The Northeast Is Learning to Plan for Itself, Not Wait to Be Planned For
A new Kamakhya access road and Meghalaya's youth-first sports conclave both show proactive planning, but neither means anything without budgets and follow-through.
5 min read
Sara D'Souza
Lifestyle Editor
24 articles · Writes about Lifestyle, Opinion
Sara D'Souza is the lifestyle editor at The NE Times, covering culture, food, travel and the trends shaping how India lives.
Latest by Sara D'Souza
Ambubachi Mela Opens at Kamakhya Temple, Drawing Pilgrims and Livelihoods
The annual Ambubachi Mela at Guwahati's Kamakhya Temple has begun, drawing lakhs of pilgrims, sadhus and traders to one of India's most revered Shakti Peethas on Nilachal Hill.
6 min read
Misty Valleys and Cheaper Fares: India's Offbeat Monsoon Travel Boom in 2026
With domestic fares falling sharply and travellers seeking solitude, offbeat Himalayan hamlets, the rain-soaked Northeast and Ladakh's rain-shadow deserts are redrawing India's monsoon travel map in 2026.
3 min read
Bengaluru Lamborghini-Auto Swap: Entrepreneur's Gesture Goes Viral
A Bengaluru entrepreneur's spontaneous decision to trade seats with an auto-rickshaw driver, putting the cabbie behind a Lamborghini's wheel, has charmed social media and become the city's feel-good story of the week.
5 min read
Young India Walks Away From the Savings Account as SIP Inflows Hit Record Highs in 2026
Monthly SIP inflows have surged past record levels and active accounts near 10 crore, as a generation of young Indians treats savings accounts as liquidity tools and turns to market-linked wealth creation.
3 min read
Lighter, Louder, Worn Again: India's 2026 Bridal Jewellery Rethink
The heavy gold neckpiece is ceding ground to oversized chandbalis, layered chokers and pieces brides actually intend to wear after the wedding. Welcome to the age of practical luxury.
4 min read
India's Senior Living Market Booms as Retirees Choose Managed Communities
India's senior living market is projected to surge from about $4.47 billion in 2026 to $14.14 billion by 2031, as ageing retirees increasingly opt for safe, service-led managed communities.
7 min read
The Smart Traveller's Secret: Why India's Monsoon Months Are the Cheapest Time to Roam
With fares down 30-50% and a milder rainy season forecast, savvy Indians are turning the off-season into the main event.
3 min read
India's Monsoon Plate Returns to Its Roots as Seasonal Eating Goes Mainstream in 2026
From Kerala's ten-leaf stir-fries to jamun, rasam and warming spices, India's monsoon kitchens are blending ancestral ritucharya wisdom with the 2026 obsession with gut health and immunity.
3 min read
Inside Delhi's Zero-Waste Colony: A Working Alternative to Landfills
A Delhi residential colony is keeping most of its daily waste out of landfills through segregation, composting and resident participation, offering a practical, scalable model for the capital's mounting garbage crisis.
6 min read
Monsoon Home Care 2026: A Practical Checklist Before the Rains Settle In
From rooftop waterproofing to keeping electronics and wardrobes safe from damp, here is how Indian households are monsoon-proofing their homes this season.
6 min read
Earthy Tones and Indoor Greens: The Mood Indian Homes Are Chasing in 2026
As monsoon light turns flat and grey, Indian interiors in 2026 lean into warm earthy palettes, humidity-loving plants and layered lighting to keep spaces cosy and alive.
6 min read
The Lifestyle Inflation Trap: How Young India Is Trying to Save in 2026
With rising rents and living costs cited as the biggest savings hurdle, financial planners say automating savings and resisting lifestyle creep matter more than ever for under-30s.
3 min read
Filter Kaapi Meets Matcha: How Bengaluru's Cafes Outgrew the Third Wave in 2026
India's coffee capital is moving past flat-white minimalism into something more layered, from hyper-local filter-kaapi joints honouring South Indian roots to matcha-led tea rooms and single-origin obsessives.
4 min read
The Joint Family, Redesigned: Multigenerational Living Returns to Indian Homes
Rising real-estate and living costs are reviving the multigenerational household, but the 2026 version is built on flexible rooms, work-from-home corners and shared smart systems.
7 min read
Beyond Alphonso: Why India's 2026 Mango Summer Is About the Lesser-Known Varieties
As the King of Fruits reaches its annual peak, a growing band of Indian eaters are looking past the headline Hapus towards Kesar, Raspuri, Langra and a roster of vanishing heirlooms.
4 min read
Goodbye Six-Pack, Hello Mobility: India's Fitness Culture Grows Up in 2026
Pilates studios and functional-movement classes are outpacing traditional gyms as young Indians chase feeling good over looking good.
3 min read
The Quiet Romance: How India Fell for Low-Pressure Dating in 2026
Grand gestures are out and emotional safety is in. A new wave of Indian daters is swapping high-stakes dinners for hobby workshops, slow-built trust and friends who vet the matches.
4 min read
Beyond the Pulp: How the Mango Took Over India's Summer 2026 Menus
From tasting flights of regional varieties to mango in unexpected savoury dishes, restaurants across India are building entire summer menus around the season's most beloved fruit.
6 min read
Mist, Waterfalls and Cheaper Fares: The Western Ghats Beckon This Monsoon
With an early monsoon onset and below-normal rainfall forecasts, the Western Ghats offer rain-washed hill stations and waterfalls at a fraction of peak-season travel costs in 2026.
7 min read
Broke by the 20th: How Invisible UPI Spending Is Quietly Draining Young India
Gen Z says it wants to save - so why does the money vanish? The answer may lie in how painless tapping to pay has become.
3 min read
Paneer, Eggs and Protein Chips: How India's Protein Obsession Left the Gym Behind
Quick-commerce carts tell the story - protein orders are up 150% in two years, and the craving is no longer just for bodybuilders.
3 min read
One Colour, No Fuss: The Monochrome and Oversized Look Defining Indian Summer 2026
Tonal dressing and relaxed, loose silhouettes are pushing fussy layering aside - and making getting dressed feel easy again.
3 min read
Slow Living and Wellness Travel Catch On With Urban Indians
Burnt out by always-on city life, a growing number of Indians are seeking quieter holidays, mindful routines and digital detoxes.
6 min read