A Guide to Bawali, Bengal

I drove a short 40 kilometres away from Kolkata, towards Joka, into the rustic Bengal villages. The narrow roads lined with coconut trees, the chaotic market junctions and clear ponds made the drive scenic. My destination was the 265-year old Rajbari Bawali. Rajbari or palatial homes of Zamindars have been a part of Bengal’s history….

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A Cocktail Journey at The Fatty Bao Kolkata

On a winter evening in Kolkata, I set out to try the signature cocktails of The Fatty Bao, Olive group’s Asian dining. By the end of my meal, I found myself comfortably seated in a corner of its cosy decor, satiated by the comforting flavours of its food and drinks. Cocktail #1 Risky Whiskey Base:…

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Travelling with my Wildcraft Rucksack

My travel gear is an important aspect of all my travels. It has to be simple, ready for mountain weather and durable, apart from being resourceful. Whether it be a rucksack, a pair of shoes, walking stick, jackets, travel towel or even my headlight, I invest time and money in it. I have been using…

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Solo destination: Shantiniketan, Bengal

About 165 kilometres away from Bengal’s capital is the dusty and crowded town of Bolpur. As I alighted from the train on Bolpur Railway Station, I was taken aback by the crowd. I was even more shocked with the chaos and noise outside on the main street. This was not how I had imagined Shantiniketan…

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A Quick Guide to Kolkata, Bengal

I had a fellow blogger and friend visit Kolkata last year. In my course of hosting Kathleen, I explored a part of the city, I now live in, as a tourist. This is always a surreal experience for me. Firstly, backyard travel is a rare practice in today’s travel culture. Secondly, a fellow traveller can…

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The Mushrooming of Microbreweries

If today I wanted to travel to across India, only to explore the plethora of microbreweries in the country, it is plausible. The metropolises of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata are seeing a rise in numerous brew pubs. My first brush with a craft brewery in India was in Pune. Established in 2010, TJs…

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