pragya

I bit into a soft Podi Tossed Idly bemused, I've been living in Bangalore for close to three years and this was the first time that I was eating at a South Indian restaurant. That works because when you live in South India, you end up eating at an Adigas or a Shanthi Sagar when you want some quality and affordable South Indian food. This time however, I was in the mood to try a 'real' restaurant, replete with waiters and their menus and bottled or 'normal' water. So we entered Southindies on 100 ft road in Indira Nagar. The interiors are nice and comfortable. It provides a unique ambience to the place. We saw an interesting cross-section of society eating there. From a family of four to businessmen discussion work to a young couple to ... read more

A trip to Delhi is not complete without a trip to the bazaars. Delhi offers great options for the seasoned shopper ... or the enthusiastic girl. From Malls to flea markets, Delhi has it all. On my last trip to Delhi I decided to visit the local market in Dwarka, a few malls in Rajouri Garden, Delhi Haat, and ofcourse, Sarojini Nagar. I decided to go to the City Center and TDI malls in Delhi and really liked both malls for the variety. The malls offer shoppers a multitude of brands and ensure that the shopping experience is as pleasant as possible. There are Coffee Days and restaurants for the tired or hungry shopper. These also ensure that people who don't want to shop also have a reason for a trip to the mall. More recently, ... read more

Waking up in Coorg has an unhurried quality to it. You open your eyes and know that the day can be whatever you want it to be. You don’t have to get up, but you want to because you want to get out there and see all that Coorg has to show you. The three mornings I spent in Coorg all had this in common. We would get up leisurely and for a change, completely rested. Today began with a cup of coffee as usual and breakfast was upma and kesari bath. It was light yet filling, so a perfect breakfast for a day when you know you’ll be up and about town. When the Tibetans were forced to flee Tibet the government of the state of Karnataka gave them asylum in three different places. One ... read more

Every city has a 'flavor' of its own ... literally. In Delhi there's the celebrated 'Paranthe Waali Gali' (I admit, I still have to make my way there) and just recently, to my gastronomic delight, I discovered the 'Khaane Waali Gali' here in Bangalore. I was on a hunt, a car hunt. The kind where your specifications are many and the options few. I need a car before the end of the month. I'm a new driver, so it can't be a new car. I have a propensity for yellow with green spots, or pink with orange spots, but will settle for white. I have a limited budget and the car must be clean. Being friendly and socialable has its advantages. My roommate's (twice-removed) cousin's mechanic's friend (who was a car dealer himself) had a friend ... read more

The search for the elusive yoga mat took me to Landmark one Friday afternoon. Weeks of exercise deprivation was beginning to take its toll on me. I felt fidgety, cranky and ... fat. My body craved the familiarity of Patanjali yoga asanas and I needed a yoga mat. I went to The Forum and entered Landmark. I made my way to the 'Urban Yoga' section and saw that the supply of yoga mats had dwindled down to about three. Landmark stocks mats from 'Urban Yoga' and a local brand. After inspecting the material and quality I decided that the only difference between the two was the price and the brand. I spotted a salesman and asked him if I could get a mat along with its carry bag. My heart sank in disappointment as he told ... read more

PVR (Personal Video Recorder) is one of the largest chains of movie theatres here in India. And PVR Bangalore particularly notable in that, on any given day you are bound to see hoards of people queuing up to watch movies here. Another movie theatre that is comparable in infrastructure and repute is INOX in Garuda mall. However, PVR is by far the preferred one, perhaps because of the affordability factor. There are others as well, such as Symphony and Rex on MG Road. However, head to The Forum Mall to catch a glimpse of the 'in' crowd. I beat the 5 p.m. Hosur road traffic to reach home just in time to shower, change and flag an auto to The Forum. I had planned to head to Landmark to purchase a yoga mat, however, we had ... read more

Indian theatre and cinema are coming of age. A few years ago it would've been difficult for theatre lovers to indulge themselves and for actors to find an outlet for their talents, but now there are many avenues which provide serious actors and drama enthusiasts opportunities to cultivate their passions. The largest one would have to be the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi from where theatre greats have graduated and returned to teach. Here in Bangalore theatre lovers' appetite is satiated by Rangashankara, Aundhati Nag's dream theatre company. Rangashankara plays an important role in Bangalore's theatre scene not only because it brings the best to theatre goers but provides nascent thespians with opportunities to showcase their talents. 'Love Letters', starring Rajit Kapoor (who I suspect may be NSD alumni) and Shernaz Patel was screened ... read more

Vaayu, or the God of Wind, might constitute the Cosmic Trinity in Hinduism, but in Bangalore it's the latest lounge bar. When my ex-roommate's husband dropped into town and we decided to meet up, I finally got the chance to check this place out for myself. The lounge is located on the 5th floor of the Eva Mall and has a wonderful view of busy Bangalore under the stars. As we entered we were pleased to note that we could sip our drinks and have a conversation without having to scream over loud music. I also noted that this was a place where all kinds of people came to relax and unwind. I saw a group of 20 somethings, a huge family, a couple still in their work formals, older people probably catching up with friends. ... read more