All posts tagged: Conversations

Rootsandleisure_faces_friends in Kohima-profile

#Faces | “This Photo Will Forever Remind Me of My Best Friend, and Our First Outing in a Long Time!” Neimeseu Wetsah from Kohima

“This photo was taken on 12th July 2021 in Kohima, near the Lotha Church in Chandmari colony. My best friend captured it while we were on our way to do some grocery shopping. We have been friends since Sunday school days, but it has been ages since we last met, due to the lockdowns. Moreover, now that we are in college, we don’t get to meet often, as she studies at Patkai college (in Nagaland) while I’m in Delhi. On this particular day, Kohima was blessed with nice sunny weather so I thought I’ll pay her a visit. It felt so nice meeting her after all this time. Later, we went out grocery shopping together, and then to our favorite restaurant – and stuffed ourselves! I still remember how much we ate that day as we jabbered about everything under the sun, like the old times…we spoke about our hostel lives, our school days, our day-to-day happenings, and how the pandemic has affected us all. When I look at this picture, it makes me think …

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“Some 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 “Labyrinth”

“Some 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 Labyrinth” – 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 “Labyrinth” – a collection of poems about stories from the eyes of strangers, of love, of courage, of finding the deeper meaning of life, about finding one’s way through this labyrinth called life.  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.  Nongwarngam Chinir – Author of the newly launched book “Labyrinth” Arep: First, congratulations on getting your book published! Please introduce yourself to our readers. N. Chinir: My name is Nongwarngam Chinir, I …

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In Conversation With The Owners of The Newly-Launched Mughlai Kitchen in Dimapur

Looking at the lack of Indian cuisine restaurants in Dimapur, three childhood friends decided to open up their own Mughlai restaurant. Phanchamo Lotha, Abovi Achumi and Samuel Murry had always dreamt of working together on a business or a project. This dream materialized with the opening of this restaurant where the three of them came together to provide Mughalai delicacies to people at affordable prices.  We chatted with them to know about the restaurant. Don’t forget to drop by if you’re in or around Dimapur! Hello! It’s lovely to have you here. Please tell us about you and your team.  Hello, we are Phanchamo Lotha, Abovi Achumi & Samuel Murry. Abovi and I are in to business while our other partner, Samuel is a Govt. employee. As kids, we always had dreams of doing something together. After we finished our studies, we got the idea to open a comfort food restaurant. Our Chef is Sanjeev Dutta from NJP with experience in Mughlai cuisine. Tell us the motivation behind opening this restaurant! We opened this restaurant …

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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 …

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Kimte Guite, Author of 51 Accidental Inventions that Changed the World, Talks About Her Book and Her Inspirations

Today, we managed to grab a quick word with Kimte Guite, the author of 51 Accidental Inventions that Changed the World. We chatted about her love for literature classics, her obsession to read since her childhood, her love for the countryside and old Bollywood cinema. As a bibliophile herself, she’s also planning to organize book-readings in primary schools and her plan is to expand the project into a travelling library to spread the joy of reading. She is an Assistant Professor at Churachandpur Government College.  She conducts small book club/book reading sessions as well. Get to know more about this creative soul as we chat with her!  Hi there, please start by telling our readers a bit about yourself! Hello! I am Man Lun Kim and I also go by the name, Kimte Guite. That’s the name I use for my social-media handles. My hometown is in Churachandpur (Lamka) in Manipur. I am your typical tribal girl with a taste for all local cuisines and a heart that will never get enough of the rolling …

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#Faces | “Our School Gives Plenty of Opportunities to Learn Many Things Outside Our Textbooks and Meet New People” – Imliren, Student of Fernhood School, Kohima

“This photo was taken outside my school – Fernwood School in Kohima, with my friends. We took this photo after our school hours before heading home. We had just joined our new school, so we stayed back for a while to explore the campus.  What I like best about going to school is meeting new people and making new friends. As we learn things from each other, we also build good memories and that is something I truly treasure. Fernwood School teaches us how to be independent and gives us the opportunity to involve ourselves in various extracurricular activities. We get to explore new things and it gives us the privilege to learn new things outside of our textbooks. I look forward to going to school every new day.” Imliren (third from the left) and her friends stop to take a photo before heading home, outside their school – Fernwood School in Kohima as they create some beautiful and everlasting high school memories. Imliren (middle) and her friends outside their school, Fernwood School, Kohima

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#FACES | “The Scene of the Local Boys Playing Against a Serene Backdrop Was a Surreal Moment For Me” – Saqlain Muran, Kashmir

“This photo was taken in Indian administered Kashmir, in a place called Harwan in Srinagar. The time was 6:30 pm. As I tried to capture the beautiful landscape of the mountains with the sunset in the background, I noticed a group of local boys playing volleyball. They were in a paddy field that was converted to a playground. The boys were very engrossed in their match and were thoroughly enjoying the game. Little do they know how lucky they are to be away from the city noises. They are blessed to be in such a peaceful environment surrounded by such unmatched natural beauty. I thought about how Mother Nature never stops playing her role as she gives us the sweet voice of the birds and the leaves rustling in the breeze -all in perfect sync with the happy chatter of the boys. That whole scene felt so surreal .. I tried to capture that emotion I felt through this photograph . .” “The happy chatter of the boys against a breathtaking natural landscape felt so surreal and …

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“Makeup Gave Me Wings to Fly – Even After Losing My Sight in One Eye” Meet NYX Face Award Winner Nimshim Jajo from Manipur

“Makeup is not a mask that covers up your beauty; it’s a weapon that helps you express who you are from the inside.” ~ Michelle Phan.  For 26-year-old Nimshim Jajo from Manipur, makeup helped discover her inner strength as a creative force – when she discovered the art of makeup at a low point in her life “Makeup gave me wings to fly, and a boost to my confidence when I lost sight in my right eye.” Nimshim used the tools of make-up and art as a weapon to shut down everyone that closed doors for her and eventually led her to win the first NYX Face Awards in 2017. Here’s her story.  R&L chats with the talented, positive and super driven, Nimshim Jajo about her struggles in the beauty industry, her journey as a make-up artist and everything she hopes for in the coming years. Hello Nimshim! Tell us about yourself, where you’re from and what you have been up to? My name is Nimshim Jajo or Nim Jajo. I’m 26 years old from Ukhrul, Manipur, and …

rootsandleisure_tk lemtur

A Chat With the Super Stylish and Soulful Singer-Songwriter, TK Lemtur from Mokokchung, Nagaland

  “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.” ~Walt Whitman. Following in this light, we try to surround ourselves and our readers with a happy dose of happy inspirational stories daily. For, to be in the company of interesting folks is always a delight – especially on days when we are feeling dull and uninspired. Today, we have a charming and talented 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Nagaland, who is also a full-time master’s student of Olericulture at SHUATS Allahabad. Tzudikumzuk Lemtur a.k.a TK Lemtur from Mokokchung is a passionate singer and songwriter, and a fashionable one at that! We caught up with him to know more about him, and also to get a taste of his sartorial style. T.K Lemtur from Nagaland takes us through his musical journey, his Naga roots, his fashionable indulgences and much more! Hello TK! Tell us a little about yourself and what you’ve been up to. I am Tzudikumzuk Lemtur, better known as TK Lemtur. I’m 24 years old from Mokokchung, Nagaland and am currently pursuing my Master’s degree …

rootsandleisure_Zhazo Miachieo

Award-Winning Photojournalist from Nagaland, Zhazo Miachieo Takes Us Through His Photojournal and His Coverage of “Floods in Nagaland”

Robert Capa, known as one of the greatest war photographer and photojournalist in the history once quoted, “If your photos aren’t good enough, then you’re not close enough.” True to these words, this young talented photojournalist Kekhriezhazo Miachieo from Nagaland has embarked on a journey different from many others. What sets him apart is his simple photographs that speak a thousand words as he unwinds a different emotion each time he clicks his shutter. R&L had a conversation with Zhazo Miachieo, a photojournalist, from Kohima, Nagaland about his journey, his recent series of work – “Floods in Nagaland” and more. Read on! It’s such a pleasure to have you with us Zhazo! Tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Kekhrie Zhazo Miachieo and I’m from Kohima, Nagaland. I started off with a two-month long internship at Hindustan Times in New Delhi and that eventually led to a full-time job as a staff photojournalist for 1.5 years. Later, I joined India Today Magazine as a photojournalist in 2013 and continued till 2017. I now work as …