All posts filed under: PEOPLE

“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 …

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_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 …

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 …

A Chat With Moajungla Jamir From Nagaland – The Girl Whose Cover Song for “Coat of Many Colors” Went Viral

Published by Kumti

Heinrich Heine rightly quoted, “Where words leave off, music begins.” Imagine a life without music! Thanks to those people, who time and again delivers us with good music to balance out our life in this mad frenzy world. Speaking of which, Nagaland has its own set of budding raw talents that keeps surprising us every now and then. Today we have a special guest, a naturally talented musician, and a humble soul – Moajungla Jamir from Nagaland, who took the internet by storm two years ago, when a video of her singing “Coat of many colors” by Dolly Parton went viral. We sat down with her to find out what she’s been up to, her musical journey so far and what she hopes people take away from her music. It’s a beautiful one… read on to find out. Hi Moajung, tell us something about yourself and what you’ve been up to. My name is Moajungla Jamir and I am 22 years old from Dimapur. I am the youngest in the family, living with my mother alone …

Young Fashionable Folks Share What’s Trending in the Local Fashion Scene in Nagaland

Published by Tiarenla

If you ask the people in Nagaland to pick which one is more important – feeling good versus looking good, very likely that the responses will be equally divided for both for most folks. Reflecting the general attitude towards dressing up – with an added premium to personal style and comfort, you will see a variety of trends and trendy painting the outdoors and indoors of Nagaland. We wanted to take you guys into the streets of Nagaland to give a quick glimpse into the local fashion scene, so our contributor reached out to seven of her friends to give us an insight into what they are wearing, and what’s trending in their neighborhood. Arenzung, 28 from Dimapur looking chic and summer-ready with a classic white button-down shirt, beige cotton skirt, and comfy flats. Her statement accessories and tote bag in matching colors compliments her look to the T. Tote bags are hot items in Nagaland this season, so get yourself one too! Shop Here “Thanks to social media, fashion inspiration to actually wearing the latest trends is almost …

This Ceramic Artist from Delhi Wants to Embrace the Old and the Imperfect | Meet Kritika Soni Founder of “Kara Sabi”

Published by Vilina

Art is a potent form of communication, often bridging cultures with its captivating ability to connect people. Today, we introduce you to an intriguing entrepreneur from Delhi, Kritika Soni. Her artistic journey began at Srishti School of Art & Design, Bangalore, and continued with a Master’s degree from the University of Arts London. Kritika is the Founder of Kara Sabi, a ceramic studio and brand. Through ‘Kara Sabi,’ she conveys the wisdom gained from her years of learning and creating, seeking beauty in imperfections through handcrafted ceramics. In our discussion with this talented 28-year-old, we delve into her journey and her venture, “Kara Sabi.” This project draws inspiration from Japanese traditional aesthetics, particularly the philosophy of ‘Wabi Sabi,’ which reveres all things old, worn, weathered, imperfect, and impermanent. Hi Kritika, please introduce yourself. Hi, I am Kritika Soni, 28 years of age, and founder of “Kara Sabi” I am a textile designer by degree and a ceramic artist by profession. I was born and raised in Delhi and after graduating in Textiles from Srishti School …