Author: Pooja Ghose

This Lady from Gurgaon Makes the Most Beautiful Miniature Doll Houses | Zereh Lalji

Published by Pooja Ghose

“I have a strong desire to constantly express myself creatively – Be it through gift wrapping, or making crochet toys for my kids. I’m always using my hands.” Two kids, two Masters Degree and two crafty hands has 43 year old Zereh Lalji from Gurgaon occupied and satisfied with what she creates and constructs. Meet this self-taught artist with a prescribed passion for craft where she reveals that the magic lies in the ‘making’. Zereh is into making lovely little doll houses and miniature models that started off initially by building cardboard houses for her kids, later developing into a full-swing hobby. How did the craft scene enter your life? Tell us something about how it all began. I’m a maker and have this constant need to make stuff. I love things that are handcrafted and beautiful. My mum used to design clothes and my dad was very good at fixing and making stuff – doing things with his hands. Maybe that’s what influenced me. As a teenager I made a lot of small things …

Recipe | Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum Thai)

Published by Pooja Ghose

Here is a special salad recipe from Thailand – a Green Papaya Salad called as ‘Som Tum Thai‘. It has a sweet and spicy taste, and is made of dried shrimps but can be prepared with fermented fish or crabs too. Usually served as a side dish and is equally mouth-watering for a savory snack! Ingredients: 1 whole green papaya (shredded) 4-5 red chillies 1-2 cloves of garlic 1 tsp of palm sugar (you may also use brown sugar) 2 tbsp of dried shrimp 1-2 long beans 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes 1.5 tbsp of lime juice 2 lime wedges 2 tbsp of tamarind juice 2 tbsp fish sauce Roasted peanuts Preparation: Wash and peel the papaya and shred it finely. Keep it aside. Now, in a mortal and pestle (hand grinder), put the chilli and garlic and grind them finely. Add in the dried shrimp, long beans, cherry tomatoes and grind it again. Next, add the lime juice, the lime wedges, tamarind juice, fish sauce and mix it all together. Add the shredded papaya …

Kids Surprising Visitors with Their Beautiful Self-Taught Song | Ungma Village, Nagaland

Published by Pooja Ghose

“Came across these singing kids during a visit to Ungma Village – one of the oldest villages in Nagaland. Four of them are siblings. I was awestruck by their beautiful song – and their strong voices! What they are singing is a song which is unknown to me. These kids learn songs of different dialects and tribes – on their own – as a fun activity. This is one such song they taught themselves. They are from the Ao tribe, but this song is definitely not in Ao. Wonder which tribe’s song this is. I couldn’t walk away from their unusually beautiful song ; also look at how they sing it so effortlessly! Love their casual demeanor and their confidence!” ~ Toshiwapang O Longkumer (@toshi_soyimboy) A post shared by RootsandLeisure (@rootsandleisure) on Aug 26, 2017 at 12:40am PDT

Recipe | Homemade Button Mushrooms Stir Fry

Published by Pooja Ghose

Today we are sharing a tasty recipe of homemade style button mushrooms stir fried and sautéed with pepper and butter. With simple ingredients, you can cook it instantly at home and enjoy it as a side-dish! Ingredients: 1 cup of button mushrooms (cleaned and cut into halves) 1 large onion (chopped into cubes) 1 bulb of garlic 1 tbsp of olive oil/vegetable oil 2 tbsp of butter 1 tsp of freshly grounded pepper Salt to taste Directions to cook: Firstly, heat the oil over high heat in a skillet or pan. Now, add the chopped mushrooms, onion and garlic. Let it stay until they have caramelized on the bottom. When done, toss them and continue to cook for another 3 mins. Next, add the butter and grounded pepper and toss it for 5 mins, until beautifully brown. Finally, season with salt as per your taste. Garnish with fresh coriander or celery, if required. Serve it as starter or appetizer before a main course meal! Recipe contributed by Sochonphy Lunghar.

Recipe | Assamese Style Pork in a Bamboo Tube

Published by Pooja Ghose

Presenting another delectable recipe for all the pork lovers, cooked in the traditional Assamese style using bamboo tubes. The fresh raw essence and aroma of the bamboo gives the dish a very local smoky flavor, with the use of fresh garden herbs, cooked over the traditional Assamese mud stove. So let’s try it out! Pork cooked in bamboo tubes in traditional Assamese style. Ingredients : Pork – 1 kg Ginger- Garlic paste – 3 tbsp A handful of mint leaves Cilantro 3-4 leaves Red chilli (5-6) or king chilli (bhoot jolokia) 1 nos. Salt according to taste Raw bamboo shoot 50-100g (optional) Two bamboo tubes (better if the bamboo is from hilly region) Banana leaves Directions to cook : Chop the pork into medium sized pieces, wash thoroughly and keep it aside. Crush the mint into a paste type consistency. Next, mix the pork with ginger-garlic paste, mint paste, chillies and cilantro and keep aside for 10 mins (bamboo shoot can also be mixed). The marinated pork is now ready to be stuffed inside the …

Mutual Respect over Visual Divides | Story of a Wooden Gate in Arunachal

Published by Pooja Ghose

“The gate that divides two Brokpa (Yak herders) territories. Just a simple wooden gate and no barbed wires or fences or whatsoever. Because mutual respect for ethics is what matters, and not visual divides” ~ Photo & caption by @thetravelling_pants “This picture was taken when trekking through the route used only by Brokpas (yak herders) of Lubrang- Naga-GG belt. The wooden gate that you see here (in the photo) is supposedly the border – a mark of divide between the Brokpa territories. There is no tension between the two places, just a customary mark. Beautiful to observe how mutual respect for ethics is what matters and not visual divides.” Lubrang and Naga-GG are both small villages that comes under Dirang circle of West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. This place is not known to any tourists yet, and it offers an exotic trek of about 2 and a half hours, probably 5 kms, give or take one. The trek route crosses some really breathtaking views. Green pastures and in them grazing mules, sheep and yaks, splendid alpine …

Faces | I Love Cosplay Because It Helps Me Express Myself Better

Published by Pooja Ghose

“This is my third year of cosplaying in the Cosfest organized by NAJ – Nagaland Anime Junkie. In the first year (2015), I dressed up as an anime maid, and worked at the Anime Maid Cafe. It was so much fun! Second year, I dressed up as ‘Madam Red’ from the anime series ‘Black Butler’. This year I am dressed as ‘Sona’ from League of Legends. I got the costume made through a local tailor here, and I got the wig as a gift from my aunt. She bought it for me when she went on a trip abroad. Cosplay is special because it takes me to a world of anime – which I love so much – as it helps me to express myself better” ~ Visazonuo Grace Suokhrie, Student Visazonuo Grace Suokhrie cosplaying as Sona’ from League of Legends.

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 – …

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 …