The Writer’s Flight

There are many kinds available at different price points in the market. Go for one that is compatible with the space that you want to keep warm Namrata Kohli   |   New Delhi The modern electric home heater has replaced the fireplace in keeping you snug during winter. This family is warming themselves near an electric oil radiator. Credits: Adobe Stock If you're the kind fascinated by the Victorian lifestyle, you'd most likely light up the hearth on a cold  winter  night to keep yourself warm. Or the nature lover you might just create a bonfire in the great outdoors if you're out trekking. But on most other occasions, chances are that you will rely on the efficiency of an electric room heater to keep yourself from shivering when the temperature drops to unbearable levels. The gadget, in fact, doesn't just keep you warm, but raises the mercury in the entire room for an extended period of time. How does the heater work? Hot air, being lighter than cold air, tends t...

Though expensive initially, rooftop solar installations usually pay for themselves in seven years max. Any power that they generate after that is free for the next 18 years Namrata Kohli   |   New Delhi Have a sunny rooftop? Then tap into power of the sun with a solar installation system that can help cut down your electricity bills. Credits: Adobe Stock Gujarat-based Jigar Inamdar has been harnessing the energy of sun to run his home the past two years. He installed a 3-kW solar panel from Adani Power, which is good enough to run his air conditioner, geyser and most other gadgets. He prefers the “on-grid” system to an off-grid one as the former requires no battery and no maintenance cost. Besides, he can get a subsidy of 30 per cent from the Central Government and an additional Rs 10,000 per kW (capped at Rs 20,000). The subsidy is available on the cost of equipment only. So a 3-kW solar system that would usually cost Rs 1.5 lakh, has cost Inamdar around Rs 1.1 lakh (inc...

It's the venue that sets the tone of the wedding, and once you've chosen the perfect place, managing the food, flower arrangements, bridal lehenga and wedding attire will be a breeze Namrata Kohli   |   New Delhi A wedding set-up at Pullman-Novotel New Delhi Aerocity Some dream of tying the knot by a picturesque beach in Goa, others in a grand fort in Udaipur or lavish farmhouse in Delhi or even an architectural marvel in an unexplored destination that promises romance and exclusivity. One thing is certain--it is the venue that sets the tone of a wedding, and choosing one for yours should be your top priority. Get a fix on that first and then start working on the other elements such as food, flower arrangements, bridal lehenga and wedding gifts. After all, you want to be sure where you will be hosting your family and friends to celebrate this event of a lifetime and a significant milestone. Zeroing down on a venue First and foremost, set your budget. Having a budget in mi...

Want some time off to reflect, renew and restore? Visit a meditation retreat or a yoga and mindfulness resort to find your inner zen Namrata Kohli   |   New Delhi The holistic healing rituals at many resorts includes yoga, meditation and mindfulness, along with organic farm-to-fork food, deep-tissue massages and sound baths and digital detox. Photo: Adobe Stock Advertising film director Prahlad Kakkar is, by his own admission, an extremely irreverent, non-believing, and politically incorrect man who questions everything. Yet he says he was curious enough to accept a personal invitation by Sadhguru to do the Inner Engineering programme, though he didn’t even know the spiritual guru back then. "I could not see myself meditating for three days at a stretch. But I was keen to know more about this person and the process he was talking about. So, I did it since I was free that weekend.” Kakkar says the experience left an indelible impression on him--something not obvious to mos...

Turn your porch, balcony or terrace into a ecological retreat with outdoor furniture, cushions in canvas, garden greens and landscape lighting A small, urban backyard garden featuring a tumbled paver patio, flagstone stepping stones, and a variety of trees, shrubs and perennials add colour and year-round interest. Photo credit: Adobe Stock Have you considered looking beyond the four walls and sprucing up your outdoor spaces such as the backyards, patio, balcony or terrace? After all, your outdoors is as important as indoors and can be an oasis of green in the concrete jungle most of us live in. Everything from outdoor garden  furniture  to plants with contemporary planters, to water bodies, stone artefact-like sculptures help create an interesting ambience besides promoting recreation and relaxation for its residents. These spaces can’t be limited to boring plastic chairs--you may want to add a little flair to your yard or patio and do up that space to indulge in pleasures suc...