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In the mist laden hills of Uttarakhand, where the air is thin and the winters are unforgiving, food is more than just sustenance. It is a cultural marker, and a warm embrace. Among the many jewels of Pahari cuisine, Bhatt ki Churkani stands tall. This robust, earthy curry made from black soybeans is not merely a dish but is an emotion for the people of the Kumaon region. It represents the wisdom of ancestors who found out exactly what the human body needed to survive the Himalayan cold. What is Bhatt ki Churkani? Bhatt refers to the indigenous black soybean, a legume that thrives in the rugged, rain fed terrace farms of the Himalayas. Churkani gets its name from the Kumaoni word relating to the cooking process, specifically the crackling or sputtering sound the beans make when they are fried in hot oil. Unlike a standard dal where lentils are boiled first and tempered later, Churkani follows a unique reverse technique. The hard, raw beans are first fried in oil to crack their oute...

Romance perhaps is embodied best in the season of winter than any other. Chilly nights, cool breeze, snowy days and cozy moments of togetherness exemplifies the winter season. These comes together to cast the magical spell of love thus setting the perfect stage for romance. Enhance romance in your love life, let it get precedence over everything else and enjoy the moments of love and togetherness. Winter, the season of romance is here and the air is brimming with nostalgic feelings of festivity and jovialness. If Summer is the season of fruits, flowers and holidays, Winter is the season of festivals of mirth and joy. Enjoy the moments of togetherness and share the moments of intimacy in front of a fireplace. This can induce the best spell of love for the evening thus turning it out to a romantic evening. Strike the right chord of romance, play the right tune of love and bring about bouts of happiness in your life. Feel the cool breeze brushing against you as you indulge in romantic ...

In the rugged, red-soil terrains of Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum, Jhargram in Bengal and the rolling plateaus of Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam, the winter wind brings more than just a chill. It carries the melancholic yet celebratory strains of Tusu Gaan. Tusu Parab or Tusu Festival is a harvest festival and a cultural assertion of the agrarian communities, primarily the Kurmis, Santhals, and other tribes, celebrating womanhood, the harvest, and the folk spirit. Celebrated throughout the month of Poush during December-January and culminating on Makar Sankranti , Tusu is a festival of the people, rooted entirely in the soil they till and the songs they sing. The Legend of Tusu Mani The origin of Tusu Parab is shrouded in a mist of folklore that blurs the line between a deity and a historical figure. Tusu is worshipped as a distant goddess. She is treated as a daughter, a friend, and a confidante. The Princess and the Mughal King One prevalent story tells of Tusu Mani, a beautiful prin...

Green peas have a special place in Indian cuisine and they are cooked with so many different combinations. Fresh green peas looks beautiful and blends very well with onion and tomatoes. A very tasty creamy curry, ghugni is considered to be one of the most popular snacks in the eastern part of India especially Bengal. Ghugni is a simple everyday delicious curry full of flavours, made of mainly chickpeas, which can be served as main course with roti, chapati or naan and is a yummy accompaniment for all types of Indian breads, flavoured rice and pulaos. It is a favorite dish for any occasion ranging from wedding buffet to a family picnic. Ghugni is a famous Indian dish from East India, especially Bengal. Ghugni is a dish that almost all Bengalis love to eat, especially Melar Ghugni chaat which we can't make at home even if we want to, but now you can because you are reading this post. You can eat Ghugni alone or with other Indian dishes like luchi, kachoori or puri. In this article,...

In the heart of India's dense forests, where the sal and teak trees whisper ancient secrets, the beating of the mandar drum signals a time of divine reunion. This is the Madai festival, a celebration where gods leave their shrines to visit one another, and humans gather to celebrate the harvest, kinship, and the enduring spirit of tribal culture. Unlike festivals bound to a single day, Madai is a celebration spanning months. From December to March, it moves from village to village across the districts of Bastar, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Dantewada in the state of Chhattisgarh, turning quiet forest hamlets into bustling hubs of colour, faith, and trade. When Gods Go Visiting The central theme of Madai is the reunion of the divine. According to Gond folklore, the local village deities are not distant, abstract figures but active members of the community who enjoy social visits just like humans. The festival is essentially a massive family reunion for the gods, where the presiding ...

More than just a seasonal treat, the gingerbread cookie is a cultural icon, a holiday staple, and a delicious piece of history. From royal courts to cozy kitchens, this spiced confection has delighted people for centuries. A History as Rich as the Flavor The journey of gingerbread is a fascinating tale that spans millennia and continents. The use of ginger and honey in sweet treats dates back to ancient times, with the first known recipe for a ginger confection found in Greece around 2400 BC. Ginger itself arrived in Europe through the Silk Road. By 992 AD, the Armenian monk Gregory of Nicopolis is credited with bringing and teaching the art of gingerbread baking to French Christians. By the late Middle Ages, hard gingerbread cookies, often gilded with gold leaf and shaped like kings, queens, and animals, were a popular feature at European fairs. These events were so significant that some became known as "Gingerbread Fairs." Interestingly, the term "gingerbread"...

High in the Eastern Himalayas, where the air is thin and the mist clings to the towering Kanchenjunga, winter does not merely bring cold; it brings a celebration of survival, gratitude, and renewal. This is Losoong, the Sikkimese New Year. It is a kaleidoscope of sacred masked dances, warrior rituals, and communal feasting that marks the successful end of the harvest season and the beginning of a new lunar cycle in Sikkim. While the rest of the world waits for January 1st, the Bhutia and Lepcha communities of Sikkim explode into color during the 10th month of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar (usually December), coinciding with the completion of the harvest season. Losoong is not just a holiday; it is a spiritual bridge between the past harvest and the future planting, a time when gods and men mingle in the monastery courtyards. The Origins: A Tale of Two Tribes Losoong is unique because it represents the syncretism of Sikkim’s history. It began as an agrarian festival—Sonam Lo...

In the misty hills of Manipur, Assam, and Nagaland, when the winter winds sweep through the harvested fields and the granaries are full, the Zeliangrong community prepares for their most spectacular celebration: Gaan-Ngai. Known as the Festival of Light, Gaan-Ngai is not merely a post-harvest party. It is a profound cultural phenomenon that weaves together the realms of the living, the dead, and the divine. Celebrated for five to seven days starting on the 13th day of the Manipuri month of Wakching (usually December or January), it marks the end of the year and the heralding of the new, bringing the Zeme, Liangmei, and Rongmei tribes together in a vibrant display of unity and identity. The Myth: Bees, Gods, and the Gift of Fire To understand Gaan-Ngai, one must first look to the heavens. According to Zeliangrong folklore, in the dawn of time, gods and humans lived together in a common dormitory known as a Khangchu, presided over by the benevolent patriarch Tingpurengsonnang. Howeve...

The trip to Tawang is an adventure in itself. The Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh, one of the seven sister states in north-east India, is truly impressive and captivating. Moments of happiness catch one at the sight of clouds at eye level, or the shy grin of children. Even sudden freezing temperatures have left a surprise effect on us. We have to get the inner line permit, a document that would authorize us to visit Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. There was a certain irony burlesque in all that. As part of the game, the official who processed the permits pointed to me stammering over the phone. I met him and shortly after I gave him the required documentation. What that official did not know is that his promise, when the permit is ready, I will let you know was the best gift he could give me. Three weeks later, the paper was processed and signed. I hitchhiked to get from Meghalaya to the border of Arunachal. It was hard for me to sleep, not because of the hard bench on which I slept in a ...