Author: Shweta Rao

RootsandLeisure_Pravesh2

My Experimentations with Film Photography and Stop-Motion | Pravesh Hingmang from Gangtok, Sikkim

Published by Shweta Rao

It’s not very often that one comes across new age (digital) photographers who are deeply interested in film photography. According to a recent TIME article, companies synonymous with film cameras like Fujifilm and Kodak have been forging a comeback on observing a positive trend globally. It mentions how young and bold professional photographers who grew up with digital are falling in love with the magic of film photography. Our new talent discovery, Pravesh Hingmang from Gangtok, Sikkim is a professional photographer, and founder of “Hidden Frames” who has done some lovely experimentations with film photography. Today we chat with him to know more about him and his work Hi Pravesh, tell us a bit about yourself I am Pravesh Hingmang and am 28 years old. I’m from Gangtok, but I’m currently based out of New Delhi. I came to Delhi to pursue my higher education in 2009 and have been here even after I graduated from Hindu college. I pursue hobbies in a variety of areas. I love singing, performing magic, collecting old film cameras and of course photography. At …

This Bangalore Artist and Illustrator Takes Surreal Art to the Next Level – Meet Vibhav Singh

Published by Shweta Rao

Now and then, while on our quest to find amazing and unique work of art and their creators to inspire us, we often come across artists that transcend the real world in a rare way. Every work they create provokes familiarity within us. Scrolling through Vibhav Singh’s work made the team exclaim, “This one is stolen from my dream!” or “Whew, that’s what I was thinking just yesterday!” Vibhav’s work seems to have created a bond with his fans and followers too. By being dreamy, yet eerily real, his art constructs a world that makes us want to quit whatever we’re doing and sip on hot chocolate with them in the hidden attics of our mind. Hello Vaibhav, so tell us your story! I’m a 21-year-old artist and illustrator working in Bangalore – and I like to tell stories. I’m originally from Indirapuram from NCR, New Delhi. Stories have always been a huge part of my life through books, doodles, and films, and that’s what I intend to bring to my work. I’ve been drudging …

Rootsandleisure_Hongkong

A Chat with the Creators Behind “MoonshineFolks” Hong Kong, an Art Project Involving Beautiful Floral Arrangements and People

Published by Shweta Rao

Carefully arranged pictures of pretty flowers on Instagram have become blooming works of art since a few years. Come winter and indoor hobbies like flower arrangements serve as an inspiration to the millions of us trying to create beauty for our own Hygge-inspired lives. A minimalistic Gerbera arrangement melds into a portrait of a woman ready for a Bohemian winter with an Icelandic wool knitted headband. Tiny Callistemon fruit branches and long stems of Chinese Ixora used innovatively as installation art on a terrace garden. A Van Gogh inspired Vincent Blue Bouquet. A lone Gerbera lights up a meal at home shared with friends and family. These are just a few of the stunning floral art captured by the florist cum artists behind “Moonshinefolk” We chat with the creative duo behind “Moonshinefolk”- Manki Lai and Helen Cheung from Hong Kong. “Our common interest in flowers brought us together,” says Manki. Helen is a copywriter who was learning flower arrangement at the time Moonshine was conceived. Manki is a graphic designer who loves photography and wants to try …

RootsandLeisure_VisualArtist_ThokchomSony

Defying Society’s Beauty Standards with Art: Thokchom Sony | Visual Artist | Imphal & New Delhi

Published by Shweta Rao

  There is a common saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  That idea is further complicated when we look at it through the eyes of different cultures that exist today. In today’s globalized world, culture, race, and media intersect to create an idea of beauty that is admired by a collective and not an individual. Pop media and artists today have a bigger responsibility to open the world’s eyes to what today’s beauty standards are and what they need to be. We speak with visual artist Thokchom Sony on the importance of showcasing cultural importance in art. Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m a 29-year-old visual artist from Imphal and am currently based in New Delhi.  I have lived in the south of Delhi for the last 10 years, where my career has continued to grow. This is where I’ve regained a sense of self-assurance. I have attained a Bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Jamia Millia Islamia Institute and I have a postgraduate diploma in visual effects and animation …

RootsandLeisure_HomeMadeBeku

My Journey From Being an IT Engineer to Yoga Teacher & Vegan Baker: Ekta Minocha | Homemade Beku, Bangalore

Published by Shweta Rao

If recent news reports are anything to go by, veganism just got trendy. To the committed carnivores among us, adopting a vegan diet aka no meat, no fish, no dairy, and no eggs, sounds like a dramatic step.  But even if you made the necessary relevant changes to your lifestyle and diet, following through it outside the confines of your home in India gets challenging. That’s where vegan bakers like Ekta Minocha are passionately helping their customers enjoy their journey through veganism. We first came to know of Ekta Minocha and her vegan baking venture, Homemade Beku, through her Instagram profile. Her beautifully decorated, moist, and delicious looking baked goods and vegan savories will make your mouth water. Minocha has also started a blog recently, called The Vegan Birdie, that is already a name to reckon with in Bangalore’s baking community. Whoever said the vegan food was boring? When and why did you decide to become a vegan baker? I started out in the corporate world in Bangalore as an engineer in 2007. Since then, my …

RootsandLeisure_VitotoSakhrie

Living The Photographic Dream : Vitoto Sakhrie | Photographer | Nagaland

Published by Shweta Rao

  “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps you moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.” – Martin Luther King Vitoto Sakhrie is a man with many strings to his bow. He is a self-taught creative graphic designer, serves at his local church, and is now somebody who counts photography as one of his biggest interests – particularly since he rekindled a dead but intense childhood dream from a decade ago. Tell us a bit about yourself. I was born and brought up in Kohima in a big family. So big that people often recognize us by just our ‘serial number’ among the kids. I am the 9th oldest kid in the family and am 35 years old. I am currently working as a graphic designer in our church at Kohima and just started work as a freelance photographer Is photography your full-time occupation? I am a full-time church worker. I love my …

RootsandLeisure_CafeKalimpong

Creating a Space to Promote Kalimpong’s Culture – Meet the Founders of Cafe Kalimpong

Published by Shweta Rao

“Welcome to the home you never knew you had,” says a writing on a wall of Cafe Kalimpong, the newest addition to a growing number of hipster hangout spots in the tiny tourist town of Kalimpong. Earlier known for its temperate climate, Buddhist temples and traditional handicrafts, Kalimpong is undergoing a silent cafe revolution. A revolution that has set afoot thanks to local entrepreneurs like Praveen Chettri, Navin Chettri and Yawan Rai, young and ambitious owners of Cafe Kalimpong. Tell us a bit about Cafe Kalimpong and its founders. When was it launched? Cafe Kalimpong was launched by the three of us – Praveen Chettri, Navin Chettri and Yawan Rai (me) – on 19th March 2017. “Café Kalimpong” was an obvious choice to name the cafe as our main motive is to promote Kalimpong. Our core idea behind launching this cafe was not just to serve good food but also to create a space to promote Kalimpong by telling stories about our rich history, unique culture and sharing life stories about our beautiful people. What inspired you to launch a cafe?  As …

RootsandLeisure_LumWrites

Her Writings are as Sincere and Perfect as Her Illustrations – Meet Lum Shaiza from Manipur

Published by Shweta Rao

  Sunny and bubbly Lum Shaiza is a face that hardly paints the picture of a pensive writer. And yet, her work tells us a different story. Shaiza does what probably is the most important aspect of writing: she writes lines that articulate thoughts and feelings that readers have lost in their subconscious. Her work helps readers relate to the world around them, and the sentiments contained within them. Here we chat with Lum Shaiza from Manipur to know more about her and her creative pursuits. Hi, Lum Shaiza, introduce yourself. Also, is that your full name? I’m a Tangkhul girl from Ukhrul, Manipur and I’m just two months shy of turning 23. I’ve been living in Pune since I was studying in senior high school. I’m still pursuing an MBA here. I go by a few names, although I like to stick with Lum Shaiza and not my full name. Why? because that’s reserved for when my mom gets really mad at me. That’s when she spits out my full name, Lumyangnao Shaiza! and lightning strikes …

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_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 …