It is sad that OT will no longer see the magic of Mario Miranda. I was a bit annoyed when OT switched to a single ‘Traveltoons’ last year, but it was imminent since Mario wasn’t keeping well of late. The first thing I do on receiving the magazine is read ‘Traveltoons’ before moving onto the first page. Mario and Laxman have been two shining jewels in the Indian cartoonists’ fraternity. With Mario’s death, an era has come to an end. Mario Miranda, [shine on] you crazy diamond, may your soul rest in peace.

Time and again, I am confounded by how the OT sleuths unearth so many hidden gems. The Itmenaan Estate (Dec ‘11) was another such gem. I also enjoyed Manidipa Mandal’s article ‘The Joys of Excess’; more so because I am from Kolkata. However, she missed out the phuchkas. Also, I was surprised to find that Rajasthan did not feature in your winter getaways’ list.

Your travel stories are always delightful. But for once, I fell for the journey of a different kind—the journey of life as described in ‘The Wonder Years’ by Vinod Mehta (Dec ‘11). Lucknow always had an old-world charm—its laidback view of life, the splendid eateries and the magnificent monuments. Here, life was to be savoured; things could wait and itminaan was the reigning word. Few cities can match the city it was and fewer writers can bring that out as splendidly as Mr Mehta.

I am a backpacker and an ardent reader of OT. When OT was launched, it was a breath of fresh air. There were other magazines but nothing matched its standards. It was India’s answer to international travel magazines. Now that Travel & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller and Lonely Planet Magazine are being published here, competition is stronger than ever before. I read these magazines and find that they do little to promote India’s lesser-known districts. Granted, it would take half a century to cover all 600 districts, but surely they can try harder. As for OT, you should include a detachable map with details like hotels, travel agencies and emergency numbers marked on it. Also, unlike the Lucknow that Vinod Mehta’s piece (Dec ‘11) mourned—one that lost its charm with the arrival of the new migrant classes—OT must reinvent itself without losing its identity.

OT has always been special, but what has made it even more endearing are the timeless, amazing works of Mario Miranda in its pages. I looked forward to seeing a new ‘Traveltoons’ every month. Now, I will have to go back to your early issues and make a collage of his work. May his soul rest in peace.

The letter of the month in the December 2011 issue struck a chord. There are occasions when we are discriminated against on the basis of our colour and appearance. I was reminded of an incident when I was travelling in a first-class compartment on one of Mumbai’s local trains and overheard comments on how I couldn’t possibly afford a first-class ticket. I was infuriated but kept my cool. Soon the ticket-checker came by and I showed him my pass and glowered at the people who had passed the comments. We may have progressed as a nation, but we often judge people by their appearance. Also, Mario Miranda will be missed. His cartoons have been appearing in OT’s pages almost since its inception. Please continue giving his old or unpublished work, so we can continue to read this page first and then the others.

When my OT arrived last month, I was overjoyed with ‘The Joys of Excess’. I don’t usually write letters to publications, but I had to make an exception here. Keep up the good work.

I did not find any charm of Lucknow in Vinod Mehta’s article ‘The Wonder Years’. It was dull and boring. But Vandana Mohindra’s ‘Irish Heartbeat’ made my jaw drop—the good food, the wee green men, the Guinness Storehouse and the Ha’penny bridge were all charming. I was delighted to know that Dublin is the birthplace of literary icons like Shaw, Wilde, Yeats, Joyce and Beckett. Excellent photos.

I am going to get married next month and I have benefited immensely from OT’s articles—especially in deciding on a destination for our honeymoon. Also, congratulations on the brilliant cover stories in the year-end special. Happy New Year.

Very few issues of the magazine deal with budget hotels. While the description of natural beauty is a hallmark of OT, may I request you to consider focussing more on destinations in the East and particularly, on forests in India. I am not a regular reader of your magazine. But I enjoyed reading your 10th anniversary issue and expect issues of a similar standard from you.

I have been reading OT for the last four years. And I would like to request you to add a section in each issue identifying trips that can be planned one month in advance, two months in advance and three months in advance. Also, do take upcoming vacations into account too.

I am an avid OT reader and believe it is the best travel magazine in the country. It also sets me thinking about how much India can capitalise on its many beautiful and remote tribal areas in terms of tourism. I hope OT will bring more such places to our attention.

OT’s photographs are so beautiful they can make for many coffee-table books. Your issues are a visual feast.

It is sad that OT will no longer see the magic of Mario Miranda. I was a bit annoyed when OT switched to a single ‘Traveltoons’ last year, but it was imminent since Mario wasn’t keeping well of late. The first thing I do on receiving the magazine is read ‘Traveltoons’ before moving onto the first page. Mario and Laxman have been two shining jewels in the Indian cartoonists’ fraternity. With Mario’s death, an era has come to an end. Mario Miranda, [shine on] you crazy diamond, may your soul rest in peace.

Time and again, I am confounded by how the OT sleuths unearth so many hidden gems. The Itmenaan Estate (Dec ‘11) was another such gem. I also enjoyed Manidipa Mandal’s article ‘The Joys of Excess’; more so because I am from Kolkata. However, she missed out the phuchkas. Also, I was surprised to find that Rajasthan did not feature in your winter getaways’ list.

Your travel stories are always delightful. But for once, I fell for the journey of a different kind—the journey of life as described in ‘The Wonder Years’ by Vinod Mehta (Dec ‘11). Lucknow always had an old-world charm—its laidback view of life, the splendid eateries and the magnificent monuments. Here, life was to be savoured; things could wait and itminaan was the reigning word. Few cities can match the city it was and fewer writers can bring that out as splendidly as Mr Mehta.

I am a backpacker and an ardent reader of OT. When OT was launched, it was a breath of fresh air. There were other magazines but nothing matched its standards. It was India’s answer to international travel magazines. Now that Travel & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller and Lonely Planet Magazine are being published here, competition is stronger than ever before. I read these magazines and find that they do little to promote India’s lesser-known districts. Granted, it would take half a century to cover all 600 districts, but surely they can try harder. As for OT, you should include a detachable map with details like hotels, travel agencies and emergency numbers marked on it. Also, unlike the Lucknow that Vinod Mehta’s piece (Dec ‘11) mourned—one that lost its charm with the arrival of the new migrant classes—OT must reinvent itself without losing its identity.

OT has always been special, but what has made it even more endearing are the timeless, amazing works of Mario Miranda in its pages. I looked forward to seeing a new ‘Traveltoons’ every month. Now, I will have to go back to your early issues and make a collage of his work. May his soul rest in peace.

The letter of the month in the December 2011 issue struck a chord. There are occasions when we are discriminated against on the basis of our colour and appearance. I was reminded of an incident when I was travelling in a first-class compartment on one of Mumbai’s local trains and overheard comments on how I couldn’t possibly afford a first-class ticket. I was infuriated but kept my cool. Soon the ticket-checker came by and I showed him my pass and glowered at the people who had passed the comments. We may have progressed as a nation, but we often judge people by their appearance. Also, Mario Miranda will be missed. His cartoons have been appearing in OT’s pages almost since its inception. Please continue giving his old or unpublished work, so we can continue to read this page first and then the others.

When my OT arrived last month, I was overjoyed with ‘The Joys of Excess’. I don’t usually write letters to publications, but I had to make an exception here. Keep up the good work.

I did not find any charm of Lucknow in Vinod Mehta’s article ‘The Wonder Years’. It was dull and boring. But Vandana Mohindra’s ‘Irish Heartbeat’ made my jaw drop—the good food, the wee green men, the Guinness Storehouse and the Ha’penny bridge were all charming. I was delighted to know that Dublin is the birthplace of literary icons like Shaw, Wilde, Yeats, Joyce and Beckett. Excellent photos.

I am going to get married next month and I have benefited immensely from OT’s articles—especially in deciding on a destination for our honeymoon. Also, congratulations on the brilliant cover stories in the year-end special. Happy New Year.

Very few issues of the magazine deal with budget hotels. While the description of natural beauty is a hallmark of OT, may I request you to consider focussing more on destinations in the East and particularly, on forests in India. I am not a regular reader of your magazine. But I enjoyed reading your 10th anniversary issue and expect issues of a similar standard from you.

I have been reading OT for the last four years. And I would like to request you to add a section in each issue identifying trips that can be planned one month in advance, two months in advance and three months in advance. Also, do take upcoming vacations into account too.

I am an avid OT reader and believe it is the best travel magazine in the country. It also sets me thinking about how much India can capitalise on its many beautiful and remote tribal areas in terms of tourism. I hope OT will bring more such places to our attention.

OT’s photographs are so beautiful they can make for many coffee-table books. Your issues are a visual feast.