All posts filed under: MIZORAM

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Talented Hairstylist Joseph Hauzel from Mizoram Wants Us To Be Inspired by His Colourful Work and His Story!

Published by Shanmi

“Follow your dreams” – is a saying we’re all too familiar with. No matter how small or big, it is much easier said than done. It takes courage to take that leap towards commiting to develop the passion that drives each one of us to achieving our dreams. When Joseph Hauzel from Mizoram decided to take the plunge and chase after a career in hairstyling, all he had was a good senses of self belief. He listened then and now continues to listen to his intuition and stays positive when criticisms do not come gently. He used it as a tool to work harder for his own personal growth. Joseph is an inspiration and a living example for all of us to follow our hearts no matter what our circumstances. Today, we are happy to feature Joseph Hauzel who is a professional hairstylist from Mizoram. He talks about the hardships he went through while starting off in the industry, what made him follow his dreams and how he’s steadily risen to the top. Hello Joseph! …

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This Research Scholar Wants to Preserve Traditions Through Fashion | Meet Rosemary Rynthlei – Founder of Mizos Street Style

Published by Nara Longkumer

For some people, like Rosemary, fashion and passion go hand in hand. She is a PhD student, a teacher and has followed her love for fashion through it all. She is now the proud owner of Mizo Street Style – a clothing store which offers modern designs with an elegant touch of Mizo tradition. Here’s a chat with fashion designer Rosemary Rynthlei as she talks about her life, her love for her Mizo roots and how it influences her designs. Hi Rosemary. Tell us about you, your work and how you got your start in fashion. My name is Rosemary Renthlei and I’m 27 from Aizawl, Mizoram. I’m completing my PhD in English Literature. I’ve worked as a Higher Secondary School teacher in the past and now, I run my own business which I started as a fashion blog in 2016. I have always been very passionate about fashion and had this great urge to create new things since I was very young. I used to draw designs even though I’m not that good at drawing …

#Faces | Shwayi’s Beautiful Visit To Paro Taktsang ‘Tiger’s Nest’ Monastery, Bhutan

Published by Nara Longkumer

  “I was in Bhutan for a vacation with my Bhutanese friends from college. I’m from Mizoram and currently studying at Sharda University. Since we all take the same course (Bachelors Degree in Dental Science) we visited Bhutan as an ‘after exams’ trip.  This picture was taken at Taktsang, Bhutan. Taktsang means  “Tiger’s Nest.” I loved vacationing with my friends – to see the place they’re from and to see their hometown through their eyes. The whole experience turned out to be a giant memorable trip but Taktsang Monastery stood out. It was beautiful to see the devotion with which so many people walk through such a steep mountain to pay their respect. The tiger’s nest cave was scary and different from anything I had ever done before. The climb was hard for me but it was such a treat to finally look upon a temple constructed on such a precarious cliff. I liked almost all the food I ate there, although I had tasted many prior to the visit courtesy my friends who sometimes cook in our …

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Faces | Mizo Ladies Wearing Traditional “Puan” Wraparound Skirt to a Wedding in Aizawl

Published by Kumti

“This photo was taken before we headed off to a friend’s wedding in Aizawl, Mizoram. We absolutely love dressing up for weddings, especially in our traditional attire. In the picture, we are wearing “Puan,” which is a traditional Mizo wrap-around skirt, usually handwoven by local weavers. Nowadays, there are many designs and patterns available, so it’s exciting to explore the options. We paired the Puan with formal tops. The tops we are wearing in the photo were designed and made by my best friend and fashion designer, Rini Hlondo (standing on the left, wearing a mint green Puan). The Puan I’m wearing is by Chawndeng Handloom😊” ~ Rebecca Lalthanpuii, Founder of Lush Contouring, Beauty clinic specializing in microblading and lash extensions. Rebecca Lalthanpuii (on the right), founder of Lush Contouring, posing with her designer friend Rini Hlondo (on the left), owner of the Rini Hlondo label.

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Freezing Narratives in a Single Frame: Reuben Lalmalsawma | Photographer

Published by Shweta Rao

  “Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” – Peter Adams Not long ago since human history began have they discovered the marvels of photography. It was the 18th century, to be exact. In today’s age, modern photography apps like Instagram intrigued all of us further by showcasing the potential of freezing a narrative as a single frame. Although very few professional photographers understand how the art form can best aestheticize any concept. Photographer Reuben Lalmalsawma from Aizawl, Mizoram is one of them. Tell us a bit about yourself. I was born and raised in Aizawl, Mizoram but I’m currently living in New Delhi. I mastered in Journalism and Mass Communication in Mizoram before I pursued an M.Phil degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Madurai Kamaraj University in 2016. Photography to me is more than a hobby; every photograph I take tells a different story. “When people see my work, I wish to create the same feeling one gets when they see a movie or read a book.” I …

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Discovering a New Love for Bird Watching | Ramthansiama Chawngthu, Aizawl, Mizoram

Published by Shweta Rao

  Bird personalities vary from species to species and are always fascinating to observe. After years of work in the domain, hobby photographer Ramthansiama Chawngthu who is a banker by the day, took to Instagram to chronicle the rekindling of his appreciation and passion for birds. Bird watching is a rare hobby and one that requires boundless patience. There is also the intellectual challenge of trying to figure out what their orders or families are and recognizing them. “It’s not just passively sitting there and having a beautiful image thrown at you. You have to work at it,” said Chawngthu in a brief chat with the Roots & Leisure team. Tell us a bit about your work. I’m Ramthansiama Chawngthu from Aizawl, Mizoram. I work as a banker by the day and pursue nature photography as a hobbyist. I have a deep passion for bird watching and travel intensively across the northeastern India to shoot birds. Most of my photos, however, are shot on the outskirts of the city of Aizawl. I have found some really rare birds in …

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Faces | A Detox from Delhi Smog at the Ghats of Yamuna River

Published by Imtee Jamir

  “This is a shot of my friend, Emily, captured one beautiful morning around 5 a.m. at Yamuna Ghat in New Delhi. I love shooting portraits and exploring spaces with unique surroundings. My friends and I made this spontaneous plan to have a photoshoot at this location early morning. What began as an impromptu shoot ended up being a wonderful, fun experience. It was about an hour and a half drive away from the place we were staying. Devotees often come here early to bathe in the holy water and feed the birds. The birds you see behind in the picture are Siberian Seagulls. Hundreds of them migrate every year during winter season (between October and March) and flock across the holy rivers of Yamuna. We were told by the boatman that feeding the birds is often believed to bring good karma.  This was my first visit to Yamuna Ghat and it was truly an awe-inspiring sight watching the seagulls swivel around the rivers as we fed them, while riding on our boat. That was the exact moment I captured this photograph! The ambience …

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Faces | Creating Positivity Through Urban Streetstyle Dance Culture : SoulMafia from Aizawl

Published by Imtee Jamir

  “This picture is from an event at ‘Infinite Ainawn’ (a picnic spot in Aizawl). They were celebrating their one year anniversary of the place, and had invited this hip-hop dance crew called ‘SoulMafia’ to perform and entertain the visitors present at the venue. Everyone had a ball out there watching the crew perform their unique streetstyle sets with such an incredible amount of high-level energy! We were all fascinated by their b-boying skills – they performed their act like it was done back in the days with their old-skool, street-style choreography. They had attracted a great deal of attention at the site. In fact, the crowd by the pool and slides was larger in number as compared to the people inside the hall at the park. It was such a refreshing experience witnessing this talented crew express themselves through such impressive sets! ” ~FootLoose (_urban_state), Mizoram  

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Just Cheesecakes : How A Passion Project Turned into a Business Venture | Amelia Lalremdiki from Mizoram

Published by Imtee Jamir

Did you know that cheesecake supposedly originated in ancient Greece and was served at the first Olympic Games? The oldest existing written recipe is credited to Roman politician Marcus Cato around the first century B.C. Fast forward to today, I find myself sitting in a cafe with a cup of steaming hot coffee and a piece of Japanese cheesecake, feeling like I’m eating a slice of history. On that note, today I am specifically dreaming of a slice from ‘Just Cheesecakes’ from Aizawl. Introducing Amelia Lalremdiki – the mastermind behind the brand, to learn about how it all began and how her hobby evolved into a successful business. We caught up with her to discover how her passion for baking led to the creation of ‘Just Cheesecakes’. Imtee: hi Amelia, could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your background in baking? Amelia: My name is Amelia Lalremdiki, born and brought up in Aizawl. I recently finished my Masters in Mass Communication. My interest in baking stems from a deeply rooted love …

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Catching up with Pop/Rock Indie Band : Avora Records from Mizoram

Published by Lisa

With successful singles like “Sides” and “We Happy Few”, Aizawl-based pop/rock band, Avora Records has come a long way since they were just a couple of friends jamming together in 2013.  An all-boy band creating quite the rave with their fun, upbeat J-Pop/rock and Indie music, this local-gig-favorite band from Aizawl, Mizoram, has shown the crowd that they are here to stay.  Avora Records was one of the many artists that performed at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender this year in Meghalaya. Here is an excerpt from their interview with our R&L member, Lisa. Tell us how you guys got together? How did you come up with the band name? It started off as just a couple of friends hanging out recording songs in a studio back in 2013. Our first live gig was in 2016. The name of the band, Avora, is in honor of our producer and founder of the band, Mamaa. What’s your inspiration behind your music? What kind of music do you make? We try to make our music sound clean and honest. We …