EXECUTIVE EDITOR NAVIN UPADHYAY Chief Operating Officer Abhishek Saxena 09818600128 EDITORIAL Consultant Editor Saimi Sattar Senior Feature Writer Christy Varghese Feature Writer Khushbu Kirti Chief Designer Anand Singh Rawat Production Manager Syed Nawab Raza Staff Photographer Pankaj Kumar SALES & MARKETING Vice President Jetender Rawat 9810404096 General Managers Kumar Gurudutta Jha & Sweety Verma Senior Managers Madhukar Saxena & Divyesh Kothari Managers Bharat Singh Sajwan, Prabhakar Pathak & Barun Choudhary MUMBAI OFFICE General Manager Devendra Adhikari KOLKATA OFFICE Vice President Suzanna Roy HYDERABAD OFFICE V Sunil Kumar General Manager (Circulation) Rajeev Gautam Printed and published by Navin Upadhyay for and on behalf of CMYK Printech Ltd, printed at JK Offset Graphics (P) Ltd, B-278, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110020 and published at No. 6, Behind Gulab Bhawan, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002. Executive Editor: Navin Upadhyay. Entire Contents Copyright (C) 2006 CMYK Printech Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation in any language in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Requests for permission should be directed to CMYK Printech Ltd. Opinions carried in Exotica are the writers’ and not necessarily endorsed by CMYK Printech Ltd. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material or for material lost or damaged in transit. All correspondence should be addressed to CMYK Printech Ltd; F-31, Sector-6, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh-201301 Phone: 0120-4879800 & 4879900 Email: letters2exotica@gmail.com
‘TIS THE SEASON TO CELEBRATE
THE
nip in the air announces that autumn is giving way to winter. Short-lived — though — the season is, it is much looked forward to for the festivities it signals. And this time, celebrations do seem to be in the air if you take into account the number of parties that are lined up. This is in stark contrast to the uncertain and heartbreaking times that we faced last year. However, if we ignore the lessons learnt previously, we can all but give up the claim of being the most evolved of the species. Respecting Mother Nature is the first and foremost on the must-do list. Going easy on crackers (yes, despite the ban some will still go ahead) to allow the planet (and us) to breathe, avoiding wastage of food, going sustainable by recycling your wardrobe, and rather than splurging, extending a helping hand. Let’s not forget that the spirit of any festival is about spreading joy and cheer among all, especially the less fortunate. And that is something that our celebrity this month tried to do throughout the year. Reel-life villain turned real-life hero, Sonu Sood was at the forefront of extending a helping hand to all and sundry during and even after the lockdown. The transformation of his image in the minds and hearts of people has been nothing short of dramatic. The last word also describes the destination featured in our cover story. It is well-known that Dubai does not believe in scaling anything down. The high rises, hotels, parks, and more are larger, out of this world, personifying abundance and, yes, drama. Another traveller took off to Dharamshala and Mcleodganj to find places that are offbeat and should figure on your itinerary the next time that you plan to visit. Diwali, the very word brings to mind a day that lights up hearts and souls. And food is the most important ingredient of festivities. It would not be too far-fetched to say that a celebration is incomplete without some special dishes that set it apart from a regular day while winning the applause and admiration of the visitors who drop by. Our chefs have you covered with a mix of traditional and contemporary dishes as well as those which are ready in a jiffy and take hours to prepare. Though we celebrate, it is also important not to forget homes that miss loved ones, which aren’t going to put up the lights this time around and where laughter has gone missing. Let’s hope and pray that they too find solace and happiness soon. On this note, we look forward to meeting you again in the last month of this year. Adeus e ate mais!
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I N S I D E NOVEMBER 2021 VOLUME 16 NO 1
Celeb talk [p14] Hero within: Sonu Sood Cover story [p32] Impossible...is nothing: Dubai Novel routes [p42] Five-fold path: Dharamshala Festive food Heart of celebration [p48]
CONTRIBUTORS
[p14]
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar [p56] GURUSPEAK: Dispassion & desire Bharat Thakur [p58] FITNESS: Crunch belly fat Sanjay Jumaani [p61] NUMBER GAME: Count your fate
TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES 64 INCLUDING COVER
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FAVOURITE HAUNTS OF STYLISH PEOPLE
I am a big foodie and that list will go on all night. But, if I had to choose one, it'll be aloo parathas. Why? It's in my DNA, I'm a Punjabi.
I am not very fond of accessories. I don't wear too many of them since I'm all for minimalism. But, definitely, shoes and bags. Like every girl.
I absolutely love crime thrillers. So, without a doubt, I'd say Jo Nesbo’s books. I really enjoy reading murder mysteries.
Actor KAREENA KAPOOR has been a part of all film genres — from romantic comedies to crime dramas. Recipient of several awards, she is one of Hindi cinema’s most popular and highest-paid actors
London, United Kingdom. Without a doubt. It's home away from home. I think I feel very comfortable and always look forward to meeting our friends and family there.
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My favourite movie…. err… I completely love and adore Meryl Streep. So, I love all her movies. I think the brands that are currently making conscious decisions are the brands that I like to support.
TRAVEL NEWS
A FAMILY HOLIDAY IN THE SEYCHELLES
APART
from being a famous wedding and honeymoon destination, as well as having some of the best beaches, Seychelles has other attractions too. It has, for many centuries, been a living museum of natural history and a sanctuary for some of the rarest species of flora and fauna. This makes it an ideal destination for eco-tourists, naturalists as well as children and families. Being a melting pot of traditions from all over the world, it has national heritage monuments, museums, natural wonders, diverse arts and other cultural activities. Sailing within the Inner Islands enables you to experience the natural wonders of Seychelles. Renting a yacht or sailing your very own boat, taking to the ocean for several days and fishing for your meals with or without the option of a guide or crew, is worth investing your time into. The bays, the diving spots and reefs will leave you with plenty of tales to tell. A visit to L’Union Estate on La Digue Island is an opportunity to see a traditional working copra mill and kiln where coconuts are dried and pressed for oil. La Digue is also synonymous with bike riding and renting a two-wheel ride to explore the island.
The Beau Vallon beach in Mahé is home to a number of water sports which make for an activity-packed day by the sea. Also, the tropical indigenous forests and the natural sanctuaries offer experiences and activities that are once-in-a-lifetime. Explore endemic plants and trees of the Seychelles, including the Coco de Mer at Botanical Gardens. For a more in-depth discovery of the Coco de Mer and other indigenous palms and plants, visit the Vallee de Mai on Praslin which has a complete canopy coverage from the sun and rain. The paths are well-maintained, making it an exceptional rainforest experience. Feed giant tortoises on the Curieuse Island,
easily reached from Praslin Island by boat, where you can arrange a day trip with a BBQ. The Seychelles is known for the largest population of friendly giant tortoises. It is home to state-of-the-art golf courses. Surrounded by mountainside and ocean vistas, the sport becomes a near-surreal experience as you perfect your swing into a world of cobalt skies, swaying coconut palms and shimmering sapphire waters. Dotted with bars, the nightlife won’t disappoint the free-spirited looking for magical nights out. Whatever your tastes and preferences in activities, Seychelles has varied escapades waiting to be discovered.
THE
Postcard Hotel walked away with multiple honours at The World Travel Awards and The World Spa Awards, 2021. The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat has been voted as ‘Asia’s Leading Wildlife Resort’ and ‘India’s Leading Wildlife Resort’, The Postcard Dewa, Thimphu, Bhutan as ‘Asia’s Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel’ and ‘Bhutan’s Leading Boutique Hotel’, The Postcard Cuelim, South Goa as ‘India’s Leading Boutique Hotel’ and ‘Goa’s Leading Boutique Hotel’,
and The Postcard Velha, Old Goa as ‘India’s Best Wellness Retreat’. Despite the trying year for the hospitality industry, the brand has continued to weigh heavy amongst the top luxury hotels in Asia. "We launched The Postcard Hotel with the vision that the future of luxury hospitality was in small experiential hotels with very high levels of personalised service. Ever since the inception of our brand, we have increasingly seen people adopt this way of travel, even more so after the pandemic," says Kapil Chopra, founder and chief executive officer, The Postcard Hotel. Consistent service, the intimate nature of the hotels and the loyalty of guests is what powered the company’s performance and growth even in the year of Covid-19. Revenue in the Covid year grew by 51 per cent and guests continued to give it high ratings on both TripAdvisor and World Travel Awards. The Postcard Hotel handpicks their destinations to unravel unique, authentic experiences. The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, in the land of the Asiatic lion, is spread over 16 acres of kesar mango orchards. Close to a lion reserve, this wildlife resort is secluded. Paying homage to the destination and its surroundings, the hotel is also an inlet into Saurashtra.
THE POSTCARD HOTEL WINS AT WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS
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MACAO GRAND PRIX MUSEUM REOPENS
The Postcard Cuelim is a 350-year-old restored estate located in South Goa. This six-room hotel overlooking 3,500 acres of lush green paddy fields blends in with Goa’s culture, coastal landscape and tropical radiance. The Postcard Dewa, Thimphu is nestled in a forest on the outskirts of Bhutan’s capital city. With 15 suites and a minimum room size of 995 sq ft, the hotel offers a spectacular view of the valley and surrounding forests. The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali, Goa and The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Karnataka will be opening in December. With 20 rooms spread across 20 acres, enveloped by the forest, it will offer restorative seclusion in an unseen ecosystem of Goa. It is far from the crowded places but not too far from untouched beaches.
THE
Macao Grand Prix Museum, under the management of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), reopened its doors to the public in October. The Museum also resumed free guided services and is accepting group visit applications once again. Residents and visitors can visit the Museum. In compliance with the pandemic prevention guideline, the visitation limit of the Macao Grand Prix Museum remains at the adjusted maximum of around 1,100 visitors per day (closed on Tuesdays). Residents and visitors are welcome to purchase tickets in advance via MGTO’s online ticketing system (eticket.macaotourism.gov.mo), while immediate entry tickets are also available for sale at the Museum itself. Tickets are available on a firstcome, first-served basis. The Museum provides free guided services in Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and English where each session lasts for about 45 minutes. Museum visitors are welcome to check out the timetable on the official website and sign up for the guided service on-site. Due to the limited quota, the guided service will be signed up on a first-come, first-served basis. The Macao Grand Prix will enliven the city with motor races in November. The Macao Grand Prix Museum will organise parent-and-child workshops themed around cars on weekends during the month to support and promote the Macao Grand Prix and create a vibrant ambience for the event through painting, mosaic and light clay DIY crafts. MGTO will carry out the anti-pandemic measures and conduct scrupulous cleaning of the facilities inside and out. Museumgoers are required to wear masks, undergo temperature checks and present their Macao Health Code.
EXOTICA [11] NOVEMBER 2021
SUSTAINABILI
BARIG: HARMONISATION IN THE AIR TRAFFIC INDUSTRY
POSITIVE
trends are currently to be witnessed within the travel and air traffic businesses; however, a steady recovery remains a distant goal. Even though passenger traffic has increased again during vacation, the travel process as well as the vacation experience is still severely impaired by inconsistent regulations in different countries. Crucially, this is due to the different countries continuing uncoordinated approaches in key processes within the travel chain, such as entry and exit rules or the declaration of risk areas. The consequent lack of transparency leads to considerably more complex service processes, which might require more time and higher costs for companies and travelers. Accordingly, the Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG) points this out and appeals to the responsible politicians to support the urgently needed harmonisation of travel conditions. In this respect, BARIG secretary-general Michael Hoppe states, “Freedom of travel and mobility does not only belong to the most basic rights of people but also plays an eminently important role in the recovery of national economies. Therefore, it is right to reopen borders successively, given the previous good and successful efforts in fighting the pandemic. However, the lack of coordination among the different countries and states is slowing down the upswing in travel, with corresponding consequences for people and the economy. Thus, we call on politicians to push forward harmonisation and coordination matters, which is in the interest of every country and their citizens.”
SWITZERLAND
is known for its world-class cuisine and hospitality. What many people do not know, however, is that Switzerland is also a global hub for nature-based gastronomy. Regionality and sustainability form a huge part of the food culture here. Many restaurants in the country are committed to sustainability as they continuously experiment with organic food and introduce exciting and innovative ways to bring nature onto the plate. Here is a guide to some of the most sustainable restaurants in Switzerland that you can try out on your next trip. AUBERGE DE L’ABBAYE DE MONTHERON, LAUSANNE: Every day, before entering the kitchen, the team of chef Rafael Rodriguez meets neighbouring artisans and farmers who supply the bulk of fresh products that go in the dishes — vegetables, organic meats and artisanal, fish from Lake Geneva and even dairy products such as butter, cream, milk and yogurt. The chefs experiment, invent and bring back to life, culinary techniques from the Middle Ages to do justice to the history of the restaurant. The results are unique, nature-inspired dishes: crumble with autumn trumpets, lentils with a sauce of cenovis and thickened grapes and more. The cellar at Auberge de l’Abbaye de Montheron offers journeys between the past of the Abbey of Montheron and the present of viticulture in the Valais. FERDINAND HOTEL CERVO, ZERMATT: The Ferdinand is a modern and stylish restaurant located in CERVO Mountain Resort in Zermatt with contemporary interiors. It offers a spread of traditional Valais cuisine that uses only local Swiss products. It is one of the best places to try out Valais Raclette AOP.
EXOTICA [12] NOVEMBER 2021
ITY IN SWISS GASTRONOMY
RESTAURANT TÜFI, ZURICH: The 19-year-old organic restaurant in Zurich, Restaurant Tüfi, focusses entirely on seasonal offers and is committed to sustainability in food production with high culinary values of its nature-based cuisine. Out of conviction, the team here cooks as ecologically and regionally as possible. For their fresh-product kitchen, the chefs obtain most of the food from organic cultivation — their meat comes from animals that have been kept in a natural and species-appropriate environment following the strictest animal husbandry guidelines in Switzerland. The fish also comes from local waters (wild-caught). HAUS HILTL, ZURICH: Opened in 1898, Haus Hiltl remains a favourite among the locals and tourists even today. Located in the heart of Switzerland, Haus Hiltl, is the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world. Currently managed by the fourth generation, it offers more than 100 Swiss specialties. Around 80 per cent of Hiltl’s clientele is neither vegan nor vegetarian, which speaks of its widespread popularity. The menu at Hiltl focusses on healthy nutrition, agricultural diversity and superior quality. It deploys a sustainable use of resources and avoids food waste without missing a beat when it comes to taste, presentation and experience. THE ‘K’ RESTAURANT AT THE KULM HOTEL, ST. MORITZ: The ‘K’ restaurant sits at 6,000 feet above sea
level inside one of Switzerland’s most famous five-star hotels, The Kulm. Headed by a three-star Michelin chef Mauro Colagreco, this sustainability-driven restaurant has unique ways to breathe new life into traditional dishes. For example, chef Mauro’s Nicoise salad uses mackerel instead of tuna — the reason being tuna populations are declining and have more metals/toxins than mackerel. To give you a taste of meat in his pasta dish, he uses smoky tea and many of his clients think it has meat or fish in it. The menu is largely based on classical French cooking with a hint of the Mediterranean and the diners at the K are always greeted with a sumptuous vegan tasting menu. In addition to this, guests can order dishes that have been crafted specifically with sustainability in mind.
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C E L E B TA L K SONU SOOD was busy playing a worthy opponent to the protagonists in films across different languages. But real life had other plans. When the pandemic spread and the subsequent lockdown was imposed, he focussed on doing his bit and soon he was towering like a colossus in our minds. He tells SAIMI SATTAR why it is important to bring forth stories of similar impactful work by common people through his show, It Happens Only In India
Hero WITHIN
EXOTICA [14] NOVEMBER 2021
PHOTOS: PANKAJ KUMAR
SONU
Sood, the boy from Moga in Punjab, had made a career out of playing the antagonist. Soon after his debut in supporting roles in Tamil films Kallazhagar and Nenjinile in 1991, Sood’s forays in cinema, despite (or maybe because of) making a mark, were more often than not as a villain. Whether it was the role of Dabangg’s Chhedi Singh which got him the Apsara Award and the IIFA Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role or in the Telugu film Arundhati which secured the Nandi Award for Best Villain, he found recognition and admiration in characters that were absolutely black or somewhat grey. But that was till the time the pandemic struck. Overnight, he transformed from just an actor to someone who was a real-life hero when he took on the onus of transporting hundreds of migrant workers who were stuck in cities without a job or money. The name, ‘Sonu Sood’ had an instant recall and was spoken with respect bordering on awe... even reverence. Sood smiles when I ask him how he bridged the gap before offering, “I don’t know. A
‘WHEN YOU TRY TO CHANGE YOUR IMAGE, IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN. IT DOES ON ITS OWN, WITH THE BLESSINGS OF OTHERS. IF YOU HAD ASKED ME ABOUT THIS WORK EARLIER, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO VISUALISE IT. TWO YEARS AGO IF YOU HAD TOLD ME THAT, ‘TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE WOULD COME TO YOUR HOUSE EVERY DAY TO ASK FOR HELP,’ I WOULD HAVE REPLIED, ‘YOU HAVE LOST YOUR MIND. HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?’’
number of times it has happened that brands have debated whether to take me on board for endorsing their products as I have played negative roles on screen. And then, there came a time when I signed every single brand,” he pauses before going on to add, “When you try to change your image, it might not happen. It does on its own, with the blessings of others. If you had asked me about this work earlier, I would not have been able to visualise it. Two years ago if you had told me that, ‘Two hundred people would come to your house every day to ask for help,’ I would have replied, ‘You have lost your mind. How is that even possible?’” He goes on to cite the examples of iconic movies where everything just fell in place effortlessly and draws a parallel with his image being transformed. Not surprisingly, National Geographic Channel found his persona to be perfectly in sync with a new show, It Happens Only In India, that premiered last month. Here, Sood — who went from distributing food packets to sending migrants home and generating employment opportunities — narrates stories of people who have gone above and beyond the daily grind to leave a lasting imprint on lives around them. After the tough time that all of us have been through during the pandemic, Sood feels that it is appropriate to narrate stories that inspire. “The show features people who were unaware that they have a hero within them. Unknowingly they tapped into their heroism to do something that astonished and inspired the country. It was
PERSONALLIFE o Born in Moga, Punjab on July 30, 1973, to Shakti and Saroj Sood o He studied at Sacred Heart School, Moga and later at Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering (YCCE), Nagpur o In 1996, Sood married Sonali and the couple has two sons Ayaan and Ishant
EXOTICA [17] NOVEMBER 2021
important to tell the world that rather than stories beginning from, ‘Once upon a time’, there are some that start with, ‘There was this common man in Jharkhand who...’ And this story inspires others and makes him/her special. It’s striking that, with just an idea, a person can change lives and inspire people. I’m happy that I can narrate these stories which happen to inspire me as well,” he says. There was a definite thought behind making the show in a storytelling format. “The kind of social media madness that we are obsessed with means that we don’t have time to tell stories. As children, our grandparents narrated tales that have left an imprint on our minds. However, the younger generation does not have anyone to tell them stories and neither do they have the time,” says Sood who played the revolutionary, Bhagat Singh, in Shaheed-E-Azam (2001). Were there any particular stories that Sood found more inspiring than the others? He asserts that each is outstanding. “Whether it is the one which narrates how ISRO made satellites that cost the least in the world or the one about a man who practically created a jungle over hundreds of acres of land by planting trees. Howsoever much we might achieve while living in big cities, working in the corporate world or the film industry, we realise how an aam aadmi (common person) is khaas (special). This makes India unique.” However, that is not the only thing that makes the country exceptional. Sood, who has acted in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada films besides
Hindi, says “There are so many people, religions, languages. We see everything changing every day. When we meet people abroad, they always react to us coming from the country and express a desire to visit and explore India. Even as an Indian, if you visit the four corners of our nation, it would appear as if you are in four different countries. Not just geographically, the people, attire, food, everything is starkly different. There is definitely a certain uniqueness. While we might be saying it because we are Indians, yet we can’t dismiss the fact that there is something special about our country that creates a sense of awe across the globe.” So, given his philanthropy and the show, does he subscribe to the idea of the ‘power of one’? “I always believe that you can only fight battles alone. Karwaan to baad me judta hai (People join later). During the pandemic, when we were helping people and I told some friends — who have settled abroad — that I am planning to send people to their homes. Their reaction was, ‘How is it possible to send people in buses when we can’t even step out of our buildings?’ I told them, ‘Let me try.’ And I did not know a single person, among the first 350 people on board those 10 buses, who left for Karnataka. But the happiness on their faces and the gratitude in their folded hands told me that this plight isn’t restricted to a few. It’s spread across the entire country.” However, he does not take credit for the work, even for a minute and says, “I still don’t know how I was able to do this. It was propelled forward by the
MILESTONES o In 1999, he made his debut in Kallazhagar and Nenjinile in Tamil o In 2002, he played Bhagat Singh in Shaheed-E-Azam marking his debut in Hindi cinema
o He played Abhishek Bachchan's brother in Mani Ratnam's Yuva in 2004 o In 2010, he was feted for playing Chhedi Singh in Abhinav Kashyap's Dabangg, co-starring with Salman Khan
EXOTICA [18] NOVEMBER 2021
prayers and the blessings of others. When I was sending people to their homes, it was the prayers of their parents and family members that enabled me to get permission from different authorities. I hope, the blessings will keep coming.” The movement, which has now taken the shape of Sood Charity Foundation, started with distributing food packets to migrant labourers. When a few of them asked for additional packets for their long trek home, Sood wanted to assist them and he was soon arranging for transport to send them home. A few days after reaching their villages and towns they were wracked by the lack of employment opportunities and money — the very reason that these migrants had shifted base to bigger cities. So, generating livelihoods and imparting education were added to the growing number of concerns that the 48-year-old was involved with. He puts numbers to the initiatives and says, “To date, I’ve been able to employ 2.80 lakh people. Earlier we were assisting 2,000-2,200 students in education and now we are teaching around 22,000 children. We are also distributing medicines to people...” Popular imagination was fired by the work that the actor-turnedphilanthropist was accomplishing. “We started an initiative, people got motivated and involved with it. In medicine, doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies came forward to do their bit. It was a chain reaction that spread like a wildfire. I recall the CEO of a big hospital telling me, ‘We were engaged in charity work earlier but after getting
‘I STILL DON’T KNOW HOW I WAS ABLE TO DO THIS. I DIDN’T PROPEL THIS FORWARD. IT WAS THE PRAYERS AND THE BLESSINGS OF OTHERS. WHEN I WAS SENDING PEOPLE TO THEIR HOMES, IT WAS THE PRAYERS OF THEIR PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ENABLED ME TO GET PERMISSION FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES. I HOPE, THE BLESSINGS WILL KEEP COMING’
‘TO DATE, I’VE BEEN ABLE TO EMPLOY 2.80 LAKH PEOPLE. EARLIER WE WERE ASSISTING 2,000-2,200 STUDENTS IN EDUCATION AND NOW WE ARE TEACHING AROUND 22,000 CHILDREN. WE ARE DISTRIBUTING MEDICINES TO PEOPLE...’
involved with your initiative, we have seen the transformation in the doctors, staff, pharmaceutical companies who are inspired as you’re doing this for people you don’t know. As a result, doctors waived off their fee, pharmaceutical companies gave medicines for free, hospitals did not charge for beds.’ The reaction was magical. We often wonder how something will happen... and then it does. That is the biggest lesson of our life. We often leave things midway but we shouldn’t be doing that. We should persevere. We might fall or falter in the effort but we have to dust off that failure and move forward,” he says without a trace of it appearing as if he is imparting gyan. Sood documented a lot of this work in his book I Am No Messiah (2020) co-written by Meena Iyer. He says, “While the first one was a best seller and created a lot of magic, the major chunk of the work, happened after it was written. Maybe, when things halt a little, that would be the time to tell some more stories.” However, it has not been a home run all the way. The actor was raided for four days in a row by the Income Tax department in September allegedly for evading taxes worth over `20 crore. The actor had tweeted that, “Every rupee was awaiting its turn to save a life.” He had added, “You don’t always have to tell your side of the story. Time will.” So, when questioned if he thinks Bollywood is a soft target, Sood says, “I think we are in the limelight so we have to shoulder responsibility. We have to stay focussed and do our best. Never let negative things affect you. That’s the only way to survive.”
DIDYOUKNOW o He was a Mr India contestant o He has founded the Sood Charity Foundation to help people
o He was appointed as the brand ambassador of Desh ke Mentor programme by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on August 27
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On the work front, Sood has completed a Telugu film, Acharya, with Chiranjeevi which will release next year. “There is a Yash Raj film with Akshay, Prithviraj and me. Then, there is a home production which will start next year. I’ve missed many big offers as I am caught up with meeting people and do not get the time to read scripts. But three-four films are up for release next year.” Besides films in numerous Indian languages, Sood has also acted in Xuanzang (2014) in Mandarin. “I learnt some, understood a little and imbibed the different cultural nuances. How do you express happiness or despair... What do I need to stress? How do I change an expression? I did not let the changing languages affect my ability. I just transform into an actor of that very language. I have been doing this for so long that some patterns must have automatically been fed into the system and as soon as the camera is turned on, I don the character. The language does not matter.” While he has made his mark in both — acting and outside the realm of the silver screen — it is the latter that he would prefer to be remembered for. “I feel blessed that I could establish a connection with the common man. This made me realise how special the common person was. I am trying to make this common person an exceptional one. I am unable to understand why I did not do this earlier. There was a vacuum. But it is better late than never. But I have just started and the journey is long but I will certainly find the destination...” he trails off.
COVER STORY
IMPOSSIBLE... IS NOTHING
If Dubai believes in making everything magnificent, Atlantis, The Palm, epitomises the phenomenon, says SAIMI SATTAR as she experiences life queen size
Atlantis was the first resort to open its doors on The Palm, which has 17 fronds that are home to around 1,500 beachfront mansions
THE
expanse of sand spread endlessly, interspersed with scrub, a few high rises, and cars that were moving at a speed that is possible only when viewed from the air. But as the plane circled and swooped to land, like the desert falcon, the high-rises that Dubai is known for suddenly came into view. The spectacular buildings are just one of the many things that add up to create an unmatched aura of the foremost of the seven Emirates, which exercises an unimaginable pull over blue- and white-collar workers, holidaymakers and shoppers alike. Dubai is nothing short of a man-made mirage, where every flight of fancy, howsoever much bizarre, finds a ready-to-take-off runway. But then, all of these thoughts crossed my mind much after I had been through a gruelling 10 hours before hitting the tarmac in the ‘Promised Land’ of shopaholics. I say, ‘gruelling’ as international travel post-pandemic is a beast that is unrecognisable from its predecessor. Despite that, having been hemmed in within the boundaries that answer to the political description of India — for almost two
years now — the break was welcome. What wasn’t met with equal enthusiasm was the mandatory arrival at the airport six hours before the flight for a RT-PCR test. For people like me, who even earlier found the long check-in hours burdensome, this was excruciating, to say the least. So for a seven o’clock flight, I had to reach no later than 1 in the morning! The sight that greeted me was unlike any that I had seen at any airport before. Queues of people — who were awaiting results — sleeping on parapets, rows of cubicles where their details were noted and bills generated as well as tests conducted while the luggage lay in a bit of disarray while the owners ran helter-skelter. With the tests done, the reports finally filtered in two hours later. And another queue to pick it up followed by yet one more to confirm whether the two reports and visas were in order. And finally, check-in! However, one thing hadn’t changed at the T3 airport in Delhi. If you wanted to catch a wink, all the sleeperettes were sure to be occupied. It was only when the flight landed that we were ushered into more cubicles where yet another
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test was conducted. But post that, it was business as usual... ...Except for the heat. It seemed to have been channelled straight from a blast furnace... that is if you had the bravado to step outside the air conditioning. I quickly took shelter in the waiting car at the airport. Making my way to Atlantis, The Palm — which was to be my abode for three days — I sped past chrome and glass buildings, cars in every imaginable colour that could put a woman’s wardrobe to shame, malls on roads that were so smooth that would have you stepping on the accelerator with glee. We were headed towards Palm Island, the largest man-made island which is referred to as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’. The Palm’s shape was selected to ensure all buildings on the island would have a sea view and beach access. The finished island covers an area equivalent to 600 football pitches and is four times as big as London’s Hyde Park. Today, the 17 fronds are home to around 1,500 beachfront mansions, with a further 6,000 apartments on the trunk.
Soon enough, the car was running parallel with the beach and a turn led it to the hotel. And since Dubai does not do anything which is less than grand, Atlantis is spread over 46 hectares or — to make a layperson understand its scale — is the size of 64 Wembley football pitches. Atlantis was the first resort to open its doors on The Palm. With 1,548 rooms, seven signature suites and 22 storeys, it has played host to citizens of 227 different countries. Its signature Royal Bridge Suite, measuring 924 sq m costs US$27,000 per night, is an attraction — especially for Indians — as actor Shah Rukh Khan has stayed here. Another, the Underwater Suite — at 165 sq m, has a master bedroom with direct views of The Ambassador Lagoon aquarium, creating an illusion of being beneath the sea — is another popular option. The hotel is a microcosm of the Emirate which does not believe in living life which is not king size. Checking in, I couldn’t help but admire the handblown glass installation in a myriad of colours and kept stealing looks as the Russian lady at the front desk completed the formalities. The priceless
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Dale Chihuly sculpture was created using 3,000 hand-blown pieces that were individually placed to build the 10-metre-high entry centerpiece. Even in Dubai where everything competes for attention — by being even more mammoth than larger than life and opulent — this is a showstopper. Ushered in my room, I immediately raced to the balcony as views from a hotel room have often been behind my impulsive decisions to stay or leave a place since childhood. The vista that greeted me, despite the heat, had me tongue-tied (a rare occurrence) for some time. From the 13th floor, the view that spread out till the horizon had the deep blue sea with several yachts skimming on the surface (remember habibi, money CAN buy you happiness in Dubai), the Burj Khalifa shimmering in the heat, a stretch of greenery before it was interrupted by the new Atlantis, The Royal slated to open sometime next year, a monorail speeding past and also a teeny weeny glimpse of the famous Palm with its fronds that houses the whos who
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(including our very Shah Rukh Khan who is also the brand ambassador of Dubai). Peeking down, I saw another water body just below. I wondered what it was but couldn’t ponder over it for too long as I had to leave for lunch. It was the descent from the lobby to the ground level which brought us face to face with a glass wall with a myriad of sea animals — stingrays, sharks, eels and 65,000 others — swimming (it seemed without care) in what could be closest to viewing them in their natural habitat without getting wet. I watched on mesmerised as realisation dawned that this was the water body I saw from above. This aquarium recreates Atlantis, the fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works Timaeus and Critias. Since the hotel is named after it, it is not surprising that floor-to-ceiling unbreakable glass practically brings in the water world at every turn. I would have stared on, lost in thought, had not my stomach let out a low growl complaining about the hours of neglect and in anticipation of the feast that I knew was in store. We were headed towards Gordon Ramsay’s (yes, THE MultiMichelin starred British chef and star of the small screen known equally well for his food and his temper) Bread Street Kitchen & Bar. This is just one of the 29 restaurants including three outlets by celebrity chefs, Nobu Matsuhisa, Giorgio Locatelli and Gordon Ramsay. Done up in wood, with a profusion of lights in different shapes and sizes, the restaurant had an eclectic appeal that was tough to miss despite me being consumed by a state of sleep deprivation. While one might assume that it would be meats that dominate the menu, since Ramsay has often expressed his dislike for vegetarianism, the vegan trend has made inroads into his restaurant — certainly as unlikely a place as can be. And surprisingly, it was the Rigatoni with handpicked mushrooms — without even so much as a hint of animal protein — that was the star of the table despite an array of treats that were cooked and plated to perfection. But the side-effects of stuffing oneself with a dish of creamy carbohydrates soon became apparent. The four people at the table begin to nod off... especially since the night before had been less than restful. However, since no meal is complete without a dessert, an assorted platter followed. The Medjool date & banana sticky toffee pudding had us nodding in approval (and digging in several spoonfuls immediately after loud proclamations of being stuffed to the gills). An afternoon siesta was called for after such an immensely satiating meal. Waking up refreshed, I was raring to head out for the Fish Tales Tour at The Lost Chambers Aquarium. For a hotel in the centre of a desert, the abundance of water, even if it is saline, is certainly a feat. And if you add the upkeep of a whopping 65,000
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marine animals of 250 species, it certainly becomes even more mind-boggling. The Ambassador Lagoon at Atlantis is an 11 million litre marine habitat and one of the top 10 largest aquariums in the world. Its viewing pane is 10 meters long and 70 cm thick and if all its water was drained it would fill 4.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools! While I, along with three others, explored the site on my own, it was the behind-the-scenes during the guided tour that had us holding on to every word. A fish hospital (my, my, did you know that existed?), a kitchen to prepare their food (400 kg of the same quality as is served to the hotel’s guests), a water filtration plant, a testing centre, several fish tanks where the young are kept and more were oohed and aahed over.
We wandered around before ending with a dinner at Hakkasan. While we were still quite full from the lunch, the hostess’ recommendation of Stir-fry vegetable and pine nut lettuce wrap was certainly a revelation and was quickly wrapped up (pun intended). However, we could not do justice to the main course as our stomachs collectively groaned under the onslaught of a constant barrage of delicacies. Practically collapsing into bed, we were soon off to la-la land, Post a delicious spread of South-East Asian, local and international offerings at the breakfast buffet at the Saffron, we were up for some activities that were a little more adventurous than eating and walking about to take in the sights. We headed towards the White Beach, the seafront of
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the eponymously-named restaurant, which is exclusively used by the hotel guests. The sun beating down in all its intensity did not flag our spirits as we bravely ventured where we had never gone before — a session of paddleboarding. Donning the life jackets ensured that our courage was boosted manifold and we weren’t daunted by the open sea that stretched out till the horizon. If we were being marked, the first person to take off from the start point would have scored a perfect 10. Paddling gently on both sides, she stood up with perfect poise without losing balance and after a carefully executed pirouette, she headed back to safe shores exultant to have done it in one perfect sweep. I was up next and I have always been pretty confident –— that balance is something I always take time to achieve while perseverance is my strong point. And yet again, my hunch was not off the mark. Within minutes (or was it seconds?) of standing up, a loud splash followed and I was floating on my back. While the instructor was
telling me not to panic, I promptly responded by standing up in the neck-deep (okay, okay for a 5’1” me) water and wading back to the shore to attempt it yet again. And yes, this time I was successful. But I was not yet done with the water (blame it on me being a water sign) and dragged out a kayak along with a companion. The 20 minutes we paddled around were frequently interrupted by peels of laughter as we tried to manoeuvre the kayak without bumping into obstacles. Deeply tanned but exuberant, we made our way back... Lunch was at White, the beachfront restaurant which specialises in Mediterranean cuisine. An all-white decor, fresh ingredients and a meal that was light were just what we needed. But it was the dessert, with its seemingly incongruous nomenclature of ‘bread’ that had everyone floored. Called the Monkey bread, with a hint of cinnamon and coffee, we eyed its large size when it arrived at the table and thought we would never finish it. We
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could not have erred more. And that was just another incorrect assumption about the dish. We sliced off a small bite and then another, and one more... till the plate was almost empty. And yes, even now, I can almost taste its delicious gorgeousness. Sigh. However, there was more to come. On the last day of our stay, we were lined up for a dolphin and sea lion tour where we learnt the intricacies. The Dolphin Bay, spread over 4.5 hectares, is home to Indo-Pacific Bottlenose dolphins that eat between five and seven kg of fish per day. The Sea Lion Point is the only one of its kind in the region. Its residents are South African Fur Seals and are cared for by experienced Marine Mammal Specialists. The trainer explained that diet regulation, regular health check-ups, exercise and more were some of the things that ensured that both the physical and emotional well-being of these marine animals were well looked after. With the dolphin parks having come in for increased criticism from animal rights activists, we watched the marine animals from afar. From there we headed straight to Aquaventure, the water playground of more than 18 million litres of water. With 79 rides spread across three towers 26 marine and watersport experiences, anyone who loves water parks this is a dream destination. While I debated whether I should take the Leap of Faith — a sheer drop of 98-feet mega which plummets in a near-vertical fashion at frightening speed of 60 km/h in three seconds, shooting you through a clear acrylic tube surrounded by sharks and cownose rays — I took some of the relatively tamer rides. So I went on a safari of a different kind in Shark Attack, where the fibreglass gives a 360° view of the shark-filled lagoon. Then, there were the Rapids, a 1.6-kilometre river and the Aquaconda, a 210 metres long and 25 metres high six-person waterslide tube. Certainly, impossible is not a word that exists in Dubai’s dictionary.
TRAVEL IN TESTING TIMES
o An RT-PCR Covid test 48 hours before departure is essential. o An antigen Covid test has to be done at the airport of departure. o A third test takes place at the Dubai airport when you land. o While returning, an RT-PCR, 48 hours before your flight is necessary. o Filling the air suvidha form is mandatory before you board the flight and is demanded when you check-in. o Another test is conducted on arrival.
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NOVEL ROUTES
FIVE-FOLD PATH
From secluded spots on mountains to a boho corner for learning pottery and modern kitchens, KHUSHBU KIRTI has unique suggestions in and around Dharamshala that should feature in your must-visit places
I
am sure you would be tired of hearing songs in praise of nature and the mountains as well as stories of every city-dweller running away to higher climes at the first chance they get. This was evident from the overcrowding and stampede-like situations after the lockdown opened and desperate city-dwellers, needing a break, made news. Thankfully, we are way past the second wave and we can journey to the hills without risking our health while following the proper Covid protocols. Moreover, there is a completely justifiable reason why we wish to escape from reality and take shelter behind the clouds. After studying for straight five years, I had jumped at the first opportunity of a job instead of spending some time chilling. So, I absolutely needed a break from the chaos and the monotony. Like Wordsworth had once said, “Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher... Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.” That is how I found myself in Dharamshala and Palampur. McLeodganj, a suburb of Dharamshala, is the most remarkable place in the vicinity. While my sister and I explored a lot of places in and near Dharamshala, including the mainstream areas like the lush tea gardens, numerous historical temples, the Dalai Lama Temple (which has been closed for visitors), HPCA-Cricket Stadium (any cricket/sports lover should venture out only in the evenings as the scorching heat can play spoilsport). Certain places were not only sequestered and unique but had not registered on the consciousness of tourists. Here is a list of five places that are worthy of praise: KHAROTA POINT: Even though Kharota point is fairly secluded, it is still easily accessible. The view-point has no other attribute but a breath-taking view of the highest peaks of Dharamshala — the Dhauladhar range. The day we undertook a short one km trek to the view-point, it was raining cats and dogs and that is what made it indelible. It will forever be imprinted in my mind for a different kind of adventure. With our umbrellas and raincoats flying, we somehow managed to reach our destination. The local dogs had accompanied us and reminded me of the myth where a canine had shown Yudhishtra the correct path up the hill. There were several ways to reach the top, even though we took the long and rather unnecessary climb, the view still was, in every bit, worth it. At one point a cascading waterfall materialised in front of our sight as the snow-clad mountains engendered the musical winds. At that moment, it felt that we were a part of this unending natural saga as one whole. Though drenched, the cold didn’t feel bitter. It was, in a sense, tranquil and soothing. We were told that camping was very much a norm near the place, though not in the rainy season.
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with countless pots made by both the teachers and the students. The raw interiors and contemporary designs on the wooden walls exuded a bohemian vibe. We were told that the studio held regular pottery classes, as we saw some happy students, with clay smudged hands, trying to figure out pertinent life questions. Vivek, one of the teachers, explained the entire process to us patiently. We had a hands-on session on the wheel, with his help. It felt uncanny in the beginning but soon became a mixture of relaxation and excitement. By the end, we had managed to execute some designs on the pottery. It is another story that the pots looked dilapidated but it was a feel-good two hours spent there. We were also told that our humble creation (feels proud) would be delivered to us at our home. NADDI POINT: This is a point where clouds envelop you as if you were a delightful ghost. You’d, of course, as a result, be slightly soaked, but how many can claim to be racing with the clouds for company? What a great flex, no? Find your inner chi as you venture into this place and literally walk in the peaceful terrain as the clouds descend on you. Not only does the Naddi point provide a perfect place to view the Dhauladhar ranges but you can also find pleasant eateries — to stop in between and eat while — on your way to the Tibetan market and so on. You could stop at cafes and chill. DHARAMKOT STUDIO: The Dharamkot Studio, located in a small eponymously named hill station in the Kangra district of Dharamshala, is an aberration... or maybe not. For what better place could there be to find inspiration and pursue the art? Near the Tibetan market, and on a hill above McLeodGanj, it was akin to pottery paradise. We were exhausted from the day’s activities as we had visited several places in McLeodGanj, and this quiet and peaceful place proffered us nothing but love and comfort. On a cloistered hill, the studio is a cosy corner for all art enthusiasts. The place had lilting indie music and was decorated
SHIVA CAFE: It summons youth with an almost hypnotic beat that is inaudible. On the outskirts of the Tibetan market, the Bhagsunag waterfall gushes. Walk another two kilometres uphill and you will spot the Shiva cafe. The excellent craftsmanship of the locals ensured that we had splurged on clothes and bags. But the side effect was that we reached the mystical cafe named after the deity Shiva a little late. But it was for the best. The scintillating starry sky stretched out as far as the eye could see as we swigged our chilled breezers to the background score of the waterfall cascading down. JIMMY’S ITALIAN CAFE: Even before we started from Delhi, the echoes about the aforementioned cafe — which is one of the most happening eateries of the Tibetan market — were growing stronger. Everyone and their aunt has been to the cafe if they have ventured to McLeodganj. We were surprised to see the owners working in the kitchen despite having help.
And the food too was delectable. The hand-rolled Margharita’s white sauce mingled with cheese fermented overnight. From the taste, it was evident that it needed a lot of slaving over. We also tucked in a sumptuous Chicken Garlic Bread and a decadent Chocolate Mousse. The rooftop dining area beckoned with its panoramic view. The experience was further personalised as the owners — Tsering and her husband, Jampa — celebrated their anniversary with us while making us laugh heartily at their stories. Tsering told us that Jimmy’s was started in 1983 by Jampa’s mother, Sonam Lhamo, in Shillong and is named after his sister. Lhamo had come from Tibet and supported her family by starting a woollens business. When things became tougher, she started a small Tibetan restaurant as she was a great cook. She had written all the names of her eight children on chits and picked one. Jimmy (Jigne) got lucky. The Italian kitchen was set up in 2001.
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HEART OF CELEBRATION
What’s a festival without some indulgence? Here are some recipes that would make it a truly memorable Diwali
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FESTIVE FOOD MULTI-LAYERED GHEVAR For the sugar syrup INGREDIENTS: Sugar 1 cup; Water ½ cup METHOD: o Combine the sugar and water in a pan and simmer till it reaches a one-string consistency. o Remove from the heat and keep warm. For ghevar INGREDIENTS: Refined flour 1¾ cups; Cornflour 1 tbsp; Melted cooled ghee ¼ cup METHOD: o Combine the flour,
cornflour and melted ghee in a bowl. o Add one cup of water, whisking continuously Add two more cups of water while whisking continuously. o Keep the batter in a cool place away from the heat. o Place the ghevar ring in a kadhai and pour melted ghee in it till it reaches ¾ of the height of the mould. o Heat the ghee on a medium flame and put in
one spoonful of the batter into the mould in a thin stream. The batter should settle in the mould. o Repeat seven times making a hole in the centre of the ghevar using a wooden skewer stick. Pour the batter into this centre each time. o Once cooked, take out and immerse in sugar syrup, drain quickly and place on a serving plate. o Arrange multiple layers with different sizes and serve.
SABUDANA PAPAD WITH HYDERABADI DOUBLE MEETHA AND JAGGERY SYRUP o Make sugar syrup by combining sugar INGREDIENTS: Bread slices 15; Milk and water. Bring this to boil and add (room temperature) 4 cups; Water 2 cardamom powder. Simmer till it cups; Sugar 2 cups; Cardamom powder reaches one thread consistency. ½ tbsp; Cashew nuts coarsely chopped o In lukewarm milk, soak these deep 20 gm; Raisins 20 gm; Saffron strands fried bread slices. Add above sugar (soaked in lukewarm milk); Ghee + oil syrup to this and mix well. for frying; Sabudana papad 4; Jaggery o On low flame leave this to thicken. Add syrup 50 ml saffron and stir in between until ghee/oil METHOD: starts to leave the sides of the vessel. o Trim the sides of bread slices and o Turn off the flame and garnish with place them loosely on a plate. fried cashew nuts and raisins. o Separately fry cashews and raisins in o You can serve this warm or cool. This ghee until light brown. will stay fresh up to a week, when stored o Use the same pan to deep fry bread in a clean and dry air tight container in slices. You can use half oil and half ghee refrigerator. to deep fry bread slices. o Fry papad, top with double ka meetha o Be careful not to burn the bread slices and jaggery syrup. Enjoy it crisp. as this may give bitter taste to the sweet. — PREM K POGAKULA, executive chef, The Imperial New Delhi
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MALAI GHEVAR INGREDIENTS: Refined flour 1 kg; Desi ghee 400 gm; Gram flour 100 gm; Milk full cream 1 litre RECIPE: o Sieve the refined flour and gram flour in a bowl. Now take ghee and cold milk in another bowl and whisk to mix evenly. o Add flour and whisk again, making sure that no lumps are left behind and the batter is smooth and the consistency should be such that when we drip, it should fall like a string. o Heat ghee in a deep vessel. The quantity should be half the density of the vessel. Once the ghee heats well, start pouring the batter into the ghee with a spoon dripping long strings in different directions o Pour the batter into the ghee depending on the size
of the ghevar you want to make. The batter is poured at the centre of the pan, which directly goes down and then rises up into the ghee and gets collected there. If the centre spot is totally covered, then use a thin stick or any fork to make little space in the centre and keep on pouring the batter. o Lower the flame once you have poured required amount of batter into the pan and let it fry until it turns light brown in colour. For syrup INGREDIENTS: Water 1 cup; Sugar 1.5 cup o Now prepare single string sweet syrup. o Boil water and sugar in a pan for five-six minutes. Pour a drop of syrup on a plate to check. Once it cools down a bit, take it between your thumb and a finger and see if
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it is sticky or not. If you form a single string, then it means that your syrup is ready. For rabri: INGREDIENTS: Milk 1 litre; Sugar 2 tsp METHOD: o Boil 1 litre full cream milk in a pan. Once it starts boiling, lower the flame. Keep stirring the milk at short intervals so it doesn't stick at the bottom. Turn off the flame; once the milk reduces to 1/3 quantity. o Add sugar to sweeten. Assemble o After the syrup cools down, dip the ghevar into it and remove. Keep the ghevar on a plate and tilt so that any excess syrup gets drained. o Slather it with rabri and garnish with pistachio shavings, golden varq, saffron strands and almond slivers.
from the flame, add the parmesan and INGREDIENTS: For the bagel: mix well. Refined flour 400 gm; Sugar 56 gm; Fresh yeast 16 gm; Salt 5 gm; o Keep aside and let it cool. o For the bagel, except for the olive Water 253 ml; Extra virgin olive oil, add the ingredients in a bowl, oil 28 ml For the filling: Refined oil 30 ml; mix well and make a soft dough. Once the dough is ready, add Chopped button mushrooms the olive oil and mix. 250 gm; Salt to taste; Pepper o Cover the dough with a 5 gm; Parmesan cheese 50 gm; damp cloth and let it rest Chopped onion 35 gm; for 30 minutes. Chopped garlic 20 gm; Truffle o Now, cut dough into oil 10 ml For the parmesan fondue: 120 gm pieces each Cooking cream 100 gm; Parmesan and let them rest for 20 minutes. cheese 60 gm o Shape the dough METHOD: For the filling into a bagel. o Let the bagel proof o Heat oil in a pan. for 15 minutes. o Add the chopped garlic and o Now, add the onion sauté till translucent. mushroom filling and o Add the mushrooms and sauté let the bagel proof for a it. Cook till the water from the further 10-15 minutes. mushrooms completely dries up. o Bake the bagels in a o Add the parmesan cheese and preheated oven at 200°C for mix well. 12 minutes. o Season with salt and pepper. o Remove from the heat and keep o Once removed from the oven, use a piping bag or aside to cool. o For the parmesan fondue, heat squeezy bottle to spread the parmesan fondue over the bagel. cream in a deep pan. o Serve hot. o Once it starts to boil, remove — CHEF MANISH SHARMA, executive chef, The Oberoi Gurgaon
MUSHROOM BAGEL
BADAM HALWA
INGREDIENTS: Almond 1 kg; Desi ghee 800 gm; Sugar 700 gm METHOD: o Boil the almonds for 10 minutes. o Peel and soak for at-least an hour. o Make a coarse paste like semolina. o Take a sauce pan and add ghee. o Heat ghee and add the almond paste. o Cook on a a slow flame and add sugar. o Cook till the almond paste becomes golden brown. o Garnish with pistachios and serve warm. — VIVEK RANA, executive chef, The Claridges Hotel New Delhi
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ROSETTE DE LECHE
For mawa Milk 3.5 per cent fat (reduced to 628 gm mawa) 3 litres; Water 1,625 gm; Ghee 125 gm; Sugar 125 gm Final mixing: Grain sugar 100 gm: Cardamom powder 10 gm For garnish: Dehydrated rose petals 400 gm; Cold glaze 200 gm; Gold leaf 3 sheets METHOD: o Boil the milk in a kadhai. o Reduce the flame, continue cooking and stirring. o Reduce milk to ¼th of the quantity or till it thickens. o Once mawa is ready, add sugar and water. Continue cooking. o The milk solids will start turning brown. o Continue cooking, till it reaches a thick batter like consistency. o Add ghee in three parts and
continue stirring the mixture. o Add more ghee after the first one has been completely absorbed by the mixer. Continue with the same process till the time ghee is fully absorbed in the recipe. o Rest for 24 hours at room temperature for the mixture to set. o For making dehydrated rose petals, place red rose leaves on a non-stick mat and dry at 75°C for four hours. Store in an airtight container o Next day add a little melted ghee in case the mixture is too dry to bind o Portion the dough into 20 gm round balls. o Roll the laddoo on cold glaze, next roll over dehydrated rose petals. Finish with golden leaves. o Store at room temperature
MALPUDA
(HIMACHALI SPECIALITY) For jaggery sauce INGREDIENTS: Jaggery 100 gm; Butter 30 gm; Water 50 ml; Milk 50 ml; Salt 1 pinch METHOD: o Transfer jaggery into a heavy bottom pan. o Heat on medium flame. o Constantly stir jaggery and add water. o The jaggery will eventually melt and start bubbling. o Once it melts completely, turn off the flame, add butter and mix it well. Then place the pan on the flame again. o Once the butter is completely melted and mixed, slowly add milk. o Simmer the sauce for 30 seconds on medium flame. o Turn off the flame and remove the pan. Keep stirring the mixture for a minute. o Add salt to your taste, allow it to cool, transfer to a jar.
For the malpuda INGREDIENTS: Whole wheat flour 200 gm; Baking powder 1 tsp; Green cardamom 1 tsp; Milk 150 ml; Jaggery 100 gm; Cinnamon powder 1 pinch METHOD: o In a bowl make a batter with whole wheat flour, milk, cardamom, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder.
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Keep it aside for at least half an hour. o Once the batter is ready, grease a hot pan with butter. Pour a ladle of the mixture and spread evenly in the pan in a circular motion. o Flip and cook evenly on the other side. Keep the flame low and cover if required. o Serve with jaggery sauce
For sandwich For homemade smoked vegan cheddar cheese INGREDIENTS: Multigrain bread 2 slices; Hydrogenated INGREDIENTS: Water 2 cups; vegetable cooking oil 1 tsp Boiled cashewnuts 1 cup; METHOD: Roasted potato ½; Nutritional o Pre heat Cuban sandwich yeast ½ cup; Agar agar 2 tbsp; griller over medium heat. Sea salt ¼ tsp; White wine NOT A o Generously apply vinegar 1tsp; Smoked paprika CHEESE SANDWICH hydrogenated vegetable oil ½ tsp; Onion powder ¼ tsp; one side of a slice of bread Yellow bell pepper (roasted) 1; o Place bread, oil-side-down Hickory liquid 1 tsp onto Cuban sandwich griller METHOD: bottom and add one slice of o Blend all the ingredients cheese. Apply hydrogenated with two cups of water together vegetable oil on second slice excluding agar agar powder of bread on one side and and hickory liquid. place oil-side-up on top of o Boil 1/3 cup water in sandwich separate pan, add agar o Grill until lightly browned agar. Cook for another one and flip over; continue grilling minute. until cheese is melted o Add pureed ingredients, o Serve it with crispy fried hickory liquid to the mixture Lotus root sprinkle with Cajun and set it in clean plastic spice mould, refrigerate for an hour. — HIMANSHU TANEJA, culinary director, South Asia, Marriott International Inc.
INGREDIENTS: Wheat flour ½ kg; Dried yeast 2 tsp; Lukewarm water 1 cup; Salt as per taste; Cottage cheese 250 gm; Green chillies 100 gm; Green peas 100 gm; Walnut kernels 100 gm; Garlic 5-6 flakes; Ghee (clarified butter) 100 ml; Turmeric powder 20 gm; Coriander powder 20 gm; Fenugreek seeds 20 gm METHOD: For covering: o Take wheat flour add dried yeast, ghee and enough water to make a soft dough. o Knead well for at least 15 minutes, then leave for five-six hours until dough is raised.
For stuffing: o Grind boiled green peas, green chillies, walnut kernels, garlic, turmeric powder and fenugreek seeds. o Add chopped cottage cheese and salt into stuffing. Assembling: o Divide the dough into small pieces. Roll it into into a round shapes. Roll each dough into a thick circular shape while keeping it thick. o Place adequate stuffing SIDDU and fold the dough into a (TRADITIONAL HIMACHALI DISH) half moon shape. Pinch the edges to seal firmly. o Repeat with remaining dough. o Place the siddus in a steamer/oven and cook for 15 minutes. o Allow to cool. Serve. — RAJNISH MALKOTI, executive chef, Welcomhotel Shimla
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CASHEW PAKORAS INGREDIENTS: Whole cashews 20 pcs; Coconut dry powder 20 gm; Red chili powder 1 tsp; Kokum paste 1 tbsp; Black salt 10 gm; Lemon juice 10 ml; Cumin powder 10 gm; Turmeric 5 gm; Rice flour 20 gm; Gram flour 100 gm; Oil to fry; Basil or mint sprigs for garnish METHOD: o Select whole cashews and sprinkle salt, chili powder and keep aside. o Add lemon juice and kokum paste and keep refrigerated for 10 minutes. o Meanwhile make a thick batter of all dry spices, besan, coconut and rice flour. o Dip cashews in the batter and fry in hot oil till golden color. o Serve hot with a cup of tea or with mint chutney.
BADAM ANJEER BARFI
INGREDIENTS: Almond powder 250 gm; Finely-chopped figs 100 gm; Sugar 200 gm; Cardamom powder 1 tsp; Desi ghee 200 gm METHOD: o Take a pre heated pan and add desi ghee. o Add almond powder and roast till golden. o Add figs and roast the mixture for twothree minutes. o Top it up with cardamom powder. o In another heated pan, add sugar and let it melt gradually converting into a sugar syrup with good consistency. o Add fig mixture and sugar syrup and let it firm up. o Cut out delicious barfis.
PALAK BESAN KI MARODI
INGREDIENTS: Gram flour 500 gm; Desi ghee 120 gm; Salt to taste; Caraway seeds (ajwain) 1 tbsp; Spinach (paste) 50 gm; Baking powder 100 gm; Oil for frying METHOD: o Take a big bowl and add gram flour, desi ghee, baking powder, water, caraway seeds, spinach paste and salt to taste. o Knead the mixture properly to make a dough. o Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. o Roll it into long cylindrical shape and fry it in oil o Serve crisp during your evening tea. — SUMIT SETHI, junior sous chef, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Okhla EXOTICA [54] NOVEMBER 2021
INGREDIENTS: Seasonal ripened plums 4; Almond milk 500 ml; Walnuts 50 gm; Palm jaggery 250 gm; Basmati rice 50 gm; Basil or mint sprigs for garnish; Orange slice for garnish METHOD: o Take fresh plums, cut and remove the pit. Cut few evensized cubes for garnish and keep aside. Put rest of the pulp in a blender. o Soak basmati rice in cold
PLUM WALNUT AND PALM JAGGERY KHEER
water for 20 minutes, drain and keep ready for boiling. o Add almond milk in the saucepan for boiling, add rice and boil till rice is cooked. o Add chopped plums and toasted walnuts to the pudding. o Add palm jaggery and blend till homogeneous mixture is made. o Pour in chilled glass. Top up with remaining plums, walnuts and a dehydrated orange slice. — RAVISH MISHRA, executive chef, The Westin Goa
INGREDIENT: Chenna 1 kg; Sugar 4 kg; Water 2 litre; Suji 50 gm; Baking powder 5 gm; Honey 50 gm; Refined flour 25 gm; Green cardamom powder 10 gm; Milk 1 litre; Assorted dry fruits for garnishing METHOD: o Make a thick sugar syrup with all sugar and water. o Mix chenna, suji, honey, baking powder, refined flour and green cardamom powder well and make small flat discs. o Heat sugar syrup and when it boils,
add a slurry of flour mixed with water. o Allow it to bubble before adding chenna discs. Cook for 30 minutes. o Remove from fire and keep aside for cooling. o Boil milk with a little sugar and reduce to one-fourth. o After one hour when dumplings are cool, remove from sugar syrup and drain. o Add the reduced milk (thick rabri) on top of cook chenna ball, garnish with dry fruits. Mouchak is ready to serve.
MOUCHAK
MULTIGRAIN AND DRY FRUIT LADDOO WITH JAGGERY o Mix walnuts, almonds, dry palm dates, coconut, INGREDIENTS: Dry Palm dates 250 gm; Multigrain poppy seed, powdered gum, cardamom, nutmeg mixture 250 gm; Dry coconut 50 gm; Almonds 150 gm; powder and dry ginger in a vessel. Walnuts 150 gm; Poppy seeds 150 gm; Makhana o Take the remaining ghee in the pan and add crushed powder 150 gm; Ghee 300 gm; Jaggery 500 gm; Dry jaggery to it. Let the jaggery melt and then add milk to ginger 2 tsp; Cardamom and nutmeg powder 2 tsp; make a smooth paste. Milk ½ cup o Add the roasted ingredients into this melted METHOD: jaggery syrup and blend well. o Make a coarse powder with dry coconut o Let the mixture cook for one-two minutes using a mixer grinder. Grated jaggery. o Take three-four teaspoon ghee in a more on low flame and put off the gas. non-stick pan and mix the Let the mixture cool down. It will multigrain and keep aside. turn a little thick. Take a small o Chop the almonds and portion and roll into laddoos walnuts roughly. Roast in a pan using your palm . using two-three teaspoon ghee. o Repeat the same for rest o Fry the coconut powder and of the mixture. Roll all the dry palm date powder in the same laddoos and store in an air tight pan using generous amount of ghee. container. — RAJESH PAWAR, executive chef, The Lalit Temple View Khajuraho EXOTICA [55] NOVEMBER 2021
GURUSPEAK Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Spiritual Guru
When our consciousness is happy or when it is in love, it is expanding. And when the consciousness contracts, that is when you feel unhappiness, sadness and sorrow
INTENSE
DISPASSION & DESIRE
love purifies one’s mind, heart, body and surroundings. If God longs for one thing, that is for intense love. God has everything, but he wishes for the longing of intense love. And the peak of love is silence and contentment. A state of complete fulfillment is deep meditation. That’s why think of someone you love. See how you feel. You feel so different and, then, think of someone you dislike. How do you feel? Did you feel your whole system contract? Unpleasant, wasn’t it? “Don’t hate anybody.” This saying is for your good. Another person will not harm you. But when you hate somebody, you imbibe his/her qualities. There is a story in the Puranas. The guards at the gate of Vishnu once behaved disrespectfully
with saints. So the saints got angry with them. Now, the question was how to overcome this anger and repent. They had two choices. One was to be born as a good person for 100 lifetimes or be born as an enemy, a completely bad person, for three lifetimes. It seems, they chose three lifetimes to be born as an enemy to God. They were born as enemies, as demons, and they hated God so much that they got liberated. Because when you hate God so much, you imbibe the qualities of God. So, when you hate somebody, you imbibe the qualities of whomsoever you hate. That is why it is said, don’t hate anybody, love everyone. So start from somewhere. Think of someone whom you love. Feel all the love in you and then you will see their face. What remains is just love and that is what you are. You know, the
EXOTICA [56] NOVEMBER 2021
THINK OF SOMEONE WHOM YOU LOVE. FEEL ALL THE LOVE IN YOU AND THEN YOU WILL SEE THEIR FACE. WHAT REMAINS IS JUST LOVE AND THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE. YOU KNOW, THE MASTER WOULD SAY, “THOU ART THAT.” DO YOU SEE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR EXPERIENCE? EVERYBODY IS MADE UP OF THIS SAME LOVE, AND YOU ARE THAT LOVE
Master would say, “Thou art that.” Do you see how much you love your experience? Everybody is made up of this same love, and you are that love. When our consciousness is happy or when it is in love, it is expanding. And when the consciousness contracts, that is when you feel unhappiness, sadness, sorrow. Have you noticed that when you are unhappy, what happens? The mind shrinks. Shrinking my mind is unhappiness. Expansion of the mind is happiness. So, when the mind expands, we lose awareness. In sleep, the mind is expanded and relaxed. When we are happy, we are all over the place and, at the same time, we are not focussed. We are not centred. We lose the quality of awareness. Right? When we are unhappy, we are very focussed and keen but we are shrunken. Meditation is the technique that keeps the focus
and attention alive. And, at the same time, enables you to expand. It is the fourth state of consciousness — the Turya or Shiva. As we practise this consciousness every day, we start imbibing it in our nervous system. Every day there are different molecules in the brain which are functioning. There are zillions of molecules and only some function at the same time. Others take over the next day, another time. All this is functioning, so we do this every day because we want all of our neurons, all the cells, to be educated, to be trained to do that, to live that awareness. We call a city totally literate when every person in the city has learned how to read and write. Similarly, in the city of your body, some people turn to learning today, others do that tomorrow and some others even later. So every day, there are different people, different molecules going ahead. So, every time, every day, you meditate, you culture them. It takes some time to culture all the neurons in the brain. Then, they are all cultured to live in bliss. What to do with desires? How to fulfill them? A desire, whether fulfilled or unfulfilled, leaves you in the same place. A desire fulfilled is a desire that leaves you in the same place, where you were before it arose. See, you have a desire coming into your mind right now, at this moment. Okay, then you work to fulfill that desire. After it gets fulfilled, you know you will be in the same space as earlier. Before that desire arose in you, were you in a calm state? So, desire leads you to the same place. It is like going on a merry-go-round.
EXOTICA [57] NOVEMBER 2021
FITNESS
With age, the midsection increases. The combination of high- and low-intensity exercise, that the ancient science offers, is perfect in the scenario
Bharat Thakur is a yoga guru and founder of Artistic Yoga
AS
we age, the proportion of fat to body weight increases and these extra kilos park themselves around our midsection. Unfortunately, as our midriff grows, so do the health risks. Belly fat increases due to reasons like a sedentary lifestyle, inadequate exercise, unhealthy eating habits, excessive alcohol and more. Research also shows that continued stress triggers excessive cortisol production in the body. This breaks down lean muscle, into glucose, which accumulates as fat in the belly area. There are two types of fat that our midriffs are prone to. The first is just below the surface of the skin. You can pinch it. The second is visceral fat that lies out of reach and collects around our abdominal organs. This produces the typical pot belly. This is the one we have to be particularly concerned about as research suggests that fat cells, especially abdominal fat cells, are biologically active. So, like other glands and organs, they produce chemicals and substances that can cause metabolic disturbances and increase the risk of cardiovascular and other problems. So, it’s imperative to reduce belly fat to stay healthy and minimise health risks. This needs dietary changes like limiting portion size and opting for complex carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables, whole grains) and lean protein rather than simple
carbohydrates like white bread, refined-grain pasta and sugary drinks. Reducing saturated fats can also help. Diet alone is not enough. Regular exercise is needed. Research shows that alternating high- and low-intensity exercise works best in reducing belly fat and yoga is an ideal system in this scenario. A yoga regime has active postures followed by relaxation postures. This traditional science is physically demanding while incorporating relaxation, which soothes and calms the nervous system and lowers cortisol levels. For beginners, it's best to start with simply holding postures like Ardhahalasana, Ardha Naukasana or Paschimottanasana. These static contractions help to burn belly fat, increase muscle strength and tone muscles. Once you are comfortable with these, move to intermediate-level posture sequences that tone and relax the muscles and body. While working on your abdominal muscles, yoga also works at all levels. Asanas gently exert pressure on your glands and, this helps to, maintain hormonal balance. By pressing or stretching all parts of your body, yoga will help your organs and systems to work better and your body become stronger, more flexible and better co-ordinated. Each yoga session ends with relaxation and pranayama (breathing) to help calm and soothe your nerves. Not only will it make a difference to your belly but you will also feel physically, mentally and emotionally relaxed and revitalised. Having flat abdominal muscles is something we all aspire for but it is not just about how good we look. Apart from reducing health risks, the abdominal muscles help your posture, stability and balance. They support the spine and take a part of the load when you move, climb stairs or lift heavy objects. Remember to practise these exercises regularly to reduce that belly fat.
ARDHAHALASANA
o Lie on back, arms by your side (if you need support, place palms under hips) o Breathe in, breathe out as you lift both legs to 90° o Breathe normally, hold position 10-15 seconds o Breathe in, breathe out as you take legs to 10° off the floor o Repeat slowly 10 times. o Breathe in, exhale as you lower legs to start position. o Relax BENEFITS: o Strengthens and tones the upper abdominal muscles o Improves blood circulation o Strengthens the back muscles o Tones and strengthens the thighs
ARDHA NAUKASANA o Lie on back, arms by side, feet close to the hips o Inhaling, raise legs parallel to the ground at an angle of 90° o Exhale as you raise your upper body with arms outstretched o Hold for 10-30 seconds, breathing normally o Repeat two more times
BENEFITS: o Removes excess fat from the abdomen o Tones and strengthens lower abdominal muscles o Strengthens the back and shoulders
SARALHASTA BHUJANGASANA
o Lie on your stomach, chin on the ground, feet together, palms beside shoulders, elbows tucked in o Breathe in as you stretch your upper body upwards, straightening elbows and arching back to look up o Hold for 10-30 seconds, breathing normally o Inhale, exhale as you slowly come down BENEFITS: o Removes stiffness from chest, shoulders, neck o Stretches the abdominal muscles and removes flab from the abdomen o Removes lower back pain by strengthening lower back muscles
DHANURASANA (THE BOW) o Lie on your stomach, feet together, arms beside the body o Bend your knees, draw feet towards buttocks o Clasp your hands around your ankles o Arching your back and keeping your arms straight, lift head, chest, thighs off the ground o Hold 10-20 seconds o Release, come back to start position and relax o Repeat two more times BENEFITS: o Stretches and tones the abdominal muscles o Realigns the spine o Stretches the spine, removing stiffness o Helps correct hunching in the chest area o Improves respiration o Stretches and tones the abdominal muscles o Improves digestive functioning
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NUMBERGAME Sanjay Jumaani Numerologist
COUNT YOUR FATE
NUMBER 1 (Those born on the 1st, 10th, 19th and 28th of any month) You should be wary of the coming days until 22nd. Lay low but lay the foundation of a promising future. You are emotionally vulnerable, so try not to invest on impractical thoughts. Money matters could take a slight dip. Nonetheless, your creative intelligence would keep you at it.
NUMBER 4 (Those born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd and 31st of any month) Be watchful of lows and blows. Be patient before putting your plans in action. This is the time for inner peace and solitude. Reflect upon the way forward and tread carefully. Try to tie up loose ends at work. Your expressiveness could be misconstrued for anger. Choose words wisely.
NUMBER 7 (Those born on the 7th, 16th and 25th of any month) Make the most of this mediocre month by your creativity. Your hobbies could be recognised. Change your perspective. Overthinking could lead to anxiety. You are on the verge of a creative breakthrough. Don’t exchange your intuitions for rash decision making. Don’t planning anything important.
NUMBER 2 (Those born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th and 29th of any month) You might be unable to decide at crossroads. Let your intuition guide you. Take an out-of-thebox approach. Showcase your creativity. Conquer melancholia and oversensitivity by working. You will spend a lot. Your might analyse each situation critically but you should worry that you are too quick to judge.
NUMBER 5 (Those born on the 5th, 14th and 23rd of any month) The ongoing phase is not exactly from your favourable ones. But don’t be surprised if a travel-opportunity emerges this month. But be vigilant about any accidents or mishaps. Expect volatility in matters of the heart; your feelings could take a plunge, making you feel out of love.
NUMBER 8 (Those born on the 8th, 17th and 26th of any month) Don’t be impulsive; rather remember to lay low especially on the decision making front. Wait till December 23 to change residence or jobs. Don’t look back and wait for the long run. Financially, loose ends may have to be tied. Conserve your energy. Avoid anything that could lead to litigation.
NUMBER 3 (Those born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st and 30th of any month) This period shall help you attain all that you’ve desired till December 2. Financially, this month shall be satisfying as you will save quite a fortune. Investments shall multiply if you are patient. Despite contentment at work, your mind won’t be at ease, due to responsibilities and pressure.
NUMBER 6 (Those born on the 6th, 15th and 24th of any month) If you’re waiting for a fortune cookie, this is it. You’ll continue your dream-run at work if you evade instant gratification. Outof-the-box thinking shall help you get brownie points at work; burn the midnight oil. You’ll spend more than usual but this could also imply betterment in lifestyle.
NUMBER 9 (Those born on the 9th, 18th and 27th of any month) An emotionally elevated and professionally satisfying run will continue till December 21. Your career could take a leap. Matters of the heart shall take a passionate route. You might be agitated at a small thing. Remember ‘anger’ is one letter away from ‘danger’. Watch out for minor injuries.
EXOTICA [61] NOVEMBER 2021
I N S TA D I A R I E S AYUSHMANN KHURRANA elaborates on what he witnesses, “It is the waxing gibbous phase of the moon. And it’s stunning. Have you seen the moon lately? It is blindingly bright through the telescope. We also saw Jupiter’s four out of 79 moons and Saturn rings. In other news, the Orion constellation is rising, will reach the zenith in winters. A very inquisitive 20-year-old Marvin who aspires to be an astronomer but has studied marine biology showed us the night sky in the Maldives.”
ANANYA PANDAY is exhilarated that she, “Literally chased this sunset (and caught it).”
GREATOUTDOORS With the pandemic ebbing, everyone is taking the opportunity to step out and explore the different aspects of nature
BOMAN IRANI insists that, “This is not a #Poje: I’ve been trying to get my right leg down for the past half hour.”
RAKULPREET embarks on a new personal journey with, “Thankyouuuu my! You have been my biggest gift this year! Thank you for adding colour to my life, thank you for making me laugh nonstop, thank you for being you!! here is to making more memories together @jackkybhagnani.”
PARINEETI CHOPRA expresses on seeing the highest mountain in the world, ”Good morning, Mr Everest. You taught me a lesson in humility today. #Uunchai #ShootMode #Nepal.”
SARA ALI KHAN keeps it simple by just mentioning the location, “Raffles Udaipur.”