All posts tagged: local faces

#FACES | The Vibrant Spirit of The Sikh Hola Mohalla Festival in Punjab by Gursimran Singh

Published by Samyama

“Hola Mohalla, also called Hola, is a Sikh festival which falls in the month of March (usually). Celebrated widely around the world, it was started by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, as a gathering of Sikhs for military exercises and mock battles on the day following the festival of Holi. Even today it reminds the people of valour and defence preparedness. On this three-day festival, mock battles are held followed by music and poetry competitions. The Nihang Singhs (armed Sikh warriors – members of the Sikh army that was founded by Guru Govind Singh) carry on the martial tradition with mock battles and displays of swordsmanship and horse riding. They perform daring feats, such as Gatka (mock encounters), tent pegging, bareback horse riding and standing erect on two speeding horses. The festival takes place in the city of Ananadpur Sahib in Rupnagar (Ropar), it usually stretches out to a week as everyone loves to camp out and fully immerse themselves in the palpable energy. The event concludes on the day of Hola Mohalla (third …

#FACES | A Farmer Taking Shelter from the Rain Under a Bamboo Umbrella – By Shweta Gupta

Published by Samyama

“I’m Shweta Gupta, a photographer from Bihar. I was on my way to Jyotirling Mandir, Bhimashankar (Maharashtra) with my friends when we stopped by a paddy field to just observe people and take in the scenery. This particular farmer walked by in the rain with this ‘chatri’ (umbrella) made of bamboo and tarp, and it felt like a moment worth capturing! I was intrigued and went up to say hi. He asked me about why I was taking photos, to which I answered, ‘Everyone should see you and your lifestyle’. He smiled and posed for the photograph. We had a brief chat and he told me he was headed home. I was fascinated with this particular form of an umbrella because usually, in most parts of India, we see burlap sacks but this was different. It turned out to be a great photo!” ~Shweta Gupta from Bihar See some more of her photos on her Instagram!

Rootsandleisure_Goragala North Sikkim

“Every Cliff You Climb, You’ll Find a Lake at The Bottom of It” – Shraddha Rai And Her Friends Go On A Girls Trip To Goragala in North Sikkim

Published by Shanmi

“This picture was taken one beautiful October afternoon in Goragala, North Sikkim, which is at the China-Beijing border. My friends and I had not met for a very long time, so we planned to catch up over this trip and have some quality time together. It was a wonderful experience …going on an adventure with my dear ones, and meeting new people and learning about the local culture!” “Goragala is a very spiritual and holy place. Every cliff you climb, you’ll find a lake at the bottom of it. That makes the place even more stunning! Tourists are generally not allowed to access this place, but we were fortunate enough to get the chance to visit through our local friends.”  Shraddha Rai (22) enjoying the stunning view in Goragala, North Sikkim. Shraddha Rai with her twin sister Shreya and close friends at Goragala, North Sikkim.

Rootsandleisure_Farmer_Tharpu_Sikkim

“I Wanted to Capture the Special Bond Between the Old Farmer and His Faithful Buffalo – Spotted at Tharpu Village in West Sikkim” by Nityam Rai

Published by Vilina

“He is a farmer who works for his landlord. I met him at a field in Tharpu Village in West Sikkim, which is about 30 kms. away from my house. This was my second meeting with him, and I feel we are friends now. The first time I met him, I couldn’t take his picture as it was raining but I had a beautiful conversation with him. The conversation kept my mind awake the whole night. Apparently, he comes to the area regularly to work, along with his faithful friend – Kaley, the buffalo. I regretted not taking their photos, so I went to the same location the next day. Lucky for me, I met both of them, and I took a lot of pictures that day. I could see that he shared a special bond with his buffalo. For him, it was more than an animal; it was both a friend and a family for him. In the middle of our conversation, he cut off saying that his buffalo was thirsty; he pulled him towards the shade, dug a temporary …