Eat. Live. Stay Local – Mony Beats Edition | Apr 28

This week, India is at its most layered and alive. Akshaya Tritiya — one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar — brings together tradition, prosperity, and the kind of celebration that feels both ancient and immediate. Whether you are eating food rooted in five-thousand-year-old Ayurvedic practice, participating in one of the world’s largest gold-buying rituals, or sleeping inside a hand-painted haveli in Jaipur, this edition is about experiencing India on its own terms.

Eat Local: Sattvic Food in India

Long before green juice and gluten-free diets became lifestyle choices, India had already developed sattvic food — a plant-based cuisine rooted in Ayurveda and practiced continuously for millennia. Sattvic cooking uses fresh, seasonal produce and avoids onion, garlic, and heavily processed ingredients. The result is food that feels genuinely restorative rather than merely healthy.

A typical sattvic meal includes whole-grain khichdi, fresh paneer curry, seasonal vegetables, and payasam sweetened with jaggery. It is vegetarian but not vegan, since dairy plays a central role. Importantly, it excludes anything considered agitating to the mind or body — which rules out deep-fried food, fermented preparations, and intensely spiced dishes.

Where to Try Sattvic Food

Authentic sattvic cooking is most concentrated in towns with strong spiritual traditions. Rishikesh, Puri, and Udupi are the three most reliable destinations. In Rishikesh, restaurants along Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula cater almost exclusively to health-conscious and spiritually minded visitors. Meals at mid-range cafes here cost Rs 150 to Rs 400 per person. In larger cities, ISKCON-run Govinda’s restaurants serve sattvic thalis for Rs 100 to Rs 200. In Bengaluru, Sattvam offers a contemporary sattvic buffet for Rs 600 to Rs 900 per person.

For NRI visitors and international tourists moving between these destinations, Mony keeps payments effortless. Mony is a travel finance app that lets you pay like a local — using UPI, local cards, or cash — with no hidden fees and the best exchange rates. Whether you are settling a restaurant bill in Rishikesh or buying Ayurvedic herbs at a local market, Mony makes every transaction straightforward.

Live Local: Akshaya Tritiya and Buying Gold in India

On Akshaya Tritiya, India’s love for gold becomes impossible to miss. Jewellery stores across the country extend their hours, run special offers, and fill with buyers who treat the purchase as both investment and ritual. The word akshaya means eternal and never diminishing — consequently, it is considered the ideal day to invest in gold, begin a new venture, or mark a family milestone.

Three gold markets stand out in particular. In Mumbai, Zaveri Bazaar is the country’s most historic gold trading district, home to jewellers like Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri and Dwarkadas Chandumal. In Chennai, Ranganathan Street in T. Nagar specialises in South Indian temple jewellery — intricate 22-carat gold pieces featuring carved deities and classical motifs. In Kolkata, Bowbazar is known for delicate filigree work and lighter botanical designs. All three markets are free to enter and open from around 10:00 AM, with extended hours on the festival day itself.

Before buying, check the day’s gold rate on the Multi Commodity Exchange website and always look for the BIS hallmark — the six-digit code that certifies purity. Furthermore, ask about making charges, since some stores waive or reduce these on Akshaya Tritiya as a promotional offer.

Stay Local: Laalee, Jaipur

For those who want their accommodation to feel as considered as the rest of their trip, Laalee in Jaipur is a nine-room boutique haveli that offers something most palace hotels in the city cannot — intimacy. Hand-painted walls, heirloom recipes, and carefully chosen furnishings give the property the feeling of a private home rather than a commercial stay.

Getting to Laalee

Jaipur is well connected by air via Jaipur International Airport, with regular flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and other major cities. Jaipur Railway Station is served by numerous trains from across the country, including the Shatabdi Express from Delhi. Within the city, app-based cabs and auto-rickshaws are the most practical way to reach the property. Room rates at Laalee vary by season — contact the hotel directly to confirm current pricing and availability, and book well in advance, particularly around long weekends and festival dates.

Travel This Week with Mony

From a sattvic thali in Rishikesh to a gold purchase in Zaveri Bazaar to a quiet evening in a Jaipur haveli, each of these experiences involves local payments of different kinds. Mony handles all of them — UPI, local cards, or cash — without conversion fees or compatibility problems. This India local travel April guide covers what to do; Mony takes care of how you pay for it.

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