2020-12-01 Travel Leisure India South Asia

126 Pages·2020·39.72 MB·English

Maldivian cuisine has a myriad of flavors -
soul soothing and palate pleasing

* Fly from India to Maldives via
Air India, Indigo, Go Air and Maldivian

Photo by: Conrad

travelandleisureindia.in
DECEMBER 2020 /
150

$ 4.50/ SLR 450/
NPR 35/ MVR 60
PKR 30O/ BTN 200 /
TAKA 350

2020

INDIA’S BEST
AWARDS

Plus!
WINNERS OF

10 OTT SHOWS THAT TOOK US PLACES IN 2020

Mithila Palkar

Little Things
Shares The

That Made Her
A
BIG STAR

SWEET WINTER CHILLS

SUSEGAD
STATE OF MIND
The New Face Of
Goa Post Lockdown

CHRISTMAS IN GOTHENBURG + ADVENTURE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Pankaj Tripathi
Arjun Mathur
Anu Menon
& More...

WIZARDS
ON THE WEB

M IS FOR MAGIC
The Why, Where & How
Of A Maldives Vacation

Ashok Gehlot
Chief Minister of Rajasthan

www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in www.rtdc.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in

rajasthantourism
my_rajasthan
rajasthan_tourism
Rajasthan Tourism Channel

Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan

Discover Wildlife in its Home

R A J A S T H A N

R E A D Y & S A F E

IT’S
SAFE
TO
TRAVEL
AGAIN
Hotels, Restaurants & Monuments of
Rajasthan are SOP-compliant and Safe.

Rajasthan is a safe haven for many wildlife wonders. Discover tigers in Ranthambore National Park and
Sariska Tiger Reserve, witness migratory waterfowl and other birds in Keoladeo Ghana National Park, or
explore the Thar desert’s unique ecosystem amid its undulating dunes in the Desert National Park. The
state’s multitude of sanctuaries offer you a chance to see rare wildlife in its natural habitat.

4
T R AV E L + L E I S U R E I N D I A & S O U T H A S I A | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0

RAHUL JHANGIANI

6
Letter from the Editor

Discoveries
12
Experience the world virtually from
your couch with these OTT shows
and films, and catch up with the
stars of the hour who are taking the
Internet by storm.

The Intelligent Traveller
30
Find out what’s drawing more and
more Indians to the Maldives now;
hear from one of the founders of
Sleepy Owl Coffee, the country’s
pioneering cold brew brand; get
a sneak peek into the Delhi home
of Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan; and
set travel goals with Instagram
influencer Meghna Kaur.

Cover Story
42
Cover star Mithila Palkar talks about
her journey from featuring in a
viral video to becoming one of the
leading stars of Indian OTT content.

Through the Lens
46
A photographer traverses the wintry
landscape of British Columbia in
search of natural treasures and
heartwarming traditions.

Experiences
52
GOA TRAVEL DIARIES
Two chronicles of contrasting post-
lockdown trips to Goa. While one
samples the new normal in aviation
and luxury hotels, the other explores
private villa stays and nature walks
with physical distancing.
58
THE ROYAL CENOTAPHS OF RAJASTHAN
Follow an inriguing trail of
cenotaphs and learn the stories of
the past that stay buried in each one.
62
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
A trip down memory lane explores
the colourful Christmas markets of
Gothenburg in Sweden.

Departments

Your Best Shot
120 Reader Ankit Verma captures a
dreamy snow-clad landscape on the
Kedarkantha trek in Uttarakhand.

ON THE COVER
Mithila Palkar photographed by the
sea in Mumbai.

ON HER: Bustier, `8,000, skirt,
`12,000, Saaksha & Kinni;
beret and tote, prices on request,
Christian Dior.

PRODUCED BY Rashima Nagpal
PHOTOGRAPHED BY Rahul Jhangiani
ASSISTED BY Azfar Khan, Deepak Yadav
& Abhishek Yadav
STYLED BY Divyak D’Souza
ASSISTED BY Khushi Bhatia
HAIR Siddhesh Avinash Shinde
MAKEUP Sahithya Shetty
LOCATION Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach

Isles of Hope
66 A guide to the Maldives lists luxe
resorts and their current offerings;
the founder of Soneva reveals how
the brand’s resorts have adapted
to the pandemic; and an island-
hopping travelogue reviews
sustainability initiatives.

Wellness & Spas
81
Discover the spa towns of Western
Bohemia in the Czech Republic, and
whip up coconut oil-based creams
to protect your skin this winter.

India’s Best Awards 2020
89
Find out who was voted the best
in travel and hospitality by our
discerning readers in the fi rst
ever virtual edition of India’s Best
Awards. With #TnlSalutes, we
honour the heroes who strived to
make others’ lives easier during
the pandemic.

CONTENTS

Cover star Mithila Palkar enjoys the sun at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach. (p. 42)

from the Editor
LETTER

FROM MY TRAVELS
This picture was
captured at Jamun,
Goa—a concept-led
restaurant based on
‘elemental thalis’. If
you’re heading to Goa
in the future, this place
is a must-visit, and
if you’re a seafood
aficionado, then the
daab chingri served
here is a must-try.

I

STILL CANNOT BELIEVE it is the last
month of 2020. A year that has
changed the lives of people around
the globe. For an industry that lost
millions in revenue and thousands
of jobs, it’s no easy task to bounce
back. But it is human nature to
push back and survive. While COVID-19’s
ramifi cations continue, it’s heartening to see
the travel industry taking baby steps. And we
could not be more thrilled to play a part in the
journey—by felicitating the true heroes of this
pandemic, those who work round the clock to
make sure that your overdue holiday, or
staycation, or workation, is hassle-free and safe.
Catch all the winners of the readers’choice
India’s Best Awards 2020 to make your travel
plans for 2021 easy and meaningful (p. 89).
This year saw a surge of viewers on OTT
platforms—it was, for most of us, an escape
route when we were restricted from physically
venturing out. We’ve compiled a list of must-
see films and shows that offered a window
to the world this year (p. 12). Aptly, our cover
star is the golden girl of OTT in India, Mithila
Palkar, who rose to fame with shows like
Girl in the City and Little Things. The young
actor sheds light on her journey in a candid
interview (p. 42). Joining her are other wizards
of the web who have lit up our screens
with enthralling content and memorable
performances. This special section features
riveting conversations with Pankaj Tripathi,
Arjun Mathur, Anu Menon, Rohit Saraf, and
Sumukhi Suresh (p. 18).

Please Note: Some of the destinations and businesses mentioned in the magazine may be closed at the moment due to COVID-19. Refer to
the rules and guidelines issued by your state government and those in place at the destination of your choice before making travel plans.

Aindrila Mitra