Month: June 2017

RootsandLeisure_LostWithPurpose

Backpackers Alex and Sebastiaan Share Their Story about Travelling to Arunachal Pradesh

Published by Pooja Ghose

  Arunachal Pradesh is a beautiful Indian state, whose name literally means “the land of the rising sun”. People who have travelled to this part of the country have spoken about seeing a slice of heaven on earth. So when the adventurous couple – Alex and Sebastiaan, took a trip to Arunachal Pradesh, we HAD to get them to share their experience with us. Hello, welcome to India! Tell us a bit about yourselves, and the journey so far. Alex: Hi! We’re Alex and Sebastiaan. I am from America, and my he is from The Netherlands. We’ve been on the road for over a year, and are still living out of our backpacks! When we’re not exploring places and planning our journey to the next destination, I like to hone my photography skills and figure out ways to live on an ice-cream-only diet :), while Sebastian devours manga and periodically bemoans his lack of a PlayStation while traveling. We’ve been traveling full-time since February 2016. We had both visited more than 40 countries before leaving for this trip. But, …

A Quick Chat with Aienla Jamir, Founder of Rustique Edge – Your Vintage Craft Heaven

Published by Pooja Ghose

Meet artist and entrepreneur Aien Jamir from the beautiful hills of Nagaland. She is the founder and co-ordinator of the production house, Tinted Light Studio and also the owner of Rustique Edge.  Tell us about your venture, Rustique Edge. Well, we make customized handmade products  – across home decor items, bridal accessories, gift items, leather crafts, precious gemstones jewelry, and traditional Naga gears. It’s something very close to my heart, as I have always enjoyed collecting, and taking inspirations from vintage items – be it clothes, crafts, home decor etc. So when I finally decided to start my own venture, it had to be around an activity that I love doing. So I picked vintage and crafts, both of which has kept me occupied and inspired throughout my life. Sneak peek of Rustique Edge decor. #crystals #crates #rusticwedding #rusticdecor #localbrand #nagaland A post shared by Rustique Edge (@rustique_edge) on Dec 9, 2016 at 11:24am PST    How has your upbringing (your roots) influenced your work? I have always been inspired by my mom, who is an artist – …

RootsandLeisure_MangoChutney

Recipe | Hot and Sweet Mango Chutney – Assamese Style

Published by Musky Miris

Summer is officially here, and mangoes are again making an appearance everywhere. Today, our reader and Creator Musky Miris, wants to share her mother’s specialty, and a household favorite : a chutney made of raw mangoes.  Ingredients: 4 raw Mangoes 1 cup Jaggery 1 teaspoon Ginger extract 4-5 Green Chillies 4 Bay leaves 4 tablespoons Mustard oil ½ teaspoon Turmeric Salt to taste Preparation: Wash and peel the mangoes. Slice them thinly and discard the seeds. Finely chop the chillies Wash and peel the ginger, mash it in a mortar-pestle. Squeeze the mashed ginger to extract the juice. Directions to cook: In a wok, heat the mustard oil. As the oil heats up, put in the bay leaves. Add the sliced mangoes to the wok. Put in the turmeric, chillies and salt. Stir well, in full (gas) flame and allow the mangoes to cook and blend in with the rest of the ingredients – in the form of a paste (initial caramelization). Stir occasionally. Add the ginger extract and the jaggery. Stir well. Lower the heat …

RootsandLeisure_SaintKamei

Capturing Intimacy through Photographs | Artist and Photographer, Saint Kamei

Published by Pooja Ghose

In this world of Instagram and Facebook, we often come across many talented photographers. However, the best part is that, each discovery is unique – with it’s own special story. So when we came across Saint Kamei, we were instantly drawn to the way he uses light to capture intimate moments. His keen sense of storytelling, portraiture, landscape, and love for the outdoors – makes his photographs special. Tell us a bit about yourself. I was born in a tiny mountain town called Leimatak where my dad was posted by the NHPC (National Hydro Power Corporation). I grew up in another beautiful Naga village in the foothills of Manipur called Thenjang overlooking the beautiful Loktak Lake. My love for the outdoors and hiking began there. I also lived in Bangalore and Delhi for a short while before moving back home. I now divide my time living at Imphal and Delhi as I juggle between writing and photography projects. I have been blessed to be a part of a family that loves art. I have a lot of …

RootsandLeisure_TheCraftBread

Happiness and Health in a Loaf of Bread | Meet the Couple Behind Craft Bread, Bangkok

Published by Pooja Ghose

  Haven’t we all heard the saying: big cities harbour bigger dreams? So then, what made this couple set up a beautiful bakery in a tiny village about 30 kms away from Thailand’s biggest business hub, Bangkok? We’ll let Angsumarin Lauruengtana ( age 35 ) and Nikorn Sripongwarakul ( age 35 ), founders of The Craft Bread, speak for themselves. Tell us how it all began : how you met, and how you guys started Craft Bread. Angsumarin : We met at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, where we both majored in Film and Photography. After we graduated, Nikorn worked in the film industry  as director of photography, and I joined the airline industry as a flight attendant. We were friends for many years before we became lovers, and we finally got married in 2010. My husband Nikorn, later joined me to build ‘Craft Bread’ together. It all started when we began making bread with our own hands. We enjoyed the learning process and got better at it, loaf by loaf. Like all handcrafted products, we think that making good …

RootsandLeisure_Faces

Faces | We are Performing as an All-Girls Band For our Freshers Day

Published by Pooja Ghose

  “I am part of a music band in our school (Mezhür Higher Secondary School, Kohima). It’s an all-girls band. Today we are practicing for Freshers day, and we are planning to perform ‘Shine’ by Mr. Big. Excited that we are practicing after so long – since we actually get to play only during school functions. “ (What is that guy doing in an all-girls band? He is also wearing the same yellow badge -is that a band thing?) “Oh, he plays for another band, but they are also practicing in the same hall. So he dropped by. We made those yellow badges for fun – while making some cut-outs for the hall decorations :D” ~Asino

Achunbo Zeliang from Nagaland | 22-year-old Fashion Designer shares his Dream of Becoming a Global Success.

Published by Pooja Ghose

The more talents we continue to feature, the more we are convinced that Indian fashion talent space is vibrant, and yet very understated. Interestingly, most formidable talents in the industry start out young and aren’t afraid of reaching for the sky. Just like 22-year-old Achunbo Zeliang who started out as an independent fashion designer right after design school ; he has already hosted more than 15 fashion shows since then – in India, and abroad. Currently he is based out of New Delhi.   What has inspired you to become a fashion designer? I had always been very keen on fashion since my childhood days. Despite all that, I never thought I would become a fashion designer for real. But the idea came to me when I began sketching pieces for my family. That’s when I knew what I was meant to do. Being the first and only fashion designer from my community (Zeliang), I constantly try to stay be better than yesterday. Same time, I also try to encourage more and more people to join …

RootsandLeisure_CafeBae

Meet 21-Year old Co-founder of Cafe Bae, Nagaland | Talikumla Aier

Published by Kumti

Sometimes amid writing tales of ingenious entrepreneurship, we find a gem that rocks our perspectives about life. Today we feature a quaint little cafe at Dimapur called Cafe Bae, whose story is unique because it has both the elements. Cafe Bae’s story begins with a friendship between two little girls in a small Naga town and goes on to stand as a testimony of everything that they achieved as twenty-year-old businesswomen. Meet Talikumla Aier, co-founder of Cafe Bae, as she takes us through her journey as a young entrepreneur at 21. What made you think of owning a cafe business at such a young age? My co-founder, Late Anushri Jain and I had been best friends since Class 6. We grew up together and basically spent most of the time in each other’s company.  As youngsters, we realized that Dimapur didn’t have many spaces where one could hangout without burning a hole through their pockets. And if you manage to find such a spot, it generally doesn’t have the quirky decor that could draw one’s attention.  So, we decided …

RootsandLeisure_ChanChalee

Lady Behind ChanChalee’s Embroidered Crafts | Natchalee Kongcharoen from Thailand

Published by Pooja Ghose

Our foray into discovering Thai entrepreneurs never ceases to amaze us. From innovative cafe owners to passionate bakers, and even baristas making a big difference in their local communities, we have just scratched the surface. Every new story tells us something more about the Thai brand of resilience and patience. Today, we bring a new face into the mix. Meet designer Natchalee Kongcharoen, who is the founder and designer of ChanChalee. What is ChanChalee all about? ChanChalee was founded in 2016 as a clothing store.  At present, I am a graphic designer by profession. My work on ChanChalee works as a secondary source of income. But it’s my primary source of inspiration in life. I am also inspired by natural fiber fabrics. Most of my design ideas come from just touching the natural fabric and thinking about the kind of embroidery that will look the prettiest on it. It also feels good to adopt a clothing material that has been manufactured in an environmentally conscious way. “I am also inspired by natural fiber fabrics. Most …

RootsandLeisure_MachihanChutney

Recipe of Machihan | Naga Chutney Made with Bitter Gourd.

Published by kesangunuo

Today, we have a chutney recipe straight from the kitchen of the Lotha tribe in Nagaland. Our Naga friends have already guessed it – yes, it’s the famous ‘Machihan’ chutney, famously prepared by our Lotha friends. Machihan chutney is made with simple ingredients and is pretty straightforward to make. Its distinctive flavor, with a hint of bitterness, comes from the unique combination of bitter gourd and dried fish. This chutney has the power to transform any simple meal into an unforgettable one. So, grab your bitter gourds, brinjals, dried fish, and king chilies, and let’s get started! Machihan, a popular chutney prepared by the Lotha tribes in Nagaland has a strong appetizing flavor through a harmonious blend of bitter gourd, brinjals, and dried fish. Ingredients: 3 big tomatoes 20 green chilies 2 dried fish 3 local brinjals 2 big karela (bitter gourd) salt to taste Preparing the Ingredients:  Wash the dried fish thoroughly in warm water – changing the water 3-4 times. You may remove the head portion, with bones and gills. Do not forget …