Month: August 2017

Discovery of The Most Beautiful Cottage in Meghalaya | Maple Pine Farm

Published by Badal Nyalang

Surrounded by waterfalls that tumble down and pound on the rocks and hill, the rivers that susurrate tales of the tribes, the slopes that run craggy in places, gentle otherwise; meandering mountain roads, our contributor, Badal had started out to explore the South West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya when nature exposed her flawlessly fallow fragment – unsettling him in the most gratifying manner. Perhaps, the Japanese author, Haruki Murakami is right when he says, “Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting.” Our friend Badal shares his experience of discovering a beautiful Bed & Breakfast guest house in the midst of nature – about 25 kms away from Shillong If you’ve ever visited Shillong, Meghalaya, what is the best thing you can remember? Waterfalls, hills, rivers, rain, cloud and what else? Well, one thing that’s heard of very often from this part of Northeast India, are the monolith and of course the sacred groves. If you haven’t visited, then that’s a must-visit. Exploring the South West Khasi Hills with Badal “My short expedition started …

Sikkim: Colours and Culture in the Himalayan Chasm

Published by Shiori Chan

Sikkim became the 22nd State of India on 16th May 1975. Prior to the amalgamation, Sikkim was a monarchy, ruled by the Namgyal Dynasty and the monarch was called Chogyal. The world’s third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga is her guardian deity. Sikkim is home to fourteen ethnic communities. The inhabitants of Sikkim are broadly divided into Lepchas, Bhutias and the Nepalese. “Chaam is a ritualistic dance performed at monasteries on religious occasions. The old palace ground is daubed with incense and the mountain fog as lungtas (prayers flags) flutter on the occasion of Guru Rinpoche’s Trungkar Tsechu- the birth anniversary of the patron saint of Sikkim, Guru Padmasambhava (The Lotus-born)” ~ Karchoong Diyali

Sumedha Sah – Creator of Snail Mail Project Explains Why Strangers Write to Her

Published by Shiori Chan

Milan Kundera has succinctly summarised nostalgia and longing in his words, “The more vast the amount of time we’ve left behind us, the more irresistible is the voice calling us to return to it.”Looks like Sumedha Sah from Bombay has paid close attention to these words, and responded by creating The ‘Snail Mail Project’ – a medium to convert a life story into something indelible. It is a cute little project that creatively constructs artwork inspired by handwritten letters from strangers all around the world. This project aims to bring back the long-dead practice of letter writing and strike a balance between the aesthetic beauty and our tech-savvy world. Hi Sumedha! So good to have you here – as the first guest from Mumbai! Please tell us something yourself. Hi! I am equally excited to share my story with the Roots and Leisure community. Well, I am an artist based out of Mumbai, but technically – an architect with a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Architecture. I am 30 years old, and currently pursuing my artist’s …

Sustainable Fashion from Meghalaya | Meet Iba Mallai of KINIHO Clothing

Published by Shiori Chan

Scudding through the abode of clouds, comes Iba Mallai and her line of clothing, Kiniho- sown in tradition and sewed in heritage, the fabrics are a manifestation of earth and art, of passion and fashion but most importantly, of roots and responsibility. Born to a middle class family in Diwon, Meghalaya, Iba, a fashion enthusiast is a serious and a driven entrepreneur. As she labours to get her label going, she hasn’t forgotten that the only push ahead, comes with strengthening community development. Hi Iba! Tell us something about yourself My name is Iba Mallai. I graduated in BBM and completed my Fashion designing course from JD Institute of Fashion and Technology Bangalore. I am constantly enamoured by exquisite colours, traditions and art forms. My deep rooted love for nature and growing up in a community that weaves and dyes their own fabrics has triggered me to re define that Fashion is not only about wearing trendy clothes but also wearing responsibility in the heart. Responsibility to preserve our heritage and basic ethics of sustainable responsibility. …

Recipe | Smoked Pork with Akhuni and Black Sesame Seeds

Published by Elika Awomi

Here is a Naga pork recipe contributed by R&L reader Elika. It’s another super delicious smoked pork recipe – with the aroma of axone and sesame seeds. Easy to cook, but will leave an unforgettable taste for a long time! Smoked pork cooked with Axone (fermented soya beans), and Sesame seeds. Best served with Rice. Ingredients: 1/2 kg Smoked pork (cut into 1″ cubes) 2 tbsps of Black sesame seeds 1 tbsp Axone 4-5 gloves of garlic 1″ Naga ginger 1 tbsp Red chilly powder Salt to taste Directions to cook: Roast the diced smoked pork in it’s own fat till there is enough oil coming out to cook the rest of the ingredients. Add salt, garlic, red chilly powder and cook till the meat is almost ready. In a separate pan, roast black sesame seeds and roughly pound them. Now add the sesame seeds and axone/akhuni (fermented soya beans) to the meat and cook for about 10-15 minutes. Garnish with a bit of roughly pounded Naga ginger and serve. Serve hot with steamed/boiled rice. Bon …

Meet the Owners of Bangkok Cafe Dimapur – a Chat with the Thai Entrepreneurs in Nagaland

Published by Kumti

Meandering through the lovely streets of Nagaland will land you in the most charming cafes. But beautiful interiors and cozy nooks aside, is it just us, or have cafes stopped reinventing their menus of late? Imagine our surprise then when we discovered that ‘Bangkok Cafe’ in Dimapur offers an authentic taste of Thailand – right here in Nagaland! We soon discovered that the cafe owners are from Thailand, residing in Nagaland. Let’s find out how they landed in Nagaland, and more about what’s on the menu of this famous Thai cafe in Dimapur. Coming all the way from Thailand, what made you open up a cafe in Nagaland? North eastern Indians are very similar to the Thais in terms of lifestyle and cuisine. Therefore, we intended to expand and share our Thai cultures here in Nagaland and Assam as well. Our next step will be another Bangkok Café & Cuisine in Guwahati, preparations for which are underway. Our first outlet was launched in Dimapur almost four years ago, where we introduced our wedding gown and …