Tamil Nadu’s Kovilpatti, home to India’s traditional calendar art revolution

Tamil Nadu’s Kovilpatti, home to India’s traditional calendar art revolution

Vyjayanthimala clad in an incandescent green saree teases a glance as a fish bowl and its silvery-gold inhabitants in the background stand witness. This canvas is signed: M Ramalingam.  An archetype of 1980s Tamil cinema and its dramatic allure, this frame frozen in paint, speaks volumes: of a glorious time of hand-drawn skills that later […]

Continue Reading
“Nothing compares to Chennai”: Kapil Dev on his favourite cricket ground

“Nothing compares to Chennai”: Kapil Dev on his favourite cricket ground

Kapil Dev releasing the book ‘Memoirs of a Foodie’ written by Ramaa Shankar at an event hosted by the Duchess club. | Photo Credit: S R Ragunathan “I’m not a good writer. But there’s always somebody who writes that you admire, and they become your hero.”  When World Cup-winning former Team India cricket captain Kapil […]

Continue Reading
Ooty Literary Festival honours Perumal Murugan

Ooty Literary Festival honours Perumal Murugan

Author Perumal Murugan at the 7th edition of the Ooty Literary Festival | Photo Credit: SATHYAMOORTHY M On a sunny autumn morning, the Gothic-hall of the iconic century-old Nilgiri Library resonated with cheers as writer Perumal Murugan received his Lifetime Achievement Award for fostering literary arts and culture in Tamil Nadu. It was the opening day of the 7th […]

Continue Reading
Chennai’s Bonsai enthusiasts are all set to tell us about this ancient Japanese art form

Chennai’s Bonsai enthusiasts are all set to tell us about this ancient Japanese art form

A bonsai workshop in progress at a previous edition of Bodhi’s annual exhibition | Photo Credit: KARUNAKARAN M On every second Saturday of the month, a small, passionate group comes together in the city, united by its shared love for the ancient Japanese art of bonsai. Here, Bon refers to a tray and Sai, means […]

Continue Reading
An outing at an orchard retreat on the fringes of Bandipur Tiger Reserve

An outing at an orchard retreat on the fringes of Bandipur Tiger Reserve

“It was an uncanny sight,” recalls Vijay Prabhu, founder and owner of Littlearth chain of boutique hotels in Udhagamandalam, about spotting a tiger on a sunny afternoon. He was driving from Udhagamandalam to his property The Mangifera located on the fringes of Bandipur Tiger Reserve. “Bandipur forests have the highest density of tigers. It was an hour past noon, […]

Continue Reading
Age no bar for these inspiring senior Indian women athletes

Age no bar for these inspiring senior Indian women athletes

They may be called India’s late bloomers in the world of sports. It makes them more inspiring. These confident women have displayed skill, grit and determination, practising all year round to win District, State and National-level sporting competitions. All to enter the international area and bring home the gold. Their statement is loud and clear […]

Continue Reading
Chennai hosts the immersive Van Gogh experience with an art café and Infinity Room

Chennai hosts the immersive Van Gogh experience with an art café and Infinity Room

A view of the simulated experience | Photo Credit: special arrangement The ivory almond blossoms fall softly, almost callously, as curiosity mounts — can we leap up and maybe catch a few? The Vincent Van Gogh masterpiece that embodies the artist’s yearning for hope and awakening is just an outstretched arm away, consuming the space […]

Continue Reading
Vicky Kaushal, Meghna Gulzar on ‘Sam Bahadur’: Patriotism has many interpretations, should not be straitjacketed

Vicky Kaushal, Meghna Gulzar on ‘Sam Bahadur’: Patriotism has many interpretations, should not be straitjacketed

Vicky Kaushal as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in ‘Sam Bahadur’ Sporting a sharp beard and wavy hair, Vicky Kaushal looks like he is promoting Animal. “The look is for Chaava, the story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj,” he quickly clarifies as we head for a chat. Right now, the versatile actor is making heads turn with his […]

Continue Reading
A photography contest celebrates wildlife, portraits and monuments

A photography contest celebrates wildlife, portraits and monuments

Bath time at Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve near Pollachi | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M Sony BBC invites entries for the third edition of the photography competition Earth In Focus. Rooted in the belief that every photograph tells a compelling story, this year’s theme Pride of India celebrates India’s architecture, cultures, and people. The contest empowers photographers to embody the […]

Continue Reading
Dhruv Ghanekar’s ‘Mumbai Star – The Musical’ is a multi-genre fusion

Dhruv Ghanekar’s ‘Mumbai Star – The Musical’ is a multi-genre fusion

Aspiring guitarists often start by trying their hand at playing covers, typically picking classics from bands like Eagles or Beatles. Dhruv Ghanekar, a guitarist, composer, singer-songwriter, and producer, cautions against falling into this trap. Unlike many musicians, Dhruv confesses to never engaging in covers, always striving to create original music. During a Zoom video call, […]

Continue Reading