Life & Style

Growing up, Athira J was not a big fan of idlis. “If someone at home said we have idli for breakfast, my whole mood would be spoiled,” she says. However, now, Chaikaari, the eatery she runs with her cousin Arun Kumar BS, sells around 2.5 lakhs idlis a day, through its five outlets in the city. The brand serves varieties such as ghee podi (a lentil-based spice seasoning) idli, kariveppila (curry leaf) podi idli, butter podi idli, ellu (sesame) podi idli, cilantro podi idli and peri peri idli.

Athira J and Arun Kumar BS, founders of Chaikaari.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Chaikaari is among the several eateries in the city that have rolled out a range of idli varieties. From Ramasseri idli, almost the size of a pancake with its origins in a village in Palakkad district, to different types of idlis, the steamed dish is available in interesting variants, thanks to outlets such as Suda Suda Idli, Modak Food and Podi Idlyum Kattanum, among others in the city.

Kariveppilapodi idli from Chaikaari
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The idli, once labelled “the most boring thing in the world” by a British historian on X (previously Twitter) in 2020, sent ripples across the internet with Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor backing the rice and lentil-based South Indian breakfast dish. The latter retorted on the platform saying, “Civilisation is hard to acquire: the taste & refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket, or watch ottamthullal (a dance and poetic performance) is not given to every mortal. Take pity on this poor man, for he may never know what Life can be.”

For actor Venkitesh VP a.k.a Venky, who co-owns Suda Suda Idli located near Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, cooking and serving idlis have a deep family connection. His grandmother, Saraswathy Ammal, used to run an idli shop decades ago, earning her the title Idli Amma in the West Fort area. He considers it fate that now he is running an idli kiosk with his friends Sreeram Krishnaswami, Vignesh G, Arun Kumar B V and Vijay Kumar.

Owners of Suda Suda Idli: (from left) Vijay Kumar, Vignesh G, Venkitesh VP, Arun Kumar B, Sreeram Krishnaswami
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The idea of starting the shop popped up during a discussion with his friends when he returned home to the city following a break from a Telugu movie. “Almost a month after that, we managed to bring our plan to fruition. I love idlis. It is my favourite after porotta and beef,” says Venky.

Soya idli being made at Suda Suda Idli
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

The outlet serves five idli varieties, including soya idlis (soya chunks cooked in masala folded into the idli batter), flat, thick butter thatte idlis coated with two types of podi and mini podi idlis, fried in ghee, and doused in sambar and chutneys.

Butter thatte Idli from Suda Suda Ildi
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Owner of Modak Food, a Kazhakkoottam-based cloud kitchen, Arun Anirudhan, says, “I have always liked idli and found it to be a healthy choice for breakfast.” Formerly working in Bengaluru, he was set to become a foodpreneur, inspired by what he had tasted in Karnataka, ultimately including podi idli, butter idli, ghee idli and so on in his menu.

Arun Anirudhan who runs Modak Food
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Podi idli from Modak Food
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Kariveppila podi idli, ellu podi idli, heart-shaped idli, ragi idli etc are served by Modak, which began operations in May 2024. The idlis are available throughout the day on food delivery apps and are served with sambar, tomato chutney, coconut chutney and kesari at prices starting from ₹110.

A recent addition to Suda Suda Idli’s menu is dum idli, which Venky discovered on the sets of a Vijay Devarakonda movie. “It was eaten there, especially by assistant directors and is made by mixing idli, sambar and uzhunnuvada (urad dal fritter) inside a container called a dum. You can have it with ghee and podi. We serve only around eight portions of it every day,” says Venky.

He adds, “Earlier our menu had ghee thatte idli and rasam idli, which we thought weren’t working. We also served cheratta (coconut shell) idli, but had to stop it since the cooking time was longer. They are planning to include a paneer idli for weekends and a pizza idli, with toppings like cheese, tomatoes, capsicums, corn and so on. The prices start from ₹40.

It was two years ago that Praveen Venky and wife, Rukmini started a vegetarian food stall Podi Idlyum Kattanum, opposite the Bhajanappura Palace, East Fort, after years of serving food exclusively during the Sabarimala season (November to January). “We decided to open a permanent outlet after I gave up my job as a temple priest. By then we were sure about having a regular flow of customers,” says Praveen.

Praveen Venky and Rukmini
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The outlet serves plain idli, sambar idli and Ramasseri idli with five options for seasoning such as curry leaf, mint, coriander, red chilli and black pepper, depending on the availability of ingredients. The idlis are all priced ₹50 and ₹60 and the plain idli costs ₹10 per piece, says Praveen.

“We are going to introduce muringayila (drumstick leaves) podi as a seasoning, which will be nutritious as well,” says Athira. Among the specials at Chaikaari is neer idli, which is mini idlis soaked in neer chutney (a Karnataka style chutney made with coconut and roasted gram).

Neer idli from Chaikaari
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SPECIAL ARANGEMENT

The idlis at Chaikaari are served with coconut chutney, a green chutney made with mint, coriander and curry leaves, a coriander seed chutney, nellika (amla) rasam, sambar and kesari. The idlis are priced from ₹149 onwards.

Varieties such as kheema idli, fried idli, chilli idli, sodhi (Tirunelveli-style vegetable stew) idli and so on are also available in the city at eateries such as Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan, Ariya Nivas and so on.

With a plethora of these steamed goodness options at their disposal, some customers are finally giving idli a chance. Karthika JS, who works at a company in Technopark, says, “Normally, I am not fond of things which are steamed, and I don’t like having idlis at home. But now, when we go out, we go for the idli varieties and are willing to try more.”Athira says, “We also have a lot of North Indian customers who are not used to this food enjoying idlis now.”

In a world of reels and shorts, where edgy, dramatic recipes stand out, Julius Fiedler aka Hermann — a German who now calls the U.K. home — is an outlier. He makes a sincere attempt to pronounce the names of dishes correctly (the Tamil paniyaaram, for one) and cracks open a coconut expertly, much to the admiration of an audience far removed from where he lives.

Fiedler, a filmmaker-turned-food creator, who has 2.4 million followers on Instagram and 7.73 lakh subscribers on YouTube, has been popularising plant-based food for some years now. He speaks of the homes he has visited, makes idli/dosa batter from scratch (“the texture should be similar to coarse cornmeal, and when you pour it out, it should flow in thick ribbons”), and whips up a creamy hummus. When he cooks, everything seems simpler, like the calming art it ought to be.

Julius Fiedler’s first taste of idlis

In May, he’s scheduled to release Naturally Vegan: Delicious recipes from around the world that just happen to be plant-based, a cookbook detailing his food journeys. On a phone call from London, he speaks about his inspirations, and more importantly, his learnings. Edited excerpts:

What’s the genesis of your social media handle, Hermann?

It refers to a sourdough culture that’s used to make a [Freundschaftskuchen] friendship cake. In Germany, we have many sourdough starters named Hermann. They have to be kept alive, and [the natural surplus] of the vibrant mix of bacteria is passed along to a friend to start their own culture, bake and pass it on. You’re not only passing on food, you’re helping them make a whole from a part. You’re helping keep a tradition alive. This is what I aim to do with my videos too. Hence, Hermann.

My Hermann is about five years old now, resting in my refrigerator, and I still feed it.

Why is the origin story of every ingredient important to you?

This too began with sourdough. It has just three ingredients: flour, salt and water. If you don’t focus on good quality wheat, your sourdough will reflect that. I apply that philosophy to everything I cook. Knowing where an ingredient comes from helps forge a connect with that world.

You aim for authenticity with your videos.

I learn when I travel, cook dishes as authentically as I can in my London studio, and then post them. I see the comments and learn from the feedback from people to whom the recipe originally belongs. I would go out seeking authentic street food from communities far removed from modern quick-fast style cooking. I’d notice what ingredients went in, and the basic but solid methods they followed that resulted in incredible flavours. That, I think, connected with people.

How do you view food?

Food is cultural heritage. When I try to cook a dish authentically, I choose the best way to connect with a culture. There’s always a reason for a lengthy step, or an ingredient that I might not understand. But, it all eventually makes sense. For example, the health advantages you get from a fermented idli where lentils and carbs are broken down to an easily digestible form, you will not from an equally delicious rava idli that’s made near instantly.

Cooking a dish from another culture is like attending a masterclass of sorts. Some recipes date back centuries. When you start with the authentic way, you learn about why a particular aspect of a culture has survived.

Mumbai’s vada pav

While you cook plant-based food, you rarely diss other food choices.

My plant-based food journey began about two-and-a-half years ago, due to ethical reasons. When I switched my diet, I found that plant-based foods around me were modern, torn away from culture. They were manufactured in a factory, and placed on a shelf, without any history. I then heard of chickpea tofu made in Myanmar with chickpea flour, water and turmeric. It is pastier than regular tofu, can be sliced and fried, or shaved onto dishes. And this, in a culture where the majority does not follow a plant-based diet. It opened my eyes to the fact that plant-based food does not mean soy-based food.

Cultures have figured out ways. Italy and Greece have traditional dishes that are vegan. They use local knowledge passed down the ages, like consuming legumes with grains and vegetables. This is interesting for the palate, is nourishing, but is also texturally rich and enjoyable to consume. And, with plant-based food, one dish leads to 10 others.

Dal tadka

You’ve compiled these recipes in a book now.

The idea began with wanting to appreciate a dish and culture, but has evolved into an effort to tell you why these cultures are special. I visited Italy, Turkey and India [Bengaluru, Kochi, Alappuzha, Munnar, Goa and Mumbai] over the last couple of years and documented many recipes. Each visit has been such a smorgasbord of culture — food and fine arts.

Naturally Vegan book cover

In Italy, I’d stay in a trattoria and it was like being witness to another kind of life. There’s so much culinary history to cover, I feel I am scratching the surface. This is a global project, and I want to show people India’s diversity.

The Mangalore-based independent journalist writes on films, food and sustainability.

What is a VVIP? They are nothing but a humble person who, by erecting a high security cocoon, glides through life with minimal friction
| Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images

It was reported the other day that a 66-year-old former vice chancellor was arrested for impersonating a VVIP. Being a VVIP myself, the news made me very sad. Should we be penalising people for pursuing the second biggest achievement open to Indians? I don’t need to spell out the biggest — escaping from India (and not getting deported). But for those stuck here, their best hope for a good life is to become a VVIP.

There is a rationale to this: if you can’t get out but still want to escape, being a VVIP is the only way to keep India at bay. What is a VVIP? They are nothing but a humble person who, by erecting a high security cocoon, glides through life with minimal friction, at a safe distance from the pullulating swarms of fellow Indians.

Being a VVIP also enables me to do public service, such as having my security guards loitering outside a barber shop, intimidating passers-by, while I get a free head massage with sesame oil. As a VVIP, I get to meet other VVIPs in luxury resorts and exchange views on issues of mutual interest, such as hawala, real estate, and vandalism. Above all, nothing can beat the sense of safety I feel on the streets of Delhi when I realise that the police won’t stop me if I break the speed limit, or break the red light, or someone’s leg or head. If my body guards and I accidentally bash up someone from the wrong community, the cops will take one look at the blue beacon on my car and automatically arrest the person we beat up.

Free-floating aristocrats

Contrary to popular myths, VVIPs are not an arrogant lot. Maybe at a superficial level, someone like me might seem unapproachable. But deep inside, I am a nice person. Deep inside my security cordon, to be precise, I think of myself as a nobody, just like you.

But I am a nobody who needs crowds to magically part for me wherever I go. I need traffic jams to melt when I travel by road. Whether it’s the bank, the airport, the toll booth or the temple, queues must auto-dissolve when I approach, and reconfigure themselves after I have passed. The word ‘queue’, nay, the letter ‘Q’ itself, is banned from my dictionary.

This column is a satirical take on life and society.

People often seek me out for tips on how to become a VVIP. It’s simple. You need two qualities: an unshakeable conviction that you are the exception for whom the rules shall be broken, and a profound lack of shame. If you are shameless enough, rest assured you’ll make a great VVIP one day.

Indian society is founded on a fixed hierarchy, aka the caste system. The higher rungs have always commanded an exclusive set of perks and privileges. VVIP culture is merely a modern iteration of this ancient set-up. If tomorrow all of India’s VVIPs were to disappear, millions wouldn’t know who to kowtow to, and who to lynch. VVIPs are a ritual class that performs the critical role of offering guidance to the primeval Indian reflexes of sycophancy and obedience. They are the free-floating aristocrats without whom Indian democracy would implode, and the justice system would flail about blindly, unable to distinguish those who’re above the law from those who aren’t.

India’s USP

Some say India should have a system of annually auctioning a fixed number of VVIP ‘tags’ to a select pool of cronies, just like we do with public assets and government contracts. But this is a bad idea because India’s billionaires are already accused — falsely, in my opinion — of owning India’s politicians. So having them gallivanting around with personal bodyguards paid for by the tax-payers not only makes for poor optics, it could even lead to accusations of ‘suit boot ki sarkar’, etc.

The greatest strength of India’s unique VVIP system is that a VVIP doesn’t need to contribute anything of value. All you need is alphabetic security of your choice: Y, Y+, Z, Z+, C, C+, along with a capacity to feel sadistic joy as thousands of commuters bake patiently in the sun for hours, waiting for your cavalcade to zip past.

Brazil produces dozens of soccer geniuses every year. China has an assembly line of Olympic class table tennis players. India’s USP is an unending pipeline of VVIPs. All those Soros-funded doomsayers who go on and on about India’s stagnating per capita income never give us the full picture: we have the world’s highest CAGR of VVIPs per capita. Why isn’t that something to celebrate?

The author of this satire is Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

sampath.g@thehindu.co.in

A Bhagath Singh’s mother, Kalavathi, would always eye the head of the biggest fish in Ennore’s Thazhankuppam market. “These fish would weigh up to five kilograms,” says the Puducherry-based independent researcher. Once she secured the head, she would go home and cook it whole in a fiery kulambu.

Bhagath’s memories of his late mother and her love for cooking seafood, forms the opening chapter of the recently-released bilingual book, Seasoned by the Sea (Neithal Kaimanam), published by Uyir Publications. The book, a compilation of recipes from across the Coromandel coast, has photos by independent photographer M Palanikumar. It is the result of a series of interviews and research by Bhagath and geographer R Niranjana between 2021 and 2023.

Once at home, the women were at ease, talking about their everyday lives and family as they chopped onions and sliced fish. 
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar

Bhagath and Niranjana have curated 43 recipes with a focus on Ennore and Pazhaverkadu (Pulicat), apart from Kasimedu, Besant Nagar, Pattinapakkam, and Puducherry. Bhagath, a native of Ennore, is a post-doctoral researcher with the French Institute of Pondicherry while Niranjana teaches Geography at Queen Mary University of London. Niranjana, a former journalist, was in Ennore in 2021 for a research project. During her many interactions with fisherwomen and fish sellers at the Thazhankuppam market, she realised how readily they shared recipes.

“At one point, I thought, why not put these together as a book,” she says.

The photos not only capture the vibrancy and variety of the food, but also the warmth of the women behind them.
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar

Along with Bhagath, she set out to convince these women to demonstrate their recipes. It is not easy to get a fisherwoman to indulge in a leisurely conversation when she is at work, let alone get her to take one to her kitchen from the market. “She is either busy or exhausted,” says Bhagath. Niranjana though, kept at it, despite their unpredictable schedules.

Once at home, the women were at ease, talking about their everyday lives and family as they chopped onions and sliced fish. It is these stories that form the backbone of the book. Interestingly, the chapters are named after the women who shared the recipes: Madhavi from Kattukuppam, Lakshmi and Saroja from Annai Sivagami Nagar, Uma from Odaimanagar… Palanikumar’s photos not only capture the vibrancy and variety of the food, but also the warmth of the women behind them.

Bhagath and Niranjana have curated 43 recipes with a focus on Ennore and Pazhaverkadu
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar

Through the recipes, the authors help readers get a glimpse into the culture and ecology of the Coromandel coast. Mekala, for instance, while she shares madavai recipes, talks about how her husband Desingu would catch fish using a small purse net in the river; Sangeetha shares stories about her life after she married a fisherman from Ennore, even as she shares her kavalan meen kulambu recipe; Saanthi and Sokkammal from Thoniravu village, resettled from Sriharikota, talk about working and living through the struggle of being displaced, as they prepare prawn urundai kulambu.

The book has been designed by Anthoni Guruz, who has also contributed line drawings.
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Bhagath says that they have focussed on sea food varieties that are prominent to each region. “We have over 10 crab recipes from Ennore and Pazhaverkadu alone,” says the 40-year-old, adding: “There is puttu, kulambu, biryani, and rasam.” The book documents several unique, region-specific dishes; these include prawn suttadhu, parai kudal kulambu, prawn kulambu with shell on, prawn vaada, conch pepper fry, and thirukkai pakoda.

The book documents several unique, region-specific dishes
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Bhagath points out that they have also turned the spotlight on the politics surrounding the industrialisation of Ennore. “Ennore’s identity has been reduced to its pollution, and the resulting stigmatisation. We wanted to show how the people have adapted; their culture and politics too,” he says. Niranjana adds that their book is an attempt at showing that life in Ennore can also be “vibrant and joyful” despite the pollution and degradation over the years.  

The book illustrates how fisherfolk from the Coromandel coast, all the way up to Nagapattinam, use plenty of tamarind and chilli powder in their cooking
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar

For a lot of people in the city, seafood is restricted to sankara (red snapper), vanjiram (seer), and vaaval (pomfret). “But there is so much variety that is not known. We wanted to introduce them,” says Bhagath adding that this will also help in ecological conservation.

The book illustrates how fisherfolk from the Coromandel coast, all the way up to Nagapattinam, use plenty of tamarind and chilli powder in their cooking. “These two are the main ingredients,” points out Bhagath. “Coconut is not used much, perhaps due to less availability,” he adds. “Raw mango is added to the kulambu to enhance the sourness of the tamarind, depending on the type of fish: mathi and nethili, for instance.”

A Bhagath Singh and R Niranjana with their book
| Photo Credit:
M Palanikumar

The response from the fisherwomen, evident during their two events in Ennore and Pazhaverkadu after the launch, was heart-warming. “When they saw the book, they felt happy that something they’ve been doing for a living is now being seen as art,” says Bhagath. “They felt that not many people respect their profession, let alone them. The book changed these perspectives.”

Seasoned by the Sea is available at neidhal.net

For generations, the idea of ageing in India has been tied to the family home, with adult children expected to care for their parents in their later years. The thought of senior citizens living in dedicated retirement communities has often been seen as a departure from familial responsibility and is still met with hesitation. But with lifestyle and perception changes about old age, child-rearing and autonomy, society has made space for these communities to co-exist and thrive.

V Jayanth, a 70-year-old retired journalist, moved into Ziva Retirement Homes in Mamallapuram 10 months ago, after living in Chennai all his life. “Both my children are married, and it took me almost a year to convince them to let me move here,” he says, adding that the property is set along the scenic East Coast Road. “I go for daily walks, exercise in the outdoor gym, get my newspapers and brew my own coffee,” he adds.

Chennai Homes, Illam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

A recent report by JLL (a global real estate and investment management company Jones Lang LaSalle) and the Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) states that India’s senior living housing sector is projected to skyrocket over 300% by 2030, hitting the $7.7 billion (₹64,500 crore) mark. This upward trend is expected due to a demographic shift in the population.

The senior citizen population is predicted to almost double by 2050, and this will make India home to the world’s second-largest elderly population after China. The most pressing issue is to improve the quality of life and well-being for this growing segment of society, and South Indian cities such as Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru have emerged as the epicentre of the country’s senior living boom, commanding almost 60% of the market share.

Far from being the last resort, these spaces offer structured support, and a way for elders to lead fulfilling lives on their own terms. Along with providing around-the-clock maintenance care and emergency medical services, these communities host activities ranging from dance classes, game nights, movie nights, and the celebration of festivals, birthdays, and anniversaries.

“We have a poetry club, which was formed by those of us who have either taught English or has studied English literature, and we are 12-15 of us in this. Apart from this there are satsang and bhajan meetups, there’s a bridge club, and so much more happening in the community. You just have to make contact with what interests you,” says Jayanth.

Dance programme at Nana Nani
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Communities host activities ranging from movie and game nights, to trips to nearby tourist destinations, to even exhibitions and pop-ups set up within the premises. While residents are encouraged to take part in actives and keep busy, they are free to do as they please. “There is a carrom club, some regularly play cards, others go to the library or gym by themselves. This is their home, and they can do what they want to do,” says says Sabitha Muralikrishnan of The Chennai Homes, adding that all residents are required to inform the caretakers if they are stepping out or going out of station, just so everyone is aware of their whereabouts, but there is no restriction of movement.

“In the early stages, it was difficult for us to make people understand that this is not an old age home in the traditional sense. The mindset has changed because these communities cater to more than just security and medical services. They are more like resorts with a social life built into them,” says Umamaheshwari Yuvaraj, joint managing director, Ananya Group, which operates the Nana Nani senior living communities in Coimbatore.

Women celebrating Onam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The demographic that seems most at ease with this living arrangement is women since they are freed from obligations like cooking and care taking. “I have observed that women are the most social group on most of our properties, and they are able to be free and social because they are free of responsibilities. Many women have told me that it is freeing to not have to worry if the maid will show up on time,” she laughs. With well-equipped care facilities, curated social activities, and a network of peers, communities like these create an environment where elders can engage meaningfully with their surroundings.

These spaces provide more than just care — they foster independence while ensuring support is always within reach. Rama Swaminathan (84), who has been staying at Puducherry’s Serene Pelican, says that since she moved into the community almost two years ago, she has been able to indulge in her interest in cooking. “I did a diploma in cooking and I enjoy it a lot, but I was a school principal and did not have the time to do it much. Now I cook at leisure, talk to my plants, read books and relax,” she says.

In the Indian landscape, one of the major concerns that arises in assisted living communities is the food. Dietary preferences are nuanced and impacted by beliefs and religion. “We understand that elders have some very specific food preferences. Some don’t consume onions and garlic, and even from the health perspective, a lot of them have needs. We provide customisation of diets and even have doctors who monitor their daily food intake,” says Sabitha Muralikrishnan.

“Every morning after we clock-in, we visit each resident and go through a check-list. Have they had enough sleep, did they face any difficulties during the night, have they taken all their medication on time, did they speak with their family members, these questions are essential because they help us gauge an oncoming emergency,” says Devi, 35, a nurse who has been in the healthcare industry for the last 18 years, and now works with Coimbatore-based CovaiCare.

Beyond daily care, these communities also step in to help with end-of-life care and last rites according to the residents’ customs. “We take care of all the logistics so that the family doesn’t have to worry about them during the grieving period. We have tie-ups with hospitals and mortuaries which will hold the mortal remains until the families arrive in case they are abroad,” says Sabitha.

Inside the gated community of Coimbatore-based Nana Nani
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

While these communities prioritise providing a safe and scenic environment for the retired demographic to take a back seat, Colonel Achal Sridharan, 76, founder of retirement CovaiCare, is of the strong belief that the golden generation belongs right in the cities with all the youngsters instead of on the outskirts. “Retirement communities are the need of the hour because of the longevity of life and the unavailability of facilities for the elderly. These communities provide not just safety, but things like food, housekeeping and more.”

To rebuild a life at a much later stage is definitely a challenge for those who decide to move into these communities, despite the many advantages it provides. “This becomes a large investment at the age of 70. I have to uproot my life and come to some other place and find new surroundings and new people, all for basic facilities. Only 2% of urban senior citizens live in organised senior living communities. So this sector needs to be much more developed and accessible,” he says.

Despite the challenges these communities offer something far more meaningful — a sense of belonging among peers. For 93-year-old G N Rajagopal, finding a fellow retro Hollywood film enthusiast was a delight. “I met Mr K S Nair at the park in our community four and a half years ago, and he was looking at the sky with his big camera. I am also very interested in the sky and planets, so I asked him what he was doing. He showed me the planet Saturn and that’s how we became friends. We later found out that we both love and enjoy ‘50s and ‘60s Hollywood films. He is full of facts and details about all these films,” he says.

In these spaces, companionship replaces isolation, and shared experiences foster newer bonds. Combating loneliness in a community has hence been a central part of the senior living experience. Whether it is a group of retirees debating politics over morning coffee, a book club filled with animated discussions, or an impromptu gathering for festival celebrations, life here is shaped by the people who inhabit it.

Manjusha Das (third from left) and her friends at their pani puri cart, Chashu Mumbai Pani Puri at Paruthippara in Thiruvananthapuram
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

It is half past seven on a Saturday evening. The stretch near MG College at Paruthippara in Thiruvananthapuram has come alive with vehicles stopping by the row of food stalls. Among them is Chashu Mumbai Pani Puri, where two women are at work. Soon two others join them. They are Manjusha Das, P Niwetha, John Crishma Mole and Asiya D.

Chashu was opened early this year on this stretch, which is fast emerging as one of the popular spots for street food. The venture is Manjusha’s idea, thanks to her soul connect with Mumbai and its street food culture. “Although I am from Poovar here in Thiruvananthapuram, I was born and brought up in Maharashtra. After returning to live in the city, I missed the street food of Mumbai, especially pani puri, which is like an emotion for me. Even though you get pani puri here as well, they don’t taste the same. This is an attempt to bring that taste,” says Manjusha.

Crowd at Chashu Mumbai Pani Puri at Paruthippara in Thiruvananthapuram
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Manjusha, 26, who has done a BTech in Biotechnology and post graduation in food and nutrition, is a dietician. “Others are students of an aviation institute in Thiruvananthapuram where I teach Hindi as a part-time job. That’s how I met them. While Asiya is a Malayali, the other two are from Tamil Nadu,“ she says.

Manjusha manages and supervises the venture as the others take care of cutting and chopping, preparing the food, setting up the cart and attending to the customers. Two other friends help with cooking and transportation, Manjusha adds.

Pani puri is available in five flavours at Chashu Mumbai Pani Puri at Paruthippara in Thiruvananthapuram.
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Chashu’s speciality is that the pani or water is available in five flavours — guava, mint, sweet, spicy and raw mango. The customer can choose from these flavours as they are kept in separate clay pots fitted with pipes. “Raw mango is tangy; the sweet pani has jaggery added to it. While consuming pani puri, people are always worried about the quality of the water. We have ensured that the water is clean,” she says.

Dahi puri at Chashu Mumbai Pani Puri in Thiruvananthapuram
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Manjusha says that it took some time for the food spot to take off. “None of us has done this before and so there were some hiccups initially,” says Manjusha.

Besides pani puri, they sell dahi puri, sev puri, bhel puri etc at the stall. “I plan to expand our menu by adding more chaat items and other street food popular in Mumbai,” she says.

So, why the name Chashu? “I wear spectacles and chashu is the short form of the Hindi word chashmish, meaning the girl with the spectacles,” she adds.

All snacks are priced ₹50 per plate. Take-away is also available. Chashu is open on all days from 5pm to midnight.

Shoes and bags being reworked at Mr. Pronto’s Leather Care and Laundry in Kottupuram, Chennai
| Photo Credit: Ravindran R

Riddled with holes, a fatigued looking Chanel bag that was relegated to the recesses of a closet, now has a new life. The holes are gone, the colour is back, and so is the bag’s personality. It is now traversing across the city from event to event and party to party as we speak.

At Mr. Pronto’s Leather Care and Laundry, bags and shoes are given a new lease of life and look, or even just cleaned based on the client’s requirements. But there are limitations. “We are not magicians. We set realistic expectations. We only do all forms of leather,” says Abhishek Dhingra, co-founder of Mr. Pronto, a shoe, bag, and repair company that was launched in Chennai in 2003. The city’s first outlet (now defunct) opened in Spencer Plaza followed by Alwarpet, Vadapalani, and Anna Nagar among others. Over the years, the establishment managed to set up shops in Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad.

Leather Care and Laundry’s services first started in Delhi given the huge demand for restoring luxury accessories. The brand has now introduced these services to Chennai too. Apart from those in the city, clients from Bengaluru and Hyderabad also send their accessories here to be restored. While they receive luxury brands like Bottega Veneta and Yves Saint Laurent, restorations also expand to high street brands like Charles and Keith, and Aldo.

Before
| Photo Credit:
Ravindran R

It takes around a week to fix them based on the nature of service required. Services include concealing scratches with leather of the same colour and texture, scraping the top layer, recolouring heels, edging (colouring the edges of bags and shoes) restoring colour using Italian pigments, filling holes in bags with leather and dry cleaning. “Cleaning is a big aspect when it comes to shoes,” says Abhishek, adding that luxury products need to be handled a certain way. “Some high-end customers want their footwear shining all the time. So, after each wear it comes to us. Cleaning services start at around ₹600 based on the condition of the shoe, while spot correction for bags and shoes start at ₹1,000,” he says. They currently have a four-member team that operates out of a unit in Kotturpuram. Their skills are upgraded periodically with experts from Bangkok and the Philippines being brought in.

After
| Photo Credit:
Ravindran R

Abhishek first saw these services in the Philippines. “I saw the market outside India very responsive to this idea where people buy luxury leather goods and get it fixed. I decided to bring it to India,” he says, adding “Looking after a shoe is far better than buying many more.”

For details, Whatsapp 9940039000.

The facade of the Calve College in Puducherry.
| Photo Credit: KUMAR SS

The mention of Puducherry brings to mind its yellows, pinks, and greens. These colours and many others that define the city have inspired Nippon Paint to come up with the Pondy Style Guide. “We wanted to make something special for the people of Pondicherry,” says Mark Titus, vice president marketing – decorative division, Nippon Paint (India) and group marketing lead – The NIPSEA group. The recently-launched Pondy Style Guide is a curated colour palette using which people can incorporate Puducherry’s charm into their spaces.

The colour guide will be available at all the Nippon stores in Puducherry
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Tamil Nadu, and as an extension, Puducherry, is a focus market for the 144-year-old Japanese paint company. Nippon entered the Indian market in 2006, starting its own manufacturing unit in the country in 2010. “Colour is special to a country as diverse as India,” says Mark, adding: “If you travel across India, you can see the colour palette change every 100 kilometres or so, depending on the buildings around you and the preferences of the people.”

The company found inspiration in Puducherry’s Indo-French architecture and its unique culture and aesthetics. After a survey by a colour specialist, it came up with a palette that reflects the city’s vibrant moods. “The book has seven curated palettes that includes yellows, pinks, browns, and reds,” notes Mark, adding that they have plans to expand this idea to other parts of the country as well.

A view of the French Institute of Pondicherry
| Photo Credit:
KUMAR SS

Pondy Style Guide will be available at all the five Nippon Paint stores in Puducherry, apart from the company’s website.

As children, birthdays were such a big thing for us – donning a crisp new dress, calling all your friends over, birthday caps, snacks, and of course cakes and gifts! The joy was not so much about turning a year older, but the celebration aspect of it, and of course, the fact that you were being treated special and were not being told off by your parents! (even it was for only a day). As we grew older, birthdays lost their charm, now relegated to a quiet dinner (if at all), and some customary ‘Happy Birthday’ wishes from friends and family. However, regardless of whether you are big on celebrations or not, there are some things you should not do on your birthday… Here they are…

The Toda threads and jamakalam revowen showcase by FICCI FLO
| Photo Credit: R Ravindran

India’s rich array of crafts and the artisans behind it all  have countless stories to weave. 

Take P Sakthivel from Bhavani near Erode, for instance. He is the third generation from his family to be engaged in the art of weaving jamalakkalams but today, the circumstances of his business have changed, he says. “Powerlooms have taken over and there are fewer people now who are making jamakkalams the traditional way,” he says.

Anuradha Halan, who has been working with Toda artisans from the Nilgiris, has much to say about about watching the pioneering work of her mentor Evam Piljen Wiedemann, and how she popularised the Toda embroidery. 

Vharsha Raheja, Arti Bagdy and Nabila Avais
| Photo Credit:
R Ravindran

In a bid to honour these crafts, as well as work on a contemporary revival of their artistry through design interventions, the handloom and textile vertical of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), has been working for over a year now with two projects focussed on Toda embroidery and jamakkalams. The initiative aims to take it to a larger audience. 

Cushion covers and potli bags with Toda embroidery
| Photo Credit:
R Ravindran

“We began these projects, Toda Threads and Jamakkalam Rewoven, by understanding what the challenges faced by the communities working on creating the textiles were,” says Arti Bagdy, head of the textile and handloom vertical of FICCI FLO. Arti and committee members Vharsha Raheja and Nabila Avais, have been working on empowering these artisans through design interventions to suit evolving contemporary tastes and styles. 

“While Toda embroidery is featured predominantly on shawls, we have created an entire range of home furnishings with their distinct red and black embroidery on white. This includes cushion covers, table runners and coasters,” Arti says. The large jamakkalam, a traditional hand-woven carpet often in dark red, green and blue has taken shape as smaller, more contemporary rugs that can be used in homes as opposed to larger spaces. The distinct jamakkalam stripes also feature on cushion covers and coasters as a part of this capsule collection. 

“The Toda community is extremely small and among them, less than 350 women in the Nilgiris work on this unique embroidery. Despite the craft having a GI certification, we are seeing outsiders trying to replicate this without engaging with the Toda artisans,” Anuradha says. The Toda Threads project however, she says, has engaged directly with the women artisans who are extremely enthused by the response to these design interventions, she adds.  

Cushion covers and jamakkalam rugs
| Photo Credit:
R Ravindran

Sakthivel, who has been working on the jamakkalam project agrees that the newer designs and colours seem to have international appeal. “People have always loved the old-school jamakkalam patterns so it is no surprise that they want a version of this in their homes today,” he says. 

As part of the Toda Threads initiative, FICCI FLO also collaborated with designer Tarun Tahiliani, to showcase the versatility of Toda embroidery in contemporary fashion last July. 

Divya Abhishek, chairperson of FLO Chennai describes this initiative as the perfect blend of tradition, innovation, and empowerment. “With a dedicated team and the artistry of our craftspeople, we are showcasing Tamil Nadu’s textile heritage to the world in a way that is both meaningful and relevant,” she says. 

Arti says that it is important to underscore the significance of these crafts, and for the global community to embrace the rich legacy of textile heritage this contributes to. “While these designs have been showcased at our meets and have found favour among our members across the country, we have bigger plans as well. We hope to set up dedicated channels to take these directly to the customers — through a website as well as in stores,” she says.