Village Vibe
Cruise these historic Indian rivers in style
While rail and road have been the more popular ways of traversing the hinterland, this World Rivers’ Day we recommend a few charming river cruises in India that can take you touring around the countryside.
Rural India wins big at the Paris Paralympics 2024
These Paralympians from rural India have overcome the odds, and their disability, to reclaim glory during the recent Paralympic Games in Paris. Here are six such athletes who are an inspiration for all.
Odisha dholak player’s journey from village squares to viral video
Despite battling night blindness and financial hardships, Golak Paik, a musician from Dublabahal village in Odisha, has captivated netizens with his Sambalpuri music after a video of his performance went viral on social media.
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.
Hail these sports coaches for their illustrious proteges
This Teachers’ Day, Village Square tips the hat to the coaches of some of our sporting greats, winners of the Dronacharya Award, who hail from villages across the country.
Reel encounters with some special rural teachers
Over the years many filmmakers have paid tribute to the gurus in our lives by making films that depict the teacher-student relationship. Here are six such movies with rural stories that revolve around inspiring teachers.
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.
26-year-old Puri youth leads Odisha’s green revolution
Soumya Ranjan Biswal, the 26-year-old founder of Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Aviyan, has mobilised local communities to protect ecosystems, promote mangrove restoration and Olive Ridley turtle conservation, and organise events to combat sea pollution.
How many of these lesser-known local greens have you tried?
Indian regional cuisine is full of nutrient-dense ingredients. This National Nutrition Week, which is observed in the first week of September, here is a list of six healthy foods from the far-flung corners of the country.
Celebrate a spectacular September at these rural festivals
A line-up of ceremonial celebrations across the hinterland gives Indians something to look forward to in the last month of the monsoon season, as September comes alive to showcase the rural culture in the country.
The humble coconut is trending now, and how!
Coconuts are more versatile than you think! On this World Coconut Day, we bring to you some innovative uses for the fruit that are gaining popularity and make it a must-have in daily life.
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.
These small industries are bringing big changes in villages
There are several small industrial projects that are lighting up the rural economy in unusual ways. This ‘Small Industry Day’, which is observed on August 30 every year, we revisit some of the initiatives featured on Village Square.
Koraput-Rayagada, India’s hidden gem of rail tourism
Scenic beauty, cultural richness and engineering marvels along the Koraput-Rayagada and Kothavalasa-Kirandul rail routes in Odisha make them must-visit destinations for any travel enthusiast.
From Dongargaon to Toronto, Sthal brings rural realism to silver screen
Jayant Somalkar’s debut film Sthal, shot in 22 days in his home village with local non-professional actors, authentically captures the struggles of a young woman from rural Maharashtra fighting for education and independence in a patriarchal society.
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.
Shaktiman – How a military truck became an off-road king in Manipur
Shaktiman, a medium-capacity truck that was used by the Indian defence forces from 1959 to 1996 enjoys a new lease of life as a multipurpose off-road truck in the hilly Ukhrul and Kamjong districts of Manipur.
Clicking rural India from a woman’s view
From widows of farmers in Maharashtra who had died by suicide to women drug users in Punjab and the gendered impact of water crisis in Uttarakhand, photographer Deepti Asthana’s work captures rural themes from the women’s perspective.
These two women are singing Punjab’s past into present
Virpal Kaur and Pawandeep Kaur from Khosa Kotla, dedicated to preserving Punjab’s folk music, have collected and documented hundreds of traditional songs to ensure the rhythms of Punjab’s past resonate with future generations.
‘I want to help preserve Uttarakhand culture through my songs’
Girish Jeena, the man behind the viral ‘Gulabi sharara’ song from Uttarakhand, talks to us about his journey, the unexpected fame, and the personal stories behind his popular songs.