Do It Go

There are so many alluring things about Bombay, restaurants surely being fairly near the top.  Bombay is a real feast for all the senses, being one of the most visually stunning cities on earth, with a rhythm that is constantly shifting, simultaneously seducing and alarming the auditory centers of the body with every step in every neighborhood, and of course, is a fantastic place to eat.  Indian food is among the world’s greatest contributions to the potentials for happiness among the human race, and Bombay is at a unique and fortuitous position.  Being one of the largest cities here, it attracts people from all over the country (and the world), and they bring their customs, and cooking techniques, with them.  So it is very possible to sample food from all over India, and our restaurants are carefully chosen to represent the best of the best.

A perfect evening begins with a perfect meal, and you’ll find a dazzling array of gourmet delicacies to choose from in our restaurants.  Whether your pleasure is spicy, creamy, or simply succulent, you’ll find something here that will make you smile.  And after a splendid meal, followed by a tea or coffee and a scrumptious dessert, there are a thousand things to do here.  One of the most heady events in South Bombay, if your timing is right, is the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.  This has been ongoing since 1999, and is the perfect place to touch the heart of India, and let the rest of your senses wake up and experience the rich fabric of life here.

The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival really demonstrates what Bombay is all about.  The focus is, ostensibly, on visual art, but it really has everything.  Live music, literary competitions hosted by world-class authors (Bombay is one of India’s literary centers, after all), crafts, and, if you find yourself ready for a snack after the heartiest meal of your life, more eating!  There really is something for everyone here, and it is one of the most well-attended events in Bombay.  Be sure to use good judgement and common sense, since the crowds here are rather dense, and the constant bombardment with sensory stimuli is enough to distract just about anyone.  However, it is also a fabulous way to see the city, in all its splendor.  The visual art is truly extraordinary, too.  Not only are their exhibitions of small-scale works, there are also a spectacular number of large public sculptures, and a look at the past Kala Ghoda festivals should inspire a visit here.

Tags: Art, Bombay, Festival, Ghoda, India, Kala
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A stunning blend of urban adventures and luxury hotels, Chennai is India’s fourth largest city in terms of size, but number one in hospitality.  With a rising presence in the global technology field, top-notch local sports teams participating in the international sports arena, and of course, beach, plenty of beach, there is something for everyone here.

One of its more intimate attractions is the famous coffee.  Known as Indian filter coffee, or Madras coffee, it’s a local treat that has an international reputation.  This sweet, milky coffee is made with milk and dark roasted coffee beans with chicory.  The coffee beans can be from a wide variety such as Peaberry, Arabica, and Karnataka, among others.  The wide appeal of this coffee comes from its very intricate and complicated brewing process.  There are special machines made expressly for this purpose, and the method of preparing involves two separate concoctions of water, and then mixing the milk and sugar in a very particular manner.

There are many households who will begin their preparations for Indian filter coffee the night before, so that the members of the house can be greeted with this wonderful treat first thing in the morning.  It’s a far cry from setting the timer and putting the grounds in a basket, the way it’s done for the mass-produced coffee makers sold around the world.  This method requires great care, and much attention, so that it is, really, an art form.   Without the great care needed for the preparation of this sensational coffee, the result could be a bitter surprise (pun intended!).  For those who are willing to take the time to learn, the result is fantastic, and there are actually tons of recipes and discussions, and much debate, over how best to prepare Madras coffee.  To become proficient in the art is to enter into a long tradition, one that continues to define the culinary feats of Chennai.

Tags: Channai, coffee, hotels, India, Indian, Madras
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India is known as ‘The Mother of Beads.’ It gets the honor because it is home to three major bead industries, glass, stone and clay for well over 4000 years and began in Arikamedu, India. This region was populated by sophisticated people called the Harappan or Indus Valley Civilization. Back in the day, they exported these gem minerals beads to Mesopotamia, the Levant and then to Egypt. Through the years, bead making centers have changed, but the source for agates and carnelians has always been found in the riverbeds of lower Narmada River.The source of the stones remain the same and also the way in which they are turned into beads has changed very little. Evidence of large-scale drawn-glass beadmaking has been found by archeologits in Arikamedu. Glass was used to create false gems and the production of these glass beads continued with little interruption up to the 17th century, constituting the largest and longest-lived glass bead industry.

The traditional tools to make the beads were handmade bows, a sheep’s knuckle and a bowl of water. In this current century, electricity has been added to a few steps in the grinding and polishing. Also, the technology of the double-tipped diamond drill, but the drill is powered by a ‘hand-driven’ bow. Mass Manufacturing of beads has made the traditional hand-made bead a lucrative business for the bead artisan due to the fact that they are hand-made by the traditional way.

India’s Beads have played a diverse role throughout time, as religious artifacts or a medium of exchange and currency. Beads with blue dots were traded for palm oil. Yellow beads were often traded for gold.  India’s beads also have a significant spiritual meaning. The traditional bead craft is done by women who sit together in the shade protected from the hot afternoons, picking up the beads, one by one to form the tight honeycomb patterns that depict their world. Depicting parrots, peacocks, trees or a lotus flower. Enticing more tourist, not only Mumbai Bombay Hotel have been known allow the trading of beads by the locals in and around their establishment, but at the local farmer’s markets and coffeshops, you will find bartering going on and India’s beads used as trade.

Tags: Beads, Bombay, hotels, India, knuckles, Mesopotamia, Mumbai
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