All posts filed under: ASSAM

rootsandleisure_faces

#Faces | This Portrait of an Old Man Captured By Tenzing Will Transport You Into A World Of Fantasy And Fairy Tales

Published by Vilina

“We had a day off and a friend of mine suggested we go birding in a forest a few kilometers out of Guwahati. So we grabbed our cameras, some supplies to eat and headed out. My friend is an avid bird-watcher and frequently visits these forests. It was my first visit there so I didn’t know what to expect. We reached the edge of the forest and reached a temple that we needed to pass before actually entering the forest. As we approached the temple gates we were greeted by this old man. He wasn’t a man of many words nor was he a ‘ray of sunshine’. He had one job to do… Perhaps the most important job there. It was to make sure that no one enters the temple grounds with their footwear on. My friend explained to me that even though we weren’t there to worship and were simply passing by, the rules applied to us all the same. His eyes looked our way as I took a quick shot of him. When …

A Chat with 23-year-old Singer-Songwriter, Actor, and Activist Rahul Rajkhowa from Assam

Published by Vilina

  To be a talented singer and  an entertainer is a blessing for an individual, and to use these talents for a greater cause can be a blessing for many. 23-year-old singer-songwriter Rahul Rajkhowa from Assam is an inspiring young artist, who has already created nationwide news and impact for his hometown, through his music. His music video “The Floods” which highlights the devastating effects of the Assam Floods, got him his first solo feature on Rolling Stone magazine India, national news coverage on NDTV and honored by ‘Twitter India’ as the Youth ambassador for using social media to bring positive change.  This charming musician started his musical journey when he was just 12, as a band member in school. Later when he moved to Delhi for college, he started playing with his seniors at St. Stephen’s College, and very soon he had already put together his own band “Paperboat” – with whom he has toured around the country. He is also a blooming actor, and have acted alongside Rishi Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Ayushman Khuranna …

rootsandeisure-Barun Bordoloi

21 Year Old Photographer cum Graphic Artist Likes Mixing Real and Fictional Worlds into His Art | Meet Barun Bordoloi from Assam

Published by Vilina

Thomas Merton rightly said,  “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” With this, Barun Bordoloi from Assam who describes himself as an introvert and an awkward 21-year-old found comfort in a world where the art of photography and graphic designing enabled him to re-create, re-imagine, and repaint a world of his own. We chat with this young creative talent – Barun Bordoloi, a self-taught photographer and a colorful graphic designer with dreams that are larger than life – just like his colorful works of art. Hi Barun, tell us a little bit about yourself. Hi, I’m Barun Bordoloi from Guwahati, Assam. I am 21 years old and currently an undergrad student (B. com) I love to invest my time in learning and perfecting my photography skills, and also graphic designing.  What do you do full-time? and tell us more about your hobby. I am a full-time student and also a freelance graphic designer for Karate Association of India. I love to CREATE. I love playing with pictures and creating a different …

rootsandleisure_pari

This Self-Taught Baker Takes Inspiration from Nature and Her Assamese Roots to Paint Art into Her Cakes and Bakes – Meet Pari Hazarika “The Baker Girl”

Published by Vilina

  Food holds a special place in our hearts – for so many different reasons. For those of us who are away from home, it reminds us of our home and our folks back home; for some, there are memories attached to some special treats – and for most, we simply love to eat as nothing comes close to the feeling of comfort that only good food can provide.  Our guest today from Assam – Pari Hazarika, who goes by the name “The Baker Girl”, also shares a special bond with food. It was during some trying times in her life that she went back to her love for baking and painting – as a way to nourish both her body and soul. Growing up, she used to love watching baking shows on TV and practicing her cooking skills back at home in Assam. So going back to her childhood love helped heal her, and sparked a new excitement in her life. So here we are, with Pari “The Baker Girl” from Assam, as we chat …

rootsandleisure_The midmess

This Sister Duo from Assam are Taking Food Aesthetics to Another Level Through Their Food Blog “The Mid Mess”

Published by Vilina

Two sisters  , Sabiha and Samee Taskin from Assam works 9-to-5  job but their passion for food and photography led to the birth of food blogging journey “The Mid Mess ” . From experimenting new recipes to creating an aesthetic plate of food that will make you think twice before you take a bite , these sisters will make sure you have your cravings fixed with the right amount of nutrition. We talk with the brains behind “The Mid Mess”  on how they started their journey , dreams and their love for food. Tell us a little about yourselves . We are Sabiha and Samee hailing from Assam and currently living in Bangalore who loves to eat, cook , nerd out about anything nutrition related.We also love travelling and has a passion for photography. We also work as freelance photographers so ,we take up many food photography projects across India, where we click photos of either their new launches or good looking delicious photos for their websites. Tell us about your venture <The Mid Mess>. How did you …

RootsandLeisure_Pari

Inspirational Baker from Assam, Pari Hazarika Shares Her Experience of Picking Stinging Nettles from the Himalayan Foothills.

Published by Vilina

A foodie with a passion for baking desserts and experimenting with local dishes, Pari Hazarika from Assam has been cooking and baking since her childhood days, “I have always loved cooking as a kid, but it was only after I moved to Pune, that I recognized this passion of mine as a calling. I was going through trying times and I found solace in cooking for myself and my friends 🙂 I’ve always been very interested in learning about local ingredients and culinary techniques, but it took a while and some travelling before I could manifest my curiosity in that area.” As an inspirational figure for all those who follow her food journey, Pari also enjoys traveling and exploring the beauty of nature – which in turn fuels her food experiments. Here she shares an adventure of picking “stinging nettle leaves” (a medicinal plant often taken to detox, improve metabolism and immunity etc.) on a recent trip with her friends to Jibhi, a village in the Banjar Valley of Kullu in Himachal. “During my recent visit to Jibhi, a village in …

Rootsandleisure_puravee_recipe

#Recipe | Masor Tenga – An Assamese Style Cooked Tangy Tomato Fish Curry

Published by Puravee Bordoloi Pari

Today we present to you a delicately flavored & light fish curry from Assam by one of our Recipe Contributors – Puravee Bordoloi (@puraveebordoloi). Tenga, as it means sour, is added by using different souring agents like, elephant apple, mangosteen, lemon, tomato, jujube, fermented bamboo shoot, different leafy veggies, etc. Other seasonal veggies like gourds, yam, taro root, cauliflower, potatoes etc. go along with it and make a perfect dish. Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes Ingredients: 6-8 pcs of Rohu fish 3 large cut ripe tomatoes 1 medium sized chopped onion 1 tsp of Fenugreek seeds or five spices 3 chopped green chilies 1 tbsp of Turmeric powder 4 tbsp of Mustard oil 1 glass of lukewarm water Salt to taste Fresh coriander leaves for garnish Method: Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder. Heat oil in a pan; fry both sides of the fish and keep them aside. Do not over fry Set the flame on medium. Add fenugreek or the five spices in that hot oil and let it splutter Now add the …

Rootsandleisure_geeta_recipe

#Recipe | Boroila Fish Cooked With Khutora Xaak And Cherry Tomatoes

Published by Asmita Das

Today we have a refreshing and light fish curry from one of our favorite Recipe Contributors Geeta. The small fresh water Boroila fish when cooked with khutora xaak, a variety of Amaranthus and tangy cherry tomatoes, tastes the best when the weather becomes all dry. Cooking time: 20-25 minutes Ingredients: 250 grams of Boroila fish 250 grams of khutora xaak or green amaranthus 1 cup of cherry tomatoes 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds 6 garlic pods 1 tsp of mustard oil 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder 2 cups of water Salt to taste Method: Roughly chop the khutora leaves and keep it aside Heat a tsp of mustard oil in a wok, add half tsp of fenugreek seeds or methi seeds to it and let it splutter Add a few pods of garlic, add the khutora leaves and sauté it Add turmeric and salt to taste Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for around 5 minutes. Smash the tomatoes with a spatula during this process Now add 2 cups of water and let it boil Lastly, add Boroila fish to the …

Rootsandleisure_daksha_face

Learn The Art Of Sketching Faces From Daksha Salam

Published by Asmita Das

A journey of art to profession. A journey of realization of how art has transformed him to be passionate about sketching faces of people. Today we present to you a soft conversation with Daksha Salam (@dksha__) – a Textile Student from National Institute of Design who believes change is natural. Share a little detail about yourself and what you have been up to? My name is Daksha Salam and I’m 22 years old – a student of Textiles from the National Institute of Design. I am a Meitei, born in Imphal and grew up in Assam and I love cats. What initially sparked your interest in this field? I’ve always loved to create, since I was a child. I remember when I would get bored of using fabrics, I would use scraps like old tires and balloons and make dresses and garments for the Barbie dolls. This helped me to extend my imagination of playing with dolls to another new level. I slowly branched out into other forms of creating art as I grew older – …

RootsandLeisure_TekeliPitha1

A Recipe of Tekeli Pitha from the Kitchen of Assam

Published by Roots & Leisure

Tekeli or keteli pitha are rice cakes from Assam. They are called so because they are made by steaming them in a kettle (tekeli) lid. Traditionally a winter food (but great to have all year round), this is my favorite comfort food of all times, something I’ve been requesting for breakfast and evening snack since childhood.  Today’s recipe is submitted by Pari Hazarika. A dreamer with a head full of recipes, and a grubby feet prickling to take off to the next promising place to explore. Cooking time: 10-12 minutes Servings: 4-5 pitha on a medium sized kettle lid Ingredients: 1 cup short grained rice 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut 1/2 cup date palm jaggery (khejur gur) 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional) You will also need a kettle and two pieces of muslin, cheesecloth or other fine cloth suitable for culinary purposes. Directions to Cook: Soak the rice for 2-4 hours, then spread it out on a newspaper. When the excess water has dried off, grind it as finely as possible Fill half of …