West Bengal
Bengal farmer on ‘mission mango’ to save the fruit
A passionate farmer is making all efforts to save the disappearing diversity of mangoes in Murshidabad, which once boasted of nearly 200 local varieties.
Inspiring rural women who defied expectations
They had only a dream to start with. And they have made their mark in various fields with a never-quit spirit. This International Day of Rural Women, we revisit some inspiring stories covered on Village Square.
The sweet story of Kolkata’s Rabrigram
Rabrigram’s women have raised the bar of economic prosperity by supplying over 1,000kg of Indian dessert rabri to Kolkata, every day – fetching the village an annual revenue of Rs 60 lakh.
Tea garden workers face bitter home truth in Bengal
Beneficiaries of West Bengal government’s Chaa Sundari housing scheme express dissatisfaction, citing inadequate facilities and infrastructure that have dampened their dreams of owning their own houses.
Tuskers trample Bengal village’s jackfruits of labour
As north Bengal struggles to coexist with elephants, the fate of Nepali Basti’s once-thriving jackfruit trade hangs in the balance as farmers incur losses due to the onslaught from the tuskers and abandon cultivation.
Titanic comes alive as Jahaj Bari in a north Bengal village
A man’s ship-shaped childhood dream takes concrete form in the small village of Nijbari, nestled in the heart of West Bengal’s Darjeeling district.
Earth Overshoot Day: A call for sustained conservation efforts
The World Overshoot Day today once again serves as a reminder that human demands on nature surpass the planet's biocapacity. The effects are for everyone to see, especially in rural areas.
This Bengal shopkeeper is turning his village green
Haraprasad Pal, who runs a small grocery shop in his village, has been planting flowering shrubs and trees to make his village green and help others enjoy the benefits.
Bengal banana farmers bask in sunshine
Banana farmers in West Bengal’s Birbhum district conserve water and energy, utilising solar-powered pumps to extract groundwater and distribute it through the drip irrigation system.
Drinking water no longer a distant luxury for remote Bengal
The climate-impacted communities in West Bengal no longer have to walk long distances to fetch water since the Jal Jeevan Mission has enhanced access, significantly improving their lives.
Why are most women in Sundarbans anaemic?
A survey conducted on 164 women and adolescent girls in the Basanti and Gosaba blocks of Sundarbans found that 97 percent of them suffer from a severe deficiency of healthy red blood cells.
Bengal’s Sabar tribe struggles for survival
One of the poorest communities of India, 20 families of Sabar tribe toil to gather two square meals a day, subsisting on sal fruit, red ant eggs and a meagre government handout of rice.
Horseshoe crab: The granddaddy of sea creatures needs help
The horseshoe crab, found in waters off Odisha and West Bengal, is one of the oldest living animals on the planet. It is disappearing now and we are responsible for it.
Old well lone lifeblood for water-parched Bengal village
Residents of a remote village in rural Bengal accuse administrative apathy for their woes, asking why they were left out when all neighbouring villages have piped water supply.
Horseshoe crab – the living fossil on brink of extinction
It has been living for 450 million years and has survived five mass extinctions, but the horseshoe crab is now in danger because of overexploitation of marine resources by humans.
Bay leaf brings aroma to lives in Bengal
The bay leaf that adds flavour to many a dish is an attractive source of livelihood for thousands of villagers in northern Bengal.
Bengal’s dwindling Dhimal community battles odds
Dhimal, a small vanishing ethnic group in West Bengal, is looking to the government to sustain their distinct heritage and language.
FTLO art, visit this West Bengal village
Country folks from a rugged, tree-lined rural corner of West Bengal that only a handful had ever heard of have transformed their village into one giant art project.
What’s a tiger reserve without a safari?
The tiny, off-grid destination in North Bengal’s Buxa tiger reserve is a paradise for nature lovers, but its tourism-dependent residents are plagued by a mountain of problems.
Novel elephant alarm: Bengal villagers turn to the bottle
Bengal farmers create an innovative method to save their paddy crops and prevent conflict between humans and rampaging elephants in a West Bengal village in the Jalpaiguri district.