All posts filed under: ASSAM

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“Refining my art with a fineliner is like fixing real-life issues. It’s truly therapeutic.” – Chat with Student and Artist Alexa Hojai from Haflong, Assam

Meet Alexa Hojai, a talented young artist from the picturesque hill station of Haflong in Assam. She is currently studying at Cotton University in Guwahati and has been doodling and making art since she was just 11 years old.  Alexa’s art is like a time machine; with every doodle and surreal sketch, she whisks you away to places and moments you thought you’d forgotten. It’s like stepping into a beautiful daydream. Her preferred canvas is the off-white watercolor paper, a choice that lends her creations an ‘ancient’ ambiance. With fineliners as her trusty companions, she brings intricate details to life, all while experimenting with the soothing and therapeutic art of painting. In her own words, Alexa beautifully encapsulates her artistic process “I sometimes mess my art with paint, and then fix them by adding details. It gives me an odd satisfaction when the messy part of the art is fixed; it’s like fixing real-life problems.” Over a chat, we journey through her hometown of Haflong, and explore her favorite art tools and mediums, her sources …

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“We Dream of a Society Free from Political Dominance by Dishonest Politicians.” – Rap Metal Band ‘AMBUSH’ from Assam

Our guests today are members of the rap metal band ‘AMBUSH’ from Karbi Anglong, Assam. We chat about their recently released track ‘Corruption Choke’ and the message they want to send out through their music. The band members Risim Rongpi (Vocal), Amarjit Bey (Guitar), Jitu Tokbi (Bass), and Deowinson Bey (Drums) have been performing together for 7 years – and counting,  and hope to keep raising powerful voices against corruption through their music. “Corruption erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development, and further exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division, and the environmental crisis. We have long been witnesses to social suffering as a result of political violence and domination. The invisible wounds of our people and the traumatized survivors of many terrors and conflicts keep us going. We dream of a society – and life in general, that is free from political dominance by dishonest politicians. Only then, can we improve the quality of our life.That’s what we want to convey through our music.” ~ AMBUSH, Karbi Anglong R&L: Hello! Excited to be having this chat. …

RootsandLeisure_photographer Ved-Assam

“I May End up Hating Photography If It Becomes My Bread & Butter; I Just Want to Click Photos and Make People Stop, Wonder, and Think.” – Photographer Ved from Assam

I’d like to introduce Ved – a talented photographer and videographer friend of mine from Assam, whose work I’ve been following ever since I’ve met him (and worked with) at a university event in Jorhat back in 2019. A fellow traveler, he is always up for an adventure and a great conversationalist. For anyone meeting him for the first time, it is easy to spot his natural passion and love for his work – and life in general. With his go-getter attitude and an infectious positivity, I really enjoyed this chat with him.  Deno: Hi Ved, welcome to R&L! Please introduce yourself. Ved: I’m Ved, a photographer and videographer based in the quaint little town of Jorhat, Assam. I like to believe that photography runs in my blood because both my grandfathers were very talented photographers and I’ve grown up looking at framed black and white prints of their work. I started dabbling in photography from a young age but I developed the technical know-how much later. I got my first client when I was …

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Assamese Fish Recipe | Masor Jhul with Kala Jeera (Nigella Seeds)

If you are tired of cooking fish the same way, and with that familiar taste, then we have just the right recipe for you. Our friend Antara Boruah – a recipe developer from Assam, is going to make a pretty interesting fish dish using Nigella Seeds (kalonji or kala jeera). A flavorsome dish that has “a beautiful earthy flavor, a soothing breeze of fresh air with bold and beautiful spices.” – as described by the master herself. Let’s start cooking! INGREDIENTS: Fish 350 gms 3tbsp Nigella Seeds (kalonji or kala jeera)  Black pepper 1/2 tbsp Garlic 1 regular bulb whole Green Chillies 4 slit Salt to taste Lemon juice 2 tbsp Mustard oil. Enough to shallow fry the fish and an additional 2 tbsp. Turmeric 1 tbsp Mint leaves for garnish Steps to cook: Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric. Make a smooth paste of Nigella seeds, garlic and black pepper. Make sure there are no coarse grains in the paste. Shallow fry the fish in mustard oil till half done. Add 2 tbsp oil to …

Julie Kagti, Owner of Curtain Call Adventures, Is Helping People Explore Northeast

Julie Kagti of ‘Curtain Call Adventures’, has come a long way since starting her business in 2016. Her venture focuses on creating localised travel experiences for people in the Northeast region. She promotes a more wholesome way of travelling by including local art, culture, and guides in your travel experience. She spent two decades in various roles of a designer, teacher, entrepreneur, and social worker, gracing her way in Lakme Fashion Week and Fabindia stores. Her childhood spent in Assam inspired her to start the venture and also bring the honest yet unseen side of Northeast to the world. Today we chat with her to know the exciting story behind Curtain Call Adventures and more.  Hey Julie! Tell us a bit about yourself.  Hi, I’m Julie, the owner of Curtain Call Adventures. I grew up in Assam, which exposed me to both the anglicised tea life and local culture of weaving. My exposure to the world of design in Bombay inspired me to pursue an education in textile design, after which I spent two decades …

Raktim Gautam from Guwahati, a Spoken Word Poet and a Storyteller Carving His Own Way Through Words.

Poetry is pieces of thoughts strung together by experience. Raktim Gautam, a poet from Guwahati, does more than write poetry—he performs them in front of an audience. A spoken word poet, this young literary artist thrives by connecting with the audience, often moving them with his words. He runs Guwahati’s art collective called ‘East India Poets’ and aspires to be a great storyteller just like his grandfather. Join us as we get a glimpse into his life. Welcome, Raktim. It’s exciting to be interviewing a different kind of poet today! Let’s start with a brief introduction. Hello! I’m Raktim Gautam. I’m a 22-year-old, spoken word poet born and brought up in Guwahati, Assam. I’m currently based in Guwahati as well. I run an art collective called East India Poets, wherein I manage an art space called ‘The Komorebi Artroom’. Meanwhile, I am working on a few theatre productions as part of Theatre@Agora. I’m also working as a content creator at a creative digital agency called Right Hemisphere. But I always manage to find the time …

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

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 …

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A Chat With Avijoy Chanda, Owner Of Aroo-De Waffles – A Portable Canopy Street Shop In Guwahati, Assam

Probably the most exciting thing for foodies is discovering new and great street food. It’s accessible, affordable and not to forget – delicious. Today, we have 25-year-old Avijoy Chanda from Assam who runs a waffle shop in a portable canopy called the “Aroo-de Waffles” based in Guwahati. It is a favourite of many locals as it serves variety of flavours that are oh-so delicious! It was Avijoy’s love for waffles since his Delhi days that gave him the idea to start this. Find out more below: We had a chat with Avijoy Chanda, the owner of one of Assam’s famous street shop “Aroo-de Waffles” to talk about what got him started, its specialities and more! Hello! Introduce a little about yourself. Hello! They say, “Normal is Boring”, and I, Avijoy Chanda, couldn’t agree more. Being a 25-year-old working professional and owning a business at the same time, is an exciting and unpredictable experience. Living in Guwahati, I have since birth been a creative child and as I grew older, I became very interested in the …

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“My First Visit To Mizoram And The Place Has Already Captured My Heart” – Suraj Kumar Nath From Assam

It was my first visit to Mizoram and the place has already captured my heart! For me, it was one of the best place in the North-east of India. People are warm and nice, well cultured and I find the capital, Aizawl, as a very disciplined city – especially how the locals follow the traffic rules was impressive. And not to forget, the street food there was amazing too! Although, communicating with the local taxi drivers was a little difficult because of language barrier.  We were 8 college friends and came from Silchar Assam to take this trip. The photo was taken at the viewpoint of Reiek Tlang, one of the hills located just outside Aizawl (about 12 kms away) and is a popular destination for adventure seekers. The view surrounding the hill is breathtaking and makes the visit worthwhile. It was raining in the morning while we were in the capital but luckily when we reached the top of the hill, it stopped and the weather was just pleasant and perfect. The fog left too …