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Shoba Narayan

Shoba Narayan is Bangalore-based award-winning author. She is also a freelance contributor who writes about art, food, fashion and travel for a number of publications.

Articles by Shoba Narayan

Secret Bengaluru: 25 things to try this R-Day

Bengaluru's "Secret Bangalore" offers hidden gems from street food to antique shops, celebrating the city's rich culture ahead of Republic Day.

Hug the fig tree in Cubbon Park or the giant silk cotton tree in Lalbagh  (File photo)
Updated on Jan 23, 2025 08:22 AM IST

After festivals, how to take care of yourself in 2025

Ergonomics and posture are a big part of how we hold our body and move and the reason for much of the pains that each of us develops

We have eaten more Diwali sweets and Christmas cake than is good for us. Time to stop, we tell ourselves. Time to take charge of our health, habits and goals (File photo)
Updated on Jan 09, 2025 07:42 AM IST

Can you buy happiness for under 100?

Aristotle said that humans are “social” animals, which means that even if we call ourselves loners or introverts, connecting to humans will improve happiness

Bangalore is blessed with many trails, all under two hours away. Take a hike on weekends to clear your head. (Maridav - stock.adobe.com)
Updated on Dec 26, 2024 06:12 AM IST

Is Bengaluru the artisanal pizza capital of India?

Pizza 4Ps has been making waves in Bengaluru for a while and with good reason. Their burrata salad pizza was brilliant - tart, creamy and crunchy

Pizza 4Ps has been making waves in Bengaluru for a while and with good reason. Their burrata salad pizza was brilliant - tart, creamy and crunchy. (Kiattisak - stock.adobe.com)
Updated on Dec 12, 2024 08:32 AM IST

Creating a festival of festivals in Bengaluru

Currently in its second edition with a budget of ₹8 crore, the Hubba runs from November 30 to December 14

Artistes perform during the inauguration of ‘Namma Jatre’ as part of the annual ‘Bengaluru Habba’ festival, at the Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru, Saturday.
Updated on Dec 02, 2024 02:15 PM IST

About celebrating a state, its folk arts and forests

Karnataka Rajyotsava, celebrated each year on November 1 is a great time to be in Bengaluru. It is a time when Karnataka’s folk arts are on display and what a spectacle it is

Students in 'yakshagana' attire perform during the celebrations of Karnataka state formation day 'Kannada Rajyotsava', at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. (PTI)
Updated on Nov 07, 2024 05:26 AM IST

A breakfast walk through Basavanagudi

Basavanagudi is a place but it is also a feeling as it is a timeless vision of what old Bangalore used to be like with street vendors selling flowers, fruits and vegetables

Besides Mysuru masala dosa, Bengaluru offers several other kinds of dosas such as Khali dosa, Davanagere benne (butter) dosa (Shutterstock)
Updated on Oct 24, 2024 07:56 AM IST

The contradictory challenges of star-chefs

While you have to please the palates of your customers, you also have to guide the diners towards places and dishes where they may not want to go

To be a good chef, you have to have knowledge, opinion and confidence. Few professions are as unforgiving as a chef’s chosen job (KreaFoto - stock.adobe.com)
Updated on Oct 10, 2024 07:04 AM IST

Is Bengaluru the hub of classical dance?

In Bengaluru, you can find Kathak, Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and other dance forms, all of which mesh together in this melting pot of a city.

Bengaluru is blessed with a multitude of classical dance forms relative to say, nearby Chennai where Bharatanatyam reigns supreme, or Hyderabad where Kuchipudi takes pride of place (Shutterstock)
Updated on Sep 27, 2024 06:38 AM IST

When Ganesha gets a six-pack on Bengaluru streets

While India’s festivals are all glorious and grand, this particular festival is dear to many, mostly because of the community participation

Ganesha is a Pan-Indian inclusive and communal festival. (Hindustan Times)
Updated on Sep 12, 2024 06:26 AM IST

Are straight people afraid of gay folks?

The Bengaluru Queer Film Festival showcased 50 films highlighting queer narratives. The event underscores the ongoing journey toward societal acceptance of diverse sexual orientations.

In cities like Bengaluru queer is accepted these days by families and societies, partly because queer-ness has become part of collective conversation, and partly because many of us know folks who are gay (REUTERS)
Updated on Aug 29, 2024 08:30 AM IST

Ask what you can do for your country this I-Day?

Inspired by the Dorekere Biodiversity Report, a Bengaluru resident decides to rejuvenate Ulsoor Lake by rallying community support through a neighborhood party.

Ask what you can do for your country this I-Day?
Updated on Aug 16, 2024 08:00 AM IST

The changing landscape of theatre in Bengaluru

Karnataka has a robust nightlife beyond pubs which includes spectacular theatre performances.

Shivadoota Guliga staged at Ravindra Kalakshetra is a surreal and phantasmagorical kannada musical-play which talks about the spirit-gods that roam around Tulu Nādu. Kantara the film made this famous (File photo)
Updated on Aug 01, 2024 07:36 AM IST

Can drinking gin and wine teach you about smell?

Smell or olfaction is among the most ancient of our senses. In order to smell better, it seems obvious that you have to practice smelling. Children do this.

Smell or olfaction is among the most ancient of our senses. In order to smell better, it seems obvious that you have to practice smelling. (HT PHOTO)
Updated on Jul 18, 2024 08:00 AM IST

What Bengaluru’s science institutions do wrong

Although laypeople think of scientists as a hyperspecialised species who operate in silos, they are actually good at collaborations—even at the global level.

Although laypeople think of scientists as a hyperspecialised species who operate in silos, they are actually good at collaborations—even at the global level. (HT FILE)
Updated on Jul 05, 2024 04:29 PM IST

The artists who populated this city

Exploring the rich cultural tapestry of Bangalore through art, artists like Hebbar and Ravi Varma, along with contemporary talents, showcase the city's soul.

The artists who populated this city
Updated on Jun 28, 2024 04:30 PM IST

My two Bangalores: Street and luxury

At street corners, one can find a plethora of modest restaurants serving tasty inexpensive food. Bengaluru has a whole range of artisanal cheeses, kombuchas, breads and even paan

One is the world of fine dining, wine and luxury and the other is the gullies and streets. If you are new in Bangalore, and are a professional (File photo)
Updated on Jun 13, 2024 08:04 AM IST

When your NRI relatives come for wedding shopping in Bengaluru

For wedding shopping in Bangalore, check out Raw Mango, House of Angadi, Vijayalakshmi Silks, ffolio, and more. Explore sarees, lehengas, and jewelry.

When your NRI relatives come for wedding shopping in Bengaluru
Updated on May 30, 2024 09:34 AM IST

Isn’t food enough to attract customers?

Bengaluru's restaurant scene is evolving, with luxury hotels using animation, AI, live acts, and diverse cuisines to attract customers seeking experiences beyond just food.

These days, Bengaluru is changing from an IT-driven city to one that is embracing the good life (davit85 - stock.adobe.com)
Updated on May 22, 2024 04:10 PM IST

Prajwal Revanna tapes call for a collective response

The way that SIT, the courts, and the country handle this case could change the trajectory of millions of women who suffer unwanted advances from powerful men

Prajwal Revanna (PTI)
Published on May 07, 2024 10:06 PM IST

Can and should spas go beyond ayurveda in Bengaluru?

Bengaluru has many standalone spas but if you want the luxury experience, you have to go to a five-star hotel and shell out around ₹7,000 for a 60-minute massage, says Shoba Narayan

Spa is an experience that cocoons you. It is a splurge. (Africa Studio)
Published on Apr 30, 2024 04:15 PM IST

Is there an Indian approach to ageing?

Sure, we are trying our best to stave off the ills of ageing, but there is no guarantee that we will succeed. There is no single blueprint for ageing well.

How then to live well and die quickly?(Unsplash)
Published on Apr 13, 2024 09:38 PM IST

Is kaali-dal McDonalds of North Indian food?

Bangalore is in the throes of so many new restaurant openings.

Shahi tukda is the queen of desserts, among the many that are served in the night markets around Mosque road, says Shoba Narayan. (Shutterstock)
Updated on Apr 15, 2024 06:48 PM IST

The controversy over Sangeetha Kalanidhi

In giving the award to a musician who doesn’t respect the evolution from tradition and modernity, the Madras Music Academy may well have reduced its stature

The Music Academy decided to give this year’s Sangeetha Kalanidhi award to musician TM Krishna
Published on Mar 21, 2024 09:50 PM IST

How to balance inventiveness and restraint in cocktails

For a long time, my pet peeve was that cocktails in India were largely copycat: the names, the ingredients, the flavours, everything

The best cocktails are like a great piece of sculpture: they are all about structure and spirit. (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)
Updated on Mar 21, 2024 08:50 AM IST

The good life as per Indic thought

Early humans, whether in Egypt, China or India venerated and propitiated nature because their survival depended on it

Putting the sacred back into our relationship with nature will give an added fillip to our efforts to stave off climate change.
Published on Mar 13, 2024 03:48 PM IST

Being single in Bengaluru

Dating isn’t set up for introverts. Whether you are on Bumble or any other dating app; whether you attend singles meetups that happen regularly in the city

HT Image
Updated on Feb 01, 2024 08:02 AM IST

A confluence of science, song, the sun and their significance

Sankranti is among the most important because it signifies that the sun will move from Dhanu (Sagittarius) to Makara (Capricorn) in the Indian lunar calendar

Like most harvest festivals, Sankranti honours the sun. (HT Photo)
Updated on Jan 18, 2024 08:52 AM IST

Why bother making resolutions if you cannot keep them?

New Year's resolutions are expressions of hope, but their success record is often patchy. Keeping resolutions simple and breaking them down into small parts can help increase the chances of success. Desperation often leads to resolution and action, so don't give up hope. The author's resolution is to renew her relationship with yoga.

People celebrate New Year on a Bengaluru street. (HT Photo)
Updated on Jan 05, 2024 04:28 PM IST

Street fairs, floats and processions and how Bengaluru enjoys them

Karnataka, like many Indian states has over 1000 village fairs that take place throughout the year. Most are linked to season or festivals

Folk artistes take part in a procession during the inauguration of the 'Namma Jatre' programme at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on December 10. (PTI/File)
Updated on Dec 21, 2023 08:44 AM IST
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