India

[kurta]

India is a country with an impossibly rich sartorial tradition, and an emerging avant garde fashion culture.

I'm taking a trip there next month for the first time in 15 years. (Out of respect I'll keep my culatta leather in my closet, though admittedly wearing culatta in Kolkata would be poetic in its own sacrilegious way.)

Much will be different -- like the slow but certain emergence of a legitimate middle class -- and much of that place is timeless. That said, I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has been there, or has knowledge or stories to share. And since this is particularly true of SZ members, seeing as we are as global and cosmopolitan a group as you'll find on the web, I thought a dedicated thread could be a valuable resource.

I'll be sure to feed this as the trip approaches, and from there, with photos and recommendations, but in the meantime...

Where to shop?
Where to eat?
Where to meditate?
WHERE TO BEGIN?

[gregor]

Eating is really very obvious; just get whatever from street stalls, it's all good, though personally I much favour North Indian cuisine.

There's only one boutique I can remember of great note in India, which is Le Mill in Mumbai, that carries some popular western designers mixed with local fashion.

Also wearing any leather in Kolkata would be impossibly hot

I definitely recommend trips to Chandigarh for some very cool architecture and western-indian culture (It's also arguably the high QOL city in India), and Sri Lanka. Though it's a different country, I lived there for a year and a half and visiting it is definitely worthwhile.

Enjoy the trip, though, it's quite awesome, and will guaranteed be different than 15 years ago.