The Writer’s Flight

While tour operators are offering attractive deals, corporations are doing their bit with sound and light shows, maintenance, tech and other tourist-friendly moves to offer a bigger bang for your buck Namrata Kohli   |   New Delhi The Statue of Equality is a giant representation of Shri Ramanujacharya (1017 CE-1137 CE), the Vaishnavite saint who propagated the message of equality Recently we observed World Heritage Day on 18 th  April. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in 1982 announced the 18th of April as World Heritage Day. Another name for this day is The International Day for Monument and Sites.  India is one of the oldest civilizations with the most diverse culture and so many iconic monuments. Some of the top trending ones include Agra’s Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Gujarat’s Somnath Temple; Jaipur’s Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Jantar Mantar, Jal Mahal; Orissa’s Konark temple, Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace, Mehrangarh Fort. Every state has s...

The Pasha of Pop, who recently made India's first Metaverse real estate purchase, talks about his investment, his musical inclinations and future plans in a Q&A Namrata Kohli New Delhi Variously described as ‘Pasha of Pop’, ‘Sardar of Swing’ and ‘The King of Bhangra-Pop’, Daler Mehndi recently acquired a new moniker--India’s first Metaverse man--after he bought a piece of property called Balle Balle Land (BBL). The asset is officially the first metaverse real estate purchase in India. Mehndi plans to host Bollywood films and music, and concerts by various artists across genres like Pop, Hip Hop, Rap, Sufi and Regional music. He was recently in New Delhi to perform on occasion of Baisakhi. Namrata Kohli caught up with him at Pacific D21 Mall, Dwarka to know more about his metaverse investment, his personal preferences in music and future plans: You are the first Indian to buy real estate space in Metaverse. What prompted you to purchase this land? I learnt about this when a few ...

Not only are air coolers cheaper than ACs, but also more energy efficient and easier to maintain. Some varieties are portable and most enable user mobility as well Namrata Kohli   |   New Delhi   Some air coolers, such as this Usha Aero smart Personal Air Cooler, are suited for smaller spaces and are also portable and pocket-friendly Alright, the summers have set in and it's a toss-up between an  air conditioner  and an air cooler. An AC can cool well but isn't portable and costs more to run. A cooler, on the other hand, is more budget-friendly and can also be moved from one room to another. Besides, coolers allow you to move around the house whereas ACs restrict your movement. Nishtha Goel, a 27-year-old Gurugram-based entrepreneur was sure she only wanted a cooler for her room. She says- “We are living at the edge of a desert, with Rajasthan right next door and the air here is particularly dry and hot. I don’t like the idea of being locked up and the cool...

Refrigerators today come in a wide range of finishes, sizes and tech features. See what works best for your family, kitchen space and budget Namrata Kohli   |   New Delhi   Determine the type of refrigerator you want, storage capacity, power consumption, size of your family, budget, kitchen space, and your eating habits before buying one. Credits: Adobe Stock If you're moving to a new house, one of the first things you'd want to buy is a refrigerator. Says Mumbai-based Amrit Solanki: “It was fridge before furniture when I shifted to my new house in Bandra recently. Now I can easily keep adding stuff to my home, since my groceries are stored in the fridge and food and cold water have been taken care of in this heat.” The pandemic has changed the way people buy fridges. Says Anup Bhargava, Product Group Head-Refrigerators, Godrej Appliances: “Post pandemic, we have seen demand increasing for refrigerators with higher storage and technology that keeps food hygienic long...

While the urge to spend big in the post-pandemic era will always be there, setting a wedding budget will help you get a bigger bang for your buck than you bargained for Decor is the standout feature of the Indian wedding. It spruces up the venue, sets the mood, and is a signature of the tastes of the groom and bride. Picture credit: Pullman Novotel Aerocity, New Delhi The big fat Indian wedding is back with its grand events, bold colours and dazzling décor. The past two years had put a question mark on the scale, tenor and complexion of marriage functions. There were restrictions on the number of attendees (both self-imposed and ordained by law), and many guests chose to give the event a miss if they had comorbidities or weren't vaccinated. Others didn't turn up as they lived far away and were reluctant to travel. But now that India is faring much better on the Covid front with an almost fully-vaccinated population, and with travel opening up the world over, people are planning...