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A Celestial Sojourn at Kioki: My Tanabata Rhapsody Let's be frank. Gurugram, for all its gleaming towers and aspirational dining, isn't exactly the first place that springs to mind when one contemplates ancient Japanese traditions. One expects the clink of ice in oversized gin glasses, perhaps the thrum of a DJ set, but certainly not the quiet poetry of a star festival. And yet, this past week, at Kioki, nestled within the rather charming environs of 32nd Avenue, something quite enchanting unfolded. From the 4th to the 7th of July, as the relentless NCR heat finally began to relent a little with the evening breeze, Kioki played host to the Tanabata Festival. Now, for the uninitiated, Tanabata – "Evening of the Seventh" – isn't just another pretty phrase. It's a poignant, centuries-old Japanese celebration, deeply rooted in the Chinese Qixi Festival, that speaks of separated lovers and celestial reunions. We're talking about Orihime and Hikoboshi, represented by the stars Vega and Altair, forever yearning across the vast expanse of the Milky Way, granted but a single annual rendezvous on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. A tale that, frankly, puts most modern rom-coms to shame. Kioki, to their credit, didn't just pay lip service to this exquisite narrative. They understood its soul. The concept was simple, elegant, and deeply moving: a wish tree. Yes, a bamboo tree, bedecked and awaiting the hopes and dreams of mere mortals. The idea, borrowed directly from the Japanese tradition, is to pen down your most fervent desires, tie them to the branches, and let them ascend, as it were, towards the heavens. It’s an exercise in optimism, a moment of quiet reflection in the heart of our bustling city. I watched, fascinated, as people – young and old, couples and solo adventurers – carefully inscribed their wishes. There was a palpable sense of shared aspiration, a collective sigh of hope that hung in the air, mingling with the aroma of Kioki's delectable offerings. And, as a charming little contemporary twist, each wish came with a fortune cookie, offering not just a cryptic prediction but also a discount inside.

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This post was published on 08th July, 2025 by Rahul on his Instagram handle "@rahulprabhakar (Rahul Prabhakar)". Rahul has total 65.1K followers on Instagram and has a total of 2.3K post. Rahul receives an average engagement rate of % per post on Instagram. This post has received 35 comments which are greater than the average comments that Rahul gets. Overall the engagement rate for this post was than the average for the profile.