Lifestyle

09

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

How India’s Chinese community celebrates Chinese New Year across generations

In the week leading up to Chinese New Year, Kolkata’s Tiretti Bazaar transforms into a vibrant reflection of the city’s Chinese-Indian heritage. Red lanterns, symbolising prosperity and good fortune, adorn the streets, while calligraphy banners on shopfronts wish visitors health, happiness, and success for the year ahead.Victor Chen, originally from Kolkata and now based in Mumbai as general manager of Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport, makes it a point to return home for the festivities. Despite the dwindling Chinese-Indian population in Tiretti Bazaar — once around 20,000 but now closer to 2,000 — many traditions remain intact. “This is…

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09

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Chennai | Anaka Narayanan’s capsule collection has a weaving story to tell

In The Maheshwar Edit, Anaka experiments with bold stripes, textures and colours | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Anaka Narayanan’s capsule collection, The Maheshwar Edit, has a story to tell. In 2022, Anaka, the founder of Brass Tacks headed to Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh for an apprenticeship with weaver Nisha Verma. “I was keen on learning how to weave and knew that to commit the process to muscle memory, I would have to do this for a longer period of time,” she says.I went in with an open mind and told myself that if I wanted to delve deeper into production and…

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09

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Now, rent a Water Metro ferry to go on backwater tours

The air-conditioned ferries are said to be the first of their kind in Asia under a single command and control system being given on rent for film shooting during off-peak hours. | Photo Credit: R.K. Nithin In keeping with the hop-on, hop-off concept, Kochi Water Metro Limited (KWML) has begun renting out its popular electric-hybrid ferries for groups of people to go on backwater tours. The air-conditioned ferries are said to be the first of their kind in Asia under a single command and control system being given on rent for film shooting during off-peak hours. “Encouraged by the response, we…

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08

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Kochi | ‘Go With The Flo – The Period Game’ is an educational board game that debunks myths around menstruation

Go with the flo board game  | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT The educational board game Go With the Flo - The Period Game is exactly what you think it is. It is about menstruation, and probably India’s only board game on the subject. It is designed to demystify menstruation and aims to create menstrual literacy not only for girls who have reached menarche, but for parents and educators.  The games has been brought out by Sradha Culture Lab, an initiative which focuses on gender, culture and psychology. Ranjini Krishnan, the founder of Sradha Culture Lab, explains, “Menstruation is an important…

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08

Feb

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Lifestyle

A brew school in Kerala which trains baristas

The aroma of coffee leads my way as I make my way up the stairs to The Brew School (TBS) at Kadavanthra junction. Situated on the second floor of Daffodils, a building on KP Vallon Road, it looks more like a chemistry laboratory than what one expects ‘barista school’ to be. The ‘classroom’ has all kinds of equipment required to make coffee - V60 drippers, all manner of kettles, French presses, coffee grinders, drip scale and coffee cups of varying sizes. A dozen-odd students listen intently as an instructor shows them the right way to make a cappuccino: the ratio of…

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08

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Coimbatore’s assisted living facility opens a range of sensorial games for the elders

Sensorial games | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement When you visit Elca Elder Care, an assisted living facility at Peelamedu, you may see elderly women and men engrossed in pallankuzhi, a game that has kept generations entertained. The two-player game demands the use of one’s mathematical insight, cognitive and motor skills, and hand-eye-coordination to crack it. Players use shells, tamarind seeds or beads on pits on special boards for the game.“We have elders who refuse to budge for tea breaks or lunch, playing for hours together,” says Dhinakar Perumal, managing director of Elca Care, adding that the touch-and-feel nature of the seeds…

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08

Feb

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Lifestyle

Nithya Mariam John’s new book of poems is an ode to the kitchen

Kitchen Poems by Nithya Mariam John | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Nithya Mariam John’s short, crisp verses have the sweetness of elayada, the salty-spicy tang of cut mango and the freshness of lacy appams at sunrise. Poet, translator and assistant professor of English at BCM College, Kottayam, says her new poetry collection is inspired by her maternal grandfather. Nithya’s Kitchen Poems, published by Red River and released recently, is a collection of verses, memories and recipes.Nithya does not claim to be a culinary researcher or a food expert; in fact, she only started cooking as a routine fairly recently in…

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08

Feb

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A rare motorcycle finds a home in Mavelikara

Norman MK 9D | Photo Credit: SURESH ALLEPPEY Tucked away in the sleepy village of Cherukole, near Mavelikara, is a garage unlike any other, where vintage and modern motorcycles stand shoulder to shoulder. At its heart is Kiran G.K., a passionate collector who has amassed an enviable fleet of 40 motorbikes. But none hold as much historical significance as the Norman MK 9D, a wartime motorcycle that was designed to navigate the battlefields of World War II.For the 42-year-old automation engineer, owning a piece of this rare motorbike is more than a passion. It is about preserving a piece of…

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08

Feb

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MG Astor Upgraded: Elevating affordable luxury with tech, safety, and style

In a segment that thrives on innovation and value, MG Motor has given the Astor 2025 a much-needed refresh. One of the notable updates to the Shine variant is the addition of a panoramic sunroof, a feature typically reserved for higher-end models. Offering this at a price below ₹12.5 lakh, MG makes the Astor a compelling choice for buyers looking for an affordable SUV with premium features. To further enhance the in-car experience, the Shine variant now also comes equipped with a six-speaker audio system, enhancing the in-car entertainment experience. Refresh that redefines valueThe Select variant also has certain key…

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08

Feb

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Lifestyle

Reuse culture – The Hindu

During the pandemic, life was reduced to its barest and most essential minimum. Wardrobes could be pared down: the regular sweatshirt and nightie were haute couture. One could get by on fewer possessions with the most indispensable one being the face-hugging mask. The commute became redundant. One could be parked at home along with their fancy car, and still enter workstations parked at homes thousands of miles away. The period offered gratuitous advertisement for minimalism. The birth of these two decluttering groups seemed organically linked to this pervasive climate.These two groups — Declutter Elcot Avenue in Sholinganallur (date of birth: first half of 2020) and Marketplace @ Valmiki Nagar (DOB:…

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