Author: Samyama

#FACES | A Farmer Taking Shelter from the Rain Under a Bamboo Umbrella – By Shweta Gupta

Published by Samyama

“I’m Shweta Gupta, a photographer from Bihar. I was on my way to Jyotirling Mandir, Bhimashankar (Maharashtra) with my friends when we stopped by a paddy field to just observe people and take in the scenery. This particular farmer walked by in the rain with this ‘chatri’ (umbrella) made of bamboo and tarp, and it felt like a moment worth capturing! I was intrigued and went up to say hi. He asked me about why I was taking photos, to which I answered, ‘Everyone should see you and your lifestyle’. He smiled and posed for the photograph. We had a brief chat and he told me he was headed home. I was fascinated with this particular form of an umbrella because usually, in most parts of India, we see burlap sacks but this was different. It turned out to be a great photo!” ~Shweta Gupta from Bihar See some more of her photos on her Instagram!

‘I Live To Sing and Perform’ — L’nee Golay, a 19-years-old Singer-Songwriter From Bangalore

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L’nee Golay is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Bangalore. She picked up the guitar at the age of 9 and fell in love instantly. With her soulful voice, she’s on her way to make a mark in the music industry. Her music has soul-pop personality, and she defines it as ‘calm and cool but intense and emotional’.  We were excited to sit down and have a conversation with her about her life and the launch of her EP in the coming months. L’nee, we are pleased to have you here! Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m L’nee Golay, a 19-years-old singer-songwriter/artist. I was born in Nepal but have spent most of my life here in India in a couple of different places. My family currently live in Bangalore, where I lived for the past 8 years. I’ve studied music at Leeds College of Music. In Leeds, I’ve been busy making music, meeting so many amazing musicians from all walks of life and collaborating with them. I’ve released two songs in the past year, and …

Making Soaps Look Like Desserts ⁠— Meet the Owner of The Sass Bar, Rishika Nayak From Mumbai

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Rishika was never one to settle on a conventional job. She knew that she wanted to create something of her own, something different yet a reflection of her personality. And then inspiration hit! Meet Rishika Nayak, a creative soap-maker from Mumbai. She is the owner of The Sass Bar which makes dessert-looking soaps — yes, soaps that look like cupcakes, pastries and everything sweet! Even though you can’t eat it, the soaps are truly a dessert for the skin, as they are made with organic ingredients. Her soaps are unlike anything we’ve seen so far and it was a great fun getting to know her and her brand. Read our chat with Rishika on our blog. Tap on the link in bio or below.  Hello Rishika! Tell us a little bit about yourself. Hi! I am Rishika Nayak from Mumbai. I’m the owner of Sass Bar – a company that makes handcrafted dessert-looking soaps made from raw ingredients. I I began experimenting with soap making when I was 19, which inspired me to take up …

Meet Karuna Mira Sah, A Glaciologist In Training and A Rock Climber, From Nainital

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Karuna Mira Sah, a 23-year-old from Nainital, has chosen a rare yet exciting path in life. She’s training to be a glaciologist, and is also a rock and ice climber and a passionate photographer. It was her love and deep-rooted connection with the mountains that led her to this path in life. Her college allowed her to study and discover remote areas across the world, and all exposes her to some breathtakingly picturesque views! She recently graduated in Earth Sciences from the US and plans to do her Masters and research in Glaciology. Her expeditions have taught her much about life and further inspired her to work for environment issues. We chatted with this charming young woman in detail. Tap on the link in bio and below to give it a read!    Hello Karuna, thank you for chatting with us! Please introduce yourself to our readers.  Hey! I’m Karuna, an aspiring glaciologist, a mountain climber and most of all, a nature lover. I grew up in Nainital, Uttarakhand. I have been hiking with my …

“Every Vintage Car Has a Story Which I Share Through My Art” – Meet Rupali Prakash, an Illustrator and Vintage Car Collector From Bangalore

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Rupali Prakash, from Bangalore, is a woman of many talents, to say the least! She is an illustrator and the founder of Classic Chase, a company that restores and rents out vintage cars. She combined her two passions—art and vintage cars—to illustrate vintage cars and keep them alive in the form of art, which is a crucial part of Classic Chase. She creates handcrafted merchandise and even works with groups like the Federation of Historic Vehicles of India (FHVI) and with vintage car clubs around the world, both as an automotive illustrator and as a youth adviser. This dynamic woman from Bangalore has got the world on her mind. Get to know her better as we chat about how she manages to find balance and inspiration for her many projects.  Hey Rupali, it’s great to have you here! Please introduce yourself to our readers. I’m a Punjadiga (half Punjabi & half Kannadiga) and have spent my whole life on a farm with my parents and younger sister on the outskirts of Bangalore. After doing UG …

A Conversation With Iram, a Progressive Rock Band Based in Bangalore

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Iram is a band formed by 5 talented musicians, and is based out of Bangalore. This progressive rock band released their first album Azal, which was loved by critics and music lovers alike. ‘We hope our music brings attention to the growing hostility and angst in the world. We want to create music that inspires people to build a world without hate’, says Neil, the founder and lead of the band.  A truly humble group, these 5 boys are as charming to chat as they are on stage! We spoke to them about how they came together, their journey so far and plans for the future. Introduce us to your members! Meet Neil Simon Abel “I’m Neil. I was born and raised in the Middle East. My family moved to Bangalore and I completed my graduation from here. We are originally from Gulbarga, which is in the northern part of Karnataka, but have been in Bangalore for close to 16 years now. So it’s safe to say that Bangalore is home. I am a qualified …

“Paper Chirrups is An Artistic Pursuit & a Way to Promote Restoration and Conservation of All Endangered Wildlife” – A Chat With Niharika Rajput, Wildlife Artist

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Niharika Rajput is a wildlife artist and conversationalist based out of Delhi. She specializes in intricate paper and epoxy sculptures of birds and animals. took the form of Paper Chirrups—a project where she explores various birds from all over the world, sculpts them, and also conducts festivals and workshops to spread awareness.  Niharika’s focus has always been to create awareness about the depleting numbers of birds and loss of their habitat. Although a unique art form, sculpting birds came naturally to her as she spent most of her time in nature while growing up, observing and watching birds. Being born in Arunachal Pradesh, she has always had a deep rooted connection with nature which can be seen in her work as well.We chatted with this inspiring young woman about her projects and more. Introduce us to Paper Chirrups!  I have always been a keen observer and deep admirer of all things wild. It was only fitting that I amalgamated the two – my love for the wild and my love for art. When I started …

#RECIPE | Spicy Bengali Dish ‘Gondhoraj Mutton’ by Arijit Dey, from Kolkata

Published by Samyama

Today we’re bringing to you a dish all the way from Kolkata called  ‘Gondhoraj Mutton’! It’s a perfect dish to enjoy your weekend with! The recipe was shared by Arijit Dey, a Kolkata based fashion designer by profession and a passionate cook. He uses a special ingredient called Gondhoraj to make this dish, which is a native lime of Bengal.  Arijit says he has always had a passion for food and his happiest moments have mostly been around food. Whether it was enjoying Gondhoraj Mutton with his family on Sundays or learning about food and culture from locals while traveling. This love is also what inspires him to share stories and recipes from different cultures with people! It’s as delicious as it looks! Gondhoraj lime can be easily found in online shops. The specialty of this lime is its fragrance and mellow flavour. You can also use kaffir lime leaves – but make sure to use it in lesser quantity as it has an overpowering taste compared to Gondhoraj.  Ingredients: Mutton (1kg) Yogurt (200 gms)   …

‘I Knew I Wanted to Study Fashion At The Age of 8’ – A Chat With Shivangi Lahoty, Owner of Inaaya and Co.

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Shivangi Lahoty, from Nazira, Assam knew that fashion was her true calling when she was 8. With support from her family and friends, she pursued it until it became her profession! She went on to study fashion designing, and then launched her own store called Inaaya and Co. Inaaya is a young, fresh take on ethical fashion. It’s an ethical and premium womenswear clothing and accessory brand, with a store in Ahmedabad.  We had a chance to have a tête-à-tête with this budding creative entrepreneur, owner of Inaaya and Co., about her online store launch at the beginning of next month.  When did your love for designing clothes and fashion begin? I was 8 when I knew I wanted to study fashion. I grew up in a small town called Nazira in Assam. It was heaven on earth, in every sense, including that fact that we had very little connectivity to the internet! Hence, we relied on print media as a source of connection to the outside world.  I remember, one day my father came …

A Chat With The Pastry Chef and Owner Behind A Dessert Cafe in Bangalore Called ‘The Humble Pie’

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Mrudula Putcha, a 32-years-old pastry chef from Hyderabad, found her true calling much later in life. She started off as an electronics engineer and even went to the US for her masters in the field. But after returning to India, fate guided her towards her true passion! Her recently opened second branch of The Humble Pie is a testament of her hard work and immense passion. We had a conversation with her about her journey over a tasty chocolate tart!   Share with us, your journey towards becoming a pastry chef. Surprisingly, I always dreamt of being a chef. I remember discussing it openly for the first time when I was 17 but it took me another 10 years to truly materialise this dream. I went in a different direction — decided to pursue engineering and the thought of opening a cafe was buried in the back of mind.  After I finished my masters in Network engineering in The US and came back to India, I started my hunt for jobs. I was working for a …