By Priya Lalwani | Founder & Editor, The Mauve

Somewhere along the way, between building a business, meeting deadlines and constantly thinking about what comes next, I forgot how it feels to do something simply because it makes me happy.

To paint. To socialise without watching the clock. To gather around good food, play with colours and enjoy conversations that don’t need a purpose.

And then came Chaukhat.

I recently found myself painting, surrounded by vibrant colours, greenery and the kind of warmth that makes you forget, even if just for a few hours, everything waiting for you outside that moment. It was such a simple experience, yet one that made me realise how rarely I allow myself to slow down and just be.

I think we underestimate how much we miss these little things.

The Beauty of Coming Together

There is something special about a space that brings people together without making the gathering feel like an obligation. No elaborate plans, no pressure to make the most of every minute. Just people, conversations, creativity and the joy of doing something different.

That is what stayed with me about my experience with Chaukhat. It wasn’t just about the aesthetics, although those were done beautifully. It was about the feeling the experience created — the kind that brings back a little nostalgia and reminds you of the simple pleasures we often leave behind as life gets busier.

As someone who spends much of her time creating, planning and building, I sometimes forget to make room for experiences where I don’t have to produce anything, solve anything or be anywhere in particular.

Perhaps that is a reminder I needed.

A Little Nostalgia, A Lot of Character

What makes Chaukhat particularly interesting to me is its larger celebration of thoughtful living and coming together. Its upcoming Diwali Edit, on 24 and 25 October at Chhattisgarh Club, Civil Lines, Raipur, brings together home décor, linen and serveware through Rooyasaa by Navneet Sawhney, alongside artisanal finds, homegrown labels, food and craft.

I love the idea of discovering objects that carry a little more character, of finding pieces that make a home feel personal rather than simply styled. There is a certain warmth in things that tell stories, whether it is something handmade, a detail on a beautifully laid table or an object that becomes part of a family’s everyday rituals.

And perhaps that is what makes gatherings and thoughtfully curated spaces so meaningful. They are not merely about what we see or take home, but also about what we experience while we are there.

Permission to Enjoy the Moment

I have often spoken about ambition, growth and the things I want to build. Those things matter to me. But lately, I have been thinking about how easily we begin treating every hour as something that must be accounted for.

When did doing something for the sheer joy of it become an exception?

When did meeting people, trying something creative or spending an afternoon without a checklist become something we needed to make time for, rather than something that naturally belonged in our lives?

My afternoon at Chaukhat brought me back to these questions. It reminded me that a full life isn’t necessarily one filled with activity. Sometimes, it is one that leaves enough room for spontaneity, laughter and the little things that make us feel like ourselves again.

I walked away with more than a lovely memory. I walked away remembering a version of myself I hadn’t made enough room for lately.

And maybe that is the most beautiful thing an experience can offer: not something entirely new, but a way back to something you had forgotten.

Sometimes, all we need is a little colour, a beautiful setting, good company and the permission to stop for a while.

To paint. To gather. To smile.

To simply live a little more.

— Priya Lalwani
Founder & Editor, The Mauve