The effortlessly quaint little home of Neema and Capt. Francis Veliyath, The Bungalow, rises above the lush foliage around Fort Vypeen in Kochi. Their 90-year-old home was erected by Neema’s great-grandfather Joseph Puthepurackal, who was the first native manager at a British-run firm. Speaking about her heritage home, Neema says: “Francis was in the merchant navy and the family … Continue reading
Because of their immense religious and cultural significance, the twin-towns of Ajmer and Pushkar, are teeming with tourists almost the entire year, save for the blazing summer months of May and June. While Ajmer is famous for the dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisht, Pushkar on the other hand is known for the annual … Continue reading
By her own admission, fashion designer Monisha Bajaj is a content woman. The morning I visit her home in Sushant Lok, Gurgaon, she wears a casual cotton dress and wedges; no make-up, and her long hair deliciously disheveled. As one of India’s well-known luxury prêt designer, that’s rare to come by. Equally refreshing is her … Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that this two-storey haveli was built in the 18th century as a hunting lodge because it’s now in the heart of Jaipur (the Khatipur Road). But step inside and you would never guess you were in a bustling metropolis. The centuries-old heritage property offers 12 suites and has elaborate wall murals and period furniture. … Continue reading
If you want to get away from it all, the Biksthang Heritage Farmhouse in West Sikkim is just about as far away from it all as it gets. It’s 126km from Gangtok and almost the same distances to Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri. You can spend the day gazing at Mt Kanchanjunga which gazes … Continue reading
It is a crisp afternoon in early summer and we are talking crunching numbers, in between, admiring the views of Lutyens’ Delhi atop the eighth floor of the Taj Mahal Hotel. A V T Shankardass, 35, Hollywood’s film financier and fund manager points out the Bahai Temple to Gurinder Chadha, 58, the London-based filmmaker of … Continue reading
There’s something endearing about heritage homestays that have been nurtured by its original owners who have breathed between its walls for decades. In sharing their joys and memories, endeavours and misgivings, pride and humility, it becomes a journey that is as much inward as it is outward. There’s always the lure of giving away the … Continue reading
Basu and The Bees 