Lifestyle

05

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Beyond Hyderabad is building a thriving community for arts, music, trekking and heritage enthusiasts

A trek to Khajaguda | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Think of Hyderabad, and one immediately associates it with the burgeoning rise of curated events celebrating art, music, food, and heritage. Beyond Hyderabad (BH) is one such group offering diverse experiences and fostering a community of enthusiasts, one meetup at a time. The 2,000-member group was launched in April 2023 by tech professionals and nature lovers, Anwesh Goda, Kuna Sandeep, and Harish S. “Our aim is to explore something beyond what Hyderabad is typically known for,” says Harish, a former employee of Computer Associates (CA) India.Flea for artBeyond Hyderabad and Art…

Read More

05

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Cruising in style: Classic and vintage cars take a nostalgic road trip from Chennai to Puducherry

Cars on display in Puducherry | Photo Credit: Sangita Rajan The Austin 8 Tourer hesitated for a second before its engine caught a low, steady rumble, that felt more alive than mechanical. As a convoy of 40 vintage and classic cars pulled onto the East Coast Road, their silhouettes cut through the early morning haze. This rally, organised by the Historical Cars Association of India (HCAI) was part of Heritage Rollers 2025, a vintage and classic car show held over two days with cars from different parts of the country.Chrome glinted in the soft morning light, spoked wheels hummed over…

Read More

05

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Indian in the White House? Meenakshi Ahamed, author of ‘Indian Genius’, wouldn’t be surprised

Meenakshi Ahamed with a copy of Indian Genius | Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran The 2024 U.S. elections threw up many surprises, but they also saw the Indian-American community come into its own — with a record six Indian-Americans being elected to Congress for what’s now called the ‘Samosa Caucus’. Also, many from the community, including Vivek Ramaswamy and Kash Patel are among President Donald Trump’s top nominees for positions in the administration. Journalist Meenakshi Ahamed’s latest book Indian Genius: The Meteoric Rise of Indians in America is a look at successful Indians in a number of spheres, with exclusive interviews…

Read More

05

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

In 2025, the focus is on self-improvement, contentment, and more

People release a lantern while celebrating the New Year at Marina Beach in Chennai, The adrenaline rush of new beginnings has come and gone, and the dust of fireworks and grand parties has settled. Another year has well and truly begun, with the reality of growing old hitting hard. There is a growing urgency to live life to the fullest, and it is in this very atmosphere that new year’s resolutions find its power, helping us navigate the unknown and channel our aspirations into far-fetching goals.The familiar, “new year, new you” often translates into accquiring a gym membership in January;…

Read More

04

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Designer Tarun Tahiliani is reimagining Indian couture through his menswear brand Tasva

Tarun Tahiliani is a name that needs no introduction, even if you are not familiar with the fashion world. With a career spanning almost three decades, his vision of blending Indian craftsmanship with Western aesthetics has paved the way for the Indian fashion industry to make its mark on a global platform. While it could be argued that wearing a Tarun Tahiliani outfit might seem far fetched for most, the couturier has now embarked on a slightly different journey with his retail brand Tasva in collaboration with Aditya Birla Fashion Retail Limited (ABFRL) that focuses on affordable traditional Indian menswear.…

Read More

04

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Tribute | Rohit Bal: the flamboyant designer rooted in heritage yet globally resonant  

“There will never be another Gudda.” A sentiment expressed by all those who knew the legendary couturier Rohit Bal (fondly known as Gudda), echoed through the air, as I sat beneath a canopy of light and memory. The Blenders Pride Fashion Tour unfolded in Gurugram, not just as a showcase, but as an immersive celebration of Bal’s extraordinary life and timeless legacy.  Known for his maximalist ethos balanced with an undercurrent of sophisticated restraint, Bal was a storyteller, weaving narratives of heritage, opulence, and romance into each of his creations. The showcase was a visual memoir of his journey, featuring his…

Read More

04

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Column | Phuphee serves some lemonade

One balmy July afternoon, a few weeks before I got married, two families from the village arrived at Phuphee’s house. We were sitting on the verandah, tumbling in and out of a light sleep after a heavy lunch of riste te paalak (meatballs with spinach) when we saw them walking towards us. The families were in laws. ‘Aaaze paizihaa aesyii zamdoad batte khyoan [we should have had yoghurt and rice for lunch today],’ Phuphee whispered, as both clans got closer to us. The boy’s father was striding in front. He greeted Phuphee and launched into a barrage of accusations about…

Read More

04

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Unwind with chai at Vagamon

One of the tea estates that will be part of Chai@Vagamon | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT With her new project Chai@Vagamon, social entrepreneur Lakshmi Menon hopes to give tourists to the hill station a new set of experiences that extend beyond the typical offroading, tea garden and pine forest visits. She wants travellers to get an immersive experience of the hill station nestled in the Western Ghats on the Kottayam-Idukki border. “This is for the traveller who is looking for experiences, who is not in a hurry to do touristy things but rather savour the journey and soak the essence of…

Read More

03

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Meet the Kerala farmer brewing India’s first tender coconut wine

Farmer Sebastian P Augustine at his farm in Bheemanady, Kasaragod | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Sebastian P Augustine, a former government employee, settled in his ancestral property, spread across 15 acres, at Bheemanady, Kasaragod, over six decades ago. Having spent a significant part of his life at Vempally in Kottayam, he decided to start farming post retirement, planting crops such as rubber, pepper, cocoa, coconut and even exotic fruits such as dragon fruit and avocado. In the early 2000s, the coconut trees on his field were infested by eriophyid coconut mite, an insect-like organism that affects coconut production. Officials from…

Read More

03

Feb

By The Press Editor

0 Comments

Lifestyle

Architecture’s big screen moment | ADFF debuts in Mumbai

At the debut Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) in Mumbai — brought to India from across the Atlantic by STIR, a media house and curatorial agency, earlier this month — one question took over all the rest: how has this not been done before? In a country where industry-led trade shows and design fairs are a dime-a-dozen, silo-ing a profession that impacts us all, this was a breath of fresh air.The city’s iconic National Centre for the Performing Arts played host to this South Asian premiere, where these interconnected worlds collided and cross-pollinated using a medium we can all relate…

Read More