# Slow travel in India: hidden lotus pond and craft villages 2026-08-14T12:54:22+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet In a personal essay for The Hindu, designer Nisha Vikram describes how she travels across India seeking craft traditions and chance encounters, rather than following guidebooks or Instagram hotspots. She recounts finding a hidden lotus pond between Kumbakonam and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, a monsoon trip to Goa inspired by a book on the monsoon, and visits to stone carvers in Shivarapatna, Karnataka, and embroidery artist Lalita Vakil in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. Her design studio CraftCanvas works with over 30 craft traditions. Vikram argues that travel differs from tourism when you allow sights to meet you. She quotes a line from Lucky Ali's song and says her method involves using the book 'Handmade in India' and trusting local people to point the way. Her 8-year-old daughter, however, prefers trips to South Korea or Paris. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: CraftCanvas, Hazaribagh, Lalita Vakil Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/slow-travel-in-india-hidden-lotus-pond-and-craft-villages/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/slow-travel-in-india-hidden-lotus-pond-and-craft-villages/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.