All posts tagged: Local People

rootsandleisure_arunachal-Tawang

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

Published by Vilina

  “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 

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Vloggers “Twins and The Other Girl” from Sikkim Gives Us a Glimpse into Their Lives in Gangtok

Published by Vilina

Youtube stars behind the channel ‘Twins and the other girl’ – Pinky, Tinku, and Prakrithi, take us on a tour of the beautiful state of Sikkim, known for its shimmering waterfalls, lush green forests, the mighty Kanchenjunga mountain range – and their leisurely cafe culture.  22-year-old twins Pinky and Tinku, and their friend Prakrithi use their YouTube channel and social media to share fun yet simple snippets of their life in Gangtok, Sikkim. They make sure to stay super stylish and on-trend while doing all of that! The trio takes us around their favorite cafes in Gangtok and also gives us a glimpse of their everyday lives – interview and video below. YouTube stars of “Twins&theothergirl” – twins Shreya Rai (Pinky) and Shraddha Rai (Tinku) and their friend Prakrithi from Gangtok give us a peek into their everyday life in Sikkim and also take us around their favorite cafes. Read on to know more about them, their passions, inspirations, and much more.     Hi girls! Tell us a little bit about yourselves. We are Shreya (Pinkey) and Shraddha (Tinku) …

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“I Write Roles for Women – Beautiful Women with Soul, Will and Strength” | A Chat with Filmmaker Tribeny Rai from Sikkim

Published by Vilina

“If there’s specific resistance to women making movies, I just choose to ignore that as an obstacle for two reasons: I can’t change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies” – Katheryn Bigelow. Growing up in a family of 4 girls, Tribeny Rai faced gender bias at a young age. That experience only gave her the drive and conviction she needed to come out of her shell and do something that was new as well as challenging. That was the start of the journey that strong headed Tribeny set out to embark on for the rest of her life. At 27, she has 8 short films and 1 documentary to her name. Interestingly every one of her works has either won an award or has done the rounds at both national and international film festivals. Today, we’re happy to feature Tribeny Rai, a passionate independent filmmaker from Sikkim. She is everything you wouldn’t fathom at first glance, but behind her charming smile is a powerhouse of creativity that hits you into real-world subtlety. She chats …

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#Faces | This Portrait of an Old Man Captured By Tenzing Will Transport You Into A World Of Fantasy And Fairy Tales

Published by Vilina

“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 …

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“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 …

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

Published by Vilina

“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 …

Rootsandleisure_Faces_Sikkim

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

Published by Vilina

  “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 …

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Faces | Mizo Ladies Wearing Traditional “Puan” Wraparound Skirt to a Wedding in Aizawl

Published by Kumti

“This photo was taken before we headed off to a friend’s wedding in Aizawl, Mizoram. We absolutely love dressing up for weddings, especially in our traditional attire. In the picture, we are wearing “Puan,” which is a traditional Mizo wrap-around skirt, usually handwoven by local weavers. Nowadays, there are many designs and patterns available, so it’s exciting to explore the options. We paired the Puan with formal tops. The tops we are wearing in the photo were designed and made by my best friend and fashion designer, Rini Hlondo (standing on the left, wearing a mint green Puan). The Puan I’m wearing is by Chawndeng Handloom😊” ~ Rebecca Lalthanpuii, Founder of Lush Contouring, Beauty clinic specializing in microblading and lash extensions. Rebecca Lalthanpuii (on the right), founder of Lush Contouring, posing with her designer friend Rini Hlondo (on the left), owner of the Rini Hlondo label.

Faces | Life of a College Student in Nagaland by Chovoni Lophro 

Published by Roots & Leisure

“This photo was taken as part of a promotional campaign for my college, Model Christian College. Although I don’t remember the name of the professional photographer, we took over 30 shots to get this one perfect shot! 😂” “Hello, I’m Chovoni Lophro, a 19-year-old 3rd-semester student at Model Christian College in Nagaland, majoring in Political Science, which has always been my favorite subject. I’ve been a part of the same institution throughout my education, starting from Model Higher Secondary School, where I studied from grade A until my 12th. After that, I joined Model Christian College, which is also part of the same institution. As a college student, my days are quite busy with a set routine. I have classes every day from 9:40 am to 3:20 pm, which doesn’t leave me much time to help my mom in the mornings. In the evenings, I usually keep myself busy with my studies. However, during my free time, I enjoy doing what I love, such as reading, gaming (my favorite is Mobile Legends), dancing, singing, and …