THEGUIDE
south asia
FAHTHAI
139
TASTY TREATS IN MUMBAI; UNIQUE SOUVENIRS; DHAKA’S LITERARY FESTIVAL
BANGLADESH COUNTRY CODE
+88
EXCHANGE RATE
BDT77 = US$1
DHAKA
FREQUENCY
1 flight per day from Bangkok
EDITOR'S PICKS
(Clockwise)
Trishna’s prawn;
Neel’s briyani;
Thackers sampler
M U M B A I
KAMA AYURVEDA
The wonders of Ayurveda have been
championed for millennia in the pages of ancient
Indian medical texts. Ayurveda – the science
of medicinal herbs and plants – has stood the
test of time in India and is now taking the world
by storm. Ayurveda-based organic skincare
products, body butters and oils make great gifts.
Try Kerala Lime Glaze lip balm or its soaps –
choose from rose, cinnamon and vanilla scents.
Products are available at select department stores
FURTADOS
This 150-year-old store in Mumbai is where India’s
biggest and best musicians come to buy and fine-
tune their instruments. Furtados sells everything
from grand pianos to flutes, triangles, synthesisers,
drums and, of course, a vast selection of traditional
Indian instruments. Pick up a sitar or even a
polished
dholak
(a two headed hand-drum) to take
home.
furtadosonline.com
Steeped
in history
Mumbai
munchies
Condé Nast Traveller
India
editorDiviaThani
Daswani offersherpicksof
Mumbai’s top eateries
TRISHNA
“This place dishes up seafood
that’s so good, locals and
tourists spill out the doors.
Trishna means desire in
Sanskrit – I’m always pining
for its perfectly spiced fried
prawn
koliwada
and its
crab with green masala
(loaded with green spices like
coriander and mint)”
NEEL
“This is where to find Mughal
Indian cooking done in a way
we never imagined possible:
juicy, succulent kebabs minus
the oil, fragrant biryani that’s
light as air, and best of all, the
chance to dine al fresco among
trees strung with fairy lights.”
THACKERS
“The sheer diversity of Indian
cuisine is astounding so don’t
leave without sampling one
of its leading avatars. The
traditional vegetarian Gujarati
thali
at Thackers comes with
unlimited servings of fresh
vegetables, lentils, curries and
breads. Finish with a dollop of
rice and
dal
with
ghee
, and the
purée of Alphonso mangoes
during the summer months.
You won’t be disappointed.”
Hay
Festival
D H A K A
From 20-22 November, Dhaka
will play host to many of South
Asia’s leading novelists, social and
political commentators and literary
enthusiasts at its annual literary
festival. Talks, seminars and readings
will take place at the Bangla Academy,
which has served as the incubator
for dozens of Bangladeshi and
Bengali literary luminaries. The last
few editions have featured the likes
of graphic novelists Sarnath Banerjee
and Samit Basu (pictured, left), social
commentator Pankaj Mishra and
novelist Tishani Doshi among others.
hayfestival.com
M U M B A I
Where to find
one-of-a-kind,
traditional
Indian
souvenirs
