All posts tagged: Hobby

Devika Sajeev from Cochin – a Poetry Busker Who Writes About Passersby & Collects Their Life Stories

Published by Samyama

Devika Sajeev, a literature teacher from Cochin, has been engrossed in books ever since she was a child. She actively searches for new ways to express herself with all the words she has yet to write and say. Recently, she joined ‘Busking Kochi’ as a poetry busker – where she writes poetry about strangers and passerby’s. “In a world that is too busy running, buskers take time to stop, sit around, speak to people and remind them of the power of conversation”, she says. Learn more about Devika, poetry busker and her love for literature as we chat with her. Hey! Thank you so much for taking out time for us. Firstly, say hi to our readers! Hi. My name is Devika Sajeev! I live in the beautiful city of Kochi and work as a professor of literature at St. Albert’s College, Ernakulam. I’m a teacher yet I’am still a student of literature. I grew up in a world of stories and storytelling. My mother would tell me a story each night without fail – …

Recreating Nostalgia and Happy Corners using Small Things | Maya Talks about Her Hobby “Knick Knacks”

Published by Asmita Das

We have often heard the say which goes like “Small things matter the most.” Maya Kumar shares her story with our Roots and Leisure Team about her love affair with arranging small things perfectly – in the most surprising nooks and corners. Here’s a quick chat about Maya’s love interest called Knick Knacks “I’m a mom of two boys, twelve and eight, married to a globetrotting Robotic Engineer. I have always been interested in design, having my Master’s Degree in Communication and having worked as a Copywriter with a couple of leading advertising agencies, before quitting just before my older son was born, enjoying the joys of both motherhood and travel. I still freelance when possible. We’ve travelled and lived around the world – Taiwan for a short spell, then Bangalore; Singapore was home for about five years and now Michigan is our base.” Tell us about “Knick Knacks” and how have your roots and upbringing inspired this hobby of yours? It’s just a happy little hobby that I indulge in whenever I get the time or …

A Chat With A Designer Cake Artist of Culinart – Shwethaprajwala from Bangalore

Published by Asmita Das

They say, “If you have creativity in you and haven’t realized it yet, no matter wherever you are, whatever you are doing, creativity is bound to hit you.” Being a Commerce student and an MBA in Human Resources, she found her calling for baking cakes with utmost creativity and love after experimenting on being a Graphic Designer. Today, we got a chance to strike up a conversation with a Designer Cake Artist Shwethaprajwala from Bangalore who shares on how she got hooked onto baking fondant cakes with her Designer Cake Boutique – Culinart. Hey Shwetha, share a brief about yourself I’m Swethaprajwala, the Chief Designer of Culinart. Like most modern Indian women wear many hats, I’m a proud Bengalurean, a Homemaker and a Cake Artist working out of home. Tell us about your venture – Culinart. What’s so special about it? Culinart is a Designer Cake Boutique, started in 2012, specializing in creating designer cakes. Our cakes are usually ordered for special ceremonies, occasions for family, friends and significant others. My creations are homemade, customized, and based …

#Recipe | Boroila Fish Cooked With Khutora Xaak And Cherry Tomatoes

Published by Asmita Das

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 …

I Love Clicking Moments When People Live And Laugh – Meet Siddharth Sharma From Bangalore

Published by Asmita Das

They say if you really want something in your life, you should work hard for it and earn it; not just think about it. Today we have Siddharth Sharma – A Software Engineer by profession and a Photographer by passion from Bangalore. He believes that life is a race and you should give your best and try to reach a level where you can stand on your own with pride. Here’s an honest conversation with the man behind the lens who loves capturing people’s memories and present them. Share a little detail about yourself and what you have been up to? I’m Siddharth Sharma – a Software Professional working in Bangalore and originally from Bhilwara, Rajasthan. With 4 siblings in house and my father being the only source of income, we never had a thought of having a hobby to pursue. I was inclined towards photography since childhood but could not afford it; even after my job. It was my wife Swati Sharma who realized my love for photography and gifted me a smartphone. That’s when …

Learn The Art Of Sketching Faces From Daksha Salam

Published by Asmita Das

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 – …

A Beady Conversation With Uma – The Creator of Hol-O-Beads

Published by Asmita Das

Ever thought how the jewelry made of beads are created? Ever thought of making them? Today, we introduce Uma Vaijnath – the Creator and Founder of Hol-O-Beads (@holo.bead) who shares her story on how she got hooked onto making wired jewelry. Her creative jewelry work on beads, threads and wires are something to look at. Here’s a quick conversation with Uma on how one trip inspired her to get into beading. Share a little details about yourself and what you have been up to? I’m Uma Vaijnath, Ex-Software Professional. Now I have turned to a Happy Homemaker since 2005 after my daughter Abha’s birth. What initially sparked your interest in this field? A visit to Dakshinachitra in May 2012. The trip literally sparked the interest in trying magazine paper jewelry and thread jewelry. At one of their stalls, a shop keeper showed how to do a thread jewelry, which I could easily do and the same person backed off to show a macrame based bracelet. “I bought that bracelet for Rs 40/- and took up …

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 …

“I Want to Create my Own Dessert Recipes using Local Ingredients” | Baker Atu Jamir from Nagaland

Published by Imtee Jamir

Mondays, the dreaded day when you go back to work or school. Here’s a tip to beat the Monday blues. How about a ‘sweet escape’ into the world of confectionaries? Think macaroons, eclairs, praline, cheese cake, marshmallows dipped in chocolate sauce! Either that or a look through Atu’s pictures may do the trick. The team catches with owner and baker of ‘A Sweet Escape’, Atu Jamir on her journey of becoming an entrepreneur and baker. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Born in Kohima and hailing from the mystical village of Longsa Village , my name is Atu Jamir and I am currently living in Dimapur. I got married this year with a wonderful man who is also the biggest supporter of my passion and love for baking. I graduated in Economics from Hyderabad University and worked with a corporation for a brief stint of one year. I then returned home, completed my master’s degree and worked as a teacher in one of the reputed schools in Dimapur. During my four years …

These People Are Obsessed with Their Succulent Collection and We See Why

Published by Roots & Leisure

The succulent craze is taking over the world (well the Instagram world atleast!). We know atleast one friend, who is crazy over succulents – and it’s a growing tribe! So we reached out to some of the people in Northeast, India, who are somewhat obsessed with growing succulents as a hobby.We caught up with them to check out their collection, their most prized item from their collection, and of course, to hear from them directly as to what it means to grow succulents as a hobby. Note : Succulents are plants that store water in their stems, roots, and leaves, and they exist in beautiful shapes – some of them imitating interesting flowers, forms – and hence making them an interesting collector interest 1. Imchawapang Walling “Succulent and cactus as a hobby is very addictive and needs a lot of patience but the joy and pleasure you derive from keeping those delicate plants alive is worth all the effort. Eulychnia castanea cv. varispiralis cristata, is my most prized item. It’s a very rare crested form very much sought after …