Tale box

It was love at first sight at Dilli Haat. I was looking for a present for my cousin and his new wife when these open doors beckoned. Provenance Bassi, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. Some large ones, about a foot high, some small, the size of my palm. I peered inside one&mdashthe doors unfolded, and on panel after panel there were stories begging to be told. &lsquoJangli kahaani&rsquo announced one box painted in green with tales from the Panchatantra. Others had mythologies. Dwarka Prasad Jangid, the craftsman, took me through the stories&mdashthe Ramayana, the lilas of Krishna, Dashavatara... I returned again to a small one that seemed most right &mdash blazing red and utterly charming. Rs 250, he quoted. I&rsquom a notorious bargainer but I paid up quietly.   

Siteseeing

"Foodies eat where they're told. Chowhounds blaze trails"

www.chowhound.com

If food figures prominently in your travels, you must bookmark this site. But if you fancy yourself a foodie, prepare to be sneered at, for this appears to be a level up &ldquoChowhounds know where the good stuff is, and they never settle for less... We&rsquore not talking about foodies. Foodies eat where they&rsquore told. Chowhounds blaze trails.&rdquo

These are primarily food forums or boards as they are called here. The site is American and there&rsquos a strong US bias, but it has interesting international sections too and it&rsquos great for picking up random gyaan you didn&rsquot know you wanted, as well as of course, answers to specific queries. If you&rsquore seeking advice on planning a foodie trail in Florence or wanting to know what the best food souvenirs are from Jodhpur, this is where to stop.

The supra site, Chow, is more food than travel, but it&rsquos fun. It has recipes, several interesting guides, and stories as well as restaurant listings (again only limited to the US). Do check out a section called &lsquoYou&rsquore Doing it All Wrong&rsquo, which has videos teaching you how to cut and serve cheese and, yes, how to steep tea.