“This picture was taken somewhere in the streets of Assam during my trip to Northeast in the year 2017. The kids in the picture were having a delightful time talking about an old man sitting across from them that had caught their attention and laughing heartily.” -B.N Raj
Poetry is pieces of thoughts strung together by experience. Raktim Gautam, a poet from Guwahati, does more than write poetry—he performs them in front of an audience. A spoken word poet, this young literary artist thrives by connecting with the audience, often moving them with his words. He runs Guwahati’s art collective called ‘East India Poets’ and aspires to be a great storyteller just like his grandfather. Join us as we get a glimpse into his life. Welcome, Raktim. It’s exciting to be interviewing a different kind of poet today! Let’s start with a brief introduction. Hello! I’m Raktim Gautam. I’m a 22-year-old, spoken word poet born and brought up in Guwahati, Assam. I’m currently based in Guwahati as well. I run an art collective called East India Poets, wherein I manage an art space called ‘The Komorebi Artroom’. Meanwhile, I am working on a few theatre productions as part of Theatre@Agora. I’m also working as a content creator at a creative digital agency called Right Hemisphere. But I always manage to find the time …
“We had a day off and a friend of mine suggested we go birding in a forest a few kilometers out of Guwahati. So we grabbed our cameras, some supplies to eat and headed out. My friend is an avid bird-watcher and frequently visits these forests. It was my first visit there so I didn’t know what to expect. We reached the edge of the forest and reached a temple that we needed to pass before actually entering the forest. As we approached the temple gates we were greeted by this old man. He wasn’t a man of many words nor was he a ‘ray of sunshine’. He had one job to do… Perhaps the most important job there. It was to make sure that no one enters the temple grounds with their footwear on. My friend explained to me that even though we weren’t there to worship and were simply passing by, the rules applied to us all the same. His eyes looked our way as I took a quick shot of him. When …
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. …
Today we have a refreshing and light fish curry from one of our favorite Recipe Contributors Geeta. The small fresh water Boroila fish when cooked with khutora xaak, a variety of Amaranthus and tangy cherry tomatoes, tastes the best when the weather becomes all dry. Cooking time: 20-25 minutes Ingredients: 250 grams of Boroila fish 250 grams of khutora xaak or green amaranthus 1 cup of cherry tomatoes 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds 6 garlic pods 1 tsp of mustard oil 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder 2 cups of water Salt to taste Method: Roughly chop the khutora leaves and keep it aside Heat a tsp of mustard oil in a wok, add half tsp of fenugreek seeds or methi seeds to it and let it splutter Add a few pods of garlic, add the khutora leaves and sauté it Add turmeric and salt to taste Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for around 5 minutes. Smash the tomatoes with a spatula during this process Now add 2 cups of water and let it boil Lastly, add Boroila fish to the …
A journey of art to profession. A journey of realization of how art has transformed him to be passionate about sketching faces of people. Today we present to you a soft conversation with Daksha Salam (@dksha__) – a Textile Student from National Institute of Design who believes change is natural. Share a little detail about yourself and what you have been up to? My name is Daksha Salam and I’m 22 years old – a student of Textiles from the National Institute of Design. I am a Meitei, born in Imphal and grew up in Assam and I love cats. What initially sparked your interest in this field? I’ve always loved to create, since I was a child. I remember when I would get bored of using fabrics, I would use scraps like old tires and balloons and make dresses and garments for the Barbie dolls. This helped me to extend my imagination of playing with dolls to another new level. I slowly branched out into other forms of creating art as I grew older – …
Having a professional degree in designing may be one of the keys to conceptualize and define a structure but to be able to metamorphose it into a café of abstract comfort takes a little more than that. It takes persistence, determination and unsparing creativity to fill every corner with ingenious passion. For Kabyashree and Dayananda these elements came in together at the right time and with the right push to help them blossom their entrepreneurial journey that beautifully combines their passion, their design background and their roots Here’s a chat with the founders of Project Otenga, Ahmedabad – Kabyashree Borgohain from Assam (extreme left) and Dayananda from Manipur (extreme right) . They talk about how the project evolved from a house café in Gandhinagar to a full-fledged space in the University campus in Ahmedabad. Here’s a little background on the founders A native of Assam, Kabyashree Borgohain is a design strategist, a gastronomical food researcher and chef, and an alumnus of the prestigious National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar . She also has a degree in Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories from and the …
Tekeli or keteli pitha are rice cakes from Assam. They are called so because they are made by steaming them in a kettle (tekeli) lid. Traditionally a winter food (but great to have all year round), this is my favorite comfort food of all times, something I’ve been requesting for breakfast and evening snack since childhood. Today’s recipe is submitted by Pari Hazarika. A dreamer with a head full of recipes, and a grubby feet prickling to take off to the next promising place to explore. Cooking time: 10-12 minutes Servings: 4-5 pitha on a medium sized kettle lid Ingredients: 1 cup short grained rice 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut 1/2 cup date palm jaggery (khejur gur) 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional) You will also need a kettle and two pieces of muslin, cheesecloth or other fine cloth suitable for culinary purposes. Directions to Cook: Soak the rice for 2-4 hours, then spread it out on a newspaper. When the excess water has dried off, grind it as finely as possible Fill half of …
