Saturday Feeling: Living the slow life in Mysuru, the art of close looking, and other stories to read this weekend

As much as we are bound to deadlines, page views, news cycles and the other perennial challenges of magazine and culture journalism, to work at Lounge is to take the longer view, to contemplate and find an angle that’s rarely explored, and to avoid the idea of spectacle for the sake of it. Inadvertently, that’s become the idea that runs through our story on Mysuru, a city that allows people to embrace their own personalized work ethic, go down all sorts of rabbit holes, and welcomes different styles of living.

Over the last few years, I’ve been hearing people talking about relocating to the capital of the erstwhile kingdom of Mysore, drawn by its cosmopolitan culture, relatively clean environs, and slower pace. It’s a pace that allows them the time and space to master whatever craft or vocation they choose—whether it’s yoga, writing, filmmaking, or perfecting baking and coffee-brewing. Former journalist Tara Das, who herself made the move to Mysuru to immerse herself in yoga and then made a new career for herself as a therapist, brings a particular outsider-insider view to this story about living the slow life in Mysuru. She chooses the city’s conscious café culture as the device through which to tell a story that not only reflects the ethos of the city but also the aspirations of a section of Gen Z, a generation that wants to define work, its value and dignity for itself. It’s a story to slow down and savour.

Pop-ups by indigenous cooks spotlight seasons

From Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh to Meghalaya and Maharashtra, the food of indigenous communities and original inhabitants of forests and lands is in the spotlight. Entrepreneurial cooks and chefs from these communities are doing pop-ups, hosting supper clubs and setting up restaurants to showcase dishes specific to their way of life. Seasons, natural rhythms and traditional wisdom are baked into these preparations, and diners love the focus on sustainability and the glimpse into other food cultures that such foods bring to their table.

Nicobar marks a decade of anti-fit fashion

A decade ago, skinny jeans ruled, fitted kurtas were the default and fashion was anything but comfortable and relaxed. So when ready-to-wear brand Nicobar entered the market in 2016, combining traditional textiles like cotton and silk with relaxed cuts and contemporary shapes, it struck a chord with well-travelled Indians looking for elevated everyday clothes. Founders Simran Lal and Raul Rai positioned Nicobar at the intersection of design-led minimalism and accessible luxury, and today, the brand has 30 stores across India. Pooja Singh meets Lal and Rai, partners in business and life, and discusses Nicobar's 10-year journey.

The art of observing

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is a place to practice the art of slow looking and deep observation, notes Somak Ghoshal, but most phone-toting visitors spend more time taking photographs of and with the art. Fort Kochi definitely lends itself to picture-making, but are we paying less attention to the art and the messages within it as we rush through the venues and try to mark our presence there? What do we gain and what do we lose when art becomes something to be consumed?

A new dissenting voice in Tamil cinema

R Gowtham’s debut Tamil feature, Members of the Problematic Family, premiered at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival last week in the Forum section. Everything about this film—a raw, unflinching portrait of a family rationing grief and despair—is distinct yet unfamiliar, beginning with its title, writes Aditya Shrikrishna. It invites you not to witness a few days in the life of irascible characters but just human beings who, as fate would have it, need to function as a society sanctioned order.

A portable camera for action on the go

Insta360 cameras have become synonymous with 360-degree action over the last few years, but they have become increasingly pricey to buy. Enter the X4 Air, a smaller, more portable shooter that has quality-of-life upgrades from the X5 yet comes in at a lower ₹45,990 price point for the standalone X4 Air. Despite the shrunken design, the X4 Air feels as solid and well put together and is waterproof to up to 15m. It gains the built-in mic wind guard and the replaceable lens system from the X5, writes Tushar Kanwar.

How to train for Hyrox

Runners are going for it. Former Crossfitters think it is the perfect challenge. It’s a content gold mine for fitfluencers and is on top of every fitness enthusiast’s to-do list. Hyrox, arguably the most viral trend in the exercise world today, is coming to Bengaluru this April, and then to Mumbai and Delhi. The race consists of eight 1km runs, each followed by a stint at a functional workout station, including sled push, sled pull, rowing, farmer’s carry, lunges, and wall balls. For most participants, the race lasts between 60 to 90 minutes at sustained high intensity. Without proper preparation, you risk early fatigue, poor pacing, cramping, massive heart-rate spikes, dehydration. Shrenik Avlani speaks to experts and chalks out training plans to build endurance for Hyrox.