All posts filed under: FACES

Conversations with Local People

#FACES | The Vibrant Spirit of The Sikh Hola Mohalla Festival in Punjab by Gursimran Singh

Published by Samyama

“Hola Mohalla, also called Hola, is a Sikh festival which falls in the month of March (usually). Celebrated widely around the world, it was started by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, as a gathering of Sikhs for military exercises and mock battles on the day following the festival of Holi. Even today it reminds the people of valour and defence preparedness. On this three-day festival, mock battles are held followed by music and poetry competitions. The Nihang Singhs (armed Sikh warriors – members of the Sikh army that was founded by Guru Govind Singh) carry on the martial tradition with mock battles and displays of swordsmanship and horse riding. They perform daring feats, such as Gatka (mock encounters), tent pegging, bareback horse riding and standing erect on two speeding horses. The festival takes place in the city of Ananadpur Sahib in Rupnagar (Ropar), it usually stretches out to a week as everyone loves to camp out and fully immerse themselves in the palpable energy. The event concludes on the day of Hola Mohalla (third …

#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!

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#FACES | Onen Nenty From Nagaland Embarks On a Solo Bike Tour Across the State

Published by Kumti

“I’m Onen Nenty, a solo biker from Nagaland. I’m currently on my way to Peren from Khonoma and Dzuleka area. It’s a part of my mission to cover 11 districts of Nagaland on my bike. Due to the monsoon season, the roads are muddy and quite difficult to ride on. In majority of the areas, construction is going on as well. Sometimes the unmetalled road stretch for about 2-3 hours. But I’ve made my decision! Come rain or shine, I’m going to ride to reach my goal.” ~ Onen Nenty from Nagaland Onen Nenty is one of the few female bikers in Nagaland

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#FACES | A Young Boy Performs a Backflip Cliff Jump at Wah Rymben Falls, Meghalaya.

Published by Temsulong

On a trip to Wah Rymben Falls in Meghalaya, Monzoi Medhi spotted a young boy doing back flips and diving into the water. It was a moment worth capturing and he certainly couldn’t resist taking out his camera! He says, “I made a request to the boy who had been doing repeated flips down the edge of the fall, diving into the green river below. Consent is very important, especially if one is trying to photograph people. Although my knowledge of the Khasi language is limited, I asked him and he was more than happy to be the subject of these photographs!” Sometimes fighting your fear leads to adventure! “This picture in my perspective, represents the human capability of overcoming fears, and enjoying the thrill and the adrenaline that comes with it. It’s by winning over our fears that we make life adventurous. The boy in orange shorts emerges from the water victorious after his back flip into the pool It is that ‘good kind’ of fear that pushes us to grow and learn. Sure, …

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Rovino Livi From Nagaland Poses With Her Loramhosii (Naga Shawl) At World Peace Pagoda, Nepal

Published by Temsulong

“The ‘Naganess’ in me is on another level. That’s what my friends always say. I had posted a few photos of me with my Loramhosii (the shawl) on my Instagram story. Soon after my stories were up, some few friends messaged me asking where I was and why I had my Loramhosii around my neck (like a politician). Some messaged me asking if I was representing the country at some conference to which I regretfully replied, ‘I wish I was’. Rovino Livi Wearing Her Identity Call me ‘traditional’ but this is me, hanging on to my roots since day one. Every time I travel, I always make sure I have a small space in my luggage for my beautiful Lorahmhosii or a small traditional earring or necklace. I believe it’s important to know where we come from but it’s even more important to take that with us wherever we go because that is our  identity, and our identity is our pride. We have a very rich culture but most of us often neglect the importance …

K V Paradise: The Taj Mahal of Mizoram – By Dipalay Dey From Assam

Published by Shanmi

“Having spent 18 years in Mizoram, Aizawl holds a very special place in my heart and the city continues to mesmerize me. There are many wonders situated around this beautiful capital city and one of them is the “K V Paradise”. K V Paradise is a symbol of love and affection which was built by a loving husband in memory of his beloved wife. On my last visit to Aizawl, I had planned to explore this beauty to see the richness of love that the monument holds. We all know about “Taj Mahal” which is considered the symbol of love by many. K V Paradise is also considered as Taj Mahal of Mizoram and it symbolizes love as well. Situated at a hilltop in Durtlang near Aizawl city (approximately 10 kms away from city), K V paradise was built in the memory of Mrs. Rosangpui Varte who died in a tragic road accident in 2001. The monument was completed around the year 2006 and it’s a two-storey structure where the ground floor contains the erected …

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“Watching These Kids Play Outside Gave Me So Much Joy And Took Me Back To My School Days” ~ Nunthara From Mizoram

Published by Shanmi

“This was just outside my house at Tuikual South, Aizawl. The neighborhood kids were out to play after school. They were so engrossed to play with each other and here, the two kids standing on top were blowing bubbles and the kids down there were trying to pop those bubbles. As I captured this moment, I felt that the joy these innocent kids had was not an exotic thing but instead a very simple one. It made me think to appreciate even a small thing in life. ~ V.L. Nunthara from Mizoram The neighbor kids engrossed with their games | Photo captured by Nunthara

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Enboklang Chyne and His Friends Visit the Laitlum Canyons in Meghalaya

Published by Shanmi

Recently in May, me and my friends took a trip to one of the most famous tourist spots in Meghalaya, Laitlum. We headed up to the Laitlum Canyons – Rasong viewpoint, and took these photos. My friends were visiting and staying in Shillong for 3 weeks – one of them comes all the way from France, one from Kerala and the other from Kashmir.  It was actually raining when we reached the place, so we had to sit inside the car for about 20 minutes and wait for it to stop. We got out when downpour ended and were happy to see the sun out and clear sky. The view was breathtaking and just too beautiful to be expressed in words! We took a lot of pictures and it was fun to see my friends enjoying the place too. What a wonderful day! ~ Enboklang Chyne from Shillong, Meghalaya

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Tea Pluckers Heading Home After A Hard Day’s Work – By Salil At Rohini, Darjeeling

Published by Shanmi

Darjeeling is known for its tea plantations and the great views these tea fields offer. One of our readers, Salil, captures a beautiful evening where the tea pluckers are returning home after a long day at the plantations. You need only one look at the photo to admire their hard work and the beauty of Darjeeling’s landscape. ‘Tea pluckers heading home after a hard day’s work toiling under the Himalayan Sun.’ ~ Salil  Hard working tea pluckers heading home | Photo by Salil

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

Published by Shanmi

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 …