Month: November 2017

RootsandLeisure_BonzerMuivah_Painter

A Chat With The Painter Who Puts His Mind and Soul on Canvas: Bonzer Muivah from Nagaland

Published by Imtee Jamir

  “At the end of the day, my mind is all colored picture-perfect on canvas.” Bonzer Muivah is an artist/illustrator from Nagaland who thought he couldn’t pursue a serious career as an artist. Today, his artworks are a testament to the fact that sometimes trusting your gut feeling and just going for it can be quite rewarding. Bonzer’s core theme around his art is strongly based on preserving the rich Naga culture and tradition. We interviewed the artist to gain insight into his artistic mind and find out why he considers the horn symbol as one of his biggest influences in his artworks Tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Bonzer Muivah. I was born and brought up in Mon, Nagaland, Northeast India. I graduated with a  Fine Art degree from College of Art, Delhi University and I am currently based in New Delhi. Introduce us to your work. On what themes are they based on? My work is mostly painting and illustrations. They are based strongly on culture, ethnic and tribal stories. A lot of my artwork …

RootsamdLeisure_Photographer_Reuben

Freezing Narratives in a Single Frame: Reuben Lalmalsawma | Photographer

Published by Shweta Rao

“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” – Peter Adams Not long ago since human history began have they discovered the marvels of photography. It was the 18th century, to be exact. In today’s age, modern photography apps like Instagram intrigue all of us further by showcasing the potential of freezing a narrative as a single frame. Although very few professional photographers understand how the art form can best aestheticize any concept. Photographer Reuben Lalmalsawma from Aizawl, Mizoram is one of them. R&L: Tell us a bit about yourself. Reuben: I was born and raised in Aizawl, Mizoram but I’m currently living in New Delhi. I did my Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication in Mizoram before I pursued an M.Phil degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Madurai Kamaraj University in 2016. Photography to me is more than a hobby; every photograph I take tells a different story. “When people see my work, I wish to create the same feeling one gets when they see a movie or read a …

RootsandLeisure_DoodleArtist_Rinchin

Doodling for Delight: A Doodle Artist and Her Assorted Journey So Far | Meet Rinchin Choden from Shillong

Published by Badal Nyalang

  Bonded to art by sheer fate, here’s a conversation with a budding artist from Shillong, who doodles her way out to find the inspiration she has always wanted. Meet Rinchin Choden, a doodle artist from Arunachal Pradesh, living her dream amidst the other creative talents of Shillong and creating  an art form that’s a part of her now. Let’s hear what she has to say about her journey till now. From Arunachal to Shillong, how did your journey start? I came over to Shillong for college. It was a three years degree course but luckily right after graduation, I bagged a job as an intern at a design studio. So I decided to stick around and now the love affair between me and Shillong has spanned for 12 years. Your have a great collection of doodle art, tell us something about it. How did you get started as an artist? Thanks! Strangely, I was never an art lover, till I started doodling in 2016 out of sheer boredom and fell completely in love with …

RootsandLeisure_TheTeaStory

“The Tea Story”Guwahati Combines the Essence of a Tea Bistro and Patisserie in an Easy Style

Published by Shweta Rao

With its menu brimming with fresh and creative varieties of tea, “The Tea Story” is a space that might tempt you if you are looking for a breather from the everyday stresses of life. In a cozily-designed space nestled in Guwahati, it promises to provide a quiet time of relaxation amidst their selection of the finest teas, and a spread of pastries and sweets. We speak with the bistro’s young and enthusiastic 27-year-old owner, Deba Pratim Das on how to open a viable tea business in the land of tea estates, and more about the offerings of his tea haven and patisserie.    Why did you decide to launch a tea bistro?  I’m Deba Pratim Das and owner of a tea bistro called The Tea Story in Guwahati. I completed my graduation in Hospitality Management from Edinburgh Napier University. I then joined the Marriott Groups of Hotels and Resorts in USA as a F&B Supervisor and worked with them for two years. Coming from the land of tea estates, I have always wanted to learn more and explore …

RootsandLeisure_Faces_Khonoma_Nagaland

Faces | A Refreshing Route Across the Green Village of Nagaland: Khonoma

Published by Imtee Jamir

  “I took this picture in Khonoma Village, Nagaland. It is known for its rich history and culture, its lush greenery and never-ending terraced paddy fields. These kids took me through the village, telling stories, showing me interesting areas and the life around the place.” ~Kumar Mayank (@chasme_baddoor) Khonoma is an Angami Naga village located about 20 km west from the state capital, Kohima, Nagaland. Find out more about Khonoma Village here.

RootsandLeisure_BirdWatcher

Discovering a New Love for Bird Watching | Ramthansiama Chawngthu, Aizawl, Mizoram

Published by Shweta Rao

  Bird personalities vary from species to species and are always fascinating to observe. After years of work in the domain, hobby photographer Ramthansiama Chawngthu who is a banker by the day, took to Instagram to chronicle the rekindling of his appreciation and passion for birds. Bird watching is a rare hobby and one that requires boundless patience. There is also the intellectual challenge of trying to figure out what their orders or families are and recognizing them. “It’s not just passively sitting there and having a beautiful image thrown at you. You have to work at it,” said Chawngthu in a brief chat with the Roots & Leisure team. Tell us a bit about your work. I’m Ramthansiama Chawngthu from Aizawl, Mizoram. I work as a banker by the day and pursue nature photography as a hobbyist. I have a deep passion for bird watching and travel intensively across the northeastern India to shoot birds. Most of my photos, however, are shot on the outskirts of the city of Aizawl. I have found some really rare birds in …

RootsandLeisure_ASweetEscape

“I Want to Create my Own Dessert Recipes using Local Ingredients” | Baker Atu Jamir from Nagaland

Published by Imtee Jamir

Mondays, the dreaded day when you go back to work or school. Here’s a tip to beat the Monday blues.  How about a ‘sweet escape’ into the world of confectionaries? Think macaroons, eclairs, praline, cheese cake, marshmallows dipped in chocolate sauce! Either that or a look through Atu’s pictures may do the trick. The team catches with owner and baker of ‘A Sweet Escape’, Atu Jamir on her journey of becoming an entrepreneur and baker. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Born in Kohima and hailing from the mystical village of Longsa Village , my name is Atu Jamir and I am currently living in Dimapur. I got married this year with a wonderful man who is also the biggest supporter of my passion and love for baking. I graduated in Economics from Hyderabad University and worked with a corporation for a brief stint of one year. I then returned home, completed my master’s degree and worked as a teacher in one of the reputed schools in Dimapur. During my four years …

RootsandLeisure_ArtCafeKalimpong

Sipping Hot Coffee with a View at the Art Cafe | Kalimpong

Published by Shweta Rao

Dropping into traditional restaurants for a restorative slice of the only aged cheese made in India is indeed a culinary must-do when in Kalimpong. Well, why not? It’s delicious: the texture of a hard European cheese with an almost parmesan-ish flavor. But it would behoove young coffee aficionados to head to more modern cafés like the Art Cafe at Thana Dara, for their coffee breaks instead. Especially as the old city of Kalimpong witnesses a rise in new cafes ushering in a “third-wave” that is contemporary and delightfully pretty. Who are the founders of Kalimpong’s Art Cafe? Art Cafe was started by Pravesh Chhetri and me (Yachna Rizal). We’re both currently based in Kalimpong. I graduated as an engineer and worked in Bangalore for some time but I realized my flair for fashion and so took a degree in it. I now own a clothing line and also feature some of my work in a small boutique section at our café. I’m a foodie by nature and I love experimenting and re-jigging our menu frequently to offer …

RootsandLeisure_Artist-SachinBhatt

Psychedelic Art and Amusement With Visual Artist/ Musician: Sachin Bhatt from Bangalore

Published by Shweta Rao

  Visual artist and musician, Sachin Bhatt is an indie art lover’s best-kept secret.  Bhatt is a young talent who, like many artists, is on a constant quest of finding himself and his place in the world. Bhatt’s art and music shines through this process of deliberation, where he is on his own picking pieces off of his busy mind, but equally, in relation to other people and their nuances, he is confronted with. Here’s how he does it. Tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Sachin Bhatt, but I go by @bhattchin over Instagram. I’m a 19-year-old musician and visual artist studying at Srishti School of Design, Bangalore.  I’ve been illustrating ever since I can remember and I’ve never really stopped doing that. What actually sparked your interest in art? I’m a musician as well and I’ve been making art based on music for ages. I’ve absorbed a lot of pop culture and I love showing it through my art. Tell us about your art and how do you work on it? So, I work with a …