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
Nagaland: Young girl breaks the norm, drums her way towards her dreams
A teen teaches herself to play the drums, encourages other girls to hone their innate talents and nurtures future dreams for her village in Nagaland that is shedding patriarchy.
Festivals in India: What’s behind the masks in Leh’s Hemis Festival?
This festival season we look back at Ladakh’s Hemis Festival that showcases the rich culture of dances and masks that are steeped in meaning.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.