City: Agra

Atithi Devo Bhava – the guest is God! While it is cited ad nauseam in both academic and popular conversations on Indian culture, never does the concept become as real and palpable as when important heads of state visit us. Cities are decked up like a bride on her wedding day; streets get cleaned, riverfronts along the route are beautified, walls and facades are decorated with paintings depicting the culture of the two countries…and so on. We have seen it in Varanasi ahead of the 2015 meet between Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and Narendra Modi, or when the French President…

It’s a long alley that leads you to this glass-walled cafe. Even before you have stepped into this coffee shop you are greeted by a family playing at the carrom board placed outside along with some high chairs. A world of colours awaits you as you step inside, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere that you immediately settle into. A children’s play area in one corner, mismatched chairs – some wicker, some wooden and some boutique - and a swing chair in another corner create a lively ambience that’s instantly appealing. If we hadn’t known better, we would have treated Café…