All posts tagged: local life

rootsandleisure_wungmaya_lunghar

“I Want My Photos to Inspire Hope ” — Wungmaya Lunghar, a Photographer from Manipur

Wungmaya Lunghar, from Manipur, is one photographer who believes in the power and messages that a picture carries. His love for kids, nature and people shines through his heartwarming photos, something that very few artists are able to do. He currently works in the field of child development. His work has certainly helped him connect with children and also travel to various places across India. Whenever he spots a moment or view, Wungmaya makes sure to capture it in his camera!  Continue on to find out how fell in love with photography despite not actually owning a camera of his own. Hello Wungmaya, can you introduce yourself to us? Hello R&L! I am Wungmaya Lunghar and I hail from Teinem Village, Ukhrul Dist. I belong to the Tangkhul Naga tribe. I’m working in a child-focused development organization called World Vision India as the Capacity Manager-Design Monitoring and Evaluation; extending support to the NE-Region and West Bengal. I live in Guwahati with my wife and our two sons. I am from an engineering background but always …

rootsandleisure_arunachal-Tawang

#FACES | “Sangestar Tso Lake in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh is a Piece of Heaven on Earth” – Gom Chozom

  “This photo was taken in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. It was my first visit, and the experience was surreal. Literally felt like I was experiencing  Heaven on Earth; everything was so serene and the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful!  This particular location (in the photo) is called Sangestar Tso Lake and is also famously known as Maduri Lake. It is next to the India-China border and the Bumla pass. Walking amidst the stretch of flowers and lakes was the highlight of the visit. Being a nature lover, the sight of the clouds, flowers, and mountains brought so much peace, happiness, and calm. The valley here is full of wildflowers during this time of the year (Aug-Sept) So you will see plenty of small wildflowers blooming along the walkway and all over the trees. The fresh breath of air and the chirping of seasonal birds makes the place even more enjoyable.” ~ Gom Chozom 

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

“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 …

Rootsandleisure_Faces

“Capturing Her Wrinkles Felt Like Capturing a Lifetime of Emotions – Frozen on Her Face” | Old Lady at Maring Village, Manipur by Gautam Raj

“I don’t know her personally. Met her at the local market as we stopped by at Maring village in Manipur on our way to some other village. She was selling fresh vegetables from her garden and was calling out to us to buy them. That’s when I saw her face – and call it timing or luck, the sun was just setting making the lighting perfect for a picture. So I grabbed my camera and asked her if I can take a picture instead. She stared blankly at me, perhaps disappointed that I didn’t buy her vegetables. My first attempt failed.  I told her she was beautiful. She was indeed. In my eyes, the wrinkles on her face made her look even more beautiful and her eyes seemed like she had a story to tell. She smiled shyly and then, laughed a lot when I complimented her smile. Her laughter gave out a feeling of genuine happiness inside. That’s when I clicked the second photo – this picture. This time it came out good. I …

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I Stopped to Admire How These Kids were Lost in Their Own World of Happiness” Vivas Anand from Darjeeling

“It was a beautiful cold evening as I strolled leisurely through Mall Road in Darjeeling – with a camera in hand and trying to soak in the flavors of the area. Evenings here are always crowded and has a busy ambiance. As I continued to walk, I came across this family with two kids on a bench, and I was instantly drawn. I couldn’t walk past without capturing them – and that happy moment of theirs; so I took out my camera and took this photo. Nothing extraordinary about this picture, but I was pleasantly taken aback by the simplicity of the moment and how they were lost in their own world of happiness. I just loved how they were thoroughly enjoying their munchy snack – and so mindfully at that. In this busy world we live in, it’s hard to be satisfied with what we have, and these kids somehow reminded me of that by showing a contrasting picture where it didn’t cost them much – but looked immensely satisfied. Everything was transparent and it was beautiful the way it was in front …

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“Watching my Neighbourhood Change Through a Sad Yet Memorable Photo” Smyrna Samten from Sikkim

  “I grew up in this neighborhood “Daragaon” in Sikkim. Out here, it can get really hot during summers – and especially grueling, when you have to climb the many stairs along the way in this area. So I often used to take shade under the trees on the sides while climbing up the long stairs. Even when tired, the beautiful staircase with the greenery used to be really soothing and beautiful to look at. Especially a sight to admire when it rains, as the stairs are swept clean and the trees shine with health from the raindrops. I have actually taken tons of pictures of this beautiful walkway over the years (old photo at the bottom). So it was a really sad day when I took this particular picture below. I was walking home through the same walkway and I found trees chopped and the trunks laid aside like dead bodies so I clicked it. The man in the picture was loading them into his truck. Amidst my sadness, and as I walked up the steps, it …