Haraprasad Pal runs a small grocery shop at Chowk Shibram Batti village in Hooghly district of West Bengal, around 40 km from Kolkata. Since his childhood, Pal has been a green crusader, planting flowering shrubs and plants in his village that has a population of around 800 people and lies in the Singur administrative block. Man… Continue reading This Bengal shopkeeper is turning his village green
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Turning Kashmir’s potatoes into popular chips
A tale of transformation unfolds in the remote and breathtaking region of Gurez, tucked away beyond the Razdan Pass in the majestic Himalayas in the Kashmir valley. Once haunted by the mournful echoes of 17th-century poet Habba Khatoon’s songs, the local inhabitants now find themselves filled with hope as their potatoes will soon be in… Continue reading Turning Kashmir’s potatoes into popular chips
Karnataka youth aims for the sky with astro-tourism
The sky has literally been the limit for Niranjan Kanagoudar, a young entrepreneur on course to make a decent living. The 27-year-old from Haveri district in Karnataka has set up powerful telescopes in his 10-acre family farmland in Kunnur in the foothills of the Western Ghats. Called the Interstellar Astro Farm, it is supposedly north… Continue reading Karnataka youth aims for the sky with astro-tourism
Bengal banana farmers bask in sunshine
Champa, Dwarf Cavendish, Kanthali, Singapuri, Giant Governor, Mortman… These are the banana varieties grown in West Bengal. But what’s in a name? Is there a fruit more “ap-peeling” than the banana? Nature knew exactly what it was doing when it crafted the banana — letting it grow in the form of a smile. The fruit… Continue reading Bengal banana farmers bask in sunshine
Unique homestays in Munsiari
In Sarmoli, a border village situated on the India-Nepal-Tibet tri-junction, 5 am is a perfect time to watch the Panchachuli mountain range of the Himalayas. However, for Bina Nitwal, it is the start of her day. That includes cooking breakfast for her homestay guests, tending her backyard kitchen garden, getting her daughter ready for school,… Continue reading Unique homestays in Munsiari
MP artisans ‘wax’ eloquent through batik
In the 1960s, a local artist named Abdul Rahim Gutti introduced an intricate art form to the artisans of the ‘Chhipa’ community in Bhairavgarh, located in Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh. Popularly known as batik art, the ancient textile craft is believed to have originated in southeast Asia about 2,000 years ago. The process involves… Continue reading MP artisans ‘wax’ eloquent through batik
Women’s organic farms mitigate Jharkhand’s migrant issue
India was caught in a seismic shift in 2020 — a pandemic and an unprecedented lockdown that brought a sprawling landscape to a grinding halt. Everyone hunkered down and millions of migrant workers were stranded in big cities without jobs, food and shelter. Fearing starvation, whole families packed their pots, pans and blankets into rucksacks… Continue reading Women’s organic farms mitigate Jharkhand’s migrant issue
Ladakh longs for tourists who give region a miss
Ladakh is a popular tourist destination. Year after year, people from all over – both India and abroad – visit to soak in nature’s beauty in the far-flung region that for the most part is above 9,800 feet above sea level. The rush of tourists was witnessed last summer too with some 2.5 lakh of… Continue reading Ladakh longs for tourists who give region a miss
Kerala’s tribal farmers sow success with millets
Nanghi of Neelakuzhi hamlet, and the other farmers of her village in Attapadi taluk, are hoping for a bumper harvest of millets this year. Located on the fringes of the Western Ghats in Palakkad district, Attapadi is the only tribal taluk in Kerala. Irulas, Mudugas and Kurumbas make up the tribal communities here. They have… Continue reading Kerala’s tribal farmers sow success with millets
Rajasthan music school trains ustads of tomorrow
Chhotu Khan is no Atif Aslam. Just seven years old, Khan cannot match the mastery or the fan-following of Aslam, the famous singer from Pakistan who has made it big even in Bollywood. Yet, when Chhotu Khan sings folk songs, listeners make comparisons. Though none exactly says he is Aslam, some do say he is… Continue reading Rajasthan music school trains ustads of tomorrow
Papads and pickles empower women in Maharashtra
A Hindi proverb talks about “papad belna” or to roll the thin circular crisps made from a mixture of flour and water, and served roasted or fried. It means to go through great difficulty and a complicated procedure to complete a task or achieve something. In English, the equivalent phrase would be to jump through… Continue reading Papads and pickles empower women in Maharashtra
Curtains down for Odisha dolls made of cow dung?
You will not find these dolls in the fanciest stores or under the toy section of popular e-commerce websites. Nor do they come in shining attire or fancy packaging. Yet, the dolls made in Karadagadia village – some 70 km from the capital city of Bhubaneswar in Odisha – have made a name for themselves.… Continue reading Curtains down for Odisha dolls made of cow dung?
Rain washes away bumper cherry crop
Cherry cultivation has been a traditional source of livelihood for people in Dara, Harwan and Shalimar areas of Srinagar where orchardists have honed their skills for generations. “Srinagar district alone cultivates cherries across 333 hectares of land, resulting in an impressive yield of approximately 3,000 metric tonnes. This shows the economic and cultural significance of… Continue reading Rain washes away bumper cherry crop
Revelations from rural Jharkhand
For an urban youngster, no visit to a village ends without the mind asking questions, making comparisons and wondering what it would be like to be more than just a casual visitor. Preface: This three-part series chronicles the rural awakening of a Bengaluru student, wherein he talks about what he saw, felt and carried with… Continue reading Revelations from rural Jharkhand
Kashmir’s cherry farmers battle nature’s fury
Traditional cherry cultivation thrives in Srinagar’s Dara, Harwan, and Shalimar areas, where skilled orchardists have honed their craft for generations. The cherry-picking season brings forth a vibrant period showing nature’s splendour. However, this year’s persistent rain in April and May has presented a tremendous challenge for cherry farmers in Kashmir. Despite the introduction of new… Continue reading Kashmir’s cherry farmers battle nature’s fury
Jharkhand’s buzzing beekeeping biz
How does an apiary managed by a bunch of women’s self-help groups (SHG) compare with one managed by a single man? Well, there was only one way to find out and that is what Torpa Rural Development Society for Women (TRDSW) did. The Jharkhand-based non-profit organisation wanted to test the success of an apiary using… Continue reading Jharkhand’s buzzing beekeeping biz
‘We aim to provide employment to 1 lakh youth this year’
Village Square: Unemployment is a huge problem. How does Unnati collaborate with other stakeholders such as the government to address the gaps? Ramesh Swamy: We have a programme called UNXT to address the unemployment issue. When Unnati started in 2003 we had a simple programme – train the youth for 35 days and provide them… Continue reading ‘We aim to provide employment to 1 lakh youth this year’
Tried these Goan burgers locals queue up for?
Whether you find yourself exploring Goa on a shoestring budget or with the luxury of a heavy pocket, there’s one experience that you can add to your itinerary – dining at Noronha’s Corner in the heart of Anjuna. While numerous burger joints populate the town, this unique spot stands out for dishing out authentic Goan… Continue reading Tried these Goan burgers locals queue up for?
Bird feathers flocked together at this Gujarat library
We all know that birds of the same feather flock together. But what happens when only the feathers flock together? Well, you get a ‘Feather Library’. Courtesy Esha Munshi, a 35-year-old Ahmedabad-based architect with an insatiable thirst to know more about the winged animals adapted for flight, there is a digital library that hosts all… Continue reading Bird feathers flocked together at this Gujarat library
Drinking water no longer a distant luxury for remote Bengal
The objective of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a scheme rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 August, 2019, is to provide piped water supply to every rural household by 2024. The mission aims to provide 55 litres of drinking water per person per day through functional household tap connections. It is a… Continue reading Drinking water no longer a distant luxury for remote Bengal