In Nilgiri mountain range of South India reside a number of traditional tribal communities. The Irula, Paniyam, Kota and Badaga people are some of the many tribal groups that inhabit the area, among whom the Toda community is the most remarkable.
Catherine McMaster attempts to determine whether and to what extent the unique lifestyle of the Todas has been affected with the influx of modernity and how the Toda people themselves react to these inevitable changes.
In the panchayat town of Thiruparakundram, one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan the celebrations of the Thaipusam festival are afoot.
To a westerner, some of the forms of ‘kavadi’ followed by the devotees of Lord Murugan to gain his his favour may seem ‘extreme’ due to physical nature of the practices, says Catherine McMaster, who was witness to the Thaipiusam festivities at Thiruparankundram, one of the six main abodes of the god.
Catherine McMaster who reviews the book The Newlyweds, which explores a marriage of convenience between a Bangladeshi woman and her American man and the dilemmas thrown up in a cross-cultural relationship, opines that the narrative is hampered by the lack of descriptions and poetic language.
One of the many attractions in India are the festivals. One cannot come to India and not be a spectator or involved in some type of festivity.
First impressions are very important. To describe my first impressions of India I will use three words; dirty, noisy, smelly. Such a description hardly lends itself to an appealing image. But as usual with first impressions, they can often be misleading.
The creation, conception and design of a Gaggenau appliance is a fusion of art and function
The Black Truffle is a prestigious ingredient. Hailing from the French/Italian border, the future of the wild truffle is questionable.
Gagganau speaks to Francoise Gervais, an expedition leader and dive-master, pushing the boundaries for travellers venturing to the Canadian Arctic