Village Vibe

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.

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Water sports offer Kashmiri girls new career choices

The popularity of water sports for girls is surging in Kashmir thanks to inspirational coach Bilquis Mir, whose success in national and international water events makes her a role model.

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New survey shows processed snack foods lure rural Indians

A new survey by the Development Intelligence Unit shows that obesity is a rapidly evolving problem, especially in rural India, and needs to be addressed through policies and awareness campaigns

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Tribal filmmakers make high content on low budget

Untrained and young tribal moviemakers highlight the social evils and ecological issues plaguing rural India, but budgetary constraints prevent them from taking their cinema to a wider audience

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Downtime – How Rural India Relaxes

We want your best photos showing how rural India rests, relaxes and parties – what they do in their downtime – for our second annual Village Vibe Photo Competition. You can send yours photo for the competition here.

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Win-win for women working in eco-tourism camp

While five eco-tourism camps in Odisha’s picturesque Satkosia Tiger Reserve offer a nature retreat for tourists, they also boost both the confidence and income of the women workers.

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Futuristic luxury in a water-scarce Himachal village

A savvy, innovative villa in Fagu, Shimla, is reimagining aesthetics and utility. In a water scarce region, it is offering practical insights into how a looming water crisis can be tackled.

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PHOTO ESSAY: Phatxingu – Kargil’s apricot “miracle drink”

Phatxingu, a drink in Ladakh’s Kargil region made from dried apricots, is unbelievably popular among all age groups. In the photo essay, I delve into some of the reasons for its raging popularity.

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Scenic Bastar’s instagrammable art cafe

Situated in Jagdalpur, Bastar, this art cafe is famous for its delicious regional cuisine such as chillla (made of rice), tribal wall-art, and gorgeous sunset visible from its terrace.

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Offbeat rural destinations in India

At Village Square we love delving into the more unknown and vibrant regions of rural India, so for World Tourism Day we offer up some of our favourite stories and places to add to your “must see” list.