City

Seventy-three years seems like a long time. Yet for those who lived through the euphoria of August 15, 1947, it possibly seems like yesterday when thousands huddled close to the radio, listening in amazed disbelief as Pandit Jawaharlal…
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During an interview with music composer Shantanu Moitra, strains of afternoon azan filter in through the phone. Minutes later, he talks about the beauty and power of everyday sounds, and how they give a place its defining character. After…
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Gushing waterfalls, prehistoric caves, fragrant spice plantations, rejuvenating treks, as well as diverse flora and fauna are some of the many things that define Wayanad in Kerala. In addition, Wayanad is home to some of Kerala’s top-notch…
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On a Sunday morning, I normally would have taken the ‘fast’ train down to South Bombay, but today I wanted to drive through the city. Lin Baba, Gregory David Roberts’s semi-autobiographical character from the 2003 novel Shantaram, wove…
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Monsoons in India ripen the mood for a romantic and nostalgic getaway. Escaping to remote waterfalls flanked by misty mountains, lush forests housing a rhapsody of migratory birds or little shacks on beaches to catch puffy clouds and rainy…
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Marz-O-Rin Bakthiar Plaza, 6, M.G. Road Tucked inside a heritage building at M.G. Road in Pune’s Camp area, Marz-O-Rin is the sort of place a couple in a Basu Chatterjee film would pick for their dates. The café opened in 1965, and its…
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Planning your first trip to India for 2021? Here's my recommended India itinerary for those looking to experience the best of India in 2 weeks. India is an absolutely fascinating conglomeration of cultures, colors and flavors. They say you…
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Fort Kochi’s quietude is a respite for those seeking to escape madding city crowds. What’s not to like about its hipster cafés, Instagram-worthy Chinese fishing nets, and narrow lanes festooned with colonial-era homes?  But the…
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“In my little town of Shillong, things have changed,” begins Lou Majaw, a parental affection for the home of over seven decades softening his deep-bass voice. There have been two constants in the life of the Khasi musician monickered ‘Bob…
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Cycling is a passion and a unique way to explore his city for 58-year-old Arvind Chenji. Having lived in Hyderabad all his life—“brief stints in other cities don’t count”—he’s seen it grow remarkably to reach its current tech city status.…
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