The old-world charm of Chettinad; Inside the Brahmaputra Carnival

Hello,

Happy Republic Day! 

Few things compare with the joy of first experiences!

American tennis player Madison Keys, who won her first grand slam title at the Australian Open, sure must be feeling it.

In what The Guardian described as a glorious duel of the highest quality in Melbourne, Keys played the match of her life to defeat world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka. 

Speaking of groundbreaking achievements, Rudiger Koch, a German aerospace engineer, has just set a new world record for the longest time living underwater without depressurisation—120 days in a submerged capsule off the coast of Panama.

 The capsule, of course, had all the trappings of modern life, including a bed, toilet, TV, computer, internet, and—wait for it—an exercise bike! Apparently, there is no excuse for missing leg day.

Speaking of underwater, check out this stunning photoshoot at 163.38 ft (49.80 m) undersea!

ICYMI: The lesser-known facts about our national holiday!

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• The old-world charm of Chettinad
• Inside the Brahmaputra Carnival
• Finding art inspiration everywhere

Here’s your trivia for today: Where did the first Republic Day parade take place?

Travel

The old-world charm of Chettinad

A colourful façade with intricate statues welcomes visitors to THE Lotus Palace, a heritage hotel in Kanadukathan, a village in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. In a ‘mansion’ across the street, students of architecture are busy sketching and taking notes, while tourists look around curiously.

Chettinad was the home of the Nattukottai Chettiars (also known as Nagarathars), a wealthy community of merchants and maritime traders. The golden era ended during the Second World War, when many of them began migrating to other cities and countries, leaving behind their palatial homes, often referred to as ‘mansions’.

Serene retreat:

• THE Lotus Palace Chettinad is one such heritage hotel—a 230-year-old house that has been meticulously restored—retaining its old-world charm, without dramatically altering the building’s structure and overall aesthetics.
• In reference to the past, the hotel has named its bar ‘1795’ to commemorate the year in which the house was built, while its restaurant is called ‘86 Pillars’, indicating the number of pillars across the property.
• To help understand the land and its culture better, THE Lotus Palace offers immersive experiences to its guests. They include nadu veettu kolam (learning to draw kolam), kili josiyam (astrology), and traditional board games like Pallankuzhi and Paramapadham.

Travel

Inside the Brahmaputra Carnival

The Brahmaputra Carnival, organised by the Government of Assam, is being held at Lachit Ghat in Guwahati from December 15, 2024, to March 15, 2025. It promises a unique adventure—with luxury camping on the river, glamping under the stars, cultural performances, live concerts, water sports, and more.

Explore the region’s rich traditions and crafts, visit the serene Kamakhya Temple, and savour all that Assam has to offer.

Cultural exchange:

• At the heart of the Brahmaputra Carnival is an extraordinary glamping experience at Tent City. Nestled on the Sandbar Island, right in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra river, Tent City offers a unique blend of nature and luxury.
• Those with a sweet tooth must try Pitha, a traditional dessert made from rice flour and filled with sesame, jaggery, and coconut. Steamed or fried, the sweet is popular during the Bihu festival, which marks the Assamese New Year.
• The state is widely recognised for its varied craftsmanship, particularly weaving, bamboo products, pottery, and metalwork—and some of them were on display at the carnival. Assam’s weaving tradition comes to life through its Eri and Muga silks and cotton.

Art and Culture

Finding art inspiration everywhere

“India winning the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final wearing a jersey that I had designed!” exclaims Aaquib Wani, without a second thought, when I ask him about the most significant milestone of his decade-long career as a professional designer.

Wani runs the New Delhi-based studio Aaquib Wani Design. A pioneer in creating immersive experiences across the fashion, art, hospitality and music industries, he has curated installations for several events, including Lollapalooza India, Serendipity Arts Festival, and Bacardi NH7 Weekender. 

The art and the artist:

• Born and raised in Kashmir, Wani was first inspired by the flair of the self-taught Kashmiri artisans who created shawls and carpets in intricate designs. His father was also in the business of Kashmiri arts and crafts; so it was natural for Wani to turn to design. 
• In 2009, he got a bit of hand-holding in design through his internship as a graphic designer at Rock Street Journal. Four years later, he was promoted to the role of art director at the magazine, before he switched gears to work under contemporary designer Sumant Jayakrishnan. 
• Wani believes the design that comes out of India is at par with where the world is headed. “International brands come to India wanting to collaborate with artists and design studios here, and not work with their global teams, which speaks volumes,” he says.

News & updates

• Expand: Elon Musk’s X has started expanding the rollout of its dedicated vertical video feed to users around the globe, including India, Australia, and some European markets, just days after its debut in the US. The new feature is accessible through a dedicated tab in the X app, next to the Grok button.
• Record: Alphabet shares closed at $200 per share for the first time on Friday as investors grow increasingly bullish on the company’s opportunities in AI. The stock gained 1.1% on Friday and a little more than 2% for the week to close at $200.21. It is up almost 6% in 2025.
• AI threat: The Beatles band member Paul McCartney urged the British government not to make a change to copyright laws that he says could let AI companies rip off artists. The government is consulting on whether to let tech firms use copyrighted material to help train AI models unless the creators explicitly opt-out.

Where did the first Republic Day parade take place?

Answer: Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (then Irwin Amphitheater) in 1950, where the then Indonesian President Sukarno was the first chief guest. 

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