Poulomi Deb

Legendary modernist poet T S Eliot may have opened his greatest poem with ‘April is the cruellest month’, but he never lived in Delhi right before summer. The long weekend has dissolved, and while you might still be in a holiday lull, this city’s thriving and ready to go as ever, and it's waiting, really, just for you to stop thinking of fun as something you can only do on a weekend. Come rain or shine (or a very weird alternating mix of both), this city never fails to serve up some seriously creative events worth your time, even when the heat is slowly creeping up behind your back. The windows between now and a tan without your consent are narrowing by the day. Use them! Editor’s note: We auto-delete events from this list once they’re over to ensure you don’t feel too much FOMO. 

After bidding farewell to nylon full sleeves and denim jackets, Delhites are wrapping themselves in everything loose and breathable. It’s getting hotter outside – though not hot enough to avoid gorgeous urban parks just yet. From Lodhi Gardens to the Aravalli ridges, April is all about a variety of blossoms.  Right before an unbearable summer, Delhi knows that April is its last chance to loiter. And so, the capital has taken its April quite seriously. There are a lot of interesting performances lined up at Delhi auditoriums alone. There’s also a jazz festival and some pretty cool concerts. Also, a load of out-of-the-box events to look forward to: a drag show musical, Japanese relay and a comic rock band performance. Check it all out below!

It’s March, and Delhi’s weather is arguably at its most gorgeous. The heat’s made a slightly earlyish appearance (or has it? Summer always feels like a slightly unwelcome prospect following a perfect spring) and everyone’s ditched the sweaters and jackets. March also, incidentally, means it’s time for Holi! One of Delhi’s favourite festivals, because we love getting down and dirty. Ahem.  The biggest ticket event (literally – entry is bloody pricey) this month was supposed to be Ye’s India tour, but he's heading to Delhi in May instead. Fear not: other big performers include Punjabi rapper Honey Singh, as well as a great lineup of comedy shows: Aakash Gupta, Anubhav Bassi, Prashasti Singh, and loads more.  It’s a big month in terms of general activity too: Ramzan is on, of course, which means certain neighbourhoods around Chandni Chowk and Jamia will be abuzz with loads of activity after dark. There will, obviously, also be loads of Holi parties (catered as well as BYOB) around the city. Our guide tells you which ones are worth your buck.

I had a vague idea of Nadoo’s premise when I walked in for dinner: that their philosophy is an open defiance of Delhi's usual fare of South Indian food, one which typically lets dosas, idlis, and uttapams take over all tables and social media feeds – admittedly with the result of good business.  That philosophy is clearly gleaned from the formidably long menu alone, spanning multiple states of the South and some clever twists and homages, like the moniker of ‘Dunken Doughnuts’ for vadai.  But then, you look thoroughly away from the table. (There’s no situation in which you don’t.) The meditatively terracotta brown and caved interiors, a copper-encased fountain and perfectly volumed jazz that ran gentle on the ears, sectioned eating areas and two actual separate bars for their kaapi and cocktail offerings. Does this place deserve even more than being defined as a mere subversion of stereotypes? It takes not a long while to find out. Chef Shri Bala’s inventiveness is everywhere from the several chutneys and rasam offerings that taste like they could constitute entire gravies, the soft crunch of the amusing caviar idli, egg puff and fried-parotta nachos with in-house hummus repurposed from Tamil Nadu's sundal, to dishes like the green chilli chicken, which she tells me is a recipe from the hands of cooks who take leftover ingredients from the houses they work in. It’s a delicious Andhra dish – pachi mirapayakaya – but at Nadoo, it comes with fluffy baos and a slice of coconut th

Classical music is breaking out of the dark auditorium where you walk in alone, watch artists from a distance often without a word, applaud at prescribed moments, and leave. Which instrument is following the other’s tune? Is knowing what a raga is enough to talk to the person next to you?  It’s questions like these that led Sukanya Banerjee and Tejas Jaishankar to start Upstairs. The two, now partners, met in college, and Sukanya recalls a conversation where Tejas asked her, ‘Why doesn’t classical music have group meets and fan merch?’ It’s this sort of curiosity that they now seek to stamp under the tabla with their series of baithaks. At Upstairs, in living rooms lit up by lamps, the musician speaks to you. Hell, they might even get coffee with you. Stupid questions and asides to other audience members are encouraged. They swap elaborate musician bios and theoretical tid-bits for a simple explanation of what you’re about to hear, guiding you towards having that discerning ear. You will catch the smallest details in how faces change, how someone will start tapping their lap. The easy chemistry that the founders have with their audiences and performers is commendable. The music itself is best left for you to discover, and in Sukanya’s words, form your own vocabulary for.  Upstairs began in the third floor of their DDA Flats apartment in Vasant Kunj, and as they expand slowly to other venues, they’re successfully maintaining a good balance of intensity and accessibility, which

Classical music is breaking out of the dark auditorium where you walk in alone, watch artists from a distance often without a word, applaud at prescribed moments, and leave. Which instrument is following the other’s tune? Is knowing what a raga is enough to talk to the person next to you?  It’s questions like these that led Sukanya Banerjee and Tejas Jaishankar to start Upstairs. The two, now partners, met in college, and Sukanya recalls a conversation where Tejas asked her, ‘Why doesn’t classical music have group meets and fan merch?’ It’s this sort of curiosity that they now seek to stamp under the tabla with their series of baithaks. At Upstairs, in living rooms lit up by lamps, the musician speaks to you. Hell, they might even get coffee with you. Stupid questions and asides to other audience members are encouraged. They swap elaborate musician bios and theoretical tid-bits for a simple explanation of what you’re about to hear, guiding you towards having that discerning ear. You will catch the smallest details in how faces change, how someone will start tapping their lap. The easy chemistry that the founders have with their audiences and performers is commendable. The music itself is best left for you to discover, and in Sukanya’s words, form your own vocabulary for.  Upstairs began in the third floor of their DDA Flats apartment in Vasant Kunj, and as they expand slowly to other venues, they’re successfully maintaining a good balance of intensity and accessibility, which

The namesake Billy Joel song incessantly rings in my head every time I enter a Piano Man outlet. I’m thankful for the distractions, even if their band or act for the night is late: a decently strong cocktail, the gorgeous faux candles, the all-round sensation that I’m not entirely in a restro-bar (this typically then makes me wonder if being a try-hard is such a bad thing all the time), or the company I’ve brought with me.  This three-branched Delhi establishment (Safdarjung, Gurgaon, Saket) has built a reputation over the years for the live music by captivating acts, and for its expensive dinners. It’s not just jazz either, of course: you’ve got a range of genres on your plate if you peruse their booking availability for each week carefully.  Two props I’ll add here: unlike many restaurants who try to program live music as an afterthought crowd-chaser, there is nothing to complain about in terms of their acoustics. Secondly, though they really don’t need exceptional food to preserve their status, their menus are relatively compact, with a quick choice of bites across cuisines, and their diversions into attempts at fusion have flavours that actually mesh well together: think wasabi broccoli or tandoori miso lamb chop. Cocktails, on the other hand, are wildly in your hands for customization. I’d advise you get that out of the way before the performance and follow them up with more trustworthy liquors that are quick to order later. If there’s a high-profile series of listening

Competition (if you call it that) for your attention among the hip art galleries in South Delhi, let alone Defence Colony, is stiff as brandy. Method’s always struck my imagination as having a particularly young, cheeky, cool-kid-in-your-classroom character. Their basement space in a non-descript building, patchy network inside, and little but a small name outside to guide you in, truly proves that you’ve already been struck by their latest exhibit’s prospect – which, I guarantee, most of its visitors are, for very good reasons. If you know Method from its Kala Ghoda venue, I’m happy to tell you that there are 0 signs of the Delhi chapter, established five years later, trying to piggyback on the Mumbai one’s reputation. You can tell from the outset (read: their blank walls and minimal staircase to an elevated platform) that their focus is on intentionally positioning their artists’ pieces.  By their own admission, Method is far more interested in positioning the contemporary and the experimental – often by emerging artists or those with niche mediums. And not in the buzzword way. They’re at their second best with their (frequent) solo exhibitions, which really allow you to delve into one creator’s work which often would otherwise be propped up as quick, flashy, and embodied into ‘broader’ themes.  Now here’s why I said that’s their second best offering. The gallery has partnered with one of India’s pioneering online radio communities for alternative music – Boxout.fm – since

Competition (if you call it that) for your attention among the hip art galleries in South Delhi, let alone Defence Colony, is stiff as brandy. Method’s always struck my imagination as having a particularly young, cheeky, cool-kid-in-your-classroom character. Their basement space in a non-descript building, patchy network inside, and little but a small name outside to guide you in, truly proves that you’ve already been struck by their latest exhibit’s prospect – which, I guarantee, most of its visitors are, for very good reasons. If you know Method from its Kala Ghoda venue, I’m happy to tell you that there are 0 signs of the Delhi chapter, established five years later, trying to piggyback on the Mumbai one’s reputation. You can tell from the outset (read: their blank walls and minimal staircase to an elevated platform) that their focus is on intentionally positioning their artists’ pieces.  By their own admission, Method is far more interested in positioning the contemporary and the experimental – often by emerging artists or those with niche mediums. And not in the buzzword way. They’re at their second best with their (frequent) solo exhibitions, which really allow you to delve into one creator’s work which often would otherwise be propped up as quick, flashy, and embodied into ‘broader’ themes.  Now here’s why I said that’s their second best offering. The gallery has partnered with one of India’s pioneering online radio communities for alternative music – Boxout.fm – since

Possibly Delhi’s most highly regarded Malayali restaurant, Mahabelly is best known for its meat curries and roasts. On April 15, which marks Vishu, the Malayalam new year, the restaurant will lay out the 12th edition of its sadhya of 21 dishes – traditionally vegetarian. We’re equally excited – because the richly zangy flavours here have always been more important than whether it’s non-veg or not. This comes hot off the heels of their Easter Special menu for Malayali Christian families. Mahabelly already stands for excellence and a dedication to quality as much as authenticity, and this fresh confidence as the new year rolls in means we’re sat.  We're talking sharkara peratti (sticky, jaggery-glazed banana), avial thick with coconut and yoghurt, inji curry, a cooling pineapple kichadi, and kaalan. There's olan, kootu curry, parippu, sambar, rasam, pulissery, pacha moru – the whole procession, ending with both a jaggery payasam and a milk payasam. Because why should you be forced to choose something right at the beginning of the year? Dine-in starts at ₹1,299 per person. Takeaway is ₹1,499 and delivery ₹1,799 – if eating a sadhya on your own sofa is more your speed, for some reason. Both lunch and dinner seatings are available, but seats and boxes are limited, so the booking link is already live. Be warned: punctuality matters. Where to go You have three options. Mahabelly Saket, DLF Avenue, Delhi Address: First floor, Commons, DLF Avenue mall, AV-242, Saket, Delhi 110017Price

The second noisiest time of year for the otherwise silent, afternoon-napping CR Park, Bengali New Year on April 15 is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to the Eastern state’s cuisine in the capital. It won’t have overwhelming Durga Puja crowds at this time of year, and yet these places to eat will still likely have a festive touch in mind. And, of course, the suddenly frequent April rains in Delhi add to a certain Kolkataesque appeal. My recommendations aren’t restricted to this neighbourhood. Before you read on, a general tip: Anything with the word ‘gondhoraj’ in it is going to be good, especially if it’s in a savoury dish.  Maa Tara | Market No 2, Chittaranjan Park My go-to, frankly. I don’t know anyone who’s been to Maa Tara and had no intention of returning. Since 1994, Manju and Satya Ranjan Dutta have been running this dhaba-style spot in the back of CR Park's second market. You’ve got trustworthy thalis, but you’ve also got an absolutely stunning kosha mangsho with luchi, aar macher kalia, doi maach, mochar ghonto, a time-tested posto, and chingri malai curry (which is the thing your Bengali friends might not get you on a first time, but you should). Get mishti doi here for dessert, but if you want a drier sweetness, it’s easy to visit Annapurna Sweet House nearby. The most endearing thing about this place, though, is their excellent crowd and table management.  Banga Bhawan (Bijoli Grill) | Hailey Road, near Mandi House The West Bengal government's state

Literary festivals in India tend to have obvious locations. Jaipur gets the pink-city romance, Mumbai gets the sea breeze and the industry air-kissing. What Sikkim's Ridge Park in Gangtok offers, when the second edition of the Sikkim Arts and Literature Festival opens on April 26, is something none of those venues can replicate: the Eastern Himalayas as a backdrop. The festival is a Government of Sikkim initiative, produced by Teamwork Arts, the people behind Jaipur Literature Festival. It runs April 26-28, and the speaker list this year has a bit of everything. William Dalrymple is here, which tends to function as a shorthand for 'serious literary gathering' in the Indian festival circuit, and he's in good company: Sahitya Akademi Award-winning Arunachal author Mamang Dai, poet and literary critic Ranjit Hoskote, and Namita Gokhale, who co-directs JLF. What's even more interesting, though, is the Northeast-heavy programming that sits alongside (and within) the big names – like Robin S Ngangom, one of the most important poets writing from Manipur. The Eastern Himalayas have their own literary ecosystem frequently overlooked by the mainland cultural press, and a festival rooted here inherently does something meaningful. The wider lineup stretches across graphic novelist Rachita Taneja, journalist-writer Hoihnu Hauzel from Manipur, climate writer Mridula Ramesh, cultural historian Bishnupriya Dutt, and Sandip Roy, among others. Themes, per the organisers, range from mental heal

Dosa. Just saying the word in any part of Delhi right now seems to be the spark of a hornet’s nest. But at Nadoo, which opens in the city on Saturday, March 28, benne dosa is one of the footnotes: stuffed away in the breads section of their menu. That’s because they’re more interested in presenting the rich, sinfully flavourful range of South India beyond the predictable, crowd-hyping cheat-sheets.  Range is the point. They’ve also got Andhra, Mangalorean, Thalassery, Karnataka and more, spanning small plates, salads, mains, rice and biryani, breads, and desserts. The non-vegetarian spread covers chicken, mutton, pork, and even lobster. Rice gets its own section, with a Hot Stone Rice Pot finished live at the table.  The Rasam of the Day – served as a single pour or a full pot for four – positions one of the South's most elemental preparations as a main event, which you don’t usually find in the North. Desserts, too, lean into regional sweets, but use enough creative licence to introduce something new. Following the same logic are the dedicated kaapi bar and cocktails. But Nadoo stands out otherwise too All of this is housed in near-meditative decor and low lighting, whether it’s the fountain, the bronze and ochre surroundings, or good music at a pitch that actually allows you to hear your own thoughts.  Nadoo is entrepreneur Sahil Sambhi's tribute to his mother, and Chef Shri Bala’s menu handles this emotional weight with heft. Sahil has a track record of building restaurant

Indian food absolutely does not need anybody's stamp of approval. But when it comes to competitive fine dining rankings, recognition matters, and India’s climbing up. At the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2026 ceremony in Hong Kong, India landed two entries in the top 50: Masque at number 15 and Prateek Sadhu's Himalayan-foothills restaurant Naar at number 30. Masque also took home the Art of Hospitality Award – the first time an Indian brand has secured that title on the World's 50 Best platform. Seven India-led restaurants featured across the extended list of 51-100 extended list too.  Masque Ranked #15  Housed in a former textile mill in Mumbai's Mahalaxmi, Masque was founded by Aditi Dugar in 2016 on the premise of a 10-course tasting-menu-only experience, at a time when that format barely existed in India. With a focus on perfecting the textures of modern Indian cuisine, it’s now been named the Best Restaurant in India for the fifth time. The hospitality award, though, signals that world-class warmth and world-class cooking can come from the same kitchen.  How to reserve a Masque table: Call or WhatsApp +91 98190 69222 between noon and 8 pm, or email bookings@masquerestaurant.com. Timings: Tues-Sun at 7pm for dinner, 12:30pm-2:30pm on Sun only for lunch Address: Unit G3, Laxmi Woollen Mills, Shakti Mills Lane, off Dr. E. Moses Road, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai 400011. Valet parking available. Naar Ranked #30 Naar’s arguably got a wilder story. Himachal Pradesh’s Kasauli, a small hill

Who hasn’t dreaded – just a little bit – opening your laptop to book a domestic flight in India? Seat selection fees here, unclear baggage policies there, a checked-in instrument that you don’t know if it’ll arrive in three pieces. Well, aisle be damned. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has apparently had enough of all that. This week, it issued a sweeping set of India airport guidelines. Directives, at the end of the day, are directives – none of this will necessarily fix your next Thursday evening flight just yet. But as far as baseline protections go, it's a meaningful shift, worth knowing about the next time you book. Here’s a peek: Free seats almost guaranteed: At least 60% of seats on every flight must be allocated at no extra charge. Sit together by right: Same PNR for multiple people is expected to mean adjacent seats by default.  Guitars and gear, sorted: The Ministry directed airports to form explicit guidelines for pets, and ensure that sports equipment and musical instruments are transported safely. Your rights in your language: Passenger entitlements expected to be displayed prominently in regional languages, across all booking platforms and airport counters. Delays and cancellations? No more guesswork: The Ministry expects strict adherence to the existing passenger rights framework for delays, denied boarding, and cancellations. 

It’s slightly ironic that Kolkata, a city fiercely protective of its monuments and history, should now have a contemporary art outpost operating out of a 116-year-old former prison. Experimenter, the gallery that co-founders Prateek and Priyanka Raja established in 2009, opened its fourth space on March 15, inside the Old Art Studio at Alipore Museum. For the uninitiated, it’s the erstwhile Alipore Jail, once one of Asia's largest prisons, housing prominent freedom fighters during the Independence Struggle.  A remarkable address comes with a tall order. Much like Experimenter’s Hindustan Road and Ballygunge Place addresses, and its sole Mumbai address, the decor alone tells you Experimenter is not interested in the contemporary experience as a white-cube-we’re-here-to-talk-and-drink. You’re met instead with a double-gabled structure in deep terracotta brick, two circular windows, twin white exhibition banners hanging on either side of its green-painted doors.  Going forward, the Outpost plans solo and group shows alongside music lectures, salon-style workshops, and community gatherings. The heritage site, if this works as it should, becomes more than a museum of what once was. It becomes a place where the city actively thinks about what it is now, and what it might become, literally, all at once. The inaugural show makes a reasonable bid for that case. Kolkata-based artist Rathin Barman's The cage broke, and I found the horizon brings together new sculpture and drawing built

  Delhiites willingly queued for upwards of an hour outside Connaught Place's newest arrival. For once, it seems justified. Alienkind, the Bengaluru-based café, opened its first Delhi outlet on March 14, and the response has been, well, out of this world. Founded in 2024 by Vikram Kakkireni and Abhishek Kumar, the concept clearly resonates. Why go? Think a striking orange hue and neon accents, sci-fi aesthetics, and the vague but pleasing sensation that you've stepped into a set from a near-future virtual reality film. It’s not just that, though. Other than serving appetising burgers to health-conscious big eaters, their menu features a variety of fruit and vegetable juice blends.  With a tagline like "Humans make stupid choices, rather be an alien," and a vibe that's part streetwear drop, part dystopia, Alienkind seems three years ahead of marketing trends. The Delhi queue will likely only grow. Go on a weekday if you can. Where: Connaught Place, New Delhi  Price: ₹500-600  Opening hours: Mon-Sun. 11am-1am.  

If you had a date circled on your calendar for Ye's New Delhi show on March 29, you'll want to grab a pen. Organisers have officially announced a new date: May 23.  In a statement, organisers said it was 'due to the prevailing geopolitical situation and regional tensions'. No venue change from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has been indicated yet.  Already holding tickets? You don't need to do anything except look after travel arrangements: all existing tickets remain valid for the rescheduled show. As of now, details on a refund are awaited. This also comes ahead of the release of Ye’s new album, Bully. Meanwhile, tickets are still available on the District app, starting ₹9,500. 

Defence Colony's gallery row is pulling a late night shift on March 17. If you routinely complain about how exhibitions are never open on evenings or Sundays, this is your chance! Ten of the neighbourhood’s galleries will stay open until 9pm – which, in exhibit terms, is practically a party.  If you’re planning to cover as many as possible, start with Vadehra Art Gallery, which is near the Lajpat Nagar Metro Station. Most will fall along a line to its right. Then, take a ride to Latitude 28, from where you can walk to PHOTOINK and GALLERYSKYE. From there, Pristine Contemporary and GalleryXXL are another short while away, opposite each other. And then, Defence Colony market is right there to end the night. Three shows are opening fresh on the night Akar Prakar unveils Ekāgratā, a solo by the late SH Raza. Latitude 28 opens What Form Retains by Mayur Gupta. Over at Vadehra Art Gallery, Ranbir Kaleka's Circle of Stories. All three run until April 17. For those who've been procrastinating on shows GALLERYSKE's Sudarshan Shetty show, A Breath Held Long, literally closes on Tuesday itself, so that's a deadline in the most actual sense. Two others are verging towards last-chance territory. Method's RITES by Alida Sun is on until March 22. Gallery XXL's In Memory of a Totem by Jumu wraps March 21, placing both in last-chance territory. If you're in less of a rush PHOTOINK has Ketaki Sheth's Flashback until March 28. Pristine Contemporary is showing Nature Shankar's Go Easy On Me Baby

Downstairs first. If the jet font on the front of Khirki Extension’s white-bricked studio-gallery won’t lead you there, the security guard will. You will go, later, back to the entrance to take the stairs to the last exhibit. Even before you’ve seen a single work, you’ll be conscious of the need to return, which for you, at this moment, is simple enough. Fitting. For this day at least, it’s the last time you’ll take movement and visiting for granted. At Khoj Studios, six young curators from Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal and Sri Lanka are presenting the culmination of their year-long Curatorial Intensive South Asia fellowship, themed on the process of returning – in all its messiness and politics. I’ve always been fond of exhibitions that are based on community-centred initiatives, ones that require people to be with each other. At the same time, this manages to stand out. Here are three shows that we especially recommend visiting for. A Place is Made but, Do We Get It? | Curated by Anna Sireiliu Charenamei Spread eagle across the terrace is a fierce question, asked through warmth, to Delhi’s artgoing public that sings praises of rice wine. Is it acceptable to consume Humayunpur's food and ‘cool’ without accounting for the political violence that drove them here in the first place? What does this mean for those who call Humayunpur home?  I recognise spots I’ve flitted in and out of in Bellona Yumnam’s and Menty Jamir’s photography, taken with a lingering gaze and smiles of th

Rarely is the span of a mid-March weekend justified for an exhibition of the greats in Indian art history. Allow AstaGuru to present its case: it’s one of India’s most respected auction houses based out of Bombay, and they’re returning for their annual Delhi exhibit to Bikaner House.  The show brings together works by MF Husain, FN Souza, Ram Kumar, Krishen Khanna, KH Ara, KK Hebbar and more; it’s a roll call of modernist Indian masters along with more contemporary artists including Paresh Maity, Thota Vaikuntam, Himmat Shah and Manu Parekh.  Frequently in the news for their sales and insight into what makes art appeal to different kinds of buyers, AstaGuru is quite conscious nonetheless of the exhibition experience: they have a name for their showcase, ShowKeen, which promises a relaxed viewing atmosphere designed not to overwhelm you. Another reason why I wouldn’t complain about the short timing is that this is easy to incorporate into a solid weekend plan: you’ve got Diggin and L'Opéra eateries on Bikaner House premises, and Khan Market, NGMA and Indian War Memorial nearby. Despite crowds, I’d say Bikaner House is one of the easiest galleries to navigate travelling to in the city. When: March 14-15. 11am-6pm. Where: CCA Gallery, Gate No 3, Bikaner House, Pandara Road Entry: Free Nearest metro: Khan Market Parking: Available on Bikaner House premises