Life & Style

Dr Harsh K Gupta remembers the sequence of events that led to the establishment of Dakshin Gangotri, India’s first permanent research station in Antarctica, as if it happened yesterday. A year after he had moved to Thiruvananthapuram as director of the Centre for Earth Science Studies in 1982, a call for proposals to carry out scientific work in Antarctica was issued, says the renowned earth scientist and seismologist, who led India’s Third Antarctic Expedition between 1983-84 and successfully established Dakshin Gangotri there.

“I am basically a geophysicist, and my expertise is in earthquake seismology. So, I put up a proposal to set up five stations in Antarctica,” says the Hyderabad-based Harsh, a fellow of the International Science Council (ISC), the President of the Geological Society of India and also a member of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India.

India’s first permanent base would go on to shape the future of the country’s Antarctic programme.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

He was soon called to make a presentation of his proposal at the Department of Ocean Development (DOD), New Delhi, which, according to him, “everyone liked very much.” However, his proposal was not selected.

Instead, Sayed Zahoor Qasim, the marine biologist who had led India’s very first expedition to Antarctica back in 1981, told him that India was planning to set up a permanent base there and asked him if he was willing to lead the expedition. “My question was why me,” recollects Harsh, on a Zoom call.

In response, he was told he was exactly the sort of person they were looking for to lead the next expedition to Antarctica and also set up a permanent research station there: he was the director of a full-fledged laboratory at only 40 years of age, had an extensive body of work in the Himalayas with an impressive publication record, and was also a good athlete.

Harsh was thrilled with the offer and said yes right away. Soon after, he met with the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. “She was delighted to see that a young man would be the leader of the expedition,” says the Padma Shri awardee, in whose honour South Sudan named its first seismological centre this July.

Harsh and his team left India on December 3, 1983 on the Finnpolaris
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The task ahead, however, was daunting. India’s Antarctic Programme was only two years old by then, and “no country had, till then, set up a permanent base in Antarctica and populated it in one Antarctic summer, barely two months”, says Harsh, who was excited about the challenge, even though he knew that the odds of success were slim, only 10-15 %.

On December 3, 1983, Harsh and his team set out from Goa aboard the Finnpolaris, a Finnish ice-class cargo ship capable of breaking ice. “Eighty-one families (of the people onboard) were there to bid farewell to us,” he says, adding that once they commenced sea passage, he began brainstorming on how to construct the station in around 30 days, “since out of those 60 days of an Antarctic summer, many would be lost in whiteouts and blizzards.”

Harsh remembers some of the events that took place on that journey: the setting up of a hospital on the ship, which would prove to be exceptionally fortuitous; stopping at Mauritius to pick up material and encountering the rough sea at approximately 40º S latitude (called the “Roaring Forties”), where “almost everyone fell seasick, except Harsh Gupta, because there is something biologically wrong with me,” he quips.

The team got into an accident a few days after arrival
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

They reached Antarctica in 20-odd days, on December 24 to be precise, and began their construction. Disaster, however, struck on December 29, when one of their Mi-8 helicopters, which was being used to unload the ship, crashed, requiring its occupants to be hospitalised immediately.

Even the Prime Minister called him to check on the situation. “She asked me if I could still do it,” says Harsh, who told her that if he did not do it, he would not return. “There was a long, deafening pause of 40-50 seconds, and she then told me to go ahead.”

And go ahead they did, successfully building a 620-square-meter station complete with living quarters for 12, kitchen, washrooms, gymnasium, water-melt tank, laboratories, generator room housing three generators, and communication facilities by February 25, 1984. This construction, India’s first permanent base there, would go on to shape the future of the country’s Antarctic programme.

In the following few decades, India sent over 40 expeditions to the continent, established two more research stations, and created the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa.

“Over the years, India has done very well in Antarctica, coming up with many firsts. For instance, we have identified more than half the microbes in Antarctica, “ says Harsh, pointing out that India’s Antarctic programme has impacted our weather forecasting to a large extent, illustrating the importance of this research for our country.

The icy continent is crucial to India, Harsh explains, because 180 million years ago, the supercontinent of Gondwanaland, which includes present-day South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, India, Madagascar, and Arabia, began splintering.

“India moved northward and then, about 60 million years ago, collided with Eurasia, giving rise to the Himalayan mountains,” explains Harsh. Between Antarctica and India, he adds, there is mostly only ocean, except for a few small island countries like Mauritius. “Antarctica completely controls the weather of the Indian Ocean, and the Indian Ocean controls the weather of the Indian subcontinent,” says this self-described accidental scientist, who was born in Moradabad and moved to Mussoorie as a child.

Dr Harsh K Gupta 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“The last thing I ever thought I would be was a scientist,” says Harsh, who studied at Saint George’s College in Mussoorie, an all-boys school where “everyone tried to become an army or naval officer. I, too, went through that drill.”

He recalls walking to and from school, around five kilometres away; the hours spent in NCC training, boxing, hockey, and swimming; and a strict routine that involved going to sleep by 8 pm and waking up at 4 am each day to study before school. “All that toughened me up.” .

While Harsh qualified for the National Defence Academy, his brother-in-law, himself an army officer, discouraged him from joining the armed forces, he says. So, Harsh chose to follow his older brother and study engineering.

His brother had completed a BE in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and was working for Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC).

“He had joined ONGC and was sent for advanced training to the US; there, he realised that geophysics is a very important area of research and encouraged me to give it as my first choice when I wrote the entrance at the Indian School of Mines (now Indian Institute of Technology, Dhanbad),” says Harsh. He cleared the exam and joined the institute, which he now thinks was “one of the best things that ever happened to me.”

Antarctica completely controls the weather of the Indian Ocean, and the Indian Ocean controls the weather of the Indian subcontinent
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

There was no looking back from there. He went on to work at the Central Seismological Observatory (CSO) at Shillong, where, “once I started looking at the records of the earthquakes, I got glued to them,” says Harsh. He is the author of several research papers, popular articles and over 20 books, including a two-volume Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics, published by Springer, which he compiled and edited.

“Each one is around 1,000 pages, and the best part is that there hasn’t been a single fault found in it so far,” says Harsh, who has developed several earthquake models, made successful earthquake forecasts, and was also instrumental in establishing India’s Tsunami Early Warning System after the 2004 Sumatra earthquake.

Though in his early 80s, he shows no sign of slowing down. “This work is my hobby, and I am very relaxed while I do it. If someone can play the sitar until the age of 95, I can do the same,” says Harsh, who is currently working on developing a framework for how societies can become earthquake-resilient, which he says requires education and awareness as well as a construction paradigm that needs to be thoughtfully created. “If I tell someone on the coming Sunday, at noon, there will be a seven-magnitude earthquake in Delhi, is it possible for everyone to run away?” he asks rhetorically. “So we have to learn to live with earthquakes, and that is my focus today.”

Recently, a 19-year-old, girl miffed with her parents, left her home town Salem and travelled to Coimbatore. As she prepared to spend the night at the bus stand, a team of women cops from the Pink Patrol team stepped in and helped her reunite with her family. Special Sub Inspector N Rohini recounts the story as we hop on a ride with her before halting at an educational institution for an awareness session. “Will you get scared if someone threatens you online?” asks SSI K Ganga Devi to a group of college-goers and says, “You have to call these numbers to get immediate help if you feel unsafe in any situation.”

Seven gleaming pink vehicles, piloted by women police to prevent crimes against women and children, can now be spotted on arterial roads in the city, educational institutions, bus stands, and railway stations where women’s footfall is high. As all vehicles are equipped with GPS, when a woman makes a distress call, either through Dial 100 or Safe Kovai (SaKo) poles equipped with CCTV cameras and SOS functions at bus stops across the city, the closest Pink Patrol vehicle reaches them to offer help.

A Saravana Sundar, City Police Commissioner
| Photo Credit:
Siva Saravanan S

“Presence of mind is essential,” says A Saravana Sundar, Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore. “If someone is in distress, staying alert can help them take quick action. They have to know the place, people around, and a possible escape route in case of an emergency. The Kaaval Uthavi app has a trigger feature where once a user’s phone is shaken three times, an SOS is sent automatically to the control room. Many situations can be avoided with a mind that is aware.”

The Pink Patrol vehicle operates 24/7, staffed by one driver and a woman police officer. They respond immediately to distress calls from women, offer counselling, and coordinate with nearby stations to resolve complaints. “On average, the unit receives four to five calls a day and has already rescued four women. We also conduct awareness programmes at educational institutions, hospitals, airports, and bus stops on topics including women’s safety and child protection (POCSO). The patrol is often around colleges, schools, working women’s hostels, and bus stops to keep a check on bullying,” says G Karthikeyan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South)

All pink patrol police vehicles operated by women police are equipped with GPS
| Photo Credit:
Siva Saravanan S

While the recent incident of a young woman in the city has triggered conversations over women’s safety, it also brings to the fore women’s freedom, victim blaming, and mental health. “What is the root cause?” asks Swati Jagdish, psychologist and sexuality health educator. “If a woman calls for help, the police reach within minutes. That immediate safety net matters. What are we doing as a society to prevent these situations?” she says, adding that long-term safety has to start with early gender education. “We need to talk to boys about consent, boundaries, body autonomy in a practical, age-appropriate way. We underestimate how much boys carry frustration, anger, distorted ideas about masculinity, and the influence of online content. Without emotional regulation, it comes out in harmful ways.”

According to NV Sreejaya, advocate, India and Solicitor England & Wales, women’s safety is possible only when society recognises a woman’s right to say no to a man and her right to walk away from a relationship or marriage where she feels unhappy or unsafe. “Silent and unresponsive bystanders become enablers of violence and unwittingly help the perpetrators of such crimes. Women’s safety does not lie in getting them home before it gets dark, it lies in getting the men to behave better under the cover of darkness. In this, society has a large role to play by bringing about changes in perception both in men and women themselves.”

Salini Balasubramniam, who moved to Coimbatore three years ago for studies and is now a full-time professional here, says, “While in college, the ‘Police Akka’ programme was helpful and educated us on where to report our safety concerns. At the workplace, we are introduced to POSH rules. The city is functional and busy until 10pm. If I have to travel for any matter, regardless of the time, I must rely on myself —actively tracking my ride and sharing my live location with my friends, roommates or my parent. With the recent conversation going around, women’s safety has made us rely on sources like Kavalan apps.”

Dial 100 or Safe Kovai (SaKo) poles equipped with CCTV cameras and SOS functions at bus stops across the city to reach out for help
| Photo Credit:
SIVA SARAVANAN S

Dr V Naveen Kumar, psychiatrist at Manam Behavioural Medicine Clinic & Medical Director, of Abhasa luxury Rehabilitation and Wellness Centre , says: “Women are constantly told to be cautious, but safety is not the burden of women alone. Young people should also be aware of SOS tools, phone apps, cab safety buttons, city helplines etc. Parents should teach civic sense, consent, and boundaries to boys and girls. Parenting with mental-health awareness helps in raising a stable child.”

After a patrol around Race Course and a chat with evening walkers, we wrap up the ride with a deeper understanding of women’s safety. Adds A Saravana Sundar, City Commissioner, “Women should never hesitate to approach for help. We have dedicated women officers at every level, from constable rank to AC and DC level to handle cases sensitively. In cyber crime cases, we have retrieved compromised photos and videos, tracked down offenders, arrested them, and prevented misuse,” he says, adding, “Keep the surroundings secure, ensure CCTV works, and follow simple safety practices. One has to be alert, be it home or outside.”

Published – December 16, 2025 07:49 pm IST

As the Margazhi music season settles into its familiar rhythm, sabha canteens across Chennai are doing far more than feeding concert-goers between kutcheris.

Dancer Nandini Jayakumar and her mother having a coffee at the Sattvaa canteen in Krishna Gana Sabha
| Photo Credit:
SRINATH M

This year, caterers are quietly raising the bar — pairing wedding-style ela sappadu and thanga thambala kalyana sappadu with ambitious dosa counters, themed lunches and filter coffee brewed from morning to night. The focus is on ease and efficiency: senior-friendly layouts, waiting lounges, valet parking and service calibrated to concert schedules. Predominantly no-onion and no-garlic, the food remains rooted in tradition, while the experience reflects a growing attention to comfort and consistency.

Where are you eating this year? Here are your options.

Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha, Mylapore

Stepping into their sixth year at this Sabha, Arusuvai Catering Services is back with their most popular offering: the thanga thambala kalyana sappadu. During the Music Season, the lunch menu focusses on the four southern States, highlighting the best of each through a thematic approach.

Steaming hot cups of filter coffee at the canteen of ‘Arusuvai Arasu’ at Sri Parthasarthy Swamy Sabha
| Photo Credit:
RAGU R

Soumya Ramesh of Arusuvai Catering Services says that apart from serving meals on gold-coloured brass plates, the team will this year also be using gold-coloured serving utensils and ladles. Even coffee and tea will be served in brass davara-tumblers.

With a mix of traditional and innovative dishes, the lunch menu features 24 items. “This year, we have created a small waiting lounge for seniors, where they can wait until a seat becomes available during lunchtime. We are also trying to prioritise seating for elders and have taken steps to manage the crowd efficiently by beginning lunch service from 11.30am onwards,” says Soumya. While lunch is served in pandhi style (seated in rows), breakfast and dinner follow a restaurant format, where orders are taken and food is served at the table.

The lunch spread at Parthasarathy Swami Sabha’s canteen for the season
| Photo Credit:
RAGU R

Arusuvai’s coffee deserves special mention. From 7am till late evening, the coffee master Parasuram tirelessly brews fresh decoction and boils milk at a precise temperature to create the perfect filter coffee. Evenings are marked by a spread of innovative dishes, traditional South Indian fare, North Indian items and an array of sweet dishes. Lunch is priced at ₹650. Parking is a major challenge at this sabha, and visitors are advised to plan accordingly.

Must Try: Payasams, lunch platter, sweets, filter coffee.

@Arusuvai Arasu Catering Services, till January 2. The meal is priced at ₹650. Breakfast: 7.30am. Lunch:11.30am to 3.30pm; snacks: 4pm to 6pm; Dinner: 6.30pm to 9.30pm. For enquiries, call 9841024446.

Mylapore Fine Arts

The lunch spread at Mylapore Fine Arts by ABC Catering
| Photo Credit:
RAGU R

Into their second year of running the sabha canteen, Adambakkam Balaji Catering (ABC Catering) is better equipped this time. S Saptharishi, along with his three brothers, who has been running the wedding catering service for the past two decades, has created a canteen space that can serve up to 75 people at a time. “First, we have created good flooring without multiple levels, making it senior-citizen friendly. We have also arranged valet parking,” says Saptharishi.

The canteen is abuzz with activity by 7.30am, with the coffee counter and breakfast service in full swing. By noon, the team is ready to serve wedding-style ela sappadu, priced at ₹600, which is available until 3pm. From 5pm onwards, the evening crowd gathers for tiffin items such as keera vada, bajji and bonda, along with over 30 varieties of dosa. “This year, we are focussing on offering 30 types of dosa, alongside staples such as adai with aviyal, idli and idiyappam. Our ammini kozhukattai, nombu adai and moru kali are popular,” says Srinivasa Narayanan of ABC Catering.

Interestingly, diners often ask for recipes, which are generously shared in detail. While the food is predominantly no-onion and no-garlic, customers who want Jain food can ask while purchasing coupons. In the evenings, the boli counter, offering seven varieties, is a crowd puller. For lunch, customers need to purchase a coupon and wait for their number to be called. Food can also be ordered through food aggregators such as Swiggy and Zomato.

Must Try: Vatha kolambu, Karnataka dosa varieties, Asoka halwa, paal payasam and moru kali and mani kozhukattai.

@ABC Catering Services, Mylapore Fine Arts Club, Mylapore. On till January 4. Meals priced at ₹600. Breakfast: 7am to 10am; Lunch: 12pm to 3pm; Snacks; 4.30pm to 6.30pm; Dinner: 7pm to 10pm. For enquiries, call 9841204614.

Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha

Coffee at Krishna Gana Sabha
| Photo Credit:
SRINATH M

With 15 years of experience in the industry, RS Kumar, proprietor, Sattvaa Catering Services, offers a well-organised dining service this season. Since 2024, Kumar has been serving wedding-style meals on banana leaves at both Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha.

“We avoid unnecessary fanfare and publicity, and instead focus on offering good food and service for rasikas. Lunch begins at noon and continues till 3pm. Evening snacks are served along with coffee. For dinner, we offer tiffin such as dosa varieties, idli, appam, idiyappam, kichadi, puri and chapathi. Coffee and tea are served throughout the day,” says Kumar.

Lunch in progress at the canteen of Sattvaa at Vani Mahal
| Photo Credit:
RAGU R

The emphasis here is clearly on service. The menu is synchronised with concert timings so that when rasikas step out of the auditorium, coffee is freshly brewed and food is kept piping hot. With a predominantly elderly audience attending the concerts, care is taken to keep the food low on spice and salt, and is prepared without garlic and onion.

A rotating menu ensures variety, with different types of payasam, thogayal, sambar and rasam offered each day. The menu remains the same at both venues, and the coffee and tea counters remain open throughout the day. Visitors are also encouraged to try the range of pickles and paruppu podi available for sale at the counters. The meal is priced at ₹400, and valet parking is available for visitors to the sabha canteen.

Must Try: Kalyana sappad, vada, methi puri, bajji, dates kesari and badam milk.

@Sattvaa Catering Services, Vani Mahal till January 15, while Krishna Gana Sabha runs till January 3. Lunch: Noon to 3pm; Snacks: 4.30pm to 6.30pm; Dinner: 7pm to 10pm. For enquiries, call 9003009700.

The Music Academy

A view of the Sastha Catering Service’s canteen at Music Academy.

Walnut halwa, chocolate burfi, 27 varieties of rasam, and 50 types of dosa. These are only some of Sastha Catering Service’s expansive Margazhi menu this season at The Music Academy.

In its third edition launched on December 15, Venkatesan Krishnan, who runs the show, says that they have been receiving a great response consistently despite the proliferation of several new sabha canteens. “I think it is because we keep the menu updated and fresh. We like to try new things while not deviating with the favourites,” he says.

Venkatesan, who has now begun updating reels of his own on social media, enticing sabha-goers with his coffee, snacks and lunch, says that they have kept the lunch prices at ₹550. “Nothing can outperform the kalyana sapad-style lunch at a sabha with its varieties. We have a new rasam every day that the canteen runs. We are also having new types of thogayal, pachidis, poriyals, and sweets. This is besides the regular snack and breakfast items including bajjis, vadas, adais and ammini kozhukattais,” he says.

He adds that they have a special walnut halwa on the menu this year. “ A customer from the US had brought a bag of walnuts about one month ago and wanted us to make a sweet out of it. We fashioned a halwa. It was great and had to be on the menu,” he says.

Must try: Get your hands on the lunch that has parupu podi, ghee, the usual suspects like sambar, rasam, poriyal and sweet, and a tiffin item. Also try the ammini kozhakattai, vazhaipoo vada, and adai.

@Sastha Catering Services Porur, TTK Road. The canteen is open from 7.30am to 9.30 pm till January 9. Lunch meals are priced at ₹550. For more details, call 9952919460.

Narada Gana Sabha

The spread at Narada Gana Sabha’s canteen this year
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

G Vaithianathan and his brother G Ramachandran say that this is their first experience at running a sabha canteen. “We feel like it is our baby,” says Vaithianathan who runs Mailam Catering.

This catering service which has been in the wedding business for 23 years now was booked only two days before the season began because the usual caterer at the venue, Sri Saasthalaya catering services, skipped the season due to a dire health emergency.

“We got the call on December 11. We were up and running by the 13th,” he says, adding that while they are serving all the usuals — dosai, idli, and coffee for breakfast, and varieties of rice for lunch. “We are however increasing the number of dishes based on the footfall. Soon elaneer payasam, and our signature, paal payasam, will be served too,” he says.

Over the weekend, Asoka halwa was in the offing. “It is a long season. We are happy to see our menu evolving,” he says.

Must try: Elaneer payasam, paal payasam, and their dosa varieties.

@Mailam Catering, TTK Road. Mini meals are ₹250, between 12.30am and 3.30pm. Breakfast is from 7am to 11am, Snacks/ dinner from 4pm to 10.30pm. Dosa and coffee will be served through the day. Call 9841123972 for details. On till January 1.

Still looking for that perfect gift? We suggest ditching the mainstream market and looking into what India’s homegrown makers have to offer. After all, it is where you will find the most unique and personalised finds. Be it small batch chilli oils, folk-art inspired toys or textile offcuts being turned into bags, here is our list for the gifting season ahead.

The rosewood palette and coasters at AxWC Objects 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Rosewood palettes @ AxWC Objects 

Co-founded by architect-designer Neeti Marji (of wooden lifestyle brand, Woodcocktails) and Ankit Yogi of Overseas Traders (woodmaking specialists), the brand is known to turn factory offcuts into design-forward objects. “We work with four-five different species of wood, allowing every wood to express its grain, colour, and true character,” says Neeti, adding that the brand based in Hubli-Dharwad sources timber responsibly through Karnataka Forest Department auctions (the Forest department auctions dead and fallen trees). Her picks for the holiday season are the rosewood coasters (₹899 for a pair) made from premium Dalbergia latifolia, a durable hardwood known for its unique grain patterns and deep, natural hues. Another option is the rosewood art palette (₹399) crafted with the same wood variant and finished with a food-safe, wax-based coating that offers a smooth surface for paint mixing.

The Madhubani and Kalighat wooden puzzle block set at Gubbachhi

Art-inspired play @ Gubbachhi  

Introducing children to India’s rich repository of art, heritage, wildlife, folklore, architecture, and festivals is at the core of Gubbachhi. The brand specialising in toys was founded by husband-wife duo Abhijith and Pallavi Shetty, both first-time entrepreneurs who have had careers in advertising and marketing. “Almost all of our products have an India theme/inspiration. Even the names of the toys are in Indian regional languages, and the brand name means ‘sparrow’ in Kannada),” says Abhijith. Gubbachhi’s current offerings include stackers, soft toys, puzzles and pretend play toys. “Our bestsellers are the Folk Art Series featuring wooden puzzle blocks, the Kutumba set of family dolls, and a rangoli puzzle set.” Latest launches include a Panchatantra-inspired play mat and storybook bundle, and a puzzle that draws from The Ramayana.

Upwards of ₹599 on gubbachhi.com

Products at Ekatra
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Handmade journals @ Ekatra

A public space designer by profession, Aishwarya Jhawar worked in Ladakh, Uttarakhand, and Pune before moving back to join her family-run brand Ekatra full-time about three years ago. The women-run, sustainable lifestyle and gifting collective based in Kota, Rajasthan, has a community of over 250 women artisans across India. “We focus on handmade, design-led products that blend functionality with purpose that are all crafted using sustainable materials and traditional techniques,” says Aishwarya. Their catalogue comprises wedding and corporate gift boxes, journals, notebooks, utility pouches, laptop sleeves, mini totes, table linen sets, and more. 

Upwards of ₹500 on ekatrahandmade.com

Offerings by True Condiments 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

On fire @ True Condiments 

Shradhanjali Sarma’s idea to take her homemade chilli oil to the world was born when her friends kept coming back for more. Her friend Ajupan Sonowal, who now leads the business, saw her recipe’s potential and decided to turn it into a brand. “Together, we crafted a Signature Chilli Oil (₹129) made for the Indian palate. It is an Indianised version inspired by traditional Chinese and Korean oils, but designed to complement local, indigenous foods from every State,” says Shradhanjali of the brand based in Guwahati, Assam. The duo also has a Bhoot Jolokia Chilli Oil (₹229) that uses the region’s famed fiery chilli. “We believe chilli oil shouldn’t be reserved just for ramen or Maggi noodles. It deserves a place beside your dal, idli, khichdi, panta bhaat (a fermented rice dish local to Assam), or even your boiled eggs,” she adds. 

true_condiments on Instagram

A tote by Upvalued
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Patchwork love @ Upvalued

Discarded upholstery textiles turn into patchwork laptop sleeves, cushion covers, messenger bags, travel totes, and placemats at Richa Mishra’s Benagluru-based brand that she launched in 2023. “We focus on circularity, significantly reducing landfill waste and we also partner with local artisans,”says Richa. The brand veers away from new launches every season and instead focusses on new designs for existing products. “With designs that emphasize durability and high functionality, it encourages mindful consumption and prioritises slow, quality fashion rather than fleeting trends.” 

Upwards of ₹700 on upvalued.com

A koodai at And Alt Foundation
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Colourful koodais @ And Alt Foundation

This not-for-profit organisation based in rural Tamil Nadu is “working towards long-term skill training, creation of meaningful livelihood opportunities and community inclusion for adults with disabilities,” says co-founder and director Anu Alex. The Foundation is led by three co-founders, with the other two being Aarabhi Badri, a special educator and artist, and Ghana NB, an artist invested in social justice.

The product catalogue comprises botanical-printed and woven koodais, notebooks, cards, laptop sleeves, tote bags, pouches, lamps, stoles, and cushion covers. “We collaborate with artists and designers to build creative, skill-based pathways for individuals with diverse abilities thereby enabling them to learn, earn, and thrive within their communities,” she adds. 

Upwards of ₹350 on andaltfoundation.org

Published – December 16, 2025 10:22 am IST

At Alliance Francaise de Bangalore 55th anniversary celebrations
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Michelin Grappe will spotlight wine estates across different regions of the world
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Michelin Grappe will spotlight wine estates across different regions of the world
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

“It is commonly believed an artist need not explain their work. However, as an academic I’ve learned talking about your work takes it to a larger audience, and makes it relatable for someone who cannot visually understand what art is about,” says Priyanka Aelay.

Stardust, Moonshine and I, is a solo exhibition of works by the Hyderabad-based artist created over the past three years, and is currently on display at KYNKYNY Art Gallery in the city. “Whatever I am doing now has been learned as a process while pursuing a PhD.”

Talking about her journey as an artist, Priyanka shares how her research on South Indian folk stories, expanded her horizons. “I was looking at how stories travel between media, language, time and space, specifically in the world of cinema. Classics such as Bala Nagamma and Maya Baazar borrowed from plays, but the original story line is seen in folk tales. This can be observed across most Indian languages, especially Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam.”

Priyanka Aelay
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Priyanka says childhood exposure to the oral and visual narrative traditions of South India plays a part in Stardust, Moonshine and I. “These works can be seen as my interpretation or parallel representation of what could have been there in these stories after age-old revivals.”

At the same time, there is no denying the age we live in, says the artist. “According to lore, Bala Nagmma would keep count of days based on the moon cycle. I am attempting bring this point to our generation which no longer looks to the moon for the same reason, thanks to digital media.”

“In a way, my work addresses oral, narrative traditions, and what we are doing currently. The series also addresses time and space.”

As many as 32 pieces of art executed using acrylic on linen, portray “an imaginative landscape”, lush with carefree creatures and exotic plant life thriving in a world untouched by concern. The brilliant hues and fantastical flora where birds and animals frolic undaunted, offer a peek into the artist’s world.

From Priyanka Aelay’s show Stardust, Moonshine and I
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“Irrespective of caste or community, I would like viewers to engage with my work on a universal level. I want them to enjoy the terrain and forget their busy lifestyles, worries and traffic, at least for a little while.”

Meandering start

Priyanka says the life of an artist came to her after she dabbled in other streams, and credits her father, artist Laxman Aelay, as being the voice of reason in her life. “He never forced my sister and I to do anything; instead, he always knew what to say at the right time.”

“We were familiar with the world of art from a young age. Apart from my father’s work as an artist and art director for films, he collected antiques and other items of cultural value such as wooden and leather puppets, murals, books and more. We also come from a weaver’s community; I’ve seen my grandfather create fabric, and I developed an affinity for handlooms.”

She recalls the time when she was in two minds about working with dying handlooms or becoming an artist full time, her father noted that it was easier to start as an artist and then foray into textiles, rather than the other way round.

She adds, “He said the time one spends working on art is never enough; no matter how long you paint, you never feel satisfied. Art is endless and you have to keep at it.” Priyanka says his words made immense sense to her and she took to art full time.

Stardust, Moonshine and I, will be on display at KYNKYNY Art Gallery, Bengaluru till December 26. Entry free, Sundays closed.

Published – December 15, 2025 03:35 pm IST

One of the leading exponents of the surrealist art movement, Salvador Dali was known for his flamboyance just as much as his dreamlike and often unsettling images. Referred to as the master of art and style, with his wire-thin moustache, trademark chalk-stripe suits, his opulent waistcoats and ruffled shirts, he has gone on to inspire many designers and modern luxury brands. Last month, visitors to the iconic residence of the Belgian Ambassador to India in New Delhi, got to experience the Dali impact first-hand. The soiree, curated by Brussels-based textile company Scabal, was designed around the 12 paintings that had been commissioned by the company’s founder Otto Hertz in 1971.

Diwan Saheb.

Hertz had requested Dali to envision what ‘man and fashion’ would look like in the year 2000. Now Scabal has revisited these extraordinary works with the Vision Collection, where 12 new fabrics have been designed based on the 12 paintings. And for the Indian debut of this special collection, Scabal distributor in South Asia, TSB Overseas, invited homegrown designers to bring Dalí’s surrealism to the runway. The showcase, curated by Prasad Bidapa, featured three looks each from four bespoke retailers —Bengaluru’s P N Rao, Delhi’s The Darzi Group and Diwan Saheb and Jade Blue from Ahmedabad. The fashion show on the lawns of the Belgian Ambassador to India, Didier Vanderhasselt’s residence (which itself is striking and designed by artist Satish Gujral) concluded with a model wearing an unconventional navy suit from popular designer Dhruv Kapoor. It was in the true spirit of Dali’s sartorial journey.

Business look by P.N. Rao

Linked to art from 1971

“Dali, a great painter, was also a businessman, and liked the idea of earning money through this special commission,” Neil Hart, Global Sales Director – Fabrics, Scabal, observed at the event, as he discussed how Hertz was introduced to Dali in the 1970s. “If you look at the collection, you’ll see the link is either a colour, a shape, or a design,” he added.

Dhruv Kapoor

Each fabric swatch is presented in a butterfly-shaped carnet (the butterfly is a recurring theme with Dali). Ironically, Scabal was the first to introduce the fabric ‘bunch’, which is today ubiquitous among fabric merchants and tailors. “All of the cloth is made in our factory in Yorkshire, England. It is wool with a bit of cashmere (from China and Mongolia),” said Hart.

The stylish footman.

Thin advantage

“Scabal is at the forefront when it comes to developing new luxury lines and raising the bar,” said Sarbinder Singh Bindra of TSB Overseas. “They were the first ones to get the super 100s (wool fibres that are thinner than a hair at 18.3 microns), 120s, 150s, and 200s (the most expensive and refined, as thin as 13.5 microns – thinner than human hair).” Over the years, Scabal has created 5,000 fabrics (from blends of Merino wool and cashmere, herringbones and twills, to velvets, linens, and more) in its Huddersfield mill (one of the world’s oldest, founded in 1539). Festive lines for their 80 markets around the world include the Diamond Chip, where crushed diamonds coat the fibre that makes up the fabric, and even Gold and Lapis Lazuli lines. It’s the only textile manufacturer to have a store in London’s Savile Row. “No other fabric company has that,” said Ketan Pishe of PN Rao. “They have dressed James Bond stars (from Pierce Brosnan to Daniel Craig as 007) and Robert DeNiro (in Casino Royale). But their shop on the Row speaks a lot about the quality of their team,” he continued.

H.E. Didier Vanderhasselt, Gregor Thissen and Sarbinder Singh Binda.

Lady Godiva and a suit

At the Scabal affair, P N Rao’s Naveen and Ketan Pishe discussed the popularity of slightly heavier fabrics in India. “As most of our stores are in the south, and we don’t have the cold climes of Delhi, I would say that 250-280gm (a medium weight fabric) is a good weight for bespoke suits,” explained Ketan, adding that such fabrics also hide imperfections. The three looks for their customer base (normally aged 35 and up) included ‘business’, ‘red carpet’ and ‘wedding’. For the first, they had used a Scabal fabric with a triple-stitch pattern inspired by the red Dali painting, ‘Lady Godiva’ – a woman on a horse with a butterfly on her head. A single-button deconstructed shacket was paired with relaxed trousers and sneakers, fluid and comfortable.

Jade Blue lifestyle.

A view of the set-up.

For the red carpet look, they went with the fabric inspired by Dali’s painting, ‘4 cravates worn by anaemic nympholeptic high school kids of the future’ – a boy in a green outfit with a page boy cut. For the wedding look, the fabric was inspired by the light blue and lemon Dali, ‘Cybernetic gentleman with cassette drawers attached to him, in which the history of civilization is recorded on microfilm’ – a figure with drawers sticking out of him. Both Naveen and Ketan took a cue from Dali’s Surrealist dandy to create their own Indian dandy. “Dandyism found its roots much earlier in India, with the grandeur of princely States,” explained Naveen, who recreated the modern bandhgala for the show – a shorter jacket paired with a darbari cummerbund.

Ketan Pishe with the Dali painting.

(L-R) Naveen Pishe and Ketan Pishe.

Price of exclusivity

This special Dali-inspired Vision Collection is for connoisseurs. “It’s probably going to be sold at a price of Rs 55,000 per metre,” Sarbinder Singh Bindra estimated. “Normally, you need 3-3.25 metres for a tailored suit. So it would cost you around Rs 1.75 lakh, plus tailoring.” Scabal deliberately makes small quantities of the Vision Collection, to keep it exclusive. “We don’t want to be selling it to everybody, and we’re not making thousands of metres of fabric; we’re talking about hundreds of metres,” said Hart. The company, which sells fabrics to European luxury majors such as Armani, Zegna and Prada, and American brand Tom Ford, has hosted similar Dali-inspired events in the US, UK, and Korea, “But this is the biggest one we’ve done so far,” he added.

Published – December 15, 2025 12:15 pm IST

On most weekdays, Shoba Narayan has a ritual of sorts. She dons a simple cotton sari and walks to Russell Market from her home, a short distance away, weaving her way through narrow streets bordered with pastel-coloured houses, corner shops, small eateries, temples and roadside vendors, discovering something new every time she visits.

“In a densely-populated city like Bengaluru, each walk is so different,” says the Bengaluru-based journalist, writer and self-described flâneur, as she often wanders through the city without any specific purpose, closely observing people and things around her.

“The great thing about being a flâneur in a city is that no time of day is the same. But, at the same time, days have a cadence and rhythm that make it comforting,” she says, listing some of the things she regularly encounters on her walk: bundles of sugarcane during Makara Sankranti, Mother Mary draped in a sari during Christmas, elegant Muslim men dressed in white kurtas and pyjamas on their way to the mosque on Fridays.

“People who live in these dense areas don’t bother going to the shops at that time, because they know that the shopkeepers will all be at namaz,” says Shoba, who believes that Bengaluru is a particularly ‘flâneurable’ because of the weather. “For me, Bengaluru is particularly welcoming because it has the drama of the streets combined with salubrious weather.”

Shoba’s meanderings through the city have had a considerable influence on her recently released book, Namma Bangalore 2.0: Culture, Coding, Cuisine, Creativity (Rupa), a sequel to her 2023 best-selling Namma Bangalore: The Soul of a Metropolis.

Unlike the first, however, where she wrote Bengaluru with the eyes of an insider-outsider who viewed it “as a place to come and settle in and maybe leave from”, this book tells you “how to be a Bengalurean,” she says.

Shoba Narayan frequently walks to Russell Market
| Photo Credit:
Ravichandran N

According to her, this emerged out of feeling settled in Bengaluru and “realising that I’m not going back to Chennai again. It also came from a place of making peace with the place that I now call home, and which my children have grown up in,” says Shoba.

The discussion about how the book could be different in tone from her earlier book on Bengaluru also came up in her conversation with her editor, Dibakar Ghosh, at Rupa Publications. “We basically agreed that it had to be written from a point of view of somebody who is now a Bangalorean, so the tonality changed,” she says, adding that while the first book was written for tourists, this one is written for Bengalureans. “It is a book by a person who loves the city for people who love the city.”

In her book, Shoba constantly reiterates what she thinks makes the city so unique, refusing to reduce the “Silicon Valley of India” moniker, which has been thrust upon it and often overshadows everything else it offers.

The second part of Namma Bangalore is a book for people who love the city, by someone who loves the city
| Photo Credit:
Ravichandran N

Namma Bangalore 2.0, which takes its readers on a romp through Bengaluru’s subcultures, regional cuisines, local festivals, and bazaars, offers insights into an eclectic range of topics, whether it be on regional foods like benne dosas, sabakki idlis and Kodagu horse gram soup, the bar and pandal hopping scene in Bengaluru or Karnataka’s folk arts, theatre and hubbas.

The book also pays homage to the various nature education and conservation initiatives in the city. She explains: “Bengaluru has the best nature communities in the country,” which she attributes to green spaces in the city, like the cantonment and college campuses and a thriving subculture of nature enthusiasts, consisting of people who’ve grown up or studied here, maintaining a loose network of friendships.

“Those are the reasons why nature exists in such a large footprint in Bengaluru, and there are so many researchers and scientists working on conservation here,” says Shoba, a birdwatcher and avid nature-lover herself. “If everything else falls away, nature will be what sustains me.”

The campuses of institutes like the Indian Institute of Science offers plenty of green space amidst the concrete
| Photo Credit:
MURALI KUMAR K

It is also why the book has been dedicated to Rohini Nilekani, “the foremost nature philanthropist in the country,” for whom supporting conservation is not just about giving money, but also “spending a little bit of her heart and soul into what she funds. It is huge for me that she is trying to preserve nature and is one of the few in the country who stand for it.”

Namma Bangalore 2.0 is part of a growing collection of non-fiction books focused on Bengaluru, including Kirtana Kumar’s Bangalore Blues, and Roopa Pai’s Becoming Bangalore, besides an updated version of M Fazlul Hasan’s classic Bangalore Through the Centuries, re-published by leading Bengaluru-based architect Naresh Narasimhan

“There is a flowering of writing happening in Bengaluru in the non-fiction arena,” agrees Shoba, who firmly believes that the city deserves this. “I think every author who writes about Bengaluru feels that it is a love letter to the city, and I am not the only one.” For Shoba, Namma Bangalore 2.0 was more than just that. “It is a book about my identity as a Bengalurean, my acceptance of the city and my gratitude to it for accepting me. It is more of a thank-you note, than a love letter.”

Published – December 15, 2025 06:20 am IST