citizens to make a road trip from Chandigarh to Andamans in January, but the pandemic. “COVID was boring the hell out of us. My wife, Amrita, and I were sipping on some Madeira. We were probably high […]
Every now and then, we see the appearance of new superfoods and drinks that claim to be the next big health trend. Some stay on, while others disappear as quickly as they arrived. Kombucha, however, is one of those trends that has caught on not only for its health benefits, but also for its elixir-like […]
To the iconic images of women working among tea-bushes in Assam or serving chai to suitors in their living room, add the last decade’s array of women who have stepped up to open their own tea companies. Their brews are stocked in swanky hotels and restaurants and tucked into gourmet boxes today, and perhaps even […]
Advertisements Advertisements Strawberries at The Indian Organics farm As more and more people become conscious of what they buy and put on their plates, the need for farm-fresh produce and healthy alternatives is growing rapidly. A new clutch of farmers and entrepreneurs in Pune are upping the ante by introducing new farming techniques, intelligent supply […]
In Delhi, summer sparks a mad rush for ice cream. The Mughal emperors, right from the time of Babur, spent much money and machinations in moving ice from the cooler climes of Kashmir to the plains of Delhi, a fact which yielded the first experiments in kulfi in the 16th Century. The British, swooning under […]
Ice creams form a sweet footnote in Bengaluru’s history. Way back in 1930, vanilla, chocolate and raspberry ice creams retailed at one anna at the Lakeview Milk Bar, a dessert started by an Englishman called James Meadow Charles. The first soft serve ice cream machines in India were brought in by the Mavalli Tiffin Room […]
Did you know that Sikkim is a 100% organic state? Or that the monument on the hundred rupee note in your pocket is the historical Rani ki Vav in Patan, Gujarat? This is how Abhiraj and Niyati, popularly known as Abhi and Niyu, open each of their YouTube videos—with a story about India that not […]