Where the waves sing

Among the longest unbroken beaches, Marina beach in Chennai is where waves become pools and clouds sink into the deep waters A parrot sits next to its master-—an astrologer who will ask him to pick a card and your future will emerge. I gaze in awe—I thought this guardian to the future was lost in […]

Blissful Bali

With its different architectural wonders and rich culture, Bali offers a trip to cherish for long “There was a time when donning a sarong and sash would have been a must here but now the rules are fairly relaxed,” a local photographer tells me as he offers to click a picture of mine against the […]

Drinking Coffee, Discovering Vistas

In search of the perfect brew, a whole new world opens up. With every cup, the mundane becomes exotic and conversation flows easy You can lose 10kg drinking green coffee. In 15 days, you can fit into your favourite skirt or the aspirational swimwear. We buy this green coffee bean packet for a princely sum […]

Cottages of contentment

A house in the hills is not just a getaway destination, it has given Delhiites a new direction and purpose, a respite from mundane urban existence Delhi is happening, the hub of opportunities. But excess of anything is bad. The pollution and the population have made life difficult in one of the biggest metropolises in […]

Metallic resolve

A docile boy who suffered from stage fright became one of the most celebrated metal vocalists in the country. He wants to hone and nurture talent, to help people realise their inherent potential The story of Shashank Bhatnagar, 36, is no less spectacular than his dreams. A Lucknow boy, he lacked confidence, was introverted and  […]

New perch

Outraged by its alleged bias, users are abandoning Twitter India to sign onto alternative platform Mastodon NISCHAI VATS @nischaivats   It hasn’t been a smooth ride for Twitter in India in November, as hundreds of users are abandoning the micro-blogging website over its alleged discriminatory policy against the minorities and those who oppose the Hindutva […]

Footloose at Fort

While the day is all about business, the evenings in Mumbai’s commercial area are about the setting sun, rays dancing over the colonial buildings, enjoying a cuppa with vada pav I read the notification on my phone — 97-year-old Boman Rashid Kohinoor, senior partner of Britannia & Co Restaurant, passed away. Oh God! A loud […]

Babus can write!

Many police officers and bureaucrats have taken to writing, some after retirement. Their books give an insider’s perspective on issues and events that shaped our nation Much of the power that bureaucrats enjoy is because they are custodians of information. Though the Right to Information Act made a dent in the steel frame, secrecy remains […]