Life & Style

Christmas decor from GreenKraft
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

It is that soft-shouldered time of year in Kolkata, when the rains have gathered their hems and departed, leaving the sun diffused and forgiving. Making our way through the tree-lined avenues of Fairley Place, we arrive at BBD Bagh Railway Crossing. Beyond the railway tracks lies the ferry ghat, a narrow ledge between departure and return. The river gleams in the waning orange of dusk, alongside the Howrah Bridge rises like the city’s steely guardian. 

As we wait, a ferry moors at the ghat. We step aboard. On setting sail, the city recedes. 

Out in the heart of the Ganges, the real marvel awaits  — Nautilus, a two storeyed passenger cruise, 70 by 13 feet wide, 24,000 square feet long, with its anchor deep in the unseen bed of the river. Supported by the turning of the tides and currents, it turns almost imperceptibly, a full 360 degrees. Through its glass belly and the open deck on the second floor, the city scatters itself on the far edges of the river. Lying before us, the length and breadth of the SBI headquarters, the giant radar resembling a football on top of the New Secretariat, the white dome of the GPO, Eastern Railway Headquarters, and the Howrah Bridge with countless cars traversing it every second.

Nautilus is Ayan Banerjee’s brainchild. Ayan, a marine captain, understands the world of shipping and navigation like the back of his palm. Telling us about the idea behind the project, he explains, “In Kolkata everybody likes to party. All over India, if anything is on a boat, you have to book the whole boat or go somewhere where ticketing is happening. I wanted to find a way for people to come to the water and enjoy the water. I could have done it anywhere in India but I wanted to do something for my city. I would have made more money in Goa. But since I like to party, I want other guys to be able to party and enjoy the ambience of the Ganges. Nowhere in India do they have this concept.” 

He adds, “The ship used to be a banquet vessel. I have listed it. We didn’t touch the structure. Everything you see here — all my employees put their heads together and gave ideas for the interior decor, ” says Ayan. 

Explaining the name, he says, “Nautilus has two meanings. In Jules Verne’s novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Captain Nemo’s imaginary ship is called Nautilus. Secondly, the Nautilus shell is claimed to have a golden ratio, which makes it the most beautiful in the world.”

Recalling his experience at sea, the captain recalls, “The biggest vessel I’ve navigated is five times this size of Nautilus which is merely 72 metres long. The entire vessel runs on diesel, including the electrical connections which power the bar, nightclub and upper deck. This has been my dream project for my city.”

Inside Nautilus
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Nautilus was inaugurated during Durga Puja on September 26, 2025. The one of a kind concept features a nightclub and hookah bar on the first floor, while the upper deck offers a cabana style seating arrangement alongside a larger open air lounge.

In the near future, the owner plans to introduce live seafood counters “like you would see in Singapore,” he says where guests can pick their fish, crab, or lobster, and have it prepared fresh at the counter.

Nautilus bar
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Food and beverage

The bar and food menu spans Indian, Continental, Chinese, Italian, and fusion dishes. From Don Julio shots to GH Mumm for celebrations, the customary Martini, margarita, gimlet, and an array of liqueurs, the offerings are neither ostentatious nor basic but manage to straddle both. The menu includes Kolkata favourites such as lobster, river fresh bhetki in fish kalia or daab chingri, mahi mahi in kasundi (mustard), along with pizza, pasta, Thai curries to baked roshogolla, Japanese cheesecake, and darsaan for dessert and a lot more. While the food and beverage menu does not experiment, the dishes are comfortingly familiar and tailored to suit Kolkata’s eclectic palate — indulgent and without pretence.

The menu has options like Thai curry, lobster, and pizza.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

On special occasions like Bhai Phonta, Deepavali, or Durga Puja, curated thalis priced between ₹1,300–₹1,500 are prepared by the chef on board.

When asked about the safety of guests returning by ferry after alcohol consumption, Ayan assures that measures are being put in place. “The ferry that carries guests to and from the vessel will soon be covered with a net, and several bouncers will be stationed on board,” he says. The ferry, he adds, is exclusively reserved for patrons of Nautilus.

In a city where nostalgia often outweighs novelty, Nautilus offers a slice of innovation that does not estrange itself from heritage. It brings Kolkata’s relationship with its river full circle: once the artery of trade and empire, the Ganges now becomes a stage for leisure, light, and belonging.

Located at BBD Bagh Kolkata, Fairley Place 1, the price for two is approximately between ₹1,800 – ₹2,000. No cover charges. For reservations call +91 9147762462

Published – December 05, 2025 05:10 pm IST

I was sitting with a friend recently — one of those late-evening, chai catch-ups — when she said something that stayed with me. “I think I’d rather be alone than be someone’s emotional admin again,” she sighed, stirring her cup like it had personally offended her. It was one of those remarks that sinks quietly into your chest. And the more I thought about it, the more I realised I had heard variations of the same sentiment from several people in the past month. Different stories, different cities, but the same soft exhaustion: dating has started to feel like a second shift.

Of course, this is not a strictly men-are-the-problem narrative, because that would not be true. I have met men who are more emotionally articulate, responsible, and domestically competent than some of the women I know. I have also met women who prefer outsourcing every logistical and emotional task to the men they date. As a friend put it last week, “It’s not a gender problem anymore — it’s an adulthood problem. Some people grow up. Some outsource it.” That line has been playing on loop in my head.

Emotional deadlifting

And since we are being honest, I am not writing this from a place of detached superiority. I have had a full Florence Nightingale era myself — the phase where I believed I could love men into becoming their better selves. I was the pillow, the therapist, the cheerleader, the emotional laundromat. None of this was asked of me. I simply arrived pre-conditioned for the job, offering five-star care at relationships that barely met the hygiene standards of an OYO. I seemed to attract damaged men like I was running a discount on emotional availability. Beautiful, complicated men with heartbreak stitched into their bones. Men who adored being held but struggled to hold back; who loved being understood but rarely understood in return.

Somewhere in this pattern, a quiet realisation crept up on me: I was not getting the same softness, care, or instinctive emotional generosity that I was pouring in. So I shifted my philosophy of dating. At the moment, I am on something of a hiatus — spiritually and socially — and it feels good. I want a fuss-free relationship with men, something light and breathable. I want to date around, have a small rotation, a neat little Rolodex of five men I enjoy speaking to and seeing when I please. After years of emotional deadlifting, I believe I have earned the right to prioritise ease.

This sense of gentle recalibration is not unique to me. Many women — and a fair number of men — are quietly rethinking their emotional capacity. I know men who are exhausted from being the only ones planning, initiating, regulating, and holding. Women who say their former partners left every emotional responsibility to them, right down to deciding when to have the hard conversations. One of them told me, half amused, half exhausted, “I don’t want to date someone whose idea of emotional availability is sending ‘u up?’ at 11 pm.” Meanwhile, some women are pushing back against the dynamic they watched their mothers and grandmothers inhabit — the unacknowledged, endless caretaking that swallowed their identities.

Layers of complexity

Queer relationships are not exempted from these patterns either. Many gay men go through what psychologists call “delayed adolescence” (I would know!), especially if they came out later in life or grew up suppressing core parts of themselves. This often results in one partner becoming the executive-functioning headquarters of the relationship while the other dances between charm and avoidance. A friend said recently, “I can date a man who’s complicated. I just can’t date a man who’s avoidant and complicated,” and every queer person in the room nodded like they had lived that line personally.

The generational layer is perhaps the most revealing. I once asked my mother if marriage ever felt fulfilling for her, or if it was always work. She told me they were taught to be the anchor, always. Even on days when she did not want to show up, guilt dragged her into performance. When my father was emotionally absent or simply unavailable, she absorbed the slack without complaint. She admitted there were days she wanted to scream at the weight of mothering a grown man along with children, but she swallowed that frustration because she did not want us to ever feel like burdens. “I had to pick up the slack where your father failed,” she said quietly, “That was just the expectation.”

And maybe that is what so many of us are resisting — not men, not relationships, but that template. That inherited blueprint of silent sacrifice.

So here we are, all of us — straight, queer, men, women — trying to choose ease over effort, reciprocity over resentment, peace over depletion. People aren’t walking away from relationships out of cynicism. They are walking towards something softer: friendships that feel nourishing, homes that feel calm, connections that do not demand emotional heavy lifting.

In the end, it is not a war between men and women. It is a quiet rebellion against depletion. And finally, gratefully, peace is beginning to win.

A fortnightly guide to love in the age of bare minimum

Published – December 05, 2025 05:08 pm IST

The fourth edition of Madras Art Weekend has kicked off in full swing at Chennai’s Taj Coromandel, pulling artists, designers, curators and gallerists into a vibrant cultural orbit. From intimate panel discussions to curated gallery showcases, the annual festival introduces a wide spectrum of artistic expressions to the city.

Thirteen galleries are showcasing their work at the event and walls are bright with work by some of India’s most iconic artists including Jamini Roy, MF Husain, and VS Gaitonde.

Artwork by Ashok Bhowmick presented by Dhoomimal Gallery.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

At the stall by Delhi-based Dhoomimal Gallery, artist Ashok Bhowmick’s artworks take centrestage. He uses his signature cross-hatching technique to showcase humans. The technique creates volume. It allows the artist to play with light and shadow using just the tip of his pen. Says Ashok, “My basic objective in painting is to make it very simple. I never want the viewer to feel challenged or instructed — the freedom I feel while creating is the same freedom I want them to have while observing my artwork.”

A total of 14 artists’ works were showcased at Dhoomimal, including KH Ara, Bimal Das Gupta, Thota Vaikuntam, Manoj Aggarwal and many more.

“We’ve tried to present a span of modern masters — starting with Jamini Roy in the old Bengal School, which bridges the Victorian and modern periods,” says Uday Jain, director, Dhoomimal Gallery.

He adds, “from there, we’ve included the works of senior contemporaries who shape Indian art history today. This is our third consecutive year at Madras Art Weekend, and we’ve noticed that Jamini Roy always resonates with viewers, as does artist Ram Kumar. Vibrant works connect strongly with people here, and mythology, too, continues to be a favourite.”

Artworks by Satish Gupta on display at Gallery Art &Soul stall.
| Photo Credit:
AKHILA EASWARAN

Artist, poet, and author Satish Gupta, too is presenting his meditative artwork for the gallery Art & Soul, Mumbai. His works often showcase Indian Gods and Goddesses, sculpted on colourful canvases, exploring the concept of spirituality, which is here depicted through the ‘cosmic matrix series.’ “I work with religious icons, only to move beyond religion… religion has been misused for power and manipulation, but when you go deeper, you find a shared purity of thought, of mind, of being — the shared sense of the universe,” says Satish.

In Gallery G, based inBengaluru, it is the theme Reimagining Bengal that showcases the layered artistic history of Bengal through artists like Rabin Mondal, Jogen Chowdhury, Haren Thakur, Kuntal Dutta and many more. Spanning diverse media — from Suhas Roy’s watercolours to Aloke Sardar’s acrylics — the exhibit presents Bengal in both modern and contemporary landscapes.

Where Strength Abides by artist and journalist Narayan Lakshman.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Artist and journalist Narayan Lakshman’s work is part of a showcase by Delhi-based gallery Art Magnum. His artwork Where Strength Abides is a meditative exploration of abstraction. “It continues my exploration of non-objective art– an experience rather than a defining thing. Inspired by the artist VS Gaitonde’s meditative approach, I built layered surfaces with wax, sand, gesso and impasto to create a quiet expansiveness — a space where the viewer’s eye can drift across the canvas, pause on subtle marks and textures, and simply relax, enjoy and savour the experience,” says Narayan.

A Bridge of Incidents by Ruchi Bakshi Sharma and Sanjeev Sharma presented by Baro Art.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

In Mumbai-based Baro Art stall helmed by Srila Chatterjee, it is a showcase of paintings, textiles, and contemporary art.

“Our curation really has been keeping in mind the scale of the works that Madras could appreciate. It is a mix of objects of design, craft, but also art, which ties it all together,” says Abhik Battacherji, curator, Baro Art.

There is Anwar Chitrakar’s artwork on Bengal pattachitra (a cloth-based scroll painting from Bengal and Odisha), then there is Ashish Malakar and Nandita Palcoudhuri’s sculpted piece titled Zenana, which is made with Sholapith framed into a wooden panel.

Also, check out Jabbar and Abdullah Khatri’s textile piece titled Earthen Hues, featuring clamp dye technique on silk. And textile artist Jagrity Phukan’s piece Paddy-Play-House. Crafted with muga silk, eri silk and cane, it is a way of honouring indigenous fibres and natural dyes grown on her ancestral silk farms.

After all, great art is personal.

The Madras Art Weekend is on till December 6, at Taj Coromandel. Registration at urbanaut.app.

Published – December 05, 2025 05:01 pm IST

A couple of months ago, over 150 litres of water were sent by road from Punjab to The Leela Palace Bengaluru — accompanied by vadis, rajma and Amritsari aam paapad. All this, just to capture the flavours of Punjab as faithfully as possible for the hotel’s new regional popup series.

Called Citrus In The Spotlight, the ongoing series is helmed by Executive Chef Simran Singh Thapar, who opened with a Punjabi showcase — the first in the line-up. “Hotels bring in external specialists to showcase their culinary skills. We decide to look for talent within our hotels, and this is how Spotlight came into play,” he says. The concept is simple: each month, one in-house chef presents food from the State they come from. The result — themed menus shaped by over 100 chefs.

Chef Simran Singh Thapar (far left) making sarson da saag for the popup
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

So far, their popups have showcased cuisine from Kongu nadu, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, and Simran intends to take Spotlight to all Leela properties across the country.

Dal bati churma from the Rajasthani food festival at Vivanta Chennai, IT Expressway
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Interactive elements

At Vivanta Chennai, IT Expressway — under the umbrella of The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL)  that helms Taj properties — a recent Rajasthani food festival had Chef Pankaj Meghwal from Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, at the forefront. Pankaj brought with him traditional sweets, and the menu comprised dishes such asMathania mirchi murgh ka soola cooked in a traditional clay oven; murgh Jodhpuri, churma, and more.

Chef Hitendra Singh
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Simran also brought in mini pressure cookers to serve mutton curry, and designed family tables to make the Punjabi popup experience more intimate. “The water was brought from Punjab to ensure dishes like the rajma maintain their authentic taste. We also got homemade masala prepped in Amritsar, and set up an entire pickle pantry, an element that featured in all pop-ups,” says Simran. He explains how every household has pickles and chutneys through the year, and for the first event, they started prep almost one-and-a-half months in advance, making khata meetha achar, gajar gobi shalgam achar, green chilli with mustard oil, and a range of chutneys, salads, and relishes.

For the Uttarakhand popup, Chef Jashbeer Singh, sous chef, Jamavar, sourced ingredients such as jakhiya, bal mithai, and stinging nettle from the State, whereas Chef Hitendra Singh, sous chef at Citrus, brought jowar flour, ker sangri, seer fish, and khichiya paapad from his hometown, Udaipur.

Dishes from the Uttarakhand pop-up at Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Exchange of flavours

The trend has propelled an exchange of chefs within hotel branches across the country. The concept of in-house chef-led popups at IHCL aims at showcasing the “magic of our celebrated kitchens across India and beyond to our guests, allowing them to experience authentic flavours from other regions without having to travel,” says Ian Dubier, area director, Operations, Tamil Nadu, and general manager, Taj Coromandel, Chennai. 

Chef Simran at Leela
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Recent popups include the Sri Lankan Odyssey at Vivanta Chennai, IT Expressway, that was curated by Chef Prasanna Rathnayake from Taj Samudra, Colombo. “His menu transported guests to Sri Lanka with dishes like the Jaffna-style crab curry, kalupol chicken curry, egg hopper with sambal and kiri hodi, among others,” says Ian, adding that in a similar fashion, Thomthong Sungkaha, also known as Chef Lily, of Taj Holiday Village, Goa, brought in her signature flavours to Chennai’s Taj Wellington Mews.

Thomthong Sungkaha, also known as Chef Lify
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

At The Chambers at Taj Coromandel, Chennai, the Rendezvous – Conversations and More series, that launched in 2021, took this concept further with immersive evenings. “Guests sat down to curated five-course dinners by chefs from IHCL hotels across Gurugram, Goa, and Hyderabad,” explains Ian. 

Chef Jahangir Khan
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Focus on regional

At Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, Excutive Chef Ho Chi Ming says they wanted to provide their cooks “a stage to display culinary history and home cuisine.” He adds, “Our chefs’ enthusiasm for highlighting Himalayan and Uttarakhand cuisine was incredibly motivating. They procured essential ingredients from their hometowns in addition to creating authentic menus.” The chefs are now cross-hosted across their parent company Marriott’s 158 hotels spread across over 42 cities. 

Chef Ho Chi Ming at Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Upcoming popups at IHCL include chefs from Southern Spice and Golden Dragon from Taj Coromandel, Chennai, taking their South Indian and Chinese menus respectively to Bengaluru and Kerala. Cuisine from the South ranks high on the list with several menus based on cuisines from Tamil Nadu, Chettinad and Andhra Pradesh, and more.

At the Southern Spice popup at Taj Palace, New Delhi, Chef M Rajendran from Taj Coromandel, plated the flavours of Tamil Nadu, honed through years of working across Chettinad, Thanjavur, and Chennai. Rajendran’s menu featured dishes such as royyala iguru, prawns simmered in a rich coconut, cashew, and Andhra spice blend, kozhi melagu curry, chicken in a fiery black pepper and fennel gravy, meen pollichathu, and more. 

Pad Thai Kai, a dish from the Thai celebrations at Taj Wellington Mews, Chennai
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Chef Simran with his team at The Leela
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Personal stories and recipes

How do the chefs ensure that these popups are different from those led by external chefs and home cooks? Kiron Kumar, director, operations, at The Park, Bengaluru, says they kickstarted in-house popups three years ago. “They are creative laboratories where our chefs are encouraged to break boundaries, explore new ideas, and craft new dining experiences. Unlike popups hosted by external chefs or home cooks, which often showcase individual expertise or niche styles, our internal pop-ups are deeply collaborative and rooted in the identity of the hotel itself,” he says, like their popular ‘The Forgotten Greens’ pop up, which reimagined indigenous greens in modern dishes.

“The creative ownership is where the biggest difference is found,” says Ho Chi Ming, who plans on showcasing South Indian and East Indian cuisine in the future.

Chef Prashant at Sheraton Grand Pune Bund Garden Hotel
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

One for the team

Moreover, these events serve as a powerful tool for team development, says Kiron. “By challenging our chefs to think differently and work outside their comfort zones, these events stimulate creativity. They also foster a sense of pride and ownership,” he adds. Upcoming events include a celebration of Cantonese cuisine, and a reinvention of classics from around the world.

Dishes from a Sichuan food festival
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The coming weeks at Sheraton Grand Pune Bund Garden Hotel will see chefs exploring regional and seasonal flavours. The Tamil Table by Chef Shankar Devendra will showcase recipes from his grandmother’s kitchen, coastal seafood, and classic Chettinad spice blends, and the Winter Menu will celebrate Maharashtra’s seasonal ingredients.

Sagar Kulkarni, director, Food and Beverage at the hotel, says these events were introduced two years ago. “In-house popups focus on authenticity and storytelling, whereas visiting chefs bring fresh perspectives, innovative techniques, and unique interpretations of global cuisines. By hosting both types of experiences, we combine the best of both worlds.”

At The Leela Bengaluru, upcoming Spotlight popups in January will spotlight food from Coorg, Hyderabad, and the Malabar region, and while Simran led the first one and created a framework, he is hopeful of this trend picking steam. “You can represent any cuisine: each individual has their roots, home rituals, and skills. Food is just one part of these meals.”