Sometimes a revival looks like a family wedding: fleets of cars, precise handwritten notes, a staccato of urgent phone calls and the luxurious rustle of silk saris.  At the bougainvillea-framed The Bangala in Karaikudi, on the eve of the Chettinad Heritage and Cultural Festival, the formidable Mrs Meenakshi Meyyappan sits at the centre of it […]

Picture taken by Arun Kumar Thyadi to be displayed at the photography exhibition in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: Arunkumar Thyadi The forests, wetlands, grasslands and coastal habitats of Andhra Pradesh will take centre stage at Hawa Mahal this weekend.  A wildlife photography exhibition at Hawa Mahal on October 3 and 4 will showcase 150 photographs documenting the varied biodiversity […]

The potter’s wheel hums softly beneath the pines. Nearby, birds trade their morning calls as tall trees sway to a breeze carrying a trace of mist. At the wheel, a lump of clay slowly takes shape. Fingers press, steady and sure, as the soft clay turns into a cup, a pot or a small keepsake: […]

An hour before sunrise Vinu Peruvannan is finally set to play god. Clad in crimson and black, donning heavy headgear speckled with wild geranium flowers, his torso covered in ashes, he holds up a mirror. His transition to a Kathivanoor Veeran Theyyam, a ferocious Thiyya warrior-turned-deity, is complete. This sight alone makes my 488-kilometre journey […]

School students look at photographs at the WildVizag 2.0 exhibition at Hawa Mahal in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Nearly 150 photographs showcasing India’s rich wildlife and biodiversity, from tigers in their forest strongholds to the diverse landscapes across the country, are drawing visitors to Hawa Mahal on Beach Road in Visakhapatnam. […]

The best way to get to know a river is to journey to its source, says local historian and cultural heritage activist Pallikkonam Rajeev. It reveals the geography of the river, the cultures it nourishes and life it sustains. “Understanding a river opens a window to our own multiple histories as a people,” he adds.  […]

For the uninitiated, Durga puja in Kolkata can be an exercise in navigating crowds, traffic, and seemingly endless queues. For those who prefer a more considered introduction to the festival, there is another way to experience it — one that trades the uncertainty of getting around the city for carefully curated itineraries, private transport and […]