New Delhi, Nov. 7 -- For a beverage that occupies the unofficial status of national drink, there's so little documented about chai. Much of what we know centres around British marketing, the invention... Read More
New Delhi, Oct. 18 -- It's the time of the year when I look forward to new festive blends but 2026 has been disappointing. I found the old familiar blends featuring chamomile and saffron, but not much... Read More
New Delhi, Oct. 9 -- There are many things "French" that Pondicherry (now Puducherry) inherited and chose to keep, like its boulevards, the mustard-yellow villas, streets with French names, patisserie... Read More
New Delhi, Oct. 4 -- Thanga emerges from the tea bushes where she's been busy plucking leaves, stopping to yank a leech from between her toes. She is in her early 60s and although officially retired, ... Read More
New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- Over the last year, I have been researching the life story of a minister who played a part in Indian politics between the 1920s and 1940s, and went on to serve in India's first ca... Read More
New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- In recent years, all talk of Darjeeling tea comes with a gloomy outlook, at risk of turning into a cautionary tale. Not long ago, the region produced nearly 10 million kilos a y... Read More
New Delhi, Sept. 5 -- Last week, I took a short break in Wayanad. Tea was part of the plan but I chose to stay on a coffee estate. The estate was not directly involved in running the hospitality wing ... Read More
New Delhi, Aug. 15 -- Indian independence and its aftermath had an unexpected effect on the subcontinent's tea industry. It created three industries: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. When the East Ind... Read More