IN VIDEOS
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.
Coming up, a food forest in Himachal’s Kangra
Picture a food forest-cum-botanical garden where you can buy seeds of native plants as well as taste the produce. This is what Attune, an upcoming project in Himachal’s Kangra, seeks to offer.
And, it’s a rap about Naga culture
With about 2.20 lakh followers and millions of views on YouTube, Moko Koza has well arrived on the Indian hip-hop scene. The Kohima-based rapper tells us how he is promoting Naga culture through his music.
Nari Adhikari Kendras a boon for women’s rights
The women’s support organisations, or Nari Adhikari Kendras, are doing stupendous work at the grassroots level in Madhya Pradesh’s Petlawad, in district Jhabua. Village Square does a recce.
When a healthy panchayat means a healthy village
In the Angara block of the Ranchi district of Jharkhand, the success of the ‘Healthy Panchayat’ initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Transform Rural India (TRI) is evident, particularly for vulnerable women.
These architects are building an archive of MP’s tribal traditions
Meet architects Achyut Siddu and Apoorva Mishra who are encouraging members of the Pardhan Gond, Baiga and Bhil tribes of Madhya Pradesh to document their traditions through their initiative, Loksutr.
Once thriving sailboats disappear from Bengal’s waters
The tradition of sailboating, once synonymous with Bengal’s rivers, is vanishing rapidly with modernisation.
Chitkul, India’s last village
Village Square takes a trip on the old Hisdustan-Tibet road to visit the scenic village of Chitkul. Here’s more on the place.
And now, AI sensors for buffaloes in Haryana
Indian scientists from the Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) test AI sensors on buffaloes to prevent heat stress and other diseases.
The woman behind the Durga idol
Mousumi Sardar redefines the art of idol-making, creating a niche for female talent in the male dominated tradition.
Howrah’s fight for its wilderness
A passionate group of environmentalists come together to save the biodiversity of Howrah district in West Bengal.
Punjab farmer transforms trash into treasure
Gurmeet Singh from Burj Rathi village transforms discarded waste, especially old rubber slippers, into intricate works of art and toys, showing how garbage can be reimagined as a resource.
An aspirational district’s quest to fix STEM education for girls
Gumla, an aspirational district in Jharkhand, is reimagining STEM education at the school-level through a host of initiatives supported by existing resources and trying new, innovative methods, such as sending girl students to ISRO on an experiential trip.
Meet the 24-year-old who wants to preserve Mising culture through music
Rediscovering the rich roots of the Mising culture during a fellowship, Sikur Padma Pao promotes and preserves the indigenous peoples’ natural and cultural heritage through the music that he and his band, The Dynamics, create.
Educational society transforms lives in rural Uttar Pradesh
Educating girls empowers them. The Pardada Pardadi Educational Society is making a difference to the locals of Anupshahr by schooling girls from underprivileged backgrounds.
Independent cinema v/s Bollywood featuring Adil Hussain and Faisal Malik
What do Adil Hussain and Faisal Malik have in common other than their rural backgrounds and meteoric ascent to stardom? They were both at Chitrashaala, Village Square’s short film festival, to talk about their work, life and the struggles of showing good cinema in India.
Discussing climate change through cinema
The climate change-themed short films screened at Village Square’s Chitrashaala film festival drew the audience’s attention to this pressing issue. The filmmakers in attendance – Jigar Nagda and Stenzin Tankong – spoke about the subject during a discussion at the fest.
Bringing back the romance in craft at Chitrashaala
Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali discusses challenges of filming crafts with award-winning filmmaker Utpal Borpujari and young filmmaker Riah Taipodia from Meghalaya during a conversation at the Chitrashaala short film festival in August 2024.
From fields to skies: Rural women soar with drone training
Over 1000 women farmers have been trained in operating drones at the Drone Destination, enabling them to improve their farming skills and increase their income.
I was inspired by the rural youngsters while filming Panchayat: Faisal Malik
Events like Village Square’s Chitrashaala help promote good content, feels actor Faisal Malik. He talked to us about attending the short film festival, filming Panchayat in a village, his humble roots, and what went into playing Prahlad cha.