In east India, the winter months are more inviting than those in the summer. Between December and February, the typically oppressive heat relents, and those looking to enjoy the outdoors travel to one of the region's many rivers or miles of coastline for a day of dancing, eating, and drinking.

Groups of friends and entire families hire buses to take them long distances in search of the perfect picnic spot, along with copious amounts of food and alcohol. Once they establish a camp, the groups—sometimes joined by a professional chef—will blast Hindi and Bengali pop music and cook freshly slaughtered chicken with rice over an open fire, accompanied by whiskey and rum. On the riverbanks and beaches, the schedule for the