Dakshineswar Temple: The Vibrant Spiritual Heritage of Kolkata
For brother and sister duo, Shaon and Mukul Basu, it was their first-ever trip to India and they were truly excited to finally see the Dakshineswar temple — home of the Goddess who their mother is so devoted to. Though the London born-and-bred pair were in their 20s, they never really got around to visiting…
NK Realtors
Of Pars and Putts: The Past and Present of Kolkata’s Golfing Culture
The story of SSP Chawrasia — the golf pro who represented India in Rio Olympics — is an inspiring one. His rise from the servant’s quarters of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club to becoming the country’s ace golfer who went on to beat the likes of Ernie Els, the former world no.1 is not just…
The Beneficial Role of Free Wi-Fi in Our Connected Cities
An internet connection is almost a basic need these days as more and more chores are online enabled. Mr. Raman, retired since the last decade, was returning from a leisurely grocery round when his smartphone beeped. It took precious minutes for him to enliven the screen’s call acceptance and answer his worried wife on the…
How the Monsoons Affect and Influence the Indian Economy
Swamini was wide awake, even though it was later than midnight, listening intently to her parents’ discussions. In their modest cottage of two rooms in a small village of Maharashtra, three worried souls were lamenting the poor monsoon. Scarce rainfall meant Swamini’s father would have a low crop yield and this would set them back…
The Rise and Makeover of the Chaiwala in the Cities of India
The era of coffee shops is passé now, the charcha is all about the chai and around the chaiwala. However, let the disclaimer come in—there are no political angles here. The humble and often ignored concoction of tea has finally taken the trendy crowd by its sweet spell. Or wait, there is more than sweetness…
How the Demand for Home Automation in Hyderabad is Growing Rapidly
Summer vacations back then meant packing your bags and going off to the relatives, but it also meant an amusing episode would be played each time between the parents. ‘Did you switch off the fan?’ ‘Did I switch the fridge off?’ ‘Did you secure the back door?’ These nagging questions between the husband and the…
Why It is Vitally Important to Save the Birds of Kolkata
Retired school teacher, Mala Roy enjoyed feeding flocks of sparrows and mynahs on the terrace of her Chetla home before it was turned into an apartment. Now she doesn’t get to spend much time with her winged friends. “The mess of bird feed upset some of my neighbours, so they complained to the president of…
How the Impact of Social Media is Changing Our Cities
Social networks, since time immemorial, have existed in various forms, including family, relatives, friends, office buddies, and more. Building such networks is an integral part of human nature. However, in the digital era that we’re living in, the proliferation of the internet and smartphones have transformed our social networks like never before. These technologies have altered the…
The Rapid Growth of Co-living Spaces in Our Cities
Jobs and education opportunities are bringing more and more people to urban centres and gateway cities. India has a sizeable annual influx of rural to urban migration rate which was 4.5% in 2011. Jhong Khei from Manipur moved to New Delhi with an eye on his ambition of studying for the civil services exams as…