Festival Of The Month: Sao Joao, Goa
In the glorious combination of ‘sun, sand and beer’, replace beer with feni when talking about Goa in June. Just before the first monsoon showers hit the state, hinterland Goan areas erupt with celebration and fun during the Sao Joao Festival. And the chief ingredient keeping the spirits fairly high, both literally and figuratively, is […]
The Indian Festival Calendar: July-Aug
In country so rich in culture and theme, every festival celebrated here is a sight to behold. And when talking about India’s many festivals, what comes to mind is poet Rabindranath Tagore’s famous line… “You are invited to the festival of this world and your life is blessed”.
Festival Of The Month: Nashik Kumbh Mela
Despite the sheer flood of spiritual travellers, holy men and photographers, the Nashik Kumbh, as always, promises to allure. It is, after all, one of the most significant Hindu congregations held every three years in either Ujjain, Haridwar, Trimbak (Nashik) or Prayag (Allahabad).Nashik’s history is draped in myth and legends, but Trimbakeshwar – about 30km […]
The Indian Festival Calendar: May-June
I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to several festivals spread across India over the last few years, from annual tribal congregations in Nagaland to the hustling boat races of Kerala. I can say with reasonable surety that the one thing that synthesizes the ‘Indian experience’ is our love for celebration. The dramatic colours, dance and […]
The Indian Festival Calendar: Jan-Feb
Winter in India means a plethora of colourful festivals to look forward to. January and February are two of the best months for travellers to do so. Whether it’s the crack of the whip at the Kambala Buffalo Race or the reverberating dance steps of Theyyam performers in Kerala, there’s plenty here to keep you […]
Bastar Dushhera
A blend of both abundant natural beauty and spirituality, Bastar is Chhattisgarh’s most compelling destination. Even though the region is now fragmented by seven district boundaries, together these make the erstwhile Bastar. The region demands that you fine-tune your own rhythm to match that of the slow paced life it holds, and to immerse yourself […]
Festival Of The month: Sirpur Mahotsav 2015
A cultural extravaganza will unfold this January at Chhattisgarh’s third Sirpur Festival being held between 16 and 18 January. Names that will set the tone of cultural immersion in the state for 2015 include – Pandit Birju Maharaj; Anuradha Paudwal; Pandit Rahul Sharma
Kochi-Muziris Biennale: Bringing Art To The Streets
A large, human size light bulb propped up by wires and a framework of cane gently stirs with the ruffle of the balmy breeze, as the ferry from Ernakulam arrives in Fort Kochi. Installed in the initial weeks of December, it is now a near permanent feature for those who take the ferry every day. […]
Dining With Chhattisgarh’s Bison Horn Maria Tribe
A nervous rooster leapt into a short flight and squawked angrily at our car as it bounced through the dusty haze of the village road. A sense of intrigue hung in the air. We had already crossed the large memory pillars enroute – simple but emphatic memorials of important people from the tribe. Each one […]
Serendipitously Solo
I remember pedaling fast in the harsh Dehradun sun, swerving around corners with abandon, cap snugly fastened to my head, and shoulders bent on the drop handlebar, which I had ingeniously attached to a basic cycle. My shorts fluttered even in the still air where not a leaf quivered, only because of my speed. I […]
Who Says We Are Not a Sporting Nation?
The color and vivacity of the boat races are telling characteristics of festival time in Kerela. This argument that has often flung sports columns of newspapers and vociferous TV commentators into a verbal paranoia.
Kalaripayatu – Kerala’s Martial Art
A glimpse at one of the oldest sports of Kerala. Having paved the way for Kung fu and Karate, Kalaripayatu is not only one of the oldest and most artistic, but also the most lethal display of athleticism on the otherwise serene topography of Kerala.