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A note on the issue: A spring affair

This week, several stories in the issue reference springtime, renewal, harmony and a love for all things natural

March is that last gasp of gentleness before we are hit by the heat of summer
March is that last gasp of gentleness before we are hit by the heat of summer

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There’s something about March that has always seemed like a time of being in-between. Whether you live in the north, where the seasons are markedly different, or the south, where they all tend to merge, March is that last gasp of gentleness before we are hit by the heat of summer. It’s this mood of gentle sunshine that envelops Lounge this week, with stories that reference springtime, renewal, harmony, and a love for all things natural.

Also read: Flavours of spring from kitchens of chefs across India

For our cover story this week, the team spoke to chefs across the country, who shared their fondest memories of spring and their favourite recipes for the season. Their reminiscences also pay tribute to spectacular variety of produce that is harvested across the country at this time.

Our monthly column on backlisted books also revisits a book about renewal, nature and coexistence, Helen Macdonald’s H Is For Hawk, which holds lessons in learning to observe and understand the patterns by which other creatures live. These are the “million things we can’t see or understand, conversations we don’t know,” as Arivu—who speaks to Lounge about his work for Coke Studio Tamil—sings in Sagavaasi, a song about coexistence with nature. 

The sentiment of this line is also reflected in wildlife biologist Neha Sinha’s piece on the community-based conservation work she has been part of in Nagaland. The migratory Amur falcon was once captured by the thousands in the state but over the last few years, the hunters have turned protectors and welcome it as a revered guest, an example of communities making the effort to nurture ties that we may not always be able to see or fully understand.

In keeping with the theme of springtime and renewal, we have a story on new farm-to-fork restaurants that have made a name for themselves over the past two years. Largely set up by people seeking a return to roots during the pandemic, these restaurateurs are trying to keep their food cycle natural and local, focusing on ways to renew and replenish the earth.

Write to the Lounge editor at shalini.umachandran@htlive.com

@shalinimb

Also read: When hunters turned protectors: The story of the Amur falcon

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