Latest news with #Lounge
Mint
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
6 creative minds share their secrets on how to keep the ideas flowing
Defining creativity is tough. A seed of an idea can emerge as a painting as ethereal as Van Gogh's The Starry Night, a utilitarian safety pin or an ingenious self-driven car. But whether it is creating art or engineering a device, is being creative a talent ingrained in a few lucky ones? The good news is, creativity is a skill that can be developed. Another point to be made here is that having a creative bent of mind is not essential just to enrich your job or pursue a side hustle. Research, in fact, links creativity to happiness and well-being making it an invaluable asset to possess for the sake of it. Dr Elizabeth Gaufberg, an associate professor of medicine and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, suggests that practicing or even just interacting with creativity can make us more empathetic, open-minded and sharpen our problem-solving skills. She suggests something as simple as engaging with art to help us tolerate ambiguity and listen to other perspectives. Lounge spoke to six creative minds who know a thing or two about what it takes to keep your brain stimulated and dream up ideas or solutions almost every day. 'BE ABSORBED IN WHAT YOU DO' Who: Peter James is a British bestselling crime author and the creator of the fictional detective superintendent Roy Grace. The book series (of which Queen Camilla is a fan) was eventually made into the British television crime drama series, Grace. With over 30 fast-paced books and a handful of films to his credit, James views creativity differently. How I stay creative: From the day I write the first line of a novel to the day I write that last line, I rigidly write a minimum of 1,000 words per day, six days a week, taking Sundays off. It doesn't matter where in the world I am, I get those words done. The moment I open my screen, find where I am at in the novel I'm writing, and begin typing, I become totally absorbed, to the exclusion of all else. What always helps me in so many different ways is research. In my new novel, The Hawk Is Dead, Queen Camilla is aboard the Royal Train when it derails near Brighton. A key scene is seen through the eyes of the train driver. To write it, I spent a day with Network Rail, learning to drive a train and riding from Brighton to London and back. That experience allowed me to write with authenticity, emotion and vivid detail. Takeaway: Creativity needs discipline, focus, research and commitment. 'DO NEW THINGS THAT SEEM SCARY' Who: Anuja Chauhan, bestselling author of Zoya Factor (2008), writes across genres from romance to mystery. Some of her books –Those Pricey Thakur Girls and Club You to Death – have been adapted for television and movies. How I stay creative: I try to do new things, especially things that scare me a little or are a bit ambitious. One scary thing I did was to swim in the open sea. You get to swim there without waves, sand or grit – just really deep, bobbing water all around. It was exhilarating. I try to learn a new thing, perhaps a musical instrument or a new skill like knitting, painting, baking, salsa dance or Photoshop. Also, being fit is important too. When your body is working hard, your mind goes blank in a wonderful way, which helps you recharge it. By the way, I recently got my Zumba instructor license! Takeaway: New experiences fuel creativity in you, more so when you are mentally and physically fit. 'KEEP YOUR SENSE OF WONDER ALIVE' Who: BS Shivaraju, better known as Cop Shiva. A former Karnataka policeman, Shiva is a fine art photographer known for iconic photo series like Being Gandhi that features photographs of a rural school teacher impersonating Gandhi and No Longer a Memory – a Hong Kong Asian Art Public Vote Prize 2023- winning personal narrative featuring staged self-portraits of his mother Gowramma and himself against Andy Warhol-esque wallpaper backgrounds. How I stay creative: Travelling and meeting all kinds of people has been a huge influence. I am always drawn to the extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Their stories teach me so much. Also, the places I have lived in and the cultures I have grown up with constantly shape my perspective. I observe everything with an open mind and a sense of wonder which keeps my creative energy alive. Takeaway: Creativity can spark when you meet people from different backgrounds. It comes alive when you nurture a sense of wonder in you. 'APPLY YOUR MIND WITHOUT FEAR' Who: Raghava KK is a multi-disciplinary artist – cartoonist, painter, sculptor, performance artist; has pioneered digital and interactive media – his children's iPad book Pop-it (2011) changes storylines on shaking it, his EEG-driven art Mona Lisa 2.0 alters according to the EEG headset wearer's brainwaves; is a co-collaborator of technology-art hybrids along with his brother Karthik Kalyanaraman; an early pioneer of NFT art in India; and TED speaker. How I stay creative: When facing a dilemma, conflict or hurdle in life, the answer often lies in applying your mind to get to a unique solution. For that, I suggest turning any 'WTF' moment into a 'How interesting' situation. Only if you are curious and not fearful, can you solve the issue. Look at the problem you face without any kind of judgment and respond to it. Reframe problems into questions and ask yourself 'What if I do this?" By shutting down all voices we can be as creative as we want. Takeaway: Respond with curiosity rather than fear or judgment. Quiet your inner critic. 'MAKE SPACE FOR CREATIVITY' Who: US-based chef Meherwan Irani's flagship restaurant Chai Pani (2009) revolutionized Indian cuisine in America by introducing authentic spice-forward street food. The restaurant was named the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant in 2022 and Irani himself is a five-time James Beard-nominated chef. He has since opened other restaurants across the south (USA) and a spice brand (Spicewalla) as well. How I stay creative: Creativity is not an individual exercise. I try to surround myself with creative people. Nothing amps me up more than seeing an old problem in a new light and brainstorming with a group of creative people on how to solve it. You have to make space for creativity. It has to be a structured part of your work day or week. I don't wait for ideas — I schedule creative sessions with others. Our mantra – 'Ideas first, practicality later – is my way of not letting anything get in the way of the creative process. I don't let the 'how' get in the way of the idea. Takeaway: Make space for creativity by consistently making time for brainstorming sessions with other creative people. Get the idea first, think of the 'how' later. 'IDEAS FLOW WITH YOGA & NATURE' Who: Ira Trivedi is an author and trained yoga practitioner-teacher. Her books explore topics of sexuality, gender, women issues and yoga. How I stay creative: A steady practice of yoga has helped me throughout my writing career. It does not just work on the body but also on the mind. After doing yoga, your mind gets clear. This is important especially when we are constantly on our phones and social media where so much stuff is always happening. Also, engaging with nature by going on long walks or observing the gentle flow of the river, for instance, helps nurture the creative spark in us. Takeaway: A holistic practice like yoga or communing with nature can sharpen your ability to see things with a different perspective. These activities also calm you down and enhance your physical and mental wellbeing. Jayanthi Madhukar is a Bengaluru-based freelance journalist.
Mint
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
From eagles to ravens, ideas on how to wear bird-inspired fashion
Earlier this month, rapper Cardi B attended the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2025/2026 fashion show at the Paris Haute Couture Week with her best friend acting as a rather eccentric accessory. This said 'friend' was a raven whom the rapper held stoically as she posed for the paps. As a report by People magazine claims, the rapper exclaimed 'We are best friends!" Going back to how the avian world has inspired and continues to inspire designers and labels, one wouldn't be too amiss to say that 'fashion and birds" are best friends too. In February, American designer Thom Browne's Fall 2025 collection, themed Birds of a Feather, coats and skirts sported motifs inspired by canaries and barrel-chested flycatchers. And Rahul Mishra's Spring Summer 2025 collection that was showcased in Paris featured 'Raven's Flight", an LBD that featured ravens in 3D embroidery design, no less! Be it their vivid colours, their otherworldly plumage, their poses or their birdsong, it's easy to see why these winged creatures are constant sources of creative inspiration to couturiers and jewellery designers alike. This week, Lounge's roundup takes a cue from avian-inspired fashion and includes objets from a silver eagle-headed belt to feathered shoes and pretty dresses with bird motifs. FREE BIRD Homegrown label Khara Kapas' pre-fall 2023 menswear collection takes inspiration from the plumage of birds – from crested cranes to cardinals, jays and even the albatross. With ravens being popular, this black lino printed 'Raven Wing" mul shirt with lapel collars and one welt pocket gets our vote. Available on ₹7,000. GARDEN VARIETY Italian designer Roberto Cavalli took constant inspiration from flora and fauna and wasn't afraid to play with rich – almost gaudy – prints on his clothes. Birds were a part of his canvas, naturally. This pure silk blazer from the label is a good example of how the designer could meld busy prints with a modern silhouette to create a standout outfit. The blazer features a motif of flowering branches and pheasants that's beautifully juxtaposed over the label's iconic python print in a monochrome shade. Available on ₹2.96 lakh. PERCH UP When he was alive, French jewellery designer Jean Schlumberger had created some iconic designs for luxury brand, Tiffany & Co. One of the designs was the 'Bird on a Rock" brooch that was inspired by a yellow cockatoo that Schlumberger had encountered. This brooch is a recreation of Schlumberger's design and features a bird encrusted with diamonds, a pink sapphire and perched upon an emerald-cut tanzanite 'rock". Precious? You bet. Available on Price on request. HIGH FLYING Birds can liven up everyday outfits too, as this design from indie label Paulmi and Harsh shows. Tailored from soft malai Chanderi, the anarkali features a print of florals and birds with embroidery on the yoke and sleeves and comes with a matching scarf. Available on ₹20,800. SET AFLIGHT Designer Alexander McQueen's fifth collection, presented in 1995, was called The Birds, and was inspired, as per Wikipedia, by a study of birds and Alfred Hitchcock's movie, The Birds. This pair of pointed toe T-strap sandals from the label is rather in your face with it's avian love, as it features intricately crafted leather feathers. Fashion sure takes flight here. Available on ₹3.50 lakhs. FEATHER SCIENCE Here's another entrancing example of avian-themed fashion from designer Thom Browne. This pleated skirt made from luxurious silk twill features delicate feathers which symbolize bird migration patterns, seasonal shifts, and new beginnings. Available on ₹2.25 lakhs. TEA WINGS Sipping coffee out of a bird-shaped cup is as cute as it sounds. The Kawki collection created by Polish designer Aleksandra Zeromska for Lladro takes that idea and gives it a extremely adorable, gold-plated tweak. Inspired by Slavic folklore and by Zeromska's love for birds, the name of the collection 'Kawki" comes from a Polish word that could mean, 'a small coffee" or 'a kind of bird". Available on ₹1.56 lakh. PRETTY POUCH The chickadee bird is found in North America and is named so for its distinctive 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee" birdcall. This Judith Leiber Couture's clutch is designed to resemble the small-sized bird and comes encrusted with colorful, light-catching crystals and a detachable chain strap. Available on ₹7.79 lakhs. BEAK HEAD Distinct silhouettes of certain birds lends them to be designed as accessories. This intricately designed, silver-toned eagle head, for instance, serves as an impressive belt buckle in this Enfants Riches Déprimés' leather belt. Available on ₹2.73 lakh.
Mint
5 days ago
- General
- Mint
Ambassadors of the Dharma: Meet the nuns leading Tibetan Buddhism into a new era
Next Story Swati Chawla One of the enduring legacies of the Dalai Lama is that for the first time, Tibetan nuns are leading their own educational institutions. Lounge takes a in-depth look at the nuns who are spearheading this change The Dalai Lama with 'geshema' graduates who subsequently completed the year-long Tantric Studies programme at Gyuto Tantric University, Sidhbari, in February 2025. Also seen in the photograph are Nangsa Choedon and Tenzin Palkyi of TNP. Gift this article "This is a precious human life. And we should do what we can." "This is a precious human life. And we should do what we can." Geshema Dawa Dolma, 43, recalls these words from the Dalai Lama during our phone interview. 'Internal work," she adds, 'is more important than external work. Nuns should work hard." Dawa Dolma teaches Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy at Thosamling Nunnery, Institute, and Retreat Centre in Sidhpur, near Dharamsala, the seat of the 14th Dalai Lama for over six decades. Venerable Chhering Norjom, 47, who goes by Norjom and works as a nurse at the nearby Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, echoes another of the Dalai Lama's exhortations with animation during our phone interview: 'Hum Buddhist hain karke baithe mat raho. Philosophy seekho. Zyada achche se padhai karo. (Don't be content with just saying you are Buddhist. Learn philosophy. Study harder.)" Both women are graduates of Dolma Ling's rigorous 17-year monastic programme, which centres on the Five Great Canonical Texts—Pramanavartika by Dharmakirti, Abhisamayalamkara by Maitreya, Madhyamakavatara by Chandrakirti, Vinayasutra by Gunaprabha, and Abhidharmakosha by Vasubandhu—alongside courses in Tibetan language, English, basic mathematics, computer skills and ritual arts such as sand mandalas and butter sculptures. They represent a radical shift in the landscape of Tibetan Buddhism in exile, which came into sharp focus earlier this year when their alma mater moved from male to female leadership for the first time in its three-decade history. Geshema Delek Wangmo, the new principal at Dolma Ling Nunnery. On 17 April, Dolma Ling Nunnery, home to about 300 nuns, mostly from Tibet and the Himalayan regions of India—from Ladakh to Tawang—and from all Buddhist sects, appointed a trio of senior nuns to succeed a male principal. The team includes two nuns who had escaped from Tibet in the 1990s, and a third from the Himachali district of Kinnaur, which borders Tibet. Two hold the geshema degree, equivalent to a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy in the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, a qualification that was formally opened to women only in 2012. The Nunnery was officially inaugurated in 2005 by the Dalai Lama, after over a decade of construction by the nuns themselves. In the month we marked the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday, this achievement by monastic women is one of his quieter but more enduring legacies. To understand the significance of this moment—unimaginable even a generation ago—and why it took so long to arrive, we must trace the long arc of Buddhist ordination all the way back to the first woman ordained by the Buddha. A HISTORY OF DEFERENCE The story goes that a few years after Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha (the enlightened one) around 450 BCE, his aunt and stepmother, Mahaprajapati Gautami, asked to join the monastic sangha along with 500 other women. The Buddha turned her down. 'It is not a good idea," he said. Undeterred, Mahaprajapati and her companions shaved their heads, donned saffron robes, and walked 150 miles east to Vaishali, where the Buddha was teaching. They were refused again. Buddha's disciple Ananda interceded: 'Can women not attain awakening?" 'No, they are equal to men in their capacity for awakening," the master responded, and agreed to ordain them. Thus began the fourfold sangha: laymen, laywomen, monks and nuns. But the Buddha's acceptance came with conditions that have shadowed monastic life ever since. Known as the garudhamma, literally weighty rules, the vinaya (monastic code) mentions eight additional precepts that apply exclusively to women. The first of these lays down that 'a nun who had been ordained for even a hundred years must rise and pay respects to a monk ordained for a day." And the last that 'a monk may point out a nun's transgressions, but it is forbidden for a nun ever to admonish a monk." We cannot know what the Buddha intended. The garudhamma might have been later interpolations, pragmatic concessions to patriarchy, or safeguards for nuns living in vulnerable conditions. Regardless, they proved to be consequential and enduring. Millennia after Mahaprajapati's ordination, Tibetan poet-activist Lhasang Tsering captured the persistence of gendered hierarchies in a roadside scene in Dharamsala. In his poem, The Monk and the Nun, first published as part of the anthology Muses in Exile, edited by Bhuchung D. Sonam (2004), two Tibetan Buddhist monastics look the same, don the same red robes, and live by the same vows. Yet one is 'ample-bellied," 'big," and 'dashing around in a Toyota," and the other is 'frail, sad-looking," 'little," and 'selling postcards by the roadside." Why? 'The big one is a monk/And the other only a nun." There have historically been fewer nunneries than monasteries in Tibet, and they were worse-resourced and did not offer the same education. Many nuns who arrived in India following the Dalai Lama, who came into exile in 1959, were destitute and illiterate. Also Read | Our world is in need of the Mahatma's teachings: Dalai Lama Geshema Delek Wangmo, 49, the new principal at Dolma Ling, says in a phone interview that she was illiterate till the age of 19, and spent her teenage years herding yaks and sheep. There was no school or nunnery in her village. There was a monastery nearby where some nuns could attend classes, but they could not live there and had to take up lodgings nearby. Geshema Tenzin Kunsel, 55, from the very first batch of geshema awardees in 2016, mentioned in a 2017 testimonial released by the Tibetan Nuns Project that she was grateful for a training in philosophy, debating and English at Dolma Ling, when her sister's nunnery in Tibet 'has only prayer and no classes and no studying…" Things were not significantly different for her contemporaries on the Indian side. Norjom shares that the older generations of women who embraced monastic life in her extended family in Himachal Pradesh did not receive a formal education. Norjom and her sister, Geshema Sherab Wangmo, 49, come from a family of apple farmers in Chango, Kinnaur. 'Wahan ani gompa nahin tha. Masi wagera gaon ki ani hain. Padhe likhe nahin hain (There was no nunnery there. My aunties are village nuns. They are not educated)," she says, explaining that they performed pujas but did not know the Bhoti language and did not study Buddhist philosophy. They would wear red suits and mostly stay at home. Nuns during prayer in Shugsep Nunnery, built by the Tibetan Nuns Project, near Dharamsala. Men had enjoyed greater mobility and educational access. Norjom's paternal uncle was a senior monk at the millennium-old Tabo monastery in Spiti valley. 'Woh baahar padhai karne ke liye bhai ko le kar gaye," she says—her uncle had taken her brother to a Tibetan monastery in Karnataka to study. THE PURSUIT OF EDUCATION Most Tibetan nuns mention the prospect of studying the dharma freely when they speak of why they undertook the arduous journey into exile. Delek Wangmo says, 'I had wanted to see His Holiness (the Dalai Lama) and I wanted to study philosophy." After being barred by Chinese authorities from visiting sacred Buddhist sites during a pilgrimage from Lithang to Lhasa and denied access to the Jokhang Temple, she and others journeyed to Mount Kailash and eventually escaped to Nepal and India in 1990. It was during the pilgrimage that she first learned the Tibetan alphabet and received teachings from her lama, belatedly beginning her education. Venerable Ngawang Palmo, 50, who has taken on the administrative leadership at Dolma Ling, escaped to India after some nuns in her nunnery, Gari Gompa near Lhasa, were expelled for celebrating the Dalai Lama's Nobel Peace Prize award in 1989. The Tibetan Nuns Project (TNP) was established in 1987 to support nuns who had fled Tibet. Most arrived in India illiterate. Its founding director is Rinchen Khando Choegyal, 78, a sister-in-law of the Dalai Lama, who also reinstated the Tibetan Women's Association in exile. Registered as a non-profit in the US, with its Indian office in Dolma Ling, the TNP currently supports around 900 nuns and seven nunneries. The TNP also extends material assistance and educational support to individual nuns, including older practitioners living outside nunneries or in long-term meditative retreat. Also Read | The Buddhist ateliers of ancient Magadha Two nuns studying in Dolma Ling Nunnery in Sidhpur Everyone I spoke to traced the course of monastic education for women to the Dalai Lama's encouragement, especially the Tibetan Women's Association's meeting in 1992, where he said that something needed to change urgently, 'In our society, we have as a legacy from the past the notion that nuns engage in ritual only and do not study Buddhist texts." This legacy 'perpetuated the nuns' dependence on monks as teachers," according to Venerable Lobsang Dechen, 65, former co-director of the TNP. The most significant curricular shift introduced by the TNP was the inclusion of rigorous training in philosophy and debate, disciplines central to the geshe degree and rooted in heterodox Indian philosophical traditions—which had historically excluded nuns. The geshe degree, a monastic academic tradition that began in the 17th century during the time of the 5th Dalai Lama and was later reformed and made more academically rigorous under the 13th Dalai Lama, was for centuries open only to men. In 2012, the degree was finally made available to nuns. The first batch of 20 geshemas graduated in 2016; as of December 2024, there were 73 geshemas. Studying for the four-year-long geshe degree requires almost two decades of prior monastic training, and very few nuns had managed that until recently. A WIDE INFLUENCE It is rightly and well acknowledged that no country has done more for Tibetans in exile than India. Just as true, but less often said, is how deeply India—particularly the Himalayan region—has been shaped by the moral presence, public service, and quotidian love of its Tibetan guests. Delek Wangmo notes that about 100 nuns in Dolma Ling are from the Himalayan belt in India. The TNP also supports many nuns and nunneries in Kinnaur, Spiti and Ladakh. For instance, the TNP provided textbooks and a school bus for the 700-year-old Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar, enabling students to make the 12-mile journey from the nunnery—where classes once ended at class V—to a government school offering education up to class X. Six nuns from Dorjee Zong studied in Dharamsala for years, and three of them have returned to help revive it. Many geshemas now serve as teachers and administrators in under-resourced schools and nunneries across the Indian Himalaya, continuing to strengthen local communities. Youdon Aukatsang, 55, a four-time member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) and part of the TNP's Indian board of directors (Buddhist Women's Education Society), says on the phone that 'Tibetan women have always contributed to the struggle, but earlier they were largely unacknowledged and invisible." She observes that Tibetan society in exile has responded to the changing needs of contemporary times to make women more visible in public life and take on leadership positions. Nuns are indeed more visible in many areas of Tibetan public life. Delek Wangmo was sworn in as an Election Commissioner for the TPiE in 2020. She and Tenzin Kunsel also broke new ground as the first nuns to become teachers at Dolma Ling. Yet gender parity remains a distant goal. Nuns remain a minority among the predominantly male faculty at Dolma Ling: three women (all nuns) among 19 total teachers. The pattern extends to political representation. There are 11 female MPs in the current 45-member TPiE, and of the 10 ecclesiastical seats reserved for representatives from religious schools— two each from the four major sects of Tibetan Buddhism, viz. Gelug, Kagyu, Sakya, Nyingma and two from Bon—all are held by monks. Also Read | A new book looks at the art of Tantric Buddhism A PURPOSEFUL LIFE In her study of Sri Lankan nuns, Buddhist Nuns and Gendered Practice: In Search of the Female Renunciant (2013), anthropologist Nirmala Salgado notes that renunciant narratives are often misread through a liberal feminist lens that casts nuns as 'indigent subjects" in need of 'empowerment." The nuns she interviewed spoke instead in the idiom of moral discipline (sila) and renunciation. The Tibetan Buddhist nuns I've spoken with also articulate recent curricular changes—especially the introduction of philosophy and debate— as a way to live out the dharma more fully, framing them in the language of service and the responsibility that comes with a precious human life. They emphasise that rigorous study enables them to grasp the subtleties of texts and teachings and, more importantly, to communicate these effectively—a responsibility they regard as central to monastic vocation. Their chance conversations with younger nuns and the laity often change lives. Geshema Tenzin Dolma, 44, who joined Ngawang Palmo at the helm of Dolma Ling's administration, had dropped out of primary school in Kinnaur to help her farming family in the fields. Her life took a different path when a nun from Dolma Ling came to her village for the holidays. Inspired by the interaction, she decided to become a nun and pursue an education in Dharamsala. The nuns at Dolma Ling changed my life, too. I spent a summer with them in 2004 through a fellowship with the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and SPIC MACAY—and returned every chance I got. Norjom made offerings for my mother at the temple in Dolma Ling when she was ill and when she passed in 2007. The nuns anchored me through grief and confusion; gave me food and a room in the nunnery; held my hand and prayed for me. Every minor trigger felt like a crisis then, and the world seemed laced with landmines. Dawa Dolma—then in her 20s—shared the wisdom from the 8th century Indian pandita Santideva: rather than trying to cover the whole earth in leather to avoid pain, one can simply wrap the soles of one's own feet. Through their philosophical counsel, intercessory prayer, and quiet pastoral care, they reminded me that the Tibetan word geshe comes from the Sanskrit kalyan mitra, literally 'a beneficial friend," or someone who can serve as a spiritual adviser or guide. Norjom returns to her village over the lean seasons and teaches the Bhoti language to young girls so that they may read religious texts. People flock to her for counsel—'What do I do about my anger?", they ask, and she tells them that to truly be Buddhist, they must study the dharma: 'Buddhist ho toh matlab bhi aana chahiye." Swati Chawla is associate professor of history and digital humanities at O.P. Jindal Global University and senior fellow in Dalai Lama and Nalanda Studies at the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Topics You May Be Interested In Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Mint
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
India Couture Week: Clothes that reinvent the idea of wedding wear
The annual couture week in Delhi might have become a circus-like extravaganza with social media influencers and celebrity showstoppers, but its biggest draw remains the clothes. Like its past 17 editions, this year's couture week is led by what sells the most—wedding wear. Each of the 14 participating designers is presenting versions of traditional as well as contemporary lehnga-cholis and kurta-pyjamas, some of which qualify as wearable art—as Lounge found out while sifting through the collections before the week-long showcase started on 23 July. There are some pieces though that go far beyond the creative margins of fashion, and celebrate a different kind of maximalism. They question traditional forms with unique silhouettes, interplay of embroideries and colours, or an unconventional stitch. Here are some of those creations—frilly and fabulous. Becoming Love, part of which was shown at the Paris Haute Couture Week last month, has perhaps the most pieces that could be defined as wearable art. From Gustav Klimt's painting embroidered on a long dress, and a trench coat studded with a Monet-esque scenery, to a flowing golden leaf wrapping the wearer—the collection offers ample reminders of how skilled India's craftspeople are. If there was an award for the blingiest collection, it would go to The Palace of Jewels. Each piece is unapologetically over the top, bringing ornamentation of India's royal palaces to clothes. East, which will close the couture week on 30 July, sticks to intricate embroidery but experiments with contemporary silhouettes like multi-tiered dresses and shades of black—unusual for a brand famous for following the traditional bridalwear palette of reds and pinks. Oxynn is a punk and futuristic take on Indian couture. It uses metallic wires and custom textiles to mimic traditional embroideries and mirrored textiles of Gujarat's Banjara tribe. Quintessence is a lesson in how to create clothes that are sculpted yet soft and fluid, as visible in this cabaret-style flapper ensemble. One of the few menswear-focused collections, Metropolis subverts traditional dress codes. Frills replace shirt collars, kurtas take the shape of kaftans, and veils become the new cap—all dismantling predictability in Indian couture. An extension of the designer's 2024 couture collection, Antevorta, the latest Arcanum line gives a new form to patola saris, using geometrical and molecular designs and cording techniques. The result: garments that look like they are in motion.
Mint
22-07-2025
- Health
- Mint
Beat the monsoon blues with a hot bout of sauna
The monsoon season comes as a great respite from the sweltering summer just gone by. But this wet weather calls for more than just a hot cup of tea. For, it is during these rainy months that the body is more receptive to cleansing, seeking relief in potent sauna therapies where the heat purges toxins, loosens muscles, and calms the nerves. But in a country defined largely by tropical and subtropical climate zones, how much heat is healthy? And what is a the right way to do it? As Lounge explored these questions with wellness experts and retreats, what emerged was that the Indian approach to sauna is not about heat for heat's sake. It's about balance—thermal, spiritual, and ecological. It is about aligning the body's needs with nature's cycles to This curated round up of wellness retreats across India offers you a glimpse into therapeutic treatments that balance ancient wisdom with modern thermal science. DETOXIFY WITH FAR-INFRARED SAUNAWhere: Dharana at Shillim, Maharashtra Set high in the Sahyadris, Dharana at Shillim's traditional and far-infrared saunas are not instruments of extreme temperature but tools of calibrated transformation. 'We aim to harmonize with the climate, not overpower it," says Gavin de Souza, CEO of Dharana. Far-infrared therapy is favoured for its ability to penetrate deeply into tissues, encouraging detoxification and muscular recovery. Paired with contrast treatments like the Chilled Plunge, these rituals are timed to cooler parts of the day—morning or evening—and thoughtfully folded into personalized detox programs such as Ayurveda Panchakarma or Dharana's signature Art of Detox. Pursuing a philosophy of restraint, sauna sessions are capped at 20-30 minutes followed by cooling therapies like aloe vera wraps or dips in chilled water. 'Healing," de Souza says, 'is not about forcing a result. It's about listening to your body, your environment, your season." HERB-INFUSED HEAT TREATMENTSWhere: Swastik Wellbeing Sanctuary, Pune, Maharashtra At Swastik, nestled against the Sahyadri hills on the outskirts of Pune, signature treatments include herbal saunas infused with tulsi, camphor, dashamoola and triphala, selected according to one's dosha. Infrared sauna sessions are balanced with cooling mists of rose or vetiver, and traditional Ayurvedic hot sand therapy, or Valuka Sweda, is used for deep muscular detoxification. Each session is framed within a ritualistic arc—beginning with guided breathwork and concluding with abhyanga, a herbal oil massage. At Swastik, temperature regulation is precise: traditional saunas are maintained between 65°C and 80°C, infrared sessions range from 45°C to 60°C, and steam therapies stay between 40°C and 50°C, ensuring both efficacy and safety. Dr Milind Salunke, director of wellness at Swastik says, 'Since Maharashtra is a warm subtropical region, we exercise caution and customization. The sauna sessions are scheduled during cooler parts of the day, using pitta-pacifying herbs and done in shorter durations to avoid excess internal heat. Guests hydrate with herbal infusions such as cilantro or cumin teas prior to treatment. And intermittent cooling intervals ensure thermal balance." PURPOSEFUL WARMTH TO SOOTHE THE NERVESWhere: Taj Palace, New Delhi In, Delhi, where summer temperatures routinely climb past 45°C and the air can feel like it's pressing down on skin, the idea of willingly stepping into a room of dry, searing heat might seem absurd—if not masochistic. And yet, nestled within the capital's most storied address, a quiet recalibration of this very notion is taking place. Step inside the Tata Suite – Grand Presidential. Within this nearly 7,000-square-foot enclave, a private sauna discreetly integrated into the suite's personal spa zone, offers a counterintuitive form of solace: 15 minutes of enveloping warmth that soothes the nervous system, softens muscles, and restores equilibrium. 'This is purposeful warmth," says Praydhumna Singh Rathore, general manager of Taj Palace, 'designed to cleanse, calm, and trigger the body's natural healing mechanisms." Unlike traditional saunas built for colder Nordic climates, this experience has been tailored to the Indian context and is an oasis of dry, gentle heat that encourages stillness. TRADITIONAL THERAPY TO MELT THE TOXINSWhere: Carnoustie Ayurveda & Wellness Resort, Kerala Located in Mararikulam, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, Carnoustie is a resort revered for detox and holistic healing. Here, you will not find the typical wood-paneled sauna cabins associated with Nordic wellness culture. There are no dry-heat boxes or pine-scented enclosures, and no attempts to recreate a sauna experience that feels aloof from its setting. Instead, the resort's approach is firmly rooted in the classical Ayurvedic philosophy of swedana, a therapeutic steam treatment that has endured for centuries without the need for Western reinterpretation. 'The swedana treatment here uses herbal-infused steam tailored to each guest's body type and condition to open the srotas (the body's intricate network of channels) and liquefy toxins buried within the tissues. This moist heat gently mobilizes impurities toward the gastrointestinal tract for natural elimination, doing the heavy lifting of internal purification while calming the nervous system," explains Sruthy Mohan from the team. DEEP HEALING WITH GENTLE HEATWhere: Ananda in the Himalayas Set against the crisp, high-altitude air of the Himalayan foothills, the retreat employs low-temperature infrared sauna cabins that raise the core body temperature gently, stimulating detoxification and circulation without taxing the cardiovascular system. Ananda's traditional sauna heats up to 80–90°C, while its infrared sauna operates at a milder 45–50°C for deeper, gentler body penetration. 'The emphasis is on subtle, restorative heat rather than intensity," explains Dr Sreelal Sankar, head of Ayurveda, Ananda. Sessions are prescribed through Ayurvedic pulse diagnosis and adjusted for season and prakriti (body constitution): intense for kapha sluggishness, moderate for vata sensitivity, and pared back—or replaced with cooling therapies like Takradhara—for pitta type or during sweltering summers. This integration of heat-based rituals into seasonal Ayurvedic routines or ritucharya is fundamental to Ananda's approach," says Lal. RADIANT HEAT TO IMPROVE CIRCULATIONWhere: Salt World World Wellness Centre, Bengaluru 'Infrared saunas, which operate at gentler temperatures of 45 to 65°C, have proven especially effective in India's warm, often humid environments, allowing users to reap the benefits of heat therapy without added thermal stress," says Deepthi Babu, founder of Salt World. Unlike conventional saunas, which rely on high ambient temperatures, infrared technology uses radiant heat to directly warm the body, triggering detoxification and circulation without overwhelming users. 'Salt World's protocols reflect a calibrated approach to safety and efficacy. Clients are advised to hydrate with alkaline water and mint lemon drinks before and after each 30-minute session, while facilities are equipped with ventilation and cooling zones to prevent heat fatigue," Babu explains. According to Babu, clients with sedentary or high-stress lifestyles report improved circulation, reduced muscle stiffness, and better sleep following the treatment. International studies link infrared sauna use with improved cardiovascular and metabolic markers. As per the Grand View research, the demand for infrared saunas is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% over the forecast period of 2024 to 2030. Tanisha Saxena is a Delhi-based independent journalist. She writes stories that are on the intersection of art, culture and lifestyle.
