Aamir Ali Bhat

Mar 4, 2024 | villagesquare.in | Aatreyee Dhar |Aamir Ali Bhat |Sudip Maiti |Teesta Rajan

Sivaji Ray, a humble farmer with less than a hectare of land to his name in Brahmakunda village of West Tripura district in Tripura, can claim big achievements. He embarked on a journey 18 years ago, moving from timber cultivation to bamboo farming, showing how adaptation in the face of change can transform life. In 2006, he received a modest sum of Rs 6,000 and a handful of seeds of kanak kaich (Bambusa affinis) — a local bamboo variety — from the state’s agricultural department.

Mar 3, 2024 | villagesquare.in | Sudip Maiti |Aamir Ali Bhat |Teesta Rajan |Aditi Sahoo

The Sundarbans delta, located in the Bay of Bengal, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its mangrove forests. A collection of 102 islands, of which 54 are inhabited and home to 45 lakh people, is governed by high and low tides every day with water levels rising six to 10 feet during high tides. In the last decade, Sundarbans has become a hotspot of tiger attacks due to climate change and global sea levels increasing.

Mar 1, 2024 | villagesquare.in | Aamir Ali Bhat |Teesta Rajan |Aditi Sahoo

This mouth-watering sweet delicacy is closely connected with the Valley’s Sufi culture. It is made on special occasions like religious congregations of families, or at shrines, and then served to the masses as a benediction. Tosha has a deep connection with a religious belief as well. People believe that by distributing tosha, their sorrows can vanish. For example, childless couples are instructed by religious priests to distribute tosha so that they can bear a child.

Feb 13, 2024 | villagesquare.in | George Rajasekaran |Gurvinder Singh |Aamir Ali Bhat

Next time your taste buds dance to the crisp symphony of full-blown paani puri, delivering an electrifying burst of flavours, pause for a moment and thank individuals like Rukumani – unseen women who shape your gastronomic delight. Rukumani is a shy, single woman of 46, who defies norms associated with business women.

Feb 13, 2024 | villagesquare.in | Gurvinder Singh |Aamir Ali Bhat |Worngachan Shatsang

Aruna Tirkey, 49, belonging to the Oraon tribal community, quit a high-profile job to revive tribal foods. Here is her journey in her own words. I worked as a state consultant in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). As part of my job, I travelled across the country. While many people I met were curious about our indigenous foods – especially of Jharkhand – the tribes were uneasy to even talk about indigenous cuisine like maar jhor (rice starch water curry).