All posts filed under: FEATURED

“This is How I Juggle Classes, Campus Fun and Working with R&L” | Face Reveal: Naro, Content Manager, R&L

It’s been more than two years since we launched Roots and Leisure, and today, our branches have grown wide and deep – with an ever-growing network of storytellers and inspirational figures. They are all bound tightly by our core team members, who work selflessly across locations – even time zones at times.Rushing against deadlines amidst their busy lives of their own, the sweat and passion of the team are what keeps the community alive. So this is the first of our series of “Face Reveals” to give our readers a glimpse into the life of our R&L members. Starting off, we have Naro Longkumer from Nagaland, who is one of the many content managers in our team. She recently moved to Hyderabad to pursue her masters in Applied Linguistics, minoring in Management, and is also taking up a language course in Korean. Good to see young people finally taking up courses they actually enjoy, and have a knack for. Look she already has a job too – working with us! 🙂 Here’s a chat with Naro, our content …

“Art is Dear to Me and an Inseparable Part of My Identity.” – Paris-based Art Student Akhila Johny from Kerala

Published by Nara Longkumer

“Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.” this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson is a fitting line for our young artist from Kerala – Akhila Johny. This 24-year-old artist now lives in Paris as an art student – not just in the classroom, but also as a resident of yet another new place. At 18, her passion for art led her to Singapore and that explorer in her continues to take her places! “Through Art, I’m rediscovering how I see the world around me. Art is expression, Art is communication and in the simple moments of everyday life, I glimpse another story that is waiting to be told.“ We had a chat with Akhila Johny (who btw, is one of the sweetest people we came across), to talk about her artistic philosophies, what it means to be an art student for life and her future plans. Hello, Akhila. Please introduce yourself. Hello! I am a 24- year-old Artist from Kerala, India. At 18, I moved to Singapore for my Applied Art studies. Since …

Three Friends From Northeast India Bring Yummy Food and Great People Under One Roof | Meet the Founders of “Cultured” Cafe, Delhi

Published by Vilina

Dubbed as ‘The mini North-Eastern food hub’, Humayunpur located in Safdarjung , New Delhi is a haven for North-eastern cuisine lovers and fashion enthusiasts. The streets are filled with restaurants, cafes and chic clothing stores. And as you walk through the lanes, “Cultured” cafe trails you back to another narrow passage – which is as beautiful as a picture (read: #Instagramable) and a perfect representation of the place that awaits the visitor. This pet-friendly (yes! you heard that right) cafe cum co-working space serves freshly brewed coffee and absolutely delightful food – ranging from breakfast favorites to wholesome and healthy meals to fresh desserts, prepared by one of the founders, who also happens to be a passionate baker. Here’s a chat with the founders of “Cultured” cafe – a team of three friends from Northeast India. They talk about their passionate venture, their collective roots and their influence, and of course, the food! Hello guys, please introduce yourselves! Hi, I am Esha and 1/3rd of “Cultured” cafe. I am 24 years old and a communication graduate. …

The Serious & Soulful Singer/Songwriter from Nagaland – Tokaholi Chishi

Published by Nara Longkumer

Gifted with a flair to write verses and compose melodies, Tokaholi Chishi, is a musician with perfervid passion whose narratives resonate a perfect balance of singing and story-telling. We had a chat with Tokaholi to talk about her love for music, her life, and her roots. Hello! Could you tell us briefly about yourself? My name is Tokaholi Chishi and I live in Dimapur. I write songs and I play the acoustic guitar (albeit not very skilfully) , I try to voice out my passion in undulating tunes, just like life- some times high, some times low! What is your process when it comes to composing songs and what kind of genre do you prefer? I like to write, whether it is poetry or a story. I add melody and soul as mediums to communicate and connect with the listeners. Music serves as a great tool to tell stories, that’s my primary goal and when it comes to a genre there is no fixed style. (independent music would hopefully fit the bill). When did …

RootsandLeisure_Artist_Temsuyanger Longkumer

Meet Temsuyanger Longkumer – London Based Multimedia Artist from Nagaland, as He Talks About His Naga Roots and The Art Scene in London

Published by Imtee Jamir

“A tree without roots is just a piece of wood.” This quote by famous chef Marco Pierre has got us thinking, and we have to admit that there’s indeed a lot of truth to that. Especially at a time and space where creators/artists are trying to outdo each other with new ideas – often with borrowed inspirations that are aplenty. We love creativity of all sorts – no doubt. But the ones that are truly going to stand out and leave an impression are the original works of art – whose ideas come from a place that is pure and deep rooted in the creator’s own origins. That being said, we are truly excited to meet with one such artist from Nagaland – Temsuyanger Longkumer, a multimedia artist based out of London, whose original works of art – mostly created with inspirations from his Naga roots are enchanting London art lovers. This year in April, he held a solo exhibition “QUINTETTE” at the Standpoint Gallery, London; and his work ‘Tattooed Memory’ was recently acquired by the …

These Cosplayers from Nagaland are Redefining Cosplay Culture in India | Day 1 of Cosfest 2018, Kohima

Published by Nara Longkumer

It’s already been a week since the curtains closed in on the Cosfest event 2018, organized by the Nagaland Anime Junkies in Kohima Nagaland, but we are still high on the creativity displayed by the organizers and the cosplayers. This year, the R&L team finally got to experience the event first hand, and to say we are awestruck is an understatement. The dedication put up by the organizers to bring this event to life is next level – equalled passionately by the creativity and enthusiasm of the cosplayers and attendees. Avid anime fans coming together to create the perfect event for all anime lovers. And not just anime, the event covers music, art, game, food, you name it. Here is one last glimpse of NAJ Cosfest 2018, which, by the way, is their sixth year. You read that right. SIXTH! And by the looks and what we hear of the event, it just keeps getting better and better. Scroll down below for photos and video from Day 1 of the event. Organising team and Cosplayers enjoying a …

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 …

Singer Songwriter Abdon Mech from Nagaland Talk About Growing up in a Family of Musicians

Published by Vilina

Abdon Mech was born into a family of four, where every other member is a musician including his father, mother, and sister. This talented 21-year-old singer-songwriter, despite stepping into the music industry just a year ago, has quickly emerged as a remarkable artist, captivating audiences with his soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics. His musical prowess spans across genres, effortlessly traversing the realms of slow 70’s jazz and seamlessly blending into the infectious rhythms of peppy pop beats. With his undeniable talent and undeniable star quality, he has already on his way to stardom! We sat down to get personal with this young local talent from Nagaland to talk about his roots, musical inspirations, and more. R&L: Hello Abdon, please introduce yourself Abdon: I am Abdon Mech from Thahekhu Village, Dimapur in Nagaland. I am 21 years old and an aspiring singer/songwriter. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in English and will be pursuing my Master’s in the same soon. R&L: Introduce us to your work. What got you started? Abdon: Music started very very late for …

Witness The Battle Of The Best Vocals & Dancers At K-POP World Festival India In New Delhi

Published by Vilina

As the curtain pulls down for NAJ COSFEST 2018 with Cosplayers from all over India giving us ANIME ATTACK , we are here to add cherry to the top with another event that will make your Monday blues go away and its FREE ENTRY for all ! WHAT : K-POP World festival INDIA 2018 WHEN : 9th July, 6 Pm WHERE : Siri Fort Auditorium ,New Delhi WHO IS COMING : K-POP band – SNUPER ( Guest judge) North- East in general have never been alien with Korean drama / music/ fashion /beauty also popularly known as Hallyu wave and Nagaland even saw the first Korea-India music festival in the year 2008 under the Government of Nagaland and South Korea making K-POP even more prominent among the younger generation. With the rising popularity of PSY’s Gangnam style , Hallyu wave is no longer region specific and India has marked its map on the K-POP fandom and it is definitely here to stay . The “Changwon K-POP World festival” happens every year and it is a unique festival organized …

Nagaland Anime Junkies are Back with Cosfest 2018 with “Anime Attack”

Published by Nara Longkumer

The most exciting month in Nagaland in here. July is synonymous with Cosfest in this town, and everyone knows what this event is about. Nagaland Anime Junkies is back again this 7th and 8th July and we are all invited. What theme you ask? Anime Attack. How exciting. We get to see kids and adults alike, cosplaying our favorite characters and acting them out. And to make things more exciting, there is an online gaming spot, live performances by the hottest bands, DJ’s and Beat boxers, and screening of movies by Makoto Shinkai, and many more! Save the time and date. You don’t want to miss this. It’s bigger and better. July 7: 10 AM to 6 PM July 8: 12 PM to 6 PM Venue: The Heritage, Old DC Bungalow, Kohima. Entry fee: Kids: Rs 50; Others: Rs 100 Roots and Leisure Goes Behind the Scenes The Roots and Leisure team visited the venue (The Heritage, Kohima), the night before the event to get a glimpse of the preparations, and to catch up with …