This week our coverage focuses on art, health and relationships. From a glimpse of Mumbai’s architecture to hybrid dating and K-pop’s rising influence, here’s a list of our top feature stories for your weekend read
Mid-day File Pic.
Two city residents capture neighbourhood buildings for their Instagram page, which documents Mumbai’s architectural heritage. With an interaction with Mid-day Online, they open up about what inspired them to take up the project. Veganism is often discussed to be expensive for many. We reached out to two long time vegans from Mumbai, who share how alternatives make it an affordable practice. Ketamine, primarily used as an anaesthetic agent during medical operations and considered to be the notorious ‘K-drug’ in rave culture, is found to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. We reached out to a city-based expert who explains all about Ketamine therapy.
Hybrid work has also boosted the concept of ‘hybrid dating’, a style of courtship where young adults are curating dates involving a combination of online and in-person meets that suit the mid-pandemic and post-pandemic lifestyle. As Omicron fear looms large and most of us we are back confined to our rooms, similar to online games, 1000-piece puzzles have emerged as a new found activity of interest. In the fourth part of our Korean wave series, we look at how K-pop has been an inspiration for many young musicians and dancers to explore their passion and experiment with K-pop tunes.
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Accounts on architecture: How Mumbaikars are documenting neighbourhood heritage
Literary scholar Nachiket Joshi and conservation architect Mallika Keer love Mumbai not for its famous monuments but because of the beauty of its everyday buildings in old neighbourhoods such as Chembur and Shivaji Park. Using their Instagram pages, they hope to bring attention to these interesting structures and to the need to preserve them.
Veganuary: Is veganism possible on a budget? Long-term Mumbai vegans say it is
Some who are interested in turning vegan remain on the fence, often because it seems like an expensive lifestyle choice. Three Mumbaikars who have been on a vegan diet for a long time, say it is relatively easy for Indians to adopt the change because alternatives are accessible and can be made at home too.
Ketamine therapy for depression: What do we know so far?
Several recent studies have been examining the role of ketamine as an anti-depressant, otherwise mainly used as an anaesthetic agent in operations. As ketamine therapy gains attention as a treatment for depression-related symptoms, experts share insights on its efficacy, safety concerns and legality in India.
Hybrid dating: Why ‘in real life’ first dates are becoming obsolete
Just as Zoom calls, Google Meets, FaceTimes and in-app video interaction revolutionised our lives during the pandemic, they have also boosted the concept of ‘hybrid dating’, which has gradually changed people’s approach to finding a partner and planning first dates. Though mobility has increased since late 2021, Indians are increasingly opting for online interactions coupled with a few offline meetings. Experts share insights on why ‘hybrid dating’ is picking up in 2022 and trends that are further encouraging it.
Big on jigsaw: Why many are studiously putting together 1,000-piece puzzles
Over the pandemic, an increasing number of people have been proudly posting pictures of intricate 1,000-piece puzzles that they completed. Three Mumbaikars tell us why they love solving such puzzles and an expert shares the benefits of this activity.
How young Indians are flexing their skills through K-pop dance and music covers
K-pop is an indomitable force driving the Hallyu wave in India. A rising cohort of young singers and dancers participating in national K-pop contests is testimony to how Hallyu (the Korean wave) is encouraging prodigies in Indian households to step up, take charge of their talents and maybe make it to Seoul one day. For over a decade now, the admiration for K-pop idols such as BTS as well as the emergence of high-spirited K-pop contests has inspired many young musicians and dancers in India to hone their art and find a sense of community.
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