The Writer’s Flight

  New tech-enabled spectacles are transforming passive music listening into deep, multi-sensory experiences India’s organised live-events industry was worth $2.5 billion in 2024 and it is expected to reach $5.8 billion by 2030. Namrata Kohli  New Delhi A new luxury is drumming up patrons in India: Immersive music events that blend sound, story and space. Indians are opening their wallets for tech-enabled performances that turn music into a “multisensory experience”. It’s no longer just handbags, watches, or five-star meals that define luxury for urban India. The new aspirational splurge? Immersive music experiences — events that blend sound, story, and space to create emotional theatre. Across metros and even Tier 2 cities, Indians are opening their wallets for tech-enabled, sensory-rich performances that turn music into a full-body experience. From Global Garba festivals at heritage venues like Delhi’s Sunder Nursery to avant-garde audio-visual spectacles like YOUFORIA: ...

  Celebrating without guilt: The rise of health-first festive gifting By Namrata Kohli For decades, Diwali gifting was synonymous with pyramids of laddoos, boxes of kaju katli, and overflowing trays of barfi. But 2025 is telling a different story. Urban consumers—especially millennials and Gen Z—are looking beyond sugar-laden sweets and mass-produced hampers. Instead, they are gravitating towards thoughtful, mindful, and wellness-first gifting options. The new gift economy is driven by health consciousness, a preference for artisanal over industrial, and a desire to make gifting more personal than perfunctory. From sugar-free mithais and protein-rich dry fruit hampers to wellness teas, artisanal honey, handcrafted chocolates, and immunity-boosting superfoods, this year’s festive tables are being reshaped by a blend of indulgence and intention. As Bharat Shishodia, Centre Head at Lakeshore Mall in Pune, puts it:  “We’re seeing a sharp rise in wellness hampers—dry fruits, cold-p...

Aadyam, an Aditya Birla initiative, is known for curating artisanal, handwoven, and handcrafted products from India’s rich weaving clusters. Their festive hampers have become quite sought-after, especially among those who want gifting to carry cultural value and sustainability along with aesthetics. Handmade for the Heart By Namrata Kohli This Diwali, the sparkle isn’t just in the fairy lights or the glittering gold jewelry. It’s in gifts that tell a story. Families across India are moving away from imported candles, mass-produced crockery, and boxes of chocolates with predictable branding. Instead, they are gravitating toward presents rooted in Indian craft traditions: handwoven stoles, terracotta diyas, bamboo baskets, and Dokra artefacts. The gifting hampers don’t just offer beautiful objects — they carry a deeper purpose: they celebrate the skill, heritage, and authenticity of India’s weaving clusters. As Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly urged — “Gifts should be those made in In...

  From cryotherapy to courtyard Yoga, there is a rise of new age designer gyms. More than just workout spaces, these are wellness and networking zones where status, style, and social capital converge By Namrata Kohli Walk into D’Monde in Delhi or Fitness First in Mumbai and you realise gyms in India are no longer about treadmills and dumbbells. They’re about status, scale, and sanctuary. From cryotherapy chambers and Turkish hammams to aerial yoga sessions and workouts set to live DJs, India’s gyms are no longer just about weights and warm-ups—they’re reinventing fitness as a luxury lifestyle experience. These high-end spaces are no longer playing catch-up with the West—they’re setting benchmarks in design, scale, and integration. As developers, luxury hotels, and boutique entrepreneurs double down on wellness, the country’s elite now have more ways than ever to sweat in style. As Natasha Narang describes her gym in a luxury Gurugram condominium- "It’s not just a gym—it feels like...