Author: Novita Singh
The many strings of a kamancha
The kamacha, aka kanmaicha, is a musical instrument with roots in Central Asia and many variants, like the kamancheh of Iran. In India its variation, the Kamancha, is played only by the Manganyar community of Rajasthan. And today with only one instrument maker left in India, the Amarrass Society for Performing Arts is doing its bit to revive the instrument.
From cowshed to an offbeat AirBNB in Bir, Himachal
A cowshed was transformed into a home by a techie from Gujarat in 45 days. Read on about the transformation done by Jigish Gohil, a paragliding pilot who wanted to live closer to the skies.
Surfers of Mahabalipuram
The young generation of the fisherfolk colony in Mahabalipuram are now chasing the waves, thanks to a surfing school.
Gujarat’s mountain girl
Mountain girl Surabhi Chavda conquered numerous peaks yet found Everest daunting. Developing snow blindness halted her summit bid, yet this setback bestowed profound life lessons on humility, shaping her resilient spirit.
Building homes, the natural way
This architect couple is on a journey to revive, document and promote the traditional ways of constructing natural buildings, through their Thannal Natural Homes initiative in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.
Coexisting with reptiles
Situated along Tamil Nadu's East Coast Road (ECR), just a stone's throw from Mahabalipuram, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust is India's foremost herpetology centre and perhaps the only reptilian zoo.
Bt cotton, pink bollworm and the debt cycle in Punjab
As cotton harvesting begins in Punjab, this World Cotton Day we look at the impact of introduction of Bt cotton in the state. Almost two decades later, farmers are still grappling with pests and other problems.
This paralympian battled odds to smash records
At 18, Palak Kohli became the youngest para-athlete to compete in 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. Kohli and her badminton coach Gaurav Khanna talk about her battles and emphasise that society’s attitude needs to change towards people with disabilities.
This is where your cabbage may be coming from
Bara Garan is a remote sleepy hamlet nestled at a height of 2,350m in the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. Located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, Bara Garan had no road connectivity to a nearby town until a couple of decades back. Residents had to walk for a day to reach Barot, the nearest town. But things changed when a road was constructed. Now villagers who earlier grew crops only for self-sustenance are farming cabbage commercially, selling it to traders across north India.