Did you know that the Kathakali dance art form of storytelling, synonymous with Kerala has origins in a 2000-year tradition? You can witness the two-hour long ceremony of elaborate masks being painted directly on the faces of performers using eco-friendly paint, rice paste and lime. Each colour has a cultural code.

Land up at Sanganer, the center of Rjasthan’s block-cutting and hand printing units. Enrol in a lesson on this centuries old handcrafting technique. Imprinting delicate motifs over white or cream cotton requires more mastery than you would have imagined. Multi-day classes are suggested if you’re in it for the long haul.

Step into one of the perfumery shops on the streets near Charminar to inhale the strong fragrances drifting from the hundreds of shiny bottles crowding the glass shelves. You can actually get your own brand of fragrance blended while you wait. Accurate replica of your fave Chanel? Coming right up.

Ditch snob value and connect with simplicity in a home stay tucked away in the verdant wonderland of Uttarakhand. Share a modest meal with a village family, volunteer with weaving communities, study Pahadi architecture, feel the joys of organic farming and refresh your lungs with unpolluted mountain air. Just be.

One of the India’s most exclusive and premier cultural events has come a long way since it kicked off in 2006. Rub shoulders with a community of literature buffs, get copies of newly launched books signed by celeb authors and enlighten yourself with literary speeches. This one is intelligentsia all the way.