ODISHA BY ROAD

Odisha has hitherto been known primarily for its beautiful Golden Triangle of Bhubaneswar– Puri–Konark, pivoted on Lord Jagannath’s seat.

INTO THE lair

A childhood tradition, a touch and go with nostalgia, learning and unlearning and eschewing convention.

In Loss, Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi crafts a moving memoir of death and grief

"The Pandemic is the powerful destructive face of nature the animal Kingdom"

GOING THE GREEN WAY

Odisha is richly endowed with nature, wildlife and biodiversity, thereby making it an ideal escape for a sustainable getaway.

Extract

OCTOBER 2009—EIGHTEEN MONTHS after my mother had died—I was scouting the net to buy a dresser. An odd, desperate classified: a college student, unable to care for an eight-week-old miniature dachshund puppy, had put her up for adoption. The student arrived at a friend’s office in Khar with the puppy, who had the swift, elusive air of a mongoose; tan, brisk, soft, supple as if drawn out of hot wax.

Deep Forest

Vana is a wellness retreat like no other. Amit Dixit undergoes a metamorphosis of sorts—of the good kind

BREAKFAST WITH A VIEW OUT OF THE BLUE

IS IT WORTH GIVING the much-hyped ‘floating breakfast’ at Heritance Aarah a shot? The answer can only be in the affirmative. Making the good ol’ breakfast in bed an obsolete concept, Heritance Aarah’s latest offering is for the select few.

The Food of Sichuan by FUCHSIA DUNLOP BLOOMSBURY

IN 1825, THE CELEBRATED French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote in his Physiology of Taste: “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.”

Chasing the lost horizon

THE ‘OTHER’ SHANGRI-LA by SHIVAJI DAS KONARK

How Can We Reboot Tourism In India?

What’s the big idea that can kickstart tourism in a postpandemic world? We spoke to the best of the best and they shared some transformative thoughts with us

Yoga Page - Gomukhasana, Acroyoga And Spirituality

Yoga is not just about physical well being. Spiritual evolution has always been the primary focus.

TURN OF THE TIDE

Going beyond the beaches, booze, and bikini, ROSHNI SUBRAMANIAN finds the Goa that remains elusive

Song OF THE Hills

Away from the confines of life on the grid, looking benignly from above, Sattal has an enchanting tale to tell.

Tropical treasure

Is this the ultimate island holiday? Amit Dixit checks into soneva Fushi, the original ‘barefoot luxury’ resort

The Scandinavian Outlier

Scandinavian countries search for simplicity

RAISING THE BAR: PURI'S GOLDEN BEACH IS BLUE FLAG CERTIFIED

A stretch of fine golden sand, choppy waters and a dose of mystical charm, Puri’s Golden Beach offers the thrill of nature as well as spiritual salvation

LOST SPRING, Autumn Sonata

A nip in the air, familiar scents and a walk through Delhi’s green lung was the much needed escape.

OLD WORLD, NEW CHARM

Hidden treasures, cultural richness, and numerous tribes, Chhattisgarh will leave you yearning for more

Awadhi SOJOURN

Going past the names, dates and battles, SIMRRAN GILL finds herself lost in the regal shades of Lucknow

What's Hot In The Food World?

Global Adventures For The Desi Palate

The Great Himalayan Recovery

Nestled comfortably in the lap of the Himalayas, Uttarakhand is where myth and history walk hand in hand. With rivers, ravines, and natural ecosystems, it ranks high on the mountainscapes list. Equal parts adventure and divinity, the state, less than two decades old, is heavily dependent on tourism, thanks to the favorable climate that it offers throughout the year.

Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains

ON AN UNSEASONABLY WARM October morning in Delhi that made me pine for the jungle encrusted hills of the northeast, I received a Facebook message from a British journalist and travel writer, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent. Antonia was planning to travel through Nagaland and wanted to make a stop at the Tzu Valley, where I worked with local communities on a conservation project. I was intrigued when she mentioned she had written a book on her motorbike journey through Arunachal Pradesh—a land lately forgotten by the outside world, still bewilderingly wild and peopled by tribes with fascinating cultural and folkloric traditions, beliefs, and practices. Whose origins remain shrouded in mystery.

RIDE THE WIND

The quiet of the road, the sheer peace of mind and some quality ‘me time’. Here’s why you'll crave that solo bike ride more and more

THE WOODS CAME CALLING

People spend a lifetime envisioning the wildlife they’ll see on a safari. ROSHNI SUBRAMANIAN with ‘no hopes attached’ recalls her maiden voyage into the wild

TRAILING Solo

I USED TO GO RUNNING EVERY evening at sunset from my lodge at Bandhavgarh to a village nearby. One evening, as I was walking back, I heard langur alarm calls. They were excited and frantic, and I knew what that meant—a big cat. After about 45 minutes, I saw something come out of the bushes, look at me, and charge. Almost instinctively, I jumped up and yelled back, and the leopard ran away. The female came out of the bushes next and simply walked away. I guess I won alpha-off.”

ON THE other SIDE

Mountains and valleys, pirs and pandits, turquoise lakes and the great Himalaya. The sounds of Kashmir have finally come to life.

WHERE THE WILDERNESS THRIVES

Answer the call of the wild as seasons transition and wildlife sanctuaries and national parks across the country open their gates for an escape in nature. Here is Team OT’s handy guide to spotting the rarest of the rare!

Eka Pada Galavasana: Flying Crow Pose

Also known as the Flying Pigeon Pose, this highly advanced asana is a part of ashtanga yoga in its third series. The idea isn’t to nail the pose as much as it is to enjoy the process. The sequence leads to the physical strengthening of the core, arms, and hips, along with an improvement in balance. The journey to the final asana sharpens mental focus and boosts confidence. If carpe diem was an asana, this would be it.

BOUNCING Back

Karan Kaushik interviewed Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot about post-pandemic tourism guidelines in the state and the new tourism policy announced

What's Hot In The Food World?

Global adventures for the desi palate