All posts tagged: traditional

“I Didn’t Find Thangka Painting, It Found Me” – Sahil Bhopal, a Thangka Painter from Kullu

Thangka painting – a sort of scroll painting, is a cultural pillar in Tibetan tradition and is essential for Buddhist practitioners as it serves as recorded history. With a deep love for history and the intricate designs, Sahil Bhopal, an artist from Kullu has been painting Buddhist thangkas out of pure passion for 10 years now.  Trained in the Karma Gadri style, it is his love for art that transcends even religion. Talking about his work, he says, “Most of the time, when people look at my work, I see them be present in the moment. Nothing from the past or future is on their mind, they are fully present. I would like them to hold on to that peace and that moment of nothingness.” Read more about his fascinating journey below.     Hello Sahil, welcome to R&L! Please share a bit about yourself. Hi, I am Sahil Bhopal, a 29-year-old full-time thangka painter, trained under the tutelage of master painter Noedup Rongae in the Karma Gadri style.  I was raised in Ladakh and when …

Pritika Krishnakumar, a Bharatanrityam Dancer Based in Bangalore, Tells Us About Pursuing This Traditional Craft

Pritika Krishnakumar is a Bharatanrityam dancer based in Bangalore. Currently training under the acclaimed Radha Kalpa dance company, this graceful dancer knew Bharatanatyam was her passion at the age of 4.  On usual days, she is training and honing her craft. She says, “there’s a lot that goes into making a dance performance look effortlessly beautiful. Hours of training and learning. I enjoy the process and hope that people can see through all the hard work.” Know more this flawlessly talented girl journey as we chat with her.  Hello Pritika! At Roots and Leisure we value strong cultural connections. So, when we heard about your mastery in a traditional artform, we were very excited to chat with you! Thank you for being here. Please introduce yourself to our readers. Hi! My name is Pritika Krishnakumar. I’m a 27-year-old, Bharatanatyam dancer based in Bangalore. I was born and raised in Mumbai and I started training in this classical art when I was just 7. I began under the tutelage of Guru Dr Jayashree Rajagopalan (Vijji Akka), …

rootsandleisure_rovino_pagoda_shawl

Rovino Livi From Nagaland Poses With Her Loramhosii (Naga Shawl) At World Peace Pagoda, Nepal

“The ‘Naganess’ in me is on another level. That’s what my friends always say. I had posted a few photos of me with my Loramhosii (the shawl) on my Instagram story. Soon after my stories were up, some few friends messaged me asking where I was and why I had my Loramhosii around my neck (like a politician). Some messaged me asking if I was representing the country at some conference to which I regretfully replied, ‘I wish I was’. Rovino Livi Wearing Her Identity Call me ‘traditional’ but this is me, hanging on to my roots since day one. Every time I travel, I always make sure I have a small space in my luggage for my beautiful Lorahmhosii or a small traditional earring or necklace. I believe it’s important to know where we come from but it’s even more important to take that with us wherever we go because that is our  identity, and our identity is our pride. We have a very rich culture but most of us often neglect the importance …