-k4lD-U204025897261YmH-250x250%40HT-Web.jpg "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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Updated on Dec 21, 2023 08:44 AM IST
What does Goa have that Bengaluru doesn’t?
This piece is about land fostering a creative ferment and certain places do it better than others. Can Bengaluru aspire to be part of the mix?
Updated on Dec 07, 2023 09:04 AM IST
Bengaluru’s tribal fierce goddesses
As an Indian woman brought up with the expectation that women are the keepers of harmony within family and community, I find these fierce goddesses liberating
Updated on Nov 23, 2023 09:20 AM IST
Looking inside one of Bengaluru’s subcultures
Nature is central of India’s civilisational ethos. It is central to our faith, festivals, mythology and iconography
Updated on Nov 09, 2023 08:48 AM IST
When will a Kannadiga character appear in Bollywood?
The soft power that comes from Korean television serials, its music and fashion is a long way off for Bengaluru because like it or not, we are still a city with a programming, engineering mindset that values dot.coms more than connecting the dots in a creative imaginative fashion
Updated on Oct 30, 2023 06:56 AM IST
Goddess energy in city
Aachar & Co is a breath of fresh air. Here too, women play to stereotypes (all the girls want to get married, which is perhaps true of that age), but they aren’t opaque lacklustre heroines created only to please men
Updated on Oct 13, 2023 09:08 AM IST
Is beer the butter chicken of Bengaluru?
You have to try and visit one of the 85 craft breweries in the city to witness the craze of beer among Indian, especially Bengalureans
Updated on Sep 28, 2023 08:38 AM IST
What is distinctive about the Bengaluru art scene
Owner of Gallery Sumukha wonders the reason behind an absence of anyone from the IT industry in Bengaluru’s rich art scene
Updated on Sep 22, 2023 10:44 AM IST
Students leaving home for college and the accompanying checklist
Parents put in efforts to figure out the “university list” of things to pack as their offsprings all over the country leave home for college within India and all around the world
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 07:50 PM IST
How to negotiate and get things done in B’luru
Moving to a new city, like Bengaluru, can be challenging when it comes to getting things done. Negotiating with government officials and finding the right tailor are just some of the hurdles. While bribes are an option, some choose to use alternative methods, like numerology or gifting educational books and fabric. Social media makes shopping easy, but finding a tailor requires more effort and negotiation skills. The key is to have multiple options and be willing to switch if necessary. Brinksmanship is also a common tactic in various situations.
Updated on Aug 03, 2023 12:33 AM IST
Walking the talk about Inclusion
But what about inclusion and diversity—something every brand talks about today. Talk is cheap though. What counts is putting your money where your mouth is.
Updated on Jul 20, 2023 01:00 AM IST