Village Vibe celebrates the art, culture and festivals of India’s village life. Urbanites aren’t the only ones who become social media stars, produce stunning art, enjoy food fads or follow fitness crazes. And as for festivals, there’s a totally different vibe in the villages.
Village Vibe
Ice hockey – a popular winter sport playing out in Ladakh
Odisha isn’t the only place in India swept by hockey fever. Leh in Ladakh – more than 2,500 km away from Bhubaneswar that is hosting the World Hockey Championship – is caught up in a similar frenzy, with a slight twist though. It’s ice hockey that is keeping the Ladakhis engaged and entertained. Ice hockey – an annual affair in January when temperatures plummet and ponds freeze – is a source of immense pride to the Ladakhis.
Bayalu Chitralaya: Karnataka village eyes reclaiming artistic past
Plans are afoot to make Sonangeri host art and artists where an experiment to make the walls of the village an art canvas in the 1990s had a huge success.
Wakhoo: Journey from a sleepy village of timber traders to ‘Pencil Village’ of India
There’s a 90 percent chance that the pencil you’re writing with is made of slats processed in Wakhoo of south Kashmir – for it supplies more than 70% of wood to India’s pencil industry.
Get your photograph featured on Village Square homepage
Attention all photographers – show us rural India through your lens and get featured on our homepage under our exciting Photo of the Day strand. Click here to send in your photo entries.
Odisha’s humble sabai grass makes fashion statement
Brought from Madagascar to Mayurbhanj long ago, sabai grass has been woven into baskets, bags and ropes used in WWII, but it is now a trending item in the high-end fashion boutique circuit.
Youth revive traditional black pottery of Manipur
In Nungbi Khullen of Manipur youth spin their wheels to revive the famed black pottery, selling their products across India and improving their village’s economy.
The ‘faere’ tale of Kashmir’s smoked fish dish
Faere is Kashmir’s smoked fish – most loved in the cold months – that’s gone from a survival dish, when fresh food was hard to get, to a Kashmiri comfort food to a gourmet dish for foodies.
Discover the hidden gems of Manipur
The northeastern state is known for its natural beauty with many places that should not be missed.
Be in the pink this winter with Kashmiri noon chai
A symbol of Kashmir’s culture – salty, heavy noon chai – is brewed in evaporated milk and served hot at tea stalls and homes alike.