Village Vibe
Indian Traditional Art in Weddings
Every region in India has its own unique art style which is an integral part of the wedding festivities to usher in fertility, prosperity, and auspiciousness. Their stories, rooted in folklore, make for a riveting read.
The people of this MP village fear building roofs
Despite gentle interventions by the government, the people of Kaf village, in Madhya Pradesh, hold on to a unique superstition that prevents them from building concrete roofs. This belief is a double-edged sword, discovers Village Square.
The Andamans on a shoestring
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are some of the most pristine, ecologically fragile islands in the world.. Here’s how to explore the Islands in an ecologically responsible way, that too on a budget.
A Himalayan baithak of folk music & qawwali
The ‘baithak’, or an intimate setting in which musical performances took place, is slowly fading. The Amarrass Society for Performing Arts, in partnership with Village Square, is reviving this tradition by hosting a baithak of folk music and qawwali in the beautiful hills of Uttarakhand.
Majestic mountain escapes beyond the Indian Himalayas
December 11 is International Mountain Day, and we’re giving you the lowdown on mountain destinations outside Himalayan country. So if you’re heading for the hills anytime soon, check out these high-altitude spots in the lesser-known ranges of India.
I am not the guardian of Uttarakhand’s folk traditions
Sarvjeet Tamta, a self-taught qawwali singer and harmonium virtuoso from Almora, delves into his love for the folk music of his state, his journey with his band Himali Mou and their alter ego Rehmat-e-Nusrat, playing to packed houses across the globe today and his dalit background.
He’s saving Tripura’s puppetry tradition, no strings attached!
Prabhitangshu Das, who heads the Tripura Puppet Theatre Group, is at the forefront of preserving the craft in his state. From making children smarter to creating social change, there’s much to be gained from puppetry, he believes.
The river Spiti: a glacial waterbody of the upper Himalayas
Village Square journeys along the river Spiti, in Himachal’s Lahaul and Spiti district, and discovers that though most settlements in the region have sprung up around it, the river itself serves little practical purpose to inhabitants.
Punjab’s hockey villages dribble past lost touch for Paris Olympics bronze
The villages of Sansarpur, Mithapur, and Khusropur in Punjab, once renowned for producing Olympic hockey players, are reviving their legacy after decades of decline due to various reasons, including drug abuse in the region.
Bringing Sufi saints of Bihar from history’s footnotes to its pages
Syed Amjad Hussain, a 19-year-old author of two books on Bihar’s lost love of Urdu, is documenting 50 Sufi saints from the 12th century to contemporary times to correct misconceptions about Sufism.
Karitchi, no longer a forgotten condiment of Garo cuisine
Entrepreneur Dharmen Momin from Meghalaya is reviving the traditional Garo practice of making karitchi, a local alkaline liquid that was once central to their cuisine but lost to cheap, store-bought sodium carbonate.
Ogla, the blushing buckwheat blossom
Buckwheat, aka ogla, is mostly known for its grain-like seeds used in cooking. But take a look at its flower! When ogla fields blossom in one of the few places it grows in India, the whole Sangla Valley in Himachal Pradesh blushes pink.
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.
All you need to know about Bihar’s Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja of Bihar is a profound celebration that unites people across socio-economic divides, honouring the Sun god through rituals that emphasise simplicity, purity and a deep connection to nature.
Countryside celebrations to attend this November
From Tokhu Emong in Nagaland and Thiksey Gustor in Leh to Kalai Thiru Vizhaa in Tamil Nadu and Pushkar camel fair in Rajasthan, here are five rural festivals all travel enthusiasts should pen into their calendars this month.
A rice beer brand that pays tribute to the seven sisters
For 7 United founder Keenan K Marak, the rice beer brand isn’t just a business venture but a cultural mission to showcase northeast India’s unique relationship with the indigenous drink.
Blind cricket’s unsung hero travels from Odisha village to America
Sukhram Majhi, a partially blind cricketer from Odisha, has risen from a life of hardship to international recognition as part of India’s blind cricket team, his passion taking him from doing menial jobs to playing in the US.
Meet the emperor of the king of fruits in Malihabad
Haji Kalimullah Khan, the 84-year-old “mango man” of Malihabad, has been growing new varieties of the fruit for over six decades. Among his claims to fame is a tree that bears over 300 different varieties of mangoes.
From waste to wonder – Odisha’s eco-friendly cow dung toys
At a time when plastic and rubber toys rule the market, artisans in Ganjam district are crafting them in the traditional way. From dolls to animal masks and vegetable shapes, the toys come in various forms and sizes.
How this 15-year-old Odisha girl ‘sprinted’ to a weightlifting record
Preetismita Bhoi made headlines at this year’s IWF World Youth Championships. She tells us how she moved from sprinting to weightlifting due to her coach’s perseverance, and the inspiration she derived from her idol Mirabai Chanu.