All posts filed under: EXPLORE

rootsandleisure_Christmas

R&L Community Shares How They Celebrate Christmas

Published by Nara Longkumer

It’s our favourite time of year! With festivities in the air, the weather turning cold, and everyone getting enthusiastic for the New Year, there’s nothing more we love than spending time with loved ones. We spoke to the R&L Community about how they are celebrating Christmas. Livika Assumi. “Last year I took a break from the festive season as it was the first Christmas without my dad. But this Christmas, I decided to let go of all that mourning and yearning. I made sure to make this Christmas a joyous one. First of all, I wanted to share the joy by baking cookies and cakes for my near and dear ones. I also spent quality time with my family by having barbecue night and sipping some wine.” PC Lalawmpui from Mizoram “I’ve spent previous Christmases taking things for granted, not realizing that people change along with the seasons and some people will not be there for the next. This year, I’m seizing every moment I have with my family and friends, taking chances and appreciating …

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Moments & Events Captured At Hornbill Festival 2019!

Published by Nara Longkumer

To add to this festive time of the year, Nagaland hosts its famous Hornbill Festival to celebrate music, art, food, and culture. Started 8 years ago, every year the festival brings with it a different experience for attendees. The vibrance and the energy only increase with every new edition of the festival, and 2019 was no exception!  Today, we bring to you some of our favorite moments and sights from the festival. Brew your tea, sit back and take a look at these beautiful shots that sum up Hornbill ’19. The festival wraps up tomorrow, make sure you drop by!  You can find different varieties of handicrafts to choose from. Morungs (Naga traditional huts) from different tribes of Nagaland. In case you’ve missed the fun, don’t worry. There’s still a day left, so hurry up and get to Kisama before you get a case of FOMO! More from Hornbill Festival across the years HERE.

Jonathan Marques, An Analyst and Traveller, Shares His Travel Tales From Cambodia

Published by Neha Fernandez

For Jonathan Marque, true joy resides in exploring new places, meeting new people, and embracing new views. An analyst by profession, he recently took a sabbatical to travel around the world. Taking on the road with his friend, he set out to explore Thailand and Cambodia this year.  He’s already covered Japan, Vietnam, and South Africa and hopes to travel to Northeast India and South American soon. We chatted with him to know his take on travel and more.  Hey Jonathan! Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you’ve been up to. I’m Jonathan Marques, 33 and currently based out of Mumbai and Goa. I have been working as an analyst in the Energy and Oil & Gas sectors for about a decade, but am currently on a sabbatical since a few months to explore new avenues, specifically sustainable living and Permaculture design. What initially sparked your journey? I love the thrill, excitement and experience of a new place, its food, people, culture and natural beauty. Every trip has only helped …

A Chat With Ashwin Chikerur – an Urban Sketcher and a Designer from Pune

Published by Samyama

Ashwin Chikerur from Pune has always been intrigued by art. As a child, he used to flip through his grandfather’s art books and as a grown-up, his love for his daughter started an exciting journey of quick sketches. Even though he was out of touch with art for a few years, he found his way back to what he truly loves. Today he is a visual designer and every Saturday,  he heads out with his group, Urban Sketcher Pune, no matter the weather and creates lovely watercolour sketches of his environment.  Hello, Ashwin it’s great to be able to have a chat with you. Please say hello to our readers.  Hello! My name is Ashwin Chikerur, I am currently residing in Pune. I would consider myself a passionate artist, driven designer, and engineer (by mistake). I’m always drawn to things in the bracket of art and design and have been working in the creative industry for more than 17 years now. Tell us when sparked your interest in art. There were various parts of my …

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Dina Weber from Germany Chats About The Art and Soul About Bread-making and Her Bakery ‘SAPA Sourdough & Pastry’ in Mysuru

Published by Samyama

Dina Weber, hailing from Germany, now lives in south India – Mysore. She is the heart behind a small micro-bakery called SAPA sourdough and pastry. Her love for bread extends to more than the science of baking. It comes from the deep importance her mother placed on fresh food and the culture of pouring love and forming communities while creating food.  Dona came to India as a learner, traveller and volunteer but she has found her quiet little corner and is living a truly fascinating, life constantly experimenting and evolving in her bake-house. Fresh plums, creamy matcha, edible flowers, artisanal chocolate and single-origin coffee, she tries to keep all her ingredients as pure as possible. Even her sourdough starter is 4 years old personally made in the Himalayas. Dina hosts workshops and provides breads and desserts to cafes and restaurants but if you are in Mysore, pop by for one of her fabulous bake-sales!  Hello Dina, it’s great to have a conversation with you. We were intrigued by your bakery!  Hi, my name is Dina …

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Meet the Face Behind “Amrapali – House of Grace” a 100-Year-Old Portuguese Home Converted Into a Boutique Hotel in Goa

Published by Samyama

Simran Kaur is the face behind Amrapali, a boutique hotel built on the strong bones of a 100-year-old Portuguese home. She is a true multi-talented woman with a major in English, a minor in photography, and is a pastry chef certified by Le Cordon Bleu in London. With her skills, love for the craft, and collaboration with local artisans, Simran brought Amrapali back to life. The hotel is renowned for its warm color palettes and carefully curated details that adorn every corner of the space. It has been featured in various lifestyle magazines such as Travel and Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue, and more. Amrapali is a humble abode that focuses on providing exceptional service, despite being the base for many worldwide fashion brand photoshoots and even being featured in the film ‘Golmaal Again’. Hi Simran, could you please give us a brief introduction of yourself? Hi, my name is Simran Kaur and you can find me either in Mumbai or in Goa. I am an English major with a photography minor from Bryn Mawr …

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Abhilasha Sinha, a Singer-Songwriter from Delhi, is Making Waves With Her Soulful Music

Published by Samyama

This soulful singer-songwriter from Delhi is quickly making a name for herself in one of the largest music hubs in the world, New York. Abhilasha Sinha is incredibly passionate about music and can’t remember a time without it. From lively road trips to jam sessions with her mother and her harmonica, music was part of her life growing up. Currently pursuing her masters degree in Music Business from NYU, she leads a passionate life as a singer-songwriter. She recently finished her India tour and is producing more songs just around the bend. Let’s have a peek at what’s going on with her! Head over to the link in bio to read our conversation with this lively artist. Hello Abhilasha! It’s so exciting to be able to have this conversation with you. Please do give us a brief snippet of your journey so far. I’m a 25-year singer-songwriter from New Delhi, now living in New York. I’m a feminist, a food lover, body+skin positivity advocate, and an avid thrift-store shopper. I’ve been living in New York …

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#FACES | A Naga Girl Captured Carrying Timber

Published by Kumti

“My name is Talimoa Pongen and I work in a media house. I also love taking candid photographs, through which  I want to tell stories. I took this photo of  a little girl, helping her folks by carrying timber. She was taking two or three rounds, carrying the heavy logs to the destination. I just wanted to capture this beautiful moment. This photo was taken in Mokokchung at The Woods resort, where I was camping with my friends.” – Talimoa Pongen from Nagaland Follow Talimoa Pongen on Instagram

“I Didn’t Find Thangka Painting, It Found Me” – Sahil Bhopal, a Thangka Painter from Kullu

Published by Samyama

Thangka painting – a sort of scroll painting, is a cultural pillar in Tibetan tradition and is essential for Buddhist practitioners as it serves as recorded history. With a deep love for history and the intricate designs, Sahil Bhopal, an artist from Kullu has been painting Buddhist thangkas out of pure passion for 10 years now.  Trained in the Karma Gadri style, it is his love for art that transcends even religion. Talking about his work, he says, “Most of the time, when people look at my work, I see them be present in the moment. Nothing from the past or future is on their mind, they are fully present. I would like them to hold on to that peace and that moment of nothingness.” Read more about his fascinating journey below.     Hello Sahil, welcome to R&L! Please share a bit about yourself. Hi, I am Sahil Bhopal, a 29-year-old full-time thangka painter, trained under the tutelage of master painter Noedup Rongae in the Karma Gadri style.  I was raised in Ladakh and when …

Amrita Giriraj, from Chennai, Turns Botanics into Classy Jewellery With Her Venture ‘Alankaara’

Published by Samyama

Amrita Giriraj from Chennai fell in love with the art of fossilising botanics like flowers and leaves, while she was working on a post-grad project. It was in Kanyakumari, where she led the foundation of her jewellery venture called ‘Alankaara’. Her brand is vastly different from any other jewellery brand that we’ve come across — it captures the essence of a place by preserving it’s flora in jewelry pieces. Alankaara reflects her true self — humble, creative and deeply connected with nature. Since then, she has won the SISA (Start-up of The Year in Social Impact), travelled to Kenya and the Himalayas how flora can also bring you closer a place’s culture. She says, “Over the last 2 years, I’ve immersed myself in what I do and I realised I’m actually a story-teller. Each handcrafted jewellery is a story waiting to be heard and loved.” Meet our amateur botanist and jewellery designer – Amrita It’s great to have this chat with you today! We are beyond excited about your craft. First, please say hi to …