Canadian Punjabi returns to his roots to empower women

Life is a journey full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and unexpected surprises. Every individual’s journey is unique, and we all strive to make the most of the opportunities that come our way. The most rewarding journey, however, is one where we give back to society and uplift those who need support the… Continue reading Canadian Punjabi returns to his roots to empower women

Tai Phake couple serves Assam tribe’s history on a plate

India’s Northeast is a melting pot of around 220 ethnic groups, each having its own gastronomic praxis. There are chili aficionados – think bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, a fiery native. And there are food daredevils and culinary mixologists. Enriching the region’s taste and flavour is Tai Phake cuisine. This small Buddhist community of around… Continue reading Tai Phake couple serves Assam tribe’s history on a plate

Making red weaver ant chutney

Locally known as ‘kai’, red weaver ant chutney is a delicacy among the Santal tribal community in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The villagers collect the ant colonies by cutting the branches of the mango tree where nests of the ants are perched. The villagers ensure not to collect the entire ant colony. Mature kai are… Continue reading Making red weaver ant chutney

Shirui lilies add to Manipur colour amid concerns

Manipur’s Kashong peak, some 2835 metres above sea level, has once again burst out in colour. Beginning May, the dainty Shirui Lily flowers with pale blue-pink petals have begun to blossom in full splendour, adding a further touch of beauty to an already breathtaking landscape of the peak from which many rivers of the region… Continue reading Shirui lilies add to Manipur colour amid concerns

Youngsters ditch restaurants, boost roadside stalls in Matheran

The 21km ride from Neral in the foothills to the British-era hill station of Matheran on a toy train chugging along a verdant, winding track had been recorded in innumerable travel blogs with the word “nomad” clumsily shoehorned into the title. Matheran is all about the views, but the puffery often eclipses the real and… Continue reading Youngsters ditch restaurants, boost roadside stalls in Matheran

Step-by-step guide to make red ant chutney

Pratap Chandra Hembram is all set to climb a mango tree at Taldiha village in Bijatala block of Mayurbhanj district to collect red weaver ant nests. He cuts the branches of the trees that nest the ants. Locally known as hau or kai, red weaver ant chutney is a delicacy relished by the Santal tribal… Continue reading Step-by-step guide to make red ant chutney

She braves HIV stigma to help others win battles

Vanlalruati Colney, 39, of Aizawl, Mizoram endured the trauma of her parents’ divorce, her drug addiction and the stigma of a sickly disease and HIV, before she began working for those facing similar issues. She recounts her journey in her own words.  I was completely shattered when my parents decided to get divorced. I was… Continue reading She braves HIV stigma to help others win battles

Turning fallow land fertile, Chhattisgarh women reap rich harvest

It is 6 in the morning and the sky is filled with the first streak of morning light. Urmila Dhru, in her early sixties, has already set out for work after completing her household chores.  Her routine has largely remained unchanged since the past 30 years when she alongside 19 other women took a 15-acre… Continue reading Turning fallow land fertile, Chhattisgarh women reap rich harvest

Dying Siali craft keeps Mankidia tribe on the edge

A group of Mankidia tribal men sets out before first light for a long walk into the Similipal National Park in the Eastern Ghats range of northern Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district. They carry machetes, hatchets, and “mandia jau”, a nutritious porridge made of finger millet – their breakfast and lunch. The forest they trek to is… Continue reading Dying Siali craft keeps Mankidia tribe on the edge

This paralympian battled odds to smash records

Village Square: At what age did you start playing badminton? What inspired you? Palak Kohli: I didn’t choose badminton. It chose me. I met a person at a mall in Jalandhar, Punjab, in 2017. He asked me about my hand. I told him that my forearm had not developed since birth. He went on to… Continue reading This paralympian battled odds to smash records

Solan mushroom farmers make it big with fungi

The hill town of Solan on the way to Shimla lends its name to a “No. 1” heady beverage, but the mountainside villages bounding the township have raised the bar in growing mushrooms. Himachal Pradesh produces 28,000 metric tonnes of mushroom each year and Solan district alone accounts for about 10,000 of it, show latest… Continue reading Solan mushroom farmers make it big with fungi

College-going dalit students teach children of their community

In the campus of a government school under shades of several trees in Chibranwali village of Sri Muktsar Sahib district of Punjab, Gurmail Singh stands by a blackboard and a cushioned chair, with over 40 children sitting on the floor.  Most of the young ones greet him with a fist bump amid a loud chorus… Continue reading College-going dalit students teach children of their community

Why migrant labourers keep flocking to Kashmir

After a winter break, Raees-ud-Din is back in Kashmir, where he has been earning his livelihood since 2003. Raees, who hails from Araria district of Bihar, first came to Srinagar as a labourer when he was just 17. Later, he went to different districts in the Valley where he took up various jobs at different… Continue reading Why migrant labourers keep flocking to Kashmir

Overcoming the many hurdles to women’s inheritance rights

Prameelaben’s father passed away without making a will. After his death, she returned to her maternal home to take care of her mother and the family land. She started cultivating maize, cotton and some vegetables in the eight acres of land that the family had. One day Prameelaben’s two uncles arrived in tractors and destroyed… Continue reading Overcoming the many hurdles to women’s inheritance rights

New print on the block

Jhag print is catching attention due to its more contemporary look, use of novel hues, and perhaps most significantly, the fact that it uses only natural pigments. The print – its name comes from the village in Rajasthan where it has been developed – is the baby of Prahlad Singh Nagar, who has been practising… Continue reading New print on the block

Climate change looms over Udupi sarees

Climate change is having a global impact, from triggering unseasonal rains and storms to causing prolonged dry spells and droughts. It has not spared even the famous Udupi sarees that are woven in Karnataka and are acclaimed worldwide. This summer, in March to be more precise, weavers watched in horror as the starch they use… Continue reading Climate change looms over Udupi sarees

Karnataka weavers of Udupi sarees face heat over heatwaves

Climate change is having a global impact, from triggering unseasonal rains and storms to causing prolonged dry spells and droughts. It has not spared even the famous Udupi sarees that are woven in Karnataka and are acclaimed worldwide. This summer, in March to be more precise, weavers watched in horror as the starch they use… Continue reading Karnataka weavers of Udupi sarees face heat over heatwaves

Mizoram farmers caught in ‘rat trap’

Rimawi lives in Rengtekawn village of Kolasib district, around 80 km from Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram. The 55-year-old farmer shudders while recounting the horror she faced last year when rodents destroyed her paddy crop.  “I still shiver when I think of the days when rats ravaged through the entire one hectare of my agricultural… Continue reading Mizoram farmers caught in ‘rat trap’

Solar-powered water supply eases women’s struggles

Andharkachhala village in Jhagadia administrative block of Gujarat has 167 villages and 39,766 households. Although the block in Bharuch district is located 3.2 km south of the Narmada River, many villages here lack access to drinking water and irrigation.  But Andharkachhala in particular suffered from an acute shortage of drinking water and the situation was… Continue reading Solar-powered water supply eases women’s struggles

Deaf-mute Kashmiri woodcarver’s work leaves world speechless

The dull, rhythmic “thuck” of hammer meeting chisel on wood captures the sound of silence at Muhammad Yusuf Muran’s workshop in the quiet neighbourhood of Narwara in downtown Srinagar.  The 57-year-old carves out images hidden in blocks and hunks of dead walnut wood – one chip, one peeling at a time. The pieces of art… Continue reading Deaf-mute Kashmiri woodcarver’s work leaves world speechless