ISKCON Dwarka Teams Up with Adani Group for Kumbh Mela 2025 Services

ISKCON Dwarka Teams Up with Adani Group for Kumbh Mela 2025 Services

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on January 10, 2025

ISKCON Dwarka, in partnership with the Adani Group, has announced a series of initiatives to enhance the experience of pilgrims at the Kumbh Mela 2025. These initiatives are designed to cater to the needs of millions of attendees, focusing on meal distribution, transportation assistance, and spiritual engagement.

A major highlight of the collaboration is the provision of 2 lakh meals daily during the sacred Amrit Snan days, when pilgrims gather to take holy dips in the Ganga. Sponsored by the Adani Group, this service will operate for three days around each Amrit Snan. Additionally, ISKCON will distribute 60,000 meals daily throughout the Mela, including 18,000 meals specifically for sanitation workers ensuring cleanliness and safety at the event.

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To facilitate mobility within the Kumbh Mela grounds, the Adani Group is sponsoring golf cart services for elderly pilgrims, differently-abled individuals, and mothers with children. They are also providing meals for the drivers and conductors of electric buses that transport over 1 lakh pilgrims daily.

The spiritual aspect of the event will be enriched by the ISKCON Kumbh Team, led by Sanaka Sanatana Prabhu. Accommodations for 3,000 devotees have been arranged, where attendees can participate in kirtans, devotional dances, and enlightening discourses.

Another unique feature is the Bullock Cart Sankirtan, a vibrant daily procession where devotees chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and play traditional instruments. This procession will move through the Kumbh grounds, encouraging pilgrims to join in the chanting and dancing.

Shri Gaur Prabhu, Vice President of ISKCON Dwarka, remarked, “Serving pilgrims during the Amrit Snan days reflects ISKCON’s mission of compassion and devotion. With Adani’s support and the ISKCON Kumbh Team, we aim to ensure a spiritually uplifting experience for attendees.”


Taj Agra Celebrates the Monsoon with a Refreshing Seasonal Mocktail Menu

Taj Agra Celebrates the Monsoon with a Refreshing Seasonal Mocktail Menu

By Hariharan U

Published on July 14, 2026

Taj Agra has unveiled its exclusive Monsoon Mocktail Menu, a limited-edition beverage collection celebrating the refreshing flavours and nostalgic charm of the Indian monsoon. Available throughout the rainy season, the menu features five handcrafted mocktails that blend tropical fruits with warming spices and artisanal syrups to create a distinctive seasonal experience.

Inspired by the changing moods of the monsoon, the collection combines ingredients such as mango, guava, watermelon, pineapple, ginger, mint, black salt, and chaat masala to offer a balance of refreshing and comforting flavours. Each beverage has been thoughtfully curated to complement the cool, earthy ambience that accompanies the rains in Agra.

Commenting on the launch, Aman Raj, Bartender at Taj Agra, said, "Monsoon in Agra has a unique charm that calls for comforting yet vibrant flavors. For this menu, we wanted to elevate familiar seasonal fruits by balancing their sweetness with the sharp bite of ginger, fresh mint, and classic street-side spices like chaat masala. These drinks do more than refresh. They evoke nostalgic memories of a classic Indian monsoon, perfectly complementing the cool, earthy atmosphere of the season."

The seasonal menu includes the Mango Monsoon Cooler, a refreshing blend of mango, lime, mint, and sparkling fizz; the Mango Masala Fizz, inspired by India's iconic fruit chaat with chaat masala and black salt; the Watermelon Mint Rain Cooler, combining fresh watermelon juice with muddled mint; the Spicy Pineapple Ginger Fizz, featuring pineapple, ginger syrup, and ginger ale for a warming finish; and the Guava Watermelon Punch, a layered mocktail combining guava, watermelon, and grenadine.

Through this limited-time offering, Taj Agra aims to create a sensory dining experience that captures the essence of the monsoon while showcasing seasonal ingredients through innovative, alcohol-free beverages.

Part of the Taj Hotels portfolio, Taj Agra continues to offer curated culinary experiences that blend contemporary hospitality with India's rich gastronomic traditions.


Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters to Open New Café at Vihang Ventura in Mumbai's Mira Road

Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters to Open New Café at Vihang Ventura in Mumbai's Mira Road

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on July 14, 2026

Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters has announced the opening of its newest café at Vihang Ventura, a premium commercial development in Mira Road. The café will be one of the anchor brands at the upcoming project, marking the company's continued expansion in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Developed by Vihang Ahead, Vihang Ventura is designed as a modern commercial destination featuring premium retail outlets, flagship showrooms, office spaces and lifestyle businesses. Blue Tokai's entry aligns with the project's vision of creating a vibrant space where retail, dining and business come together.

The new café also reflects the changing landscape of the Mira Bhayandar region. Once known mainly as an affordable residential area, the locality is now emerging as a fast-growing suburban hub, supported by improved connectivity, rising household incomes and an increasing number of entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, Global Capability Centre (GCC) employees and young families.

As consumer preferences continue to evolve, the region has witnessed growing demand for organised retail, premium dining and lifestyle-focused experiences. Blue Tokai, known for its freshly roasted coffee, artisanal brewing methods and thoughtfully designed cafés, aims to cater to this growing market while complementing Vihang Ventura's premium retail mix.

Strategically located opposite the newly operational Kashigaon Metro Station, Vihang Ventura is expected to become a key commercial destination in the Mira Bhayandar region.

Purvesh Sarnaik, Director, Vihang Ahead, said, "Blue Tokai represents the new generation of premium lifestyle brands that resonate with today's discerning consumers. Their decision to establish a presence at Vihang Ventura is a strong endorsement of both the project's vision and the immense growth potential of the Mira Bhayandar market. As we continue to welcome leading national and international brands, we are creating a vibrant commercial ecosystem that seamlessly integrates retail, dining, business, and community experiences, making Ventura a destination of choice for the region."

Shivam Shahi, Co-Founder & COO, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, said, "Blue Tokai has grown into India's largest speciality coffee company, with over 258 locations across seven cities, driven by a simple vision, to make exceptional, freshly roasted coffee accessible wherever people choose to enjoy it. As Mira Bhayandar continues to evolve into a thriving residential and commercial hub, Vihang Ventura presents the ideal opportunity for us to bring the Blue Tokai experience to a vibrant, aspirational community that values quality, convenience, and meaningful café experiences."

India's specialty coffee market has seen significant growth over the past decade, driven by changing consumer preferences, higher disposable incomes and increasing demand for premium café experiences. Blue Tokai's upcoming café at Vihang Ventura reflects this shift while supporting the development's vision of creating a future-ready commercial hub where work, shopping, dining and community experiences come together.


Haldiram's Opens New Restaurant in Ayodhya's Ram Path Road

Haldiram's Opens New Restaurant in Ayodhya's Ram Path Road

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on July 14, 2026

Haldiram's has strengthened its presence in North India with the launch of a new restaurant in Ayodhya, bringing its signature range of traditional snacks, sweets and meals to one of India's most important spiritual destinations. Located on Ram Path Road near Ayodhya Railway Station, the new outlet is set to welcome both local residents and the millions of devotees who visit Lord Ram's Janmabhoomi every year.

The opening holds special significance for the brand, which shared that having "Ram" as part of its name makes its presence in Lord Ram's birthplace especially meaningful. The company described the launch as an opportunity to serve devotees and visitors while becoming a part of their journey to the sacred city.

The restaurant features Haldiram's wide selection of food, including its popular savoury snacks, traditional Indian sweets, chaats, North Indian cuisine, South Indian favourites, street-style Chinese dishes, freshly baked products and a variety of beverages.

The launch also aligns with Haldiram's ongoing 'Ache Din Aa Rahe Hai!' campaign, which encourages people to celebrate meaningful moments with family and friends while creating lasting memories over good food.

For Haldiram's, Ayodhya represents more than just another expansion destination. The brand said the opening is an emotional milestone and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the people of Ayodhya and the large number of pilgrims who visit the holy city throughout the year. Through its food offerings and hospitality, the company hopes to make every visitor's experience even more memorable.

With the launch of its Ayodhya outlet, Haldiram's continues to expand across emerging markets beyond metro cities while strengthening its presence in some of India's most cherished spiritual destinations.

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