Flavours to savour in Meghalaya
The Khasi, Garo and Jaintia communities have their own culinary specialties. Here are eight recommendations Meghalaya – the abode of the clouds – comprises three main ethnic communities, namely, Khasi, Garo and Jaintia, with each tribe boasting their own unique cultural and culinary traditions. Meats such as pork, beef and chicken as well as preserved […]
A taste of Sikkim
There’s a lot more than momos to eat in this mountain state. From wild greens to millet brews, here are six food items you must try This small landlocked state in the Northeast offers a large variety of foods influenced by Nepali, Tibetan and Lepcha cuisines. While most of us are familiar with momos and […]
A home for the holidays
As any seasoned traveller will tell you, the best way to experience the indigenous flavour of a place is to live like a local. One way to do that is to choose a homestay over a hotel or resort. For one, you’ll become part of your host’s family for the duration of your stay. This […]
Bwisagu – a new year celebration of the Bodo tribe.
Celebrating a new year in a Bodo homeA photo essay by Alongbar Basumatary taken on the 14th of April 2021 at his village near the town of Bongaigaon in west Assam. Assam as most states in India is primarily an agrarian society. Celebrations are based on harvests, planting of paddy and the lunar calendar. Most […]
Travel Memories – Eating in the Northeast
A photo journal from a trip to Assam and the Tura hills of Meghalaya in November 2019. Day 1 We began by exploring the markets of Guwahati. The reason the produce (elephant apples, Indian ‘olives’, and banana varieties) looks so good is because most come fresh from the farms right across the river. Then as […]
The Yak Dancers of Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
The state of Arunachal Pradesh falls in the snow capped eastern Himalayan region with one of the most photogenic terrains in the country. It is often referred to as the Shangri la of the north eastern states and begs for a thorough exploration. It has been rightfully said that in order to understand a place, one […]
Ani Gompas – Buddhist nunneries of Tawang district.
As a young girl I studied in a Christian convent school in Shillong run by a mix of Indian and Irish nuns. I was initially quite taken aback and then fascinated to hear about the Buddhist nunneries since I had at the age of ten assumed that only boys joined the monasteries. Arunachal Pradesh has […]
Collecting tales, creating trails – interacting with the Apatani tribe
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. – Mark Twain After investing over a quarter of a century in familial […]