All posts filed under: MANIPUR

Rootsandleisure_Vareyar Rimai

A Fun Chat with 19-Year-Old Vareyar Rimai from Manipur on Personal Style and Music

At R&L, we are always on the lookout for individuals and stories that capture the essence of Northeast India. Recently, we had the pleasure of discovering Vareyar Rimai, a 19-year-old aspiring musician from Ukhrul, Manipur, whose unique sense of fashion piqued our interest. In this fun chat, we delve into Vareyar’s personal style and get to know him better. We also want to take this opportunity to remind our readers that Roots & Leisure is alive! ๐Ÿ™‚ We owe it all to the amazing community we’ve built, which continues to connect us with fascinating people who have stories to share. So stay tuned for more inspiring content and let’s continue to celebrate the authentic Northeast way of life! R&L: Hi Rimai, please introduce yourself Vareyar Rimai: Hi ๐Ÿ‘‹ My name is Vareyar Rimai. I’m 19 years old and an aspiring musician. I currently stay in Ukhrul, Manipur. R&L: and who is your favorite musician from the Northeast? Vareyar Rimai: Northeast has many great musicians. Ruata Renthlei, the guitarist for Avora Records is one of my …

Rootsandleisure_Nambol Bora Manipur7

“We Enjoyed This Breathtaking View and The Famous Shrimp Pakoras at the Nambol Bora Hotel, Manipur” – Chingngam, Imphal

“I took this photo yesterday at the ‘Nambol Bora Hotel’ in Manipur. It is around 15 kms from Imphal city, and is on the way to Bishnupur district. This local eatery is known for serving the area’s best snails and shrimp pakoras, locally known as ‘Bora.’ It is definitely becoming one of the best hangouts in Manipur. And especially after staying indoors for several months, visiting Nambol Bora was literally a breath of fresh air! Weย ate Khajing bora (Shrimp fritters), Yeroom bora (egg fritters), Lemon Tea, Chicken momos, Potato & Spring Onion bora. The shrimpy chutney they serve with the pakoras goes so well with the momos too. The perfect duo! We really wanted to try the Tharoi bora (snail fritters) as well, but we went a little late, so it was all sold out.ย There’s also ‘Shinju‘ on the menu but it was the lemon tea that blew me away! ” ~ Chingngam, Imphal The View at the Nambol Bora Hotel, Manipur The Famous Pakoras ‘Boras’ (clockwise from top): Khajing bora (Shrimp fritters), Yeroom bora …

Three Friends from Manipur Introduces us to The Art of ‘Humble Luxury’ in a Cup | Meet the Trio Behind ‘SAM’s Tea House’

Interview by Menule. Three friends from Manipur gave up their city jobs to open their own Tea Shop – SAM’s Tea House in Ukhrul with a mission to do their bit for their local community. The three co-owners of SAM’s Tea House have been friends for decades – since their Higher Secondary days, and today, they run their venture like a family. With their eclectice collection of premium teas – and tea blends, these friends hope to provide the humble luxury of enjoying a high quality cup of tea to tea lovers in Manipur.ย Theyโ€™ve come a long way from being friends to running a business together!ย  The Trio behind “SAM’s Tea House”, Manipur Menule: Hi! Please introduce yourselves to our readers. We are a group of three friends who co-own and run SAM’s Tea House. SAM is an acronym from our initials : Sathingla Shokwungnao, Aggripa Jakoi and Machuk Kora Zimik. Giving up our city jobs, we returned home with the vision to contribute towards our community in our hometown in Ukhrul, Manipur. We wanted …

Rootsandleisure_North east India musicians

A Song for Every Mood – Music and Musicians from North East India

  Over the weekend, we had a fun leisure chat with our readers, where we shared our current moods – in exchange for a song. By the end of the session, we had compiled a pretty good playlist of songs performed/written/composed by talented musicians from North East India. Scroll below to check out the list.ย  p.s: We have our weekly community chats on Instagram. Do visit for some fun. Also, remember to regularly check in on your friends – and ask how they are doing. “Very bad mood due to cramps” ~ @journalofhisdaughter Dedicating this song “Warrior’s Call” by Colored Keys Nagaland. Composed in two Naga dialects (Chakhesang and Angami) with a blend of tribal folk and contemporary western melody, this song is guaranteed to help you relax, and meditate. Breathe.ย    “Hopeful” ~ @ruchielal Play ‘Korou’ (meaning โ€˜Sunlightโ€™ in Manipuri) by June Neelu Ft B.Maisnam from Manipur. A song about the beauty of nature… the sunrise, dews, birds, wind, and the mountains, this has been our go-to video for afternoon daydreaming and endless optimism. …

Rootsandleisure_Nongwarngam Chinir

โ€œSome Poems are as Bright as the Glaring Sun, While Some are as Dark as Our Struggles” – Nongwarngam Chinir from Manipur Talks About his Newly Launched Book “Labyrinthโ€

โ€œSome poems reflect dreams that are as ambitious as the glaring sun, some will depict the darkness we all struggle to keep at bay; may you find yourself in this Labyrinthโ€ โ€“ Nongwarngam Chinir I had the pleasure to share a little warm conversation with this soulful writer Nongwarngam Chinir who recently published his debut book entitled โ€œLabyrinthโ€ โ€“ a collection of poems about stories from the eyes of strangers, of love, of courage, of finding the deeper meaning of life, about finding oneโ€™s way through this labyrinth called life.ย  Our young aspiring author introduces himself as an activist, a humanitarian, an old soul but above all just a normal guy who is trying to achieve his dreams in a world filled with chaos. Join me as I take a journey down memory lane with Nong of how this wonderful book was born.ย  Nongwarngam Chinir – Author of the newly launched book โ€œLabyrinthโ€ Arep: First, congratulations on getting your book published! Please introduce yourself to our readers. N. Chinir: My name is Nongwarngam Chinir, I …

Rootsandleisure_Recipe_yongchak1

Recipe of Manipur’s Popular Salad ‘Yongchak Singju’ made with Stink Beans

Today, I invited Khevito Elvis Lee also known as โ€˜The Tribal Chefโ€™ (on Instagram) to teach me how to make my favorite Yongchak Singju. I am an ardent admirer and follower of his work – especially his food posts. He lives up to his name as โ€˜The Tribal Chefโ€™ by regularly sharing a range of local dishes from Northeast India. Khevito is also the owner of the Hornbill Restaurant in Safdarjung Enclave, Delhi, which has been serving mouth-watering local dishes to Northeastern folks there – and most importantly, introducing our region’s cuisine to non-locals in the city. Coming back to the recipe, Yongchak Singju is a local’s favorite – especially in Nagaland and Manipur. It is made of Yongchak (monkey beans) which is a popular local ingredient, often used in making authentic Manipuri specialties like Eromba and Singju. It is a long twisting bean that is a member of the pea or beans family. Yongchak beans have an unusual smell and are crisp, soft, and tender with a rich and pungent flavor. Now, let’s learn …

Rootsandleisure_Lin Laishram

“After Years in The Industry, I Was Proud to be Part of a Movie (Axone) with North Eastern People in Lead Roles.” We Chat with Actress and Model Lin Laishram from Manipur

Growing up with a dream and actually living your fantasy life are two different things. While many dreams may not see the light of the day, some are more resolute. This small-town girl from Manipur we all know by the name Lin Laishram, is living each day to prove that dreams do come alive – but only if you believe in them unwaveringly and work hard with equal intensity. Having traveled the world venturing across sports, modeling, and now acting, Lin has many stories to tell. So today we chat with Lin Laishram from Manipur to know more about her journey. We chat with Model and Actress Lin Laishram from Manipur as she takes us through her journey from Manipur to Nagaland to Jamshedpur to New York and now Mumbai. She also talks about her latest acting gig in the popular movie ‘Axone’ now playing on Netflix! Hi Lin! So nice to finally have this chat with you! We are certain most people here have already heard and read about you, but please introduce yourself …

rootsandleisure_diana

Meet Diana Sanasam, Self-Taught Sketch Artist From Imphal, Manipur

โ€œBefore I knew ABCD…XYZ, I was drawing apples and everything I could drawโ€, says Diana Sanasam. Hailing from Imphal, she spent her childhood trying to sketch the images she saw in children’s books and has never lost touch with it since then! Working as an assistant manager, she comes home to work on a few sketches to relieve her stress and that is how she keeps improving and gaining more love for sketching. We had a talk with Diana as she tells us what inspired her and how she honed her skill of sketching. Hi Diana. Please introduce yourself. Hello, I am Diana Sanasam from Imphal, Manipur. I am the eldest and only daughter of three siblings. I love travelling and sports. And sometimes I SKETCH. I did my engineering in Electrical and Electronics from Chennai and completed my post-graduation from Anna University, Chennai. Introduce us to your work. What got you started? I am self-taught and I mostly sketch portraits using graphite medium. But I am eager to explore other mediums and digital art …

#FACES | Introducing Sustainable Library to The School Children of Manipur With Nikita Barton

“I’m Nikita Barton, an educator, working with NGOs and Social Groups to promote education in rural villages. For this particular project, I travelled to Puichi in Manipur, to set up a ‘sustainable library’, with books donated by various well-wishers. While it was my job to train the local teachers to encourage students to read, and run the up-keep of the library, I couldn’t help myself sitting down with the school children themselves, and introduce them to a book or two. Their eagerness to learn something new is definitely contagious. Not to mention, the joy on their faces when they find something interesting the book and ask you questions about it. It is truly an enchanting and life-changing experience to see children so young, begin their journey as book lovers.”

rootsandleisure_books_and_coffee

In Conversation with Beeshantam Yumnam, the Owner of Books & Coffee in Imphal

Sometimes all you need to unwind is a cup of coffee and a good book–that’s exactly what cafe Books & Coffee is offering locals in Imphal. Started by Beeshantam Yumnam, the cafe boasts of a cozy ambience and a great collection of books. Beeshantam’s love for books is mirrored in the cafe’s warm interiors, its rare collection of books and a welcoming environment for people of all ages. His vision of creating a space where people can relax, learn, enjoy and create art has materialized in the cafe. He says, “I hope people take home the feeling of relaxing in a cozy ambiance for chilling out and appreciation of the arts. Many customers praise us for giving a platform to arts and providing a wholesome experience. We hope to keep giving that experience!” Hello, please introduce yourself to our readers Hello, thanks for having me. I am Beeshantam Yumnam from Imphal, Manipur, a history graduate from Delhi University but an artist by passion. On returning home in 2010 after graduating, I realized that the types …