Alongbar Basumatary, an arts graduate and a travel photographer in the making, has a dream. The 23-year-old Bodo, from Dangtalgaon village in Assam’s Chirang district, wants to acquaint the world with the rich culture, traditions and the culinary delights of his tribe. He has faith in the power of social media and hence, since 2016, has been sharing picture stories from Bodoland and around on his Instagram and Facebook profile under the name Souls of Green (@souls_of_green). With over 900 followers on Instagram, it is safe to say that his efforts are gaining traction. In time for Bwisagu or Baisagu (Rongali or Bohaj Bihu in other parts of Assam), a springtime festival that marks the start of the new year, we reached out to Basumatary for a photo tour of the celebrations in his village. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-2_1618584097163.jpg"></figure>The Bodo or Boro, a branch of the Indo-Mongoloid family, is the largest indigenous tribe of Assam and its people are believed to be the earliest inhabitants of the Brahmaputra Valley with a distinct religion, culture and language. They are predominantly agriculturists and the week-long Bwisagu is their most important festival. It begins on last day of Chaitra month and ends on the sixth day of the Baisakh month of the Assamese calendar. According to the English calendar, Bwisagu or Bohag Bihu is celebrated in the month of April. Each day of the week is dedicated to the worship of an element of nature - cow, man, dog, pig, fowl, birds and relatives and friends. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-4_1618584155961.jpg"></figure>The first day of Bwisagu, Goru Bihu, is dedicated to the cow. Cattle in Bodo households is bathed, decorated with garlands, their horns rubbed with oil, and turmeric paste smeared on their foreheads on this day. As the ethnic community performs this ritual, they also sing folk songs to the cows. The cattle are then allowed to roam freely the entire day and then, in the evening, offered chira (flattened rice), <a href="https://zeezest.com/food/how-to-build-a-delicious-assamese-pitha-platter-for-rongali-bihu-90">pitha</a> (rice cake), and powdered rice and vegetables. Meanwhile, the younger generation in each household takes blessings from the elders. AlsoRead0<figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-food-3_1618584146135.jpg"></figure>While the cattle relishes chira and rice cakes on the occasion, the Bodos feast on red tea, sobai gwran (dried sticky rice fried), sourai (sweet sticky rice), bora saul (steamed sticky rice) and ekho ek bidh xaak, a preparation made using 101 local herbs and leafy vegetables with country chicken and black channa. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-food-2_1618584206361.jpg"></figure>Among the many dishes, the ekho ek bidh xaak is the most important. “Every herb in this 101 variety has medicinal value. It is quite difficult to find so many herbs in one go so women of the house usually collect these a day in advance from in and around the village, and cook the dish on Goru Bihu. Our elders say that this customary feasting on greens on the day improves immunity, helps ward off allergies and ailments, and ensures we step into the new year healthy,” Basumatary says. Manimuni, sibru, nursing, bon amlai, kansingsa, singri mwiki, tarai bijow and buri tokon are a few of the local greens added to ekho ek bidh xaak. On the second day of the festival, which Basumatary refers to as ‘Human Bihu’, homage is offered to one’s ancestors and the tribe’s supreme deity Bathou or Lord Shiva is worshipped, and then the villagers visit their relatives and friends in the morning. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-8_1618584277715.jpg"></figure>By afternoon, the rhythmic sound of traditional musical instruments such as the kham, siphung, jhota, serja and jabsing is filled in the air in Bodoland as people sing, dance and play games to celebrate the season and the new year. A major part of these celebrations is the Bagurumba aka Bagurungba, a folk dance that involves mimicking the movements of a butterfly. Bagurumba is performed by the women of the community, dressed in vibrant traditional attire featuring dokhona (draped skirt), jwmgra (a large scarf for the upper body) and aronai (a small scarf usually tied around the waist). AlsoRead1<figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-3_1618584296645.jpg"></figure>The Bodo women are accompanied by men playing the instruments. It is believed that the purpose of Bagurumba, which is also called Butterfly Dance with its butterfly movements, is to appease Bathou. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_IMG_20210416_161828%20%281%29_1618584985552.jpg"><figcaption>One of the tribal games that involves women catching a duck with a blindfold on</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-12_1618584425113.jpg"><figcaption>Bodo women all set to sprint</figcaption></figure>Sports play a crucial role in their festive celebrations. The entire village comes together to participate in festive games like duck catching, egg fight, cock fight and sprint races. This particular picture is of a short race that was organised for Bodo women. Basumatary’s mother is one of the participants. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-food-1_1618585028362.jpg"></figure>As far as the feast is concerned, the second day too has elaborate fare and displays the tribe’s love for pork. Basumatary shares with us a picture of the lavish spread prepared at his house. It includes rice, roasted pork, taro with chicken, potato with a herb called matigaldab, fish, potato with wild pork, red ant eggs, dried jute leaves with pork, and pork with pumpkins.  <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Bodo-Bihu-5_1618585118133.jpg"><figcaption>Zou (rice beer) and roasted pork</figcaption></figure>No Bwisagu celebration is complete without the tribe’s own rice beer, Zou bedai. This local beer is prepared by fermenting cooked rice and it has a pungent taste. It is commonly served in a dola, a round bamboo utensil. The day comes to a close with the entire community gathering at the garja sali, a place of common worship in or around the village, and praying for a happy new year.

Gear up for an exciting photo tour of Bwisagu celebrations by the Bodo tribe in Assam.

Here’s an exciting photo gallery that shows you how the Bodo tribe of Assam rings in the New Year aka Bwisagu or Bohag Bihu. Read more on ZeeZest.com



Bwisagu Celebrations Of The Bodo Tribe Of Assam | ZeeZest 

Bwisagu In Bodoland Is A Riot Of Colours And Flavours

Festivals

Bihu

Assam

This festival of colours, also known as the spring festival in some parts, takes several forms in the country and across the globe.

Read about the traditions behind Holi and how it is celebrated in different parts of India and the world. Read Zeezest.com

How Holi is celebrated in different parts of India | Zee Zest

How Holi Is Celebrated Across India And Around The World

How many of you have tried the Ashtami-special Kanjak ki Thali on the eighth day of Navratri?

Ashtami is celebrated on the eighth day of Navratri be preparing a feast for young girls who are believed to be a form of the goddess. Read Zeezest.com  

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The Tradition Of Preparing A Feast For Goddesses During Navratri

The day before Kali Puja or Bhoot Chaturdashi has always been the most thrilling in a Bengali household. Something of a homegrown Halloween, it’s the day the other-worldly creatures are thought to descend upon earth.One way to ward them off is to quietly eat the Choddo Shaak, a mix of 14 leafy greens that are considered mandatory on this day. “If you don’t eat it, the ghosts will get you,” elders would warn. In the evening, we helped in the customary lighting of 14 lamps to honour 14 generations of our ancestors. The lamps were also supposed to keep the evil spirits at bay, or at least that’s what we were told.<h2>The enigma of Kali</h2><figure class="image image-style-align-left"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Id-1895-kolkata-festive-culture-inside-image_1617271248738.jpg"></figure>A sense of mystery and mysticism always surrounds Kali Puja, celebrated across Bengal (as also in other Eastern states of Assam and Odisha) on the new moon day in the lunar month of Kartik (in October), when the rest of the country celebrates Diwali.The dark-skinned goddess with her garland of skulls and blood-stained tongue evokes fear and admiration in equal measure. Goddess Kali is, on one hand, the destroyer of evil and the devourer of time. On the other, she is also a benevolent mother who protects her children from evil. It is in both her forms—fierce and benign—that she is worshipped.Incidentally, according to most scholars, this annual, autumnal adulation of Kali gained popularity only in the eighteenth century. Raja Krishna Chandra Ray, a zamindar of Nadia, is said to have popularised Kali Puja in Bengal. He ordered his subjects to observe the festival or face severe consequences.In fact, Kali’s metamorphosis from the terrifying blood-thirsty goddess worshipped on cremation grounds by Tantric adepts into a smiling, benign mother worshipped by householders is also a more recent phenomenon. The first community or Barowari Kali Pujas perhaps happened in the early 1900s. AlsoRead0<h2>Kali Puja in Kolkata</h2>In Kolkata, Kali Puja pandals might not boast the pageantry of Durga Puja pandals, nor do they rope in massive crowds, yet the modest puja mandaps where Shyama Sangeet mingles with the sound of the dhaak have their own charm.However, the most fun pandals are those with the dark, creepy setting complete with cheesy sound effects including howling foxes, chirping crickets and cackling ghosts. Besides, Kali is worshipped in a myriad form across Kolkata’s pandals—the fearsome Chamunda Kali with her blood-red eyes and long tongue dripping blood, the gentle, benign Shyama Kali, Kali with a thousand hands or ten heads.While there are numerous Kali Puja pandals all over the city, there are quite a few famous ones with an interesting history or illustrious heritage:<ul><li>North Kolkata has a few famed Kali Pujas like the Naba Jubak Sangha Kali Puja, better known as Fata Keshtor Kali Puja, after its founder Krishna Chandra Dutta</li><li>The Amherst Street Sadharan Kali Puja is famous as Somen Mitra’s Puja</li><li>In South Kolkata’s Chetla area, there’s a Kali Puja at every turn</li><li>The Chamunda Kali Puja at ABS Sporting</li><li>Shmashan Kali Puja at the Keoratala Burning Ghaat is quite the crowd puller</li></ul>However, unlike Durga Puja, Kali Puja continues to be a more intimate affair, focused on the devotion and adoration of the mother. And one of the best ways to experience the Puja is at one of the several Kalibaris in the city like Thanthania (Bidhan Sarani), Firingee (Bow Bazaar) or Lake Kali Bari.If crowds don’t intimidate you, experience the electrifying atmosphere at the Kalighat Temple or drive down to witness Kali Puja at the Dakshineshwar Temple.<h2>Holy sustenance</h2>Many households host Kali Puja with pomp and piety in equal measure. The puja typically performed according to Tantric rituals is a night-long affair starting only after midnight. Devotees observe a severe fast throughout the day and break it only after they have offered pushpanjali to the Goddess in the wee hours of the morning.The highlight of the morning after is the Pujor Bhog which could be anything from runny khichuri and spicy labra (a mishmash of assorted vegetables) to ghee-soaked pulao, puffy luchi and rich creamy paayesh. And then there’s the fish, fried or curried and mangsho or goat meat.Bengal’s Shakta tradition—the worship of the divine feminine and the supreme power—approves the offering of fish and meat to the Goddess. The Tantric belief system, in particular, emphasises the offering of blood to the Mother Goddess through ritualistic animal sacrifice or bali dana.Bali (mostly of goat, though buffaloes, sheep and even rams were once sacrificed) is still prevalent in some Kali temples across Bengal and in certain old households where Kali is worshipped in her fiercer form. The blood and head of the sacrificial animal are offered to the Goddess, while the flesh from the rest of the body is distributed among devotees as blessed meat.AlsoRead1This meat must mandatorily be cooked without a trace of onions or garlic that are considered tamasic, unbefitting for ritualistic food. Instead, it’s cooked into a light but flavourful curry with spices like cumin, asafoetida, ginger and fragrant garam masala. Since onions and garlic are considered non-vegetarian in Bengal, their absence gives the dish the curious name Niramish Mangsho, which literally means ‘vegetarian meat’. It’s delicious nonetheless and polished off with fluffy luchis.

Kali Puja is an ode to the fierce-yet-nurturing forms of this dark-skinned goddess, celebrated in West Bengal.

When the entire north India celebrates Diwali, Bengal and parts of East India celebrate Kali Puja. Read Zeezest.com

How Kali Puja is celebrated in West Bengal | Zee Zest

Did You Know About Bengal’s Version of Halloween?

Festive

Kolkata

Culture

Diwali

Sundried, burnt and cooked—this rare ingredient has a huge fan following.

Check out this unique ingredient that is made from the ashes of a banana stem and find out about the culinary traditions of Assam.

What is Khar? Find out why it’s a star ingredient in Assamese cuisine

Find Out Why Khar Is The Phoenix Of Assamese Cuisine

The most delicious and coveted part of a fish, these Indian kitchens take their fish head seriously. No kidding!

Fish head is a big delicacy in Bengal. But it is equally popular in Odisha, Assam, Maharashtra, Goa and other coastal parts of India. Read Zeezest.com

How fish head is cooked in different parts of India | Zee Zest

Indian Seafood’s Crowning Glory Is All In The (Fish) Head

Run by women, they offer fresh meats, fish and a smattering of local vegetables.

Check out our list of the best local dishes to try when you visit the Kong Shops of Shillong in Meghalaya. Read Zeezest.com

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6 Local Dishes To Dig Into At The Kong Shops of Meghalaya

The film starts with a clandestine operation, in the wee hours of the morning, to procure smoked pork and a little banana leaf parcel. This little parcel is the star of the film—Axone.<h2>But what is axone?</h2>Pronounced ‘akhuni’, axone is a fermented soybean paste that is at the heart of many a dish in the seven states of Northeast India. Set in the labyrinthine alleys of Humayunpur in Delhi, two roommates are desperately trying to cook a dish of smoked pork and axone for their third roommate as a wedding present in the Netflix movie.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLi06-FzfU/"></oembed></figure>The simple premise presents a multitude of trials for Chanbi (Lin Laishram) and Upasana (Sayani Gupta), many of which are loaded with political undertones. Plenty has been said, written and discussed about the film's portrayal of social issues including racial discrimination. But the aim here, instead, is to understand how food plays a role in that and did Axone actually manage to deliver?For any food lover, mainstream commercial Indian films have left a huge void when it comes to food-focused films. Films named after popular Indian dishes or using food as a trope have failed to provide any satisfaction to a food-loving cinephile. Axone in that respect comes as a refreshing change with its basic plot—the whole movie revolves around being able to cook a dish with such a pungent smell that it makes local Delhites indignant.However, the film misses out on the nuances of food, there is no way for an audience to understand what axone is and why is it so dreaded. The fermented soybean is a delicacy, despite being foul-smelling. AlsoRead0<h2>The love-hate relationship</h2>Mumbai-based Gitika Saikia voices her thoughts, “The film could have talked about why axone is important.” Fermented foods are an integral part of the culinary culture in the Northeast. What is known as axone in Nagaland has different names—in Manipur it is known as hawaijar, tungrymbai in Meghalaya and kinema in Sikkim, for instance.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CS_OzpUB5wA/"></oembed></figure>There is a love-hate relationship with this fermented delicacy, expressed by Upasana, who gags when she smells the axone. Shillong-based poet Lalnunsanga Ralte puts this relationship in words in his commentary, Axone Stinks (And I Like It), in the webzine Riaot: “Axone, an extreme comfort food, rarely has an in-between. You either love it or hate it.”Saikia who hosts Northeastern food pop-ups under the name Gitika’s Pakghor, remembers the time when she introduced axone in one of her dishes, “I was overenthusiastic about bringing a taste of home. But in retrospect, it was too much for a few of my guests and I have never seen them return for any of my meals, even if there was no axone on the menu.”<h2>Afraid to cook?</h2>Saikia’s experience raises the next concern, one which is addressed in Axone as well—the ability to eat and cook what you want and when you want. The rigmarole of cooking the smoked pork and axone in the film, both, tragic and humorous.But the struggle is real as Kasturi Barua says. The home cook, who also delivers Assamese food in Mumbai under the name Kaso's Kitchen, expresses how the film aptly displays the fear of the Northeastern community in Delhi being hesitant of cooking food from their homes. “I’ve lived in Delhi for five years before moving to Mumbai. Northeastern students and young professionals always had to be wary since it would smell or be different from what ‘mainlanders’ knew. Many would be asked to leave their rental apartments because the aromas would be inconvenient to the landlords and other residents,” she says.The inability to cook is an idea or thought that could’ve been the core material for the film to further address racial discrimination and alienation. The “politics of food” deserved more consideration in Axone wrote professor of Political Science, Kaustubh Deka in The Wire.AlsoRead1On picking his brain further, he uses Nandita Haksar’s book, The Flavours of Nationalism: Recipes for Love, Hate and Friendship, as an example where she discusses how food joins and divides people with the same intensity. “One should be able to cook whatever they want and whenever they want to,” he adds. The only distinct reference to this thought in the film is made by Martha, a Northeastern woman married in a Sikh family, when she says that ‘we should be allowed to cook what we want to and they should be allowed to smell what they want to, no one knows what is right or wrong in such a situation’.<figure class="image image-style-align-left"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Id-2506-northeast-cuture-movies-inside-image_1617257763016.jpg"></figure><h2>Cultural comfort in food</h2>This ‘us and them’ predicament has more far-reaching consequences than we realise. Every cuisine has a cultural significance. “Familiar food helps migrants bring a bit of home with them, it is also a way to hold on to their culture in an unfamiliar land,” says Deka, who is teaching at Dibrugarh University in Assam. There are adjustments that everyone needs to make. “To have change enforced upon you so that you fit in is the first step to unrest and can easily lead to clashes and manipulation,” he adds. This lack of understanding is exactly what immigrant Indians in the Western hemisphere have suffered and complained about continuously. “But in India, there is a denial and inability to understand our own cultural minutiae,” he continues.AlsoRead2The crux of it all is that Axone, as a film, needed to stay true to its premise as a movie about food rather than trying to take on additional agendas. Having said that, one undeniable fact remains: The film has started a much-needed discourse on the need to understand and explore the Northeastern states and the varied culture.“Hopefully, the film will generate interest in other filmmakers and viewers alike to understand that the region is not just a homogenous entity. The cultural diversity and richness is something that needs to be brought to the forefront,” says Ralte over a phone call. To this Barua adds, “I am glad about one thing, now people know that there is more to northeastern food than momos and noodles—neither of which is authentic to the seven states and their tribes. It will lead to exploring newer cuisines with an open mind.”And that is the greatest achievement for director Nicholas Kharkongor and the film, Axone.

The movie uses a quintessential ingredient to tell the tale of a misunderstood and under-represented community.

Sayani Gupta-starrer Axone is a film that is leading to important conversations about the seven states of Northeast India. Read Zeezest.com

Does Netflix’s Axone Do justice to Northeast India | Zee Zest

How Netflix’s Axone Is Leading A Cultural Awakening In India

Movies

Northeast

Food Culture

“I’m a boring guy," says Amish Tripathi. But then, his humble opening line was meant to establish his non-political stance and non-socialising ways. Because one of India’s most popular contemporary mythological fiction writer prefers to "be by myself, reading, writing, travelling,” instead of socialising. The banker-turned-author who sprung to fame with his book Immortals of Meluha and the Shiva Trilogy released the third book in his five-part Ram Chandra series. Raavan: The Enemy of Aryavarta is a complex (and fictionalised) character study of one of the most enigmatic and learned member of the Ramayana.<figure class="image image-style-align-left"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Id-1772-mythology-author-interview-inside-image_1617264643647.jpg"></figure>The author views the ancient villain through a humane lens, brilliant yet ruthless, tormented by the loss of his love. Tracing the story from Raavan’s birth to the kidnapping of Sita, the author draws from various versions of Ramayana he has “read, heard and been narrated to in the last 35 years.”If our idea of Raavan was shaped by Ramanand Sagar’s characters in the television series of the late ’80s (and subsequent renditions) that cast him as the archetypal villain who roared on-screen, Amish keeps his character “closer to the ancient version”.Where does the truth lie in the world of mythical stories and their fictionalised renditions? "Truth has many interpretations. Mythology is looking at various versions and interpretations of a story, unlike history which is like a child insisting that there is only one version of the truth, he says mimicking a petulant child, "The Indian way has been to accept interpretations, and not believe in the notion of only one truth."<h2>On stories within stories</h2>Speaking of interpretations, contemporary India has several questions for ancient India's mythical characters, contexts, their actions and their consequences. Like Lakshman Rekha—that protective line Lakshman drew outside Sita’s cottage to keep her secure while he went looking for his brother—none but Sita could cross over. Over time the Lakshman Rekha has morphed into an imaginary social and cultural boundary for Indian women, and Indian feminists have raged at the idea of a man drawing a line to protect (read confine) a woman."Did you know that the Lakshman Rekha does not exist in the Valmiki Ramayana,” says Amish, adding that it emerged in the later versions of Ramayana. “Most Indians believe the glamourised version of Ramayana they watched on TV," he chuckles, adding it shaped our idea of Sita ma as the docile, duty-bound wife of Ram, which is quite contrary to Valmiki’s depiction of Sita as a strong, pragmatic woman who does what she thinks is right.His second book in the Ram Chandra series—Sita: Warrior of Mithila—casts her as a fiery warrior, closer to a version described in the Adhbhut Ramayana. "Also credited to Valmiki, Adhbhut Ramayana has two Raavans, the elder Raavan is killed by Sita. This was celebrated in ancient India, but is lost today.” Contradictions have never troubled us Indians. But why in a time when accepted narratives are being challenged with newer, intersectional perspectives, has he named Raavan the "enemy" of Aryavarta?“I first called the book the orphan of Aryavarta,” he says. “But as I began writing, a different idea emerged. An orphan is shunned by the land, but that was not the case with Raavan, he was strong, he made his choices.”<h2>On the search for his characters</h2>With this book, all the three books in his Ram Chandra series have arrived at the event of Sita’s kidnapping. Ram: Scion of Ikshvaku; Sita Warrior of Mithila and Raavan Enemy of Aryavarta; all trace the journeys of the protagonists from birth to Sita's kidnapping. The fourth book is a denouement, a narration of the events that followed. Amish took two years to write Raavan, a time he describes as a personally challenging phase of his life.Where did the search for Raavan take him? we ask, half-expecting to hear of travels to places associated with the Lord of Lanka. “Research is what I do when I’m not writing,” says the author of his penchant for travelling to historic places, eating local food (but not too bizarre), listening to local music and learning a few words of the local language. He tells us of temples dedicated to Raavan, who is believed to have been born near Delhi. There are Raavan temples near Noida and Mandsaur in MP and Kanpur in UP that worship him on Dussehra.<h2>On India, then and now</h2>Amish and his twin brother were introduced to the scriptures early in their childhood. “The concept of accepting multiple truths came instinctively to us. Dinner table conversations would be stuff like this. From my grandfather’s time, we have been worshipers of Saraswati,” says Amish.The book he cannot stop talking about during our discussion is curiously not his own. “I just finished reading Vada (read as Vaad), a study of India’s debating traditions and knowledge systems. It truly gives an insight into how kickass our ancestors were, how open-minded!” he says. "There’s a reason why we were the most powerful, wealthiest, most innovative society for much of human history. We were like the America of ancient times, open to knowledge, no matter where it came from, open to questioning and debate. If our ancestors could time travel and see us today, they’d be embarrassed.”Personally, Amish has stayed out of getting involved in Vada (Sanskrit for debate) of any sort, given that he is an interpreter of mythological events—a sensitive subject in the current political climate. “Today in India, the left and right-wing are mirror images of each other, if one believes we were a bunch of monkeys civilized by the British, which is nonsense, the other tends to say we were the only great people, which is not right. Our ancestors didn’t have that attitude.”Liberal ideas can exist alongside religious faith, but our education system has overlooked this ancient Indian wisdom, he says launching into a narration of an interesting nugget from Natyashastra, a Sanskrit text on performing arts. "The first chapter is an allegory to the first play ever performed in Devlok. It gets controversial, some of the divine figures don't like the way they have been portrayed. Lord Brahma then intervenes to tell the disgruntled that if they don't want to listen to it, they don't have to. But they cannot stop art. It is freedom of expression at its finest."By the time we wrap up lunch, chowing through an array of flavourful Thai vegetarian dishes, we have discussed everything from sustainable architecture to water harvesting methods practised by ancient Indians. Lived wisdom that is rarely put to practice today. Once again the author brings up how our schools have ignored the wisdom available to us, but that's not the note he wants to end the interview on. “It's time to stop acting like we are losers, that we kept fighting and losing. Let's celebrate, we are survivors, one of the few pagan cultures that are still alive, unlike Rome, Egypt and Central Americas. Others are museum pieces.”

Amish Tripathi's book, Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta, explores the mythical character's tender, tormented and terrible traits.

Writer Amish Tripathi's latest book Raavan the enemy of Aryavarta creates a complex character sketch of the ancient figure. Read Zeezest.com

Interview with Amish Tripathi on Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta | Zee Zest

Author Amish Tripathi’s New Take On Ravan India's Oldest Villain

Books

Interview

In an essay I read recently, British-born travel writer, Pico Iyer, said, “Everyone has a secret home – a place that feels familiar for no reason at all – and some of us are lucky enough to find it in real life.” He added that “in times of stress –we tend to return to such places in our heads to sustain ourselves.” I’ve believed my ‘secret home’ to be in Rajasthan for a while now and during the pandemic, while being locked indoors, I found myself longing to go back there even more. Apart from the palaces, forts, havelis and sand dunes, I find myself most drawn to Rajasthan’s artists - musicians, dancers, storytellers and master craftsmen.  <h2 style="text-align:justify;">Returning to the desert</h2><figure class="image image_resized image-style-align-left" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Mehrangarh-4--edited_1619523736167.jpg"><figcaption>Ancient walls of the Mehrangarh Fort.</figcaption></figure>A few years ago while attending the World Sacred Spirit Festival, held at the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, I met Santoor player, Nawab Khan. During the pandemic, when most folk artists from Rajasthan who perform at live events, found themselves out of work, I chanced upon Nawab Khan’s initiative that gave these artists the opportunity to perform live on social media platforms. I sat glued to videos where the high-pitched, powerful voices of the turbaned singers pierced through a rugged yet gorgeous terrain. This prompted me to make my way back to Rajasthan, to understand the evolution of their art, the story of their survival and the almost magical way in which they pass on their knowledge to the generations after them. My partner, Puneet, who is a sound engineer, was keen to record with the artistes and I wanted to document their work and oral traditions. So, amidst the anxiety of flying after a year,  with all the safety protocols we could follow, we set off. AlsoRead0<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Charmed by the Blue City</h2>We planned this musical journey with Nawab Khan, who was gracious enough to introduce us to his fellow musicians. Our first stop was in Jodhpur, which I visited for the fourth time but was my partner's first, so we kept aside some time to wander in the streets of the old city and visit some of its iconic monuments. The Mehrangarh fort, standing 400 feet above the city and visible from most parts of the “Blue City’ or old town of Jodhpur, can’t be missed. After all, even Rudyard Kipling fell prey to the charm of this massive structure calling it “a palace that might have been built by titans and coloured by the morning sun”. The mirror work in the ornate Sheesh Mahal, the exquisite gold paintings of Phool Mahal, and the jharokhas of the Zenana are exquisite. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Mehruddin-Langa-Barnawa-Village--edited_1619260080604.jpg"><figcaption>Mehruddin Langa plays the Algoza (double flute) at Badnawa village near Jodhpur.</figcaption></figure>From the fort, we made our way to the Jodhpur home of Asha Sapera, a Kalbeliya performer. The Kalbeliyas are a gypsy tribe who were originally professional snake charmers. The ban on snake-charming under the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972 forced them to look for alternative livelihood options and many of them took to dancing and singing. The dance was originally meant to mimic the swaying movements of a snake, with performers usually dressed in a black costume to resemble snakeskin. The art form was classified as an “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO in 2010. The original instruments used along with the dance were the been, daph and manjira. With time, the dancers now perform with the dholak, khartal, harmonium and even collaborate with the Langa and Manganiyar singers.  <h2 style="text-align:justify;">Meeting the Kalbeliyas</h2><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Asha-Sapera-Dance-edited1_1619506821440.jpg"><figcaption>Asha Sapera is one of the most reputed Kalbeliya performers of our generation.</figcaption></figure>Unlike the Langas and the Manganiyars, the Kalbeliyas feature women artists prominently. Standing on the terrace of her home, dressed in a simple salwar kameez,  Asha Sapera has no airs about having travelled the world to showcase her art and received many accolades over the last few years. “I’ve been dancing from a young age and learnt watching my mother and my elder sister. My five-year-old daughter dances while watching me,” Asha tells us. “My first international performance was in 2007 in Hong Kong. I was only 15 and was very excited that I would sit in a plane. The response of the people was overwhelming. The fact that the international audience didn’t understand our language and yet appreciated our art, was heartwarming,” she says, the delight clearly showing on her face. During the pandemic, despite not being tech-savvy originally, she started to teach the dance on Zoom classes. Our meeting with Asha showed us how she has adapted with the times,  her craft giving her both social and economic independence, thriving instead of merely surviving and empowered her to be a single parent in an otherwise conservative society. AlsoRead1<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Documenting traditional sounds</h2><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Langa-Children-at-Barnawa-edited_1619506899179.jpg"><figcaption>They start them young! The singing children of Badnawa village.</figcaption></figure>On the second day, we made our way to the Arna Jharna Desert Museum, about 15 kilometres from Jodhpur city. The museum was conceptualised by Komal Kothari, the founder of Rupayan Sansthan and highly regarded in academic circles for his knowledge of the folklore, oral traditions and ethnomusicology of Rajasthan. Fondly called Komal Da by the musicians, he was largely responsible for organising the repertoire and mobilising the exposure of folk musicians to national and international audiences. “He spent 20 years studying the rituals, language and the traditions of the musician communities. He would walk from village to village and gather information about the artists, their craft, their repertoire, their lifestyle, traditions and rituals. Today Rupayan has over 20,000 hours of recorded archives,” says Kuldeep Kothari, Komal Da’s son, who currently runs the organisation and the museum.  The museum houses a number of ancient instruments used by the artist communities of this region, including the Ravanahatta, Gujratan Sarangi, Sindhi Sarangi, as well as some that are no longer used or produced, such as the Jantar, Jogia Sarangi and Nagfani. The premises also house a music school for training young underprivileged boys from the Langa community. When we heard them sing, it made us believe, just like they do, that their gift is inherited. While regular ’riyaz’ helps fine-tune their skills, their natural, raw talent would leave most people speechless. To meet more Langa musicians, we went on to Badnawa, a village 100 kms away from Jodhpur, home to over 500 professional Langa musicians, who would traditionally perform for Sindhi Muslim patrons called the Sindhi Sipahis,  who resided in villages near the border area. There are two sects in the Langa community - the SurnayaLangas who play aerophonic instruments like Murali and Surnai and the SarangiyaLangas whose traditional instrument is the Sindhi Sarangi. We met the singing children of the village and realised that most of them wanted to become professional musicians. When we were about to leave, two young singers told my partner that they have always wanted to sing in a studio. “We want to sing at the Coke Studio”, they said. He laughed and explained to them that actual studios worked differently and offered to show them one.  <h2 style="text-align:justify;">An introduction to the Manganiyars</h2><figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Manganiyar_1619618043987.jpg"><figcaption>Khamaycha is a string instrument used by the Manganiyars in the Jaisalmer-Barmer region.</figcaption></figure>From Badnawa, our next stop was the city of Jaisalmer, home to Satyajit Ray’s Shonar Kella - the Golden Fort, one of the few living forts in the world. One-fourth of the old city's population still resides within the fort. Another gem within the city is the Patwon Ki Haveli, the home of a wealthy brocade merchant who ordered the construction of separate stories for each of his 5 sons, built over a span of 50 years. Apart from these impressive structures, we loved listening to temple bells and chants while watching the sunset over the Gadisar lake.  About half an hour away from the hustle-bustle of the old city, is Hamira village. The Manganiyar musicians we met in this village have performed at the White House and Madison Square Gardens in the US, and the Royal Albert Hall in the UK. We visited the home of Padma Shri awardee, Sakar Khan, whose sons Ghewar Khan, Feroze Khan and  Darra Khan have followed his legacy and play the Khamaycha, a string instrument used predominantly by the Manganiyars in the Jaisalmer-Barmer region. This instrument is constructed out of a piece of mango wood with a round resonator covered in goat leather. “The string instruments are not very popular today. The harmonium which did not feature with our music traditionally, has become largely popular since it’s easier to play. You can’t dance to the tune of a Khamaicha as it’s a more soulful instrument,” Feroze Khan explains. “We live together, and teach our sons and nephews, who come and stay with us to learn, just like our father taught us. It’s almost like a gurukul,” says Ghewar Khan. While the Manganiyars are Muslim musicians, their patrons were Hindu, so they specialise in Bhajans and songs devoted to Hindu Gods.  We spent the evening listening to the different generations of the Sakar Khan family play the Khamaycha and sing, which was an indescribably blissful experience, ending our week-long musical journey on the right note, leaving us  happy but not satiated. We’ve already planned our next trip, to immerse ourselves in the soulful music of the Merasis - or court musicians. Stay tuned.

Exploring the rich musical heritage of the desert folk of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.

The Kalbeliyas, Manganiyars, Langa and more, these folk communities of Rajasthan have a rich musical heritage. Take a trip to the desert land of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer to explore more. Read ZeeZest.com

Travel to Jaisalmer to Explore Folk Music | Zee Zest

A Journey Through The Vibrant Soundscape Of Western Rajasthan 

Rajasthan

Music

Jaisalmer

Folk Music

For Russell Peters, it is a matter of great pride that he introduced India to the world of stand-up comedy, as we know it today. It started with Russell Peters: Outsourced and overnight his impersonation of communities and nationalities turned into conversation starters.Peters has moved beyond his now stereotyped race-based sets (inspired by his early life as an immigrant in Canada) to more from his “Almost Famous” life as a stand-up comic. He still steers clear of politics-derived comedy but has a generous dose of racial impersonation—one of the reasons he struck a chord with Indians in the noughties. He was the first to put NRIs under a microscope; trying to fit in a new world while holding onto internalized customs and behaviour.<h2>Stand-up as a form of art</h2>2019 marked the 30th year of Russell Peters’ stand-up career. We sat down with Peters to understand not just his journey as an entertainer but also understand what he describes as an art form—stand-up. As a performance art, stand-up has become a poignant medium to put the world we live in, under a microscope. Questions, that no one else wants to ask, are asked in the hope to raise the mob out of its apathy; or simply to make light of a complex situation.Peters explains that in a hypersensitive world, a comic is not trying to offend but to question set norms. “We’re gearing up to live in a world that is fake,” he says. He then explains, “We try and curb our natural instincts and reactions to a situation in an effort to be correct.” But it is important to acknowledge a real reaction and then question the norm, Peters believes. “It is not to offend anyone but it is to understand the other perspective.”<figure class="image image-style-align-left"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Id-1847-interview-celebrity-entertainment-inside-image_1617808183151.jpg"></figure><h2>Sourcing material for comedy</h2>This is also how Peters finds material for his comedy—things around him and his own life. His singular live “Somebody’s gonna get hurt real bad”, which has become part of 21st-century pop-culture, is also sourced from a real-life situation, as he explains in the video. His process is about conversations and not penning down witticisms. “You write a certain way and you speak a certain way. I can’t pen and time my sets.” It’s a process of trial and errors over a period of time.

The Indian-origin Canadian comic breaks down stand-up comedy to its bare essentials.

We chat with Indo-Canadian stand-up comic Russell Peters on his professional journey and the art of stand-up comedy. Read Zeezest.com

Interview with Celebrity Stand-Up Comic Russell Peter | Zee Zest

Russell Peters On The Quirks Of Being A Stand-Up Comic

Celebrity

Entertainment

Slow down, take a moment, learn from ancient wisdom 

From buying from local Farmers' Markets to thinking twice before making any purchase, let the new decade be about being conscious and slow living. 

20 Ideas for Slow Living, Clean Eating and Conscious Travel - Zee Zest

20 Ideas to Live Slow, Eat Clean and Travel Consciously in the New Decade

Bring this traditional staple back into your kitchen and whip up delicious treats, perfect for summer. 

From cooling your body in hot summer months to a delicious dessert ingredient, here is why gulkand is so popular. Read more ZeeZest.com. 

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Mira Kapoor-Approved Gulkand Has A History As Rich As The Preserve

Midweek blues are real. It’s that point in the week where the pile of work seems never-ending, and the weekend still too far. If you are struggling to stay positive and hopeful on days when you all need is a pep talk to lift your spirits, turn to podcasts that can turn to be an effective balm for tired hearts and minds. From self-improvement to  inspiring stories of people, who’ve been a ray of hope in difficult times, these seven podcasts and their hosts are on a mission to turn that dull and dreary day perky.  <h2>1. Heart On My Sleeve</h2>If you’re looking to build self-esteem and confidence or just hear from women with real stories of personal change, Heart On My Sleeve, is the podcast for you. Hosted by Mansha Kaur, who speaks to women from different walks of life and professions, the podcast is all about personal growth, whether it is physical or mental. Topics range from habits and mindsets, relationships, body positivity, health and fitness, and more.<h2>2. Smile India</h2> This crisp and short podcast is a showcase of Indians who have gone the extra mile to do something for the community and society around them and in turn, the country. In a time when the pandemic is wreaking havoc on our daily routine, these stories are inspiring—from a free library run by a teacher in Arunachal Pradesh to playing poker to raise funds for charities—and will invariably bring a smile to your face.AlsoRead0<h2>3. Roshan Shetty's Full Power Show feat. KaamJanta</h2>“Do something worthwhile this lockdown, so you can hold your head high,” says Roshan Shetty, a radio jockey, in one of the episodes of his podcast, Full Power. He has collected tales of people who’ve achieved something and he calls them Full Power stories of KaamJanta. These are stories of good samaritans who’re doing their bit to help those in need and in the process bring hope and optimism to our lives.<h2>4. The Vision-Nari</h2>There is a dire need to highlight the achievements and work done by Indian women. In an effort to do the same, Swati Rawat, a marketer by day and podcast host by night, speaks to women who are “inspirational, intriguing and aspirational.” The conversations are about these super achievers’ lives and aspirations. While these women have gone through their fair share of struggles,  their ability to overcome them and achieve something they are proud of, is heartening.<h2>5. Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai</h2>Do you think you’re the only ones suffering during the lockdown and the dreary WFH routine? Here are children, between the age of six and fifteen, who share their observations and understanding as well as their lives in the lockdown. National award-winning filmmaker Gopi Desai speaks to young’uns from across the country who tell their stories.AlsoRead1<h2>6. #NoFilterNeha</h2> Everyone loves Bollywood and that is exactly why Neha Dhupia pulled off the fifth season of her podcast #NoFilterNeha despite the pandemic and lockdown in 2020. The guest list  included everyone from Saif Ali Khan and Rana Daggubati, to Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev. These conversations are raw and unadulterated where guests share tidbits from their lives that you’ve never heard before.<h2>7. Feels Good by Amanda Cerny and Jacqueline Fernandez</h2> The podcast, with hosts Cerny based in Los Angeles and Fernandez in Mumbai, is all about inspiring news story updates from around the globe. It also features reviews, and an unexpected guest list that will talk about dating, wellness and culture As the name suggest it’s all about feeling good and staying optimistic.

Feeling low? Here are some earworms to brighten up your Wednesday.

Beat the mid-week blues by listening to these cheerful and inspirational Indian podcasts. For more, read ZeeZest.com

7 Cheerful and Feel Good Podcasts From India | Zee Zest

7 Feel Good Podcasts For Hump Day

Pop Culture

Bollywood 

Experts spell out the benefits of home gardening and share some tips on how you can get started.

Find out why home gardening is finding so many enthusiasts, the benefits of gardening and how you can start this new hobby. Read Zeezest.com

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Why Home Gardening Is A Trending Hobby And How You Can Take It Up Today

The stylist and entrepreneur guides us on how to make sustainable fashion choices and stay on-trend.

Fashion stylist and founder of Pernia's Pop Up and Pernia Qureshi Brands, Pernia Qureshi helps us understand sustainable fashion and reveals her mantra to success in the E-comm space. For more interviews, read Zeezest.com. 

Interview with Stylist Pernia Qureshi On Sustainable Fashion

Pernia Qureshi On Why Sustainable Fashion Is Not Boring

The bonafide fashionista from Lucknow shares why Chikankari is the best embroidery in the world.

Bollywood and OTT actor Aahana Kumra shares about her personal style, wardrobe essentials, travel style and smart dressing tips. For more stories, read Zeezest.com. 

Style Interview with Bollywood Actor Aahana Kumra

Style Matters With Bollywood Actor Aahana Kumra

“Hum ek shaukeen khandaan hai,” says actor and producer Masumeh Makhija, as she declares her family’s hedonism, “food and films are a way of life for us.” She hails from a film family, her uncle Gul Anand and mother Jayshree have produced yesteryear films such as Chashme Buddoor, Khatta Meetha and Hero Hiralal. With this, she also sets the tone for our interview—her passion for quality content, good food and connecting with nature.  Masumeh’s own journey in tinsel town started two decades ago with a small role in the popular TV show Banegi Apni Baat in 1994. Since then, she has worked in many TV series and films. Maqbool, Saas Bahu Aur Sensex, Woh Lamhe and Dus Kahaniyaan; to name a few. Most recently, her character Varsha Atre, a housewife in Arjun Mukherjee’s 3 Storeys in 2018, forced people to sit up and take notice of her talent. It was also a motivation for the actor to push herself. “It made me realise that it was important to step out of my comfort zone. And so, I began exploring new dimensions as an actor, writer and producer,” she shares. <h2>Eat. Love. Live. Repeat </h2>When not she is not busy with her film projects, Masumeh uses her creative prowess for innovative brand campaigns for her digital media house, The Creative Tribe, which she co-founded in 2015. They’ve been associated with brands like Reliance Digital and Prudential Investment Management. One of their highlights is Eat.Love.Live with Masumeh, a food and lifestyle-based OTT series that garnered almost six million views. The show series is a showcase of Masumeh’s cooking skills that she honed at Le Cordon Bleu London. “The idea was to share my lifestyle with the world. Also, that healthy cooking is all about having a few good ingredients and an understanding of how food affects our body,” explains the actor-producer. <figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBlYKKQJzcd/"></oembed></figure>From Thai coconut broth to almond torte and a mango smoothie bowl, she cooks a variety of Indian and international dishes for her show. Her favourite; however, is a traditional Sindhi recipe called sai bhaji, a potpourri of lentils and vegetables. Masumeh says, if she ever found herself auditioning for a cooking competition, her family’s sai bhaji recipe would be her go-to. AlsoRead0<h2>Windowsill gardening</h2>Her passion for food is directly linked to her green thumb. As an urban city dweller in Mumbai, Masumeh worked out a way to bring a bit of greenery indoors. With a fair measure of trial and error, she created a windowsill garden, where she grows herbs such as basil, coriander, chives, and a couple of leafy vegetables likes spinach and fenugreek. “I started out with a pot but now I have a whole row of plants,” she says and goes on to share a few tips for growing plants in the city: <ol><li>Never throw away seeds, </li><li>Research and know the right amount of water and type of soil,</li><li>Water the plants at the same time daily. I prefer doing so every morning; </li><li>And, if you need, use natural pesticides such as neem oil to keep insects and pests at bay.</li></ol>AlsoRead1 <h2>Of nature, traditions and fond memories </h2><figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Masumeh-inside_1618942425042.jpg"></figure>You could call Masumeh a nature lover but that would be an understatement. Glance through her Instagram feed and you’ll know that she thrives on the spirit of Mother Nature. “My parents were a great influence when it came to living in harmony with nature. Some of my earliest memories are climbing a tamarind tree and picking its fruits off the branches,” says the Pune girl about her affinity for all things green. <figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CC6RyoKhJLn/"></oembed></figure>She continues, “We have so many wonderful traditions that revolve around food and family. During the summer we would harvest mangoes from our garden, and mom and our extended family would come together to make pickle that would last us the whole year.” Farm-to-table, a trending concept today, was a way of life for Masumeh, while she was growing up in Pune. “All the seeds that were left of the vegetables we ate like pumpkin, coriander, bell peppers, etc. were sown into the soil and, with a little bit of nurturing, would give us fresh bounty.”  AlsoRead2<h2>A unique dinner party </h2>Ask the 36-year-old actor-producer if she could invite any three people, from the past or present to a dinner party, who would she invite and Masumeh promptly says it’s almost impossible to pick three. “However, I would love to share a meal with my younger and older self. It would be interesting to share lessons I’ve learned the hard way with the 18-year-old Masumeh and learn a thing or two from the 70-year-old me.” <h2>The near future </h2>On the acting front, Masumeh is currently working on a feature film titled Bhagwaan Bharose. It is being directed by Shiladitya Bora, the man behind projects like Picasso and Yours Truly.

The Bollywood actor reminisces her fondest childhood memories and shares tips on growing plants in a metropolitan city.

Catch the Bollywood actor talk about her love for gardening and good food, and shares tips and tricks she has learnt from her experience so far. For more stories, read Zeezest.com. 

Interview: Actor Masumeh Makhija On Her Love for Gardening And Cooking

Living In Harmony With Nature Is A Way Of Life For Masumeh Makhija

Gardening

Homes

Food & Drink

For actor Sumeet Vyas, Diwali conjures images of his boyhood days in Jodhpur. The actor who prefers to spend a quiet Diwali sans noisy firecrackers, playing cards and listening to good music with his family and friends, has memories of mischievous celebrations that were quite the contrary.Born and raised in Mumbai, Vyas's family hails from Jodhpur. "Growing up, all my Diwali vacations were spent in Jodhpur with family and relatives,” shares the actor, who is recently earned praises for his role in the movie Made in China.<h2>Mischief managed</h2>As a child, Vyas was always up to mischief, "I loved bursting crackers and I saved the loudest ones for the morning after Diwali. I would be up at 5:00 am just to light the crackers and wake up everyone with a bang on New Year’s Day,” Vyas reminisces, “Now that I look back, I would’ve given myself a good beating for doing that!”Fireworks aside, Diwali at the Vyas household was a simple affair—the family got together for a puja—the tradition still continues. The Made in China actor says, “My mother’s really into pooja-paath, but my dad and I don’t really understand it, we would just go with the flow and follow her instructions.” Vyas's favourite part of the Diwali puja was playing the manjira, the Indian hand cymbals. "I didn’t know the bhajans, so I’d just follow the tune and go cham cham cham!”Although not a foodie, Vyas confesses gorging on gujiyas during Diwali. “We, Marwaris love sweets," he declares. “We eat sweets between courses in our meals. And then top it up with ice cream and finish it off with a sweet tea. Can you beat that?” We certainly don’t think so, Sumeet!<h2>Exploring Jodhpur</h2><figure class="image image-style-align-left image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://assets.zeezest.com/images/PROD_Id-1896-jodhpur-festive-interview-inside-image_1617271525055.jpg"></figure>As childhood games go, Vyas recalls learning new skills every time he visited Jodhpur. He learnt how to ride a scooter at the age of 13, and to swim by jumping in step wells. "My parents don’t know about this but I learnt swimming in a bawdi (stepwell) and would often escape from home in the middle of the day to swim with friends," he says with a wide grin spreading across his face.Ask him about Diwali as an adult, and he grudgingly admits that it isn't the same. The mischievous child has grown up into a thoughtful adult! So no noisy crackers for him. "Diwali is just about having a good time with my family." For the past couple of years, Vyas has celebrated the festival with his sister and brother-in-law, playing cards. “I'm grateful to be around my loved ones, and hope my professional life continues to give me the time for this in the future too,” he smiles.

Swimming in bawdis and gorging on gujias make up most of the Made in China actor’s festive memories from childhood.

Actor Sumeet Vyas recalls Diwali celebrations from his childhood. He mostly spent the festival with his family in Jodhpur. Read Zeezest.com