Life & Style

Lord Jagannath and his siblings undergo a 15-day “illness” period after a sacred bath, a ritual known as Anasara. During this time, the deities are secluded and treated with medicinal pastes and repainted, mirroring ancient quarantine practices. Devotees visit the Alarnath Temple, believing Lord Jagannath manifests there. This tradition culminates in the Navajouban Darshan, preparing…

Renowned artist Edvard Munch believed paintings possess a unique power to capture the depths of human emotion, a feat he felt photography, even in its advanced state, couldn’t fully achieve. His famous quote, comparing the camera to a brush, highlights painting’s ability to delve into the ‘Heaven or Hell’ of our inner lives – our…

No Indian celebration feels complete without laddus. They mark weddings, festivals, temple offerings and family milestones, making them one of the country’s most recognisable sweets. In 2016, confectioner PVVS Mallikharjuna Rao from Tapeswaram in Andhra Pradesh transformed this humble dessert into a world record by preparing the largest boondi laddu ever made. The sweet weighed…

Naturally, children are the ones who are always told what to do. On the other hand, when they are given choices, they feel more responsible and responsible. Instead of saying, “Sit down and study Maths now,” ask them what subject they want to study first. In either case, the child will learn, but the difference…

Walk into most kitchens today and butter is one of the first things to go into the refrigerator. Leave it outside for too long, and it quickly turns soft, loses its freshness or spoils. But in a quiet town in Tamil Nadu, people have been making butter for generations that challenges this modern assumption. There…

When people think of adorable animals, fish are usually the last creatures that come to mind. But the ocean is home to some surprisingly charming species, with tiny smiling faces, bright colours and quirky features that make them stand out. Some have even become favourites among divers and underwater photographers simply because they look too…

Sometimes, life doesn’t feel difficult. It just feels… distant. You answer messages, finish work, meet people, and carry on with your routine, yet there’s an uncomfortable feeling that you’re only getting through the days instead of really living them. If you’ve been feeling that way lately, you don’t necessarily need a new city, a new…

Stress has been made an unavoidable aspect of contemporary life. It might come from work pressure, money problems, family responsibilities, or even the constant barrage of messages from our smart phones. While some stress might sometimes prove beneficial to us, too much of it would not only do us physical harm but would also negatively…

This is no surprise that Vande Bharat trains have changed the way Indians travel. These semi-high speed trains, since their inception, are offering travellers premium comfort without breaking their bank balance. From Kerala’s houseboats to Karnataka’s Western Ghats and Goa’s coastal landscapes, these Vande Bharat routes prove that comfort isn’t always expensive. For many travellers,…

Jim Thorpe, aka Switzerland of America, because of its mountainous setting, is known for its century old Victorian architecture. The town was originally founded as Mauch Chunk in the early 19th century, the town prospered through coal mining and the railroad industry. Its grand opera house, elegant mansions, old railway station and beautifully preserved commercial…