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1 month ago | 
villagesquare.in | Asma Khan |Umar Altaf |Novita Singh
Originating near the Kali temple in Calcutta in the 19th century was a simplified version of the Pattachitra scroll paintings made by the Patuas who migrated to the urban areas of Calcutta. The paintings are characterised by bold lines, and bright colours and do not have a lot of details in the background. They often portray scenes from Hindu mythology and from everyday life. These paintings were created as souvenirs for those visiting the Kali temple, and later in the entire region of Calcutta.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
villagesquare.in | Novita Singh
India is a country with a large young population across diverse cultures and states. More than 50% of the country’s population is below the age of 25. To amplify their voices the National Youth Day, or Rashtriya Yuva Diwas, is celebrated on January 12 each year. The day also commemorates the legacy of spiritual thinker and philosopher Swami Vivekananda, who ignited in young people the desire to unleash their full potential. In India, the term youth refers to people within the age group of 15 to 29.
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Jan 13, 2025 | 
villagesquare.in | Novita Singh |Aishwarya Mohanty
If you visited the home of farmer Madhusudan Rao, 60, and his wife Karamma, 55, in Seethempeta village of Andhra Pradesh’s Parvathipuram Manyam district, you would be greeted by a blanket of yellow and orange marigolds in full bloom. These flowers earn the couple anywhere between Rs. 100 to Rs. 5000 per kilo during festivals like Dussehra and Deepavali. Moving further, fully grown gourds that are ready for harvest can be seen hanging. On the opposite end is a field of ripe papayas.
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Dec 20, 2024 | 
villagesquare.in | Novita Singh
Shunya means zero or nothingness. It could also mean all-encompassing. This defines the back-to-basics journey of this farm that started thirteen years ago as an experiment in Upper Bir village by Dr. Spiro, an American homeopath. The idea was to introduce a permaculture farm in an area dependent on farming and governed by the weather. But would permaculture be accepted by the local community? It was a question the founders initially struggled with.
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Dec 16, 2024 | 
villagesquare.in | Novita Singh
Locally known as Pajja in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, the Wild Himalayan Cherry is native to the lower Himalayan region. The tree bears bitter fruits that the locals don’t consume, but its pink blossoms envelop the landscape beautifully in November. Bir village, Himachal Pradesh
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Dec 12, 2024 | 
villagesquare.in | Novita Singh
The trend of musicians playing for a small and exclusive audience has become a thing of the past as bigger concerts and venues take centrestage. But the intimacy of a “baithak” is being revived in the form of ‘Music Tours’, specifically curated for a group of 7-8 people. The Amarrass Society for Performing Arts has launched curated music tours where cityfolk can enjoy an immersive experience of a destination, with music as a highlight.
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Dec 11, 2024 | 
villagesquare.in | Aatreyee Dhar |Saswatik Tripathy |Kartik Chandra Prusty |Novita Singh
India, and the wider Indian subcontinent, is famous among mountaineers for the Himalayan peaks that are considered to be among the highest in the world. However, lesser-known hill stations tend to be overlooked. This International Mountain Day, Village Square curates a list of such unconventional mountain getaways that give adrenaline junkies the rush of conquering a peak outside Himalayan country.
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Dec 10, 2024 | 
villagesquare.in | Aatreyee Dhar |Saswatik Tripathy |Kartik Chandra Prusty |Novita Singh
Betsida Marak, the manager of the world’s largest gibbon rescue initiative at the Sonja Wildlife Rescue Centre in Meghalaya’s Garo hills, is committed to protecting the western hoolock gibbons. It is a species of primates found in its highest density in this region, with about 500 of them at last count. The rescue centre, which was started in 2009 by Florian Magne, a French conservationist, caters to 10 hoolock gibbons that have been rescued from either poaching, domestication or injury.
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Dec 9, 2024 | 
villagesquare.in | Saswatik Tripathy |Kartik Chandra Prusty |Novita Singh |Atiqur Rahman
The village of Jaladihi in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, is nestled in the heart of a lush forest, its undulating topography a testament to nature’s artistry. For generations, the people of this remote hamlet lived in harmony with their surroundings, till modernisation shattered its idyllic existence. Rain-fed agriculture and forest produce were the lifeblood of Jaladihi, sustaining its inhabitants through countless seasons.
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Dec 7, 2024 | 
villagesquare.in | Novita Singh |Atiqur Rahman
Sarvjeet left home at sixteen to follow his passion for music. Coming from a dalit background, he remained undeterred in the face of caste discrimination and today performs to full houses across the country and internationally. He says he loves his folk music but does want to be the guardian of a culture that still discriminates on the basis of caste. He deeply loves the music and plays because he wants to not because he feels the need to protect it.
