2016-03-09

Sparkling gold jewellery adorns attendees as smooth red carpets welcome them to enormous displays of wealth in the form of a lavish wedding ceremony. With status and societal approval tied to the extravagance of your buffet and flower arrangements, Indian weddings have slowly but surely become a seriously showy exhibition. Destination unions, exotic locations, baraats accompanied by fireworks, live mermaids in tanks, and so on, are incorporated into this circus. But has this growing band-baaja-baarat obsession become truly dangerous?Every class of society has gradually bought into the wedding circus, creating a huge market led by wedding planners, photographers, flower arrangers, choreographers and designers—and with these big, fat Indian weddings come big, fat wedding budgets. As economist Jayati Ghosh observed, “Taking loans for marriage may be a symptom, which explains the growing incidence of indebtedness.” From HDFC to ICICI, Axis and more, several Indian banks now offer wedding loans to cover the cost of extravagance forced upon couples and their families. Further more, they even have specially crafted packages for brides and grooms. As K V V V Charya reported for The Hans India in December 2015: “In fact, Tata Capital has recently crafted a new product that suits the ‘would-be’ couples to make their wedding day a special. The bride or groom or both can take a loan up to Rs. 15 lakh depending on the need and their credit score. Personal loans would benefit the customer as he need not provide a guarantor or any collateral and even they need not give any reason for the loan.”Image Source: blog.inked-events.com“They are not earning anything but giving the money to wedding organisers. Such showing off will only ruin our society.”Quoting Anant Ram Tanwar, president of the Gujjar Mahapanchayat, we use the Gujjar community as one example of the widespread lavishness eating away people’s savings in the name of wedding celebrations. In 2011, Vedpal Lohiya, a resident of South Delhi’s Sultanpur, told The Times of India about Gujjar extravagance. “The entire village talks about what came from the bride’s side. These expensive items are being termed as gifts. Gujjars who have flourished in the politics of Delhi and Haryana are spending huge sums in marriages. Gifting a Mercedes, a BMW or a Hummer has become common for these families,” he says. But all that just changed.In December 2015, the Gujjar Mahapanchayat imposed a strict code of conduct for marriage functions that will apply to Gujjar villages in Gurgaon, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Gurgaon itself has over 60 Gujjar villages hosting over three lakh members. The new guidelines being imposed to curb wedding over-spending and wastage include no unnecessary fireworks—which typically feature in Gujjar weddings and cost a few lakhs—no alcohol, no dance floors or DJs, and just one band in the baraat. While enforcement of these new rules might be challenging, and might even be met with some resistance, they were crucial in light of things like helicopters being given as part of dowries or a hundred bands playing in the baraat.“Our land was acquired by the government and we made crores of rupees. We lost the vocation we excelled in—farming. And our children neither studied nor did any other job as they had enough money to splurge. As a result, many of them in their thirties and forties are practically unemployed,” Tanwar elaborated.Gujjar wedding in 2010, Image Source: YoutubeFrom lavish to sublime: A gradual trendThe Gujjar community’s decision to tone down lavish weddings is only the most recent in a slow-boiling trend across the country. In 2003, Kolkata’s Marwari community decided to put an end to wasteful expenditure by slashing spending at all social functions, including weddings. In 2007, the Delhi Sikh Temple Management Committee planned to discourage dowry demands and put an end to lavish weddings by issuing an edict to the Sikh community encouraging austere marriage celebrations. And this trend is not isolated to a few communities, but is actually a growing one amongst India’s villages.In 2013, a mahapanchayat comprising of panchayat members of 12 villages met in Dujana village near Noida to ban the use of firearms, DJs and orchestras in wedding functions, in a bid to cut expense. Further, they banned the dowry system completely to reduce financial burden on the girl’s family. “It was observed that farmers were spending majority of compensation received by them for the land acquisition by the state government for lavish weddings and later faced financial crisis as they did not plan for future and had not invested the money in buying land in other villages which could provide them regular livelihood,” stated farmer leader Roopesh Verma.Takhatgarh, Bali, Sadri and other villages in the Pali and Jalor districts of Rajasthan imposed a uniform code of conduct for weddings in an attempt to slim down Marwari wedding splurges in August of 2014. Following suit, in May of 2015, Guradighat village, 18 km from Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal, decided to shun lavish weddings that had become status symbol deciders, leaving families in huge debt. “Farmers sold off parts of their land for each marriage in the family. Those who don’t have land take loan from family, friends or even moneylenders. The cycle is vicious and we want to break it,” attested college student Akash Maran.Lavish Indian wedding. Image Source: MarrymeweddingsDownsizing the wedding madnessThe absurd display of wealth that is the big fat Indian wedding is a common practice across the country, leading to debt, hefty loans, food wastage, an unending cycle of showmanship, and a booming US$ 40 billion dollar industry. The growth of affluent upper class and rising middle class in this country has boosted this industry, which is growing at a rate of over 25 percent annually. Downsizing these affairs is a trend that needs to percolate to more parts of the country, since although it exists in pockets, it’s growing glacially.Still, from Quora debates titled ‘Are lavish weddings in India morally justified?’, to villages and communities consciously coming together to slash splurges, austere weddings are working their way into common discourse. In May of 2014, Karnataka’s state government debated a bill to levy luxury tax on weddings costing over five lakh rupees with a thousand guests attending, and the amount collected would be pooled to create a ‘marriage fund’ to sponsor weddings of the poor or for mass marriages. Earlier that year, Kerala’s government mulled a bill to ban ostentatious weddings as well. While neither of these bills were passed, and policy might not be the way to address this problem, a social adjustment of the marriage mindset needs to set in to downsize the wedding madness.Words: Rhea Almeida comments“Blood, a crucial amenity, is to be handed out to… Read more › “His disappearance is still a mystery,” confided 54-year-old Begum Jaan,… Read more › Adil Hasan’s eponymous photo series on Aligarh Muslim University is… Read more ›  “To say yes to one thing, is to say yes… Read more › “As a woman, I apologise for calling you stunning before… Read more › Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is… Read more › Dr. T.S. Kanaka’s professional journey is a compelling tale of… Read more › Since the fall of the Taliban regime, a generation of… Read more › At the age of 25, Tsuneko Sasamoto became Japan’s first… Read more › Every year, we see a flurry of Facebook posts begging… Read more › “You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” – C. S. Lewis Amidst the bustle of city lives, urban spaces and digital clutter, we rarely have the time to stop and stare at the crisp pages of a book, letting our worries float away as we engross ourselves in an escapist world of fantasy, fiction, reality, or whatever else grabs our attention. With characters from across the globe and different eras as company, all book lovers truly deserve a safe haven to snuggle up with the latest novel and live vicariously through the author’s pen. A space far removed from the daily rush, a quiet and personal spot meant for just you and your reading pleasure. Well, it’s time to thank us in eloquently worded notes of gratitude, because we might have just put together the holy grail of bookworm safe havens.Walls lined with hardbound treasures and paperback gems surround cosy, welcoming seats, with tables to hold up your steaming cup of coffee or tea. Step into any one of these 20 cafes across India that double up as reading spots and book stores, and escape the world as you know it, even if it’s just for a few minutes. A good, riveting read while sipping on some liquid warmth? Now, that’s the perfect way to spend a weekend. So scroll on for a compilation of warm and cosy book cafes from around the country, and bookmark them for later too.I.  Atta Galata , Bengaluru 134, KHB Colony, 5th Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru | 096325 10126Atta Galata in Bengaluru began as a regional bookstore. Today, it’s a café and bookstore that satisfies the mind as well as the stomach. Atta Galata is especially known for its homemade breads—the fruit bread and the masala bread are the most popular ones. As for its cerebral corner, the bookshelves hold over 10,000 titles in languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and English.Atta Galata, BengaluruII. Book Café Ssong, Pune 18, Stellar Enclave, Opposite MSEB Office, Behind McDonald’s, Aundh, Pune | 084462 52589Book Café Ssong is named after its chatty, enigmatic owner. And this two-storey bookstore-cum-café in Pune is a haven for bookworms and those who crave a warm cuppa between their hands.III. Books N’ Brew , Chandigarh 1st Floor, SCO 8, Udyan Path, Sector 16D, Chandigarh | 0172 254 1616Chandigarh’s Books N’ Brew is a hot favourite with the city’s youth because it serves up some legendary Maggi, or so we’ve been led to believe. Frankly, we think that’s a good way to lure youngsters back into reading so we’re big fans of this gimmick. But on a more serious note, Books N’ Brew does also have some great books. Stop by next time you’re in Chandigarh.Books N Brew, ChandigarhIV. Café CMYK , New Delhi 15 & 16, Mehar Chand Market, Lodhi Road, New DelhiCMYK is a sleek, modern bookstore at New Delhi’s Mehar Chand Market that has a very special niche. You’ll find no fiction paperbacks or best sellers here. Instead, CMYK stocks books dedicated to art, design, photography, performing arts, architecture, monographs, travel, lifestyle, erotica, cooking, fashion, and gardening, amongst others. What’s more, the store hands out free coffee to customers. So walk in, shake off the Delhi dust, grab a cuppa and browse through some of their titles that include the links of reputed international publishers such as Phaidon and Taschen. CMYK knows that some art books can get pretty expensive, so they even have an EMI option for purchase. That’s a big plus, in our opinion. CMYK’s café is upstairs on the terrace and its menu options range from Southeast Asian to Continental, and of course, Indian.CMYK, New DelhiV. Café Fiction , Gangtok Development Area Rd, Gangtok | 03592 204 336Café Fiction Gangtok shares its premise with Rachna Books, which is a pretty perfect symbiotic relationship. The café serves delicious local fare and some decadent desserts and Rachna stocks a huge variety of books. It’s hard to find two establishments more suited to each other.Cafe Fiction, GangtokVII. Café Story, Kolkata 8, Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani, Sreepally, Bhawanipur, Kolkata | 098304 70000Café Story is located inside STORY, one of Kolkata’s most-loved bookstores. The interior is dotted with blue and white tables and has bookshelves lining the walls. So pick a title, settle down at one of the tables and order something off the menu.Cafe Story, KolkataVI. Café Turtle , New Delhi Shop No. 23, 2nd Floor, Middle Lane, Khan Market, New Delhi | 011 2465 5641New Delhi’s Café Turtle was set up to compliment the Full Circle Book Stores. Like the other entries on this list, it too was born of a need to have a space where people could relax and catch up on some reading while enjoying a meal. Café Turtle also has two other branches in Delhi, one at Greater Kailash 1 and the other at Nizamuddin East. The food they serve is fresh and organic, and in winter, every Saturday has a special lunch.Cafe Turtle, New DelhiVIII.  Café Wanderlust , Gurgaon SF 53-54, First Floor, DLF Galleria, DLF Galleria Road, Gurgaon | 084479 44345Café Wanderlust is a big hit with those who love to travel. Their collection of travel books and magazines will have you flipping pages for hours. We advise going in the morning and demolishing one of their amazing breakfast platters while leafing through a book.Cafe Wanderlust, Gurgaon. Image source: sodelhi.comIX. Illiterati , McLeodganj Jogibara Rd, Dharamshala | 097364 79352It’s no secret that mountains and books make wonderful companions. Illterati, in McLeodganj is high up in the hills of Himachal and its large windows and balcony overlooking the surrounding green hills is every bookworm (and let’s face it, novelist’s) wet dream. It doesn’t hurt that their walls are lined with towering bookshelves positively crammed with books, either. Fiction, photography culture, biographies—take your pick, it’s all available. And the in-house café will take care of any munchies you might have with it local, organic fare.Illiterati, McLeodganjX .  Ivy & Bean , New Delhi 119, Sishan House, Shahpur Jat, Siri Fort, New Delhi | 011 4109 0119Ivy & Bean is a cosy café in Delhi’s Shahpur Jat and is a mecca of sorts for egg lovers. It’s also known for its varieties of coffee and tea. Though we have to admit that our favourite thing about this place is their bookshelf. It’s got tons of tomes that are perfectly partnered with long, languid breakfasts. The concept here is simple: for every book you take, replace it with another so that the shelf is always full. If not, then be sure to bring back the one you took.Ivy & Bean, New Delhi XI. Kitab Khana, Mumbai 375, Veer Nairman Rd, Fort, Mumbai | 02261702276Kitab Khana sits in the busy office district of Fort (or Fountain, as it’s also known). It doesn’t matter that the street outside is one of the busiest—as is the pavement with its jumble of shops. But the minute you walk into Kitab Khana, everything external melts away. All you can smell is the aroma of books mingling with fresh coffee. From contemporary work to classics in English, Hindi Gujarati, Marathi and Urdu, Kitab Khana has something for everyone.Kitab Khana, MumbaiXII. Kunzum Café , New Delhi T-49, GF, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi | 011 2651 3949; 09650 702 777 New Delhi’s Kunzum Café has a selection of travel books that you can thumb through as you sip some coffee and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. And that’s not even the best part. The best part is that Kunzum is one of those pay-what-you-like places. So being broke can never be a valid excuse to not visit.Kunzum Cafe, New DelhiXIII. Leaping Windows , Mumbai 3 Corner View, Dr. Ashok Chopra Marg, Off Yari Road, Opp. Bianca Towers, Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai | 097699 98972Leaping Windows is India’s first and only library dedicated solely to comic books. If you’re a comic book fan, you can bet there’s a good chance you’ll find whatever you want here. And we’re not just talking about mainstream stuff like Archie or Tintin—we’re talking real comic book gold: Manga titles like Vampire Knight, Usagi, and Lady Snowblood, and graphic novels spanning the Marvel and DC universe along with other titles like John Woo’s Seven Brothers. Plus, the café serves good, honest, home-style food. Talk about a win-win.Leaping Windows, MumbaiXIV. Literati Café , Goa   E/1-282, Gauravaddo, Calangute, Bardez, Goa | 0832 2277740  Literati Café is located in Calangute and housed in one of those delightfully old-world Portuguese bungalows complete with a shaded veranda and red-tiled roof that oozes Goan charm. From October to March, Literati runs a café that serves a selection of pizzas, pastas and desserts along with tea, coffee and even wine and beer, if you feel like a little afternoon tipple.Literati, GoaXV. Namgyal Café, McLeodganj Namgyal Monastery, Temple Road, McLeod Ganj | 01892-221040Namgyal Café is tucked away in a corner of McLeodganj’s Namgyal Monastery and it’s a delightful little eatery done up in bright, cheery tones of red, blue and green. It only has a few tables and is usually perpetually full. Try and snag a window seat to get a spectacular view of the valley beyond, but if you can’t, don’t worry, the café’s multi-lingual library will keep you occupied.XVI. Pagdandi Cafe , Pune Shop No. 6, Regent Plaza, Baner – Pashan Link Road, Baner, Pune | 077559 08525 Pagdandi is a café-cum-bookstore in Pune that focuses on promoting small independent publishers. Its café dishes out a selection of healthy eating options alongside rather more tempting choices such as brownies and milkshakes.Pagdandi, PuneXVII. Spell & Bound, New Delhi C11, SDA Market, 2, Hauz Khas Enclave, Hauz Khas, New Delhi | 011 4102 7728Spell & Bound has you the minute you walk through the door. It’s split over three levels. The ground floor houses bookshelves, a rotating book case and (our personal favourite) a wall that’s covered in framed photos of authors such as Vigrinia Woolf, Anton Chekhov, Salman Rushdie and more. The basement contains more books, in case you don’t find what you’re looking for above ground, and the first floor is where you’ll find Spell & Bound’s café that’s known for its kaathi kebabs and milkshakes. Spell & Bound’s collection is actually pretty staggering, so no matter what your interests are, you’ll find a book to suit them.Spell & Bound, New DelhiXVIII. T-Pot Café , New Delhi Plot No. 7, Opp Kotak Mahindra Bank, Shivalik Road, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi | 0 1141420516New Delhi’s T-Pot Café is a cute little place in Malviya Nagar that’s popular with youngsters. It’s got boardgames, guitars, and, of course, books—mostly fiction bestsellers. Stop by when in Delhi next and get some of their excellent masala chai to go along with the latest chartbuster.T-Pot Cafe, New DelhiXIX. The Café at Moon River , New Delhi D16 Defence Colony, New Delhi | 11 4161 7103Moon River is a pretty popular design store in New Delhi and it’s café, named after the theme song of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, is beautifully cosy. With its oversized rattan chairs, large paintings, and densely packed bookshelves, The Café at Moon River is one of those places that’s very hard to leave. Especially once you’ve tried their double chocolate chip cookies.The Cafe at Moon RiverXX. The Coffee Cup , Secunderabad Behind BP Petrol Bunk, Above Canara Bank, Water Tank Road, Sainikpuri, Dr A.S. Rao Nagar, Secunderabad | 080196 61369Our favourite spot at The Coffee Cup is the outdoor terrace, where on a good day, you’ll only have the resident potted plants for company. If you need a breather from the heavy tome on your table, The Coffee Cup also has a selection of boardgames to keep you busy.The Coffee Cup, SecunderabadWords: Neville Bhandara Research: Diva Garg comments“Blood, a crucial amenity, is to be handed out to… Read more › “His disappearance is still a mystery,” confided 54-year-old Begum Jaan,… Read more › Adil Hasan’s eponymous photo series on Aligarh Muslim University is… Read more › In India, juicy, delicious burgers are a lot like unicorns. You’re… Read more ›  “To say yes to one thing, is to say yes… Read more › “As a woman, I apologise for calling you stunning before… Read more › Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is… Read more › Dr. T.S. Kanaka’s professional journey is a compelling tale of… Read more › Since the fall of the Taliban regime, a generation of… Read more › At the age of 25, Tsuneko Sasamoto became Japan’s first… Read more › Established about 126 years ago, with the sole aim to employ local youths from rural Mumbai, the dabbawala system has grown to become a phenomenon that have made people travel from halfway across the world to simply observe and study. With a six-sigma ranking and an error rate of one in 16 million, the dabbawalas have been trusted, for years, with the responsibility of delivering hot meals to hungry Mumbaikars across the city, on time.Despite having an average of eighth-grade level education, they have developed their own coding system that has helped them ensure error-free delivery. And now, in the era of start-ups, soon after PM Modi launched the ‘Start Up India’ scheme, they have decided to launch their own company.Image Source: WSJThis announcement came as a part of their decision to give their business a much more formal set-up and also expand further to become a bigger brand. With the setting up of the company, they plan to not only deliver tiffins, but also supply organic milk, vegetables and other goods. In fact, a few groups of dabbawalas comprising of nearly 50 members have already started delivering organic milk and exotic vegetables to the people.They also plan to provide logistical support to the multi-national companies across the city. Subodh Sangle, the coordinator of the Mumbai Dabbawalas, while talking to reporters, said that the decision has been fuelled by the management skills of the lunch box suppliers, which can be harnessed to do wonders. Add to this the fact that this initiative could help financially support their families.Several MNCs across the country are in dire need of logistic support, which they try to meet through outsourcing. Equipped with several skills that no management schools can teach, including the thorough knowledge of the city’s geography and years of experience with a system that has never failed to meet the customer’s expectations, these dabbawalas are sure to make a huge difference with what they hope to create. comments“Blood, a crucial amenity, is to be handed out to… Read more › “His disappearance is still a mystery,” confided 54-year-old Begum Jaan,… Read more › Adil Hasan’s eponymous photo series on Aligarh Muslim University is… Read more ›  “To say yes to one thing, is to say yes… Read more › “As a woman, I apologise for calling you stunning before… Read more › Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is… Read more › Dr. T.S. Kanaka’s professional journey is a compelling tale of… Read more › Since the fall of the Taliban regime, a generation of… Read more › At the age of 25, Tsuneko Sasamoto became Japan’s first… Read more › Every year, we see a flurry of Facebook posts begging… Read more › Way out at the North eastern edge of India lies Nagaland, a place where swirling wisps of cloud gently caress mighty mountains that have nestled deep into vast expanses of greenery, ancient cultures and lesser broadcasted traditions of the land. Known for its scenic beauty, Nagaland holds relics to a rich cultural heritage and legacy that seems like an anomaly compared to the rapidly modernising country that it’s a part of. Perhaps most enticing are the sixteen major indigenous tribes it is home to; all of mixed origins, cultures and practices, who for a long time were feared as headhunters. The most ‘vicious’ (as labelled by outsiders who knew far too little about their ways) of these tribes were the Konyaks, great warriors with a brutal past. Home to the Konyaks, Longwa is a remote village in the Mon district that sits atop a hill with one half in India and the other bordering Myanmar. The village came into being well before the international boundaries were drawn out. Unable to decide how exactly to divide an entire community between the two countries, Officials decided to let the imaginary border pass through the village without disturbing the tribe. With the lush forests of Myanmar on one side and vast agricultural fields of India on the other, Longwa village is a Konyak playing field that overlooks it all. The border even runs through the house of the Angh, the king or village chief, leading to the joke that he dines in India and sleeps in Myanmar. The Mon district is said to be the only one in Nagaland to still have this institution of Anghship, known also the ‘Land of Angh’s.’ Hereditary chieftains, one or several villages can come under the rule of one Angh. The practice of polygamy stil prevails, and one Angh is even said to have had almost sixty wives. The kings can be recognised easily by the clear blue beads on their legs, the layers of beads indicating the power they hold and respect they command.Survival of the fittestThe forests here have had to witness years of intertribal warfare; a time where the martial Konyaks thrived. They would raid neighbouring villages, take over their land and bring back the heads of their victims as trophies of their conquests. Headhunting wasn’t a matter of taboo, the Konyaks were proud headhunters; it garnered them the respect of their tribe’s people and for many young Konyak boys war was a part of growing up, killing and beheading an enemy was seen as a rite of passage from boyhood to manhood. Success was rewarded in the form of an honorary facial tattoo to mark their accomplishment.Longwa village, as seen from a vantage point. To the left is India and to the right is Myanmar.

Image source: www.travelwithneelima.comThe fierce warriors would brandish their torsos, arms and faces with lines to symbolise the heads they’ve each claimed and body tattooing was a deeply rooted practice in the Konyak culture, strongly related to headhunting. Tattoos were made for status in the society, and it was also for beautification and identification of belonging to different clans. For women, tattoos would represent different stages of womanhood and important life events. For example, girls wore a tattoo on the back of the knee if they were married, and a different one would demarcate the bearing of their first child. The chest tattoo and the ‘specs’ facial tattoo are among the most recognised in the world, worn only by the best and bravest of warriors. Headhunting and tattoos had quite a great impact on the tribe’s culture and lifestyle that can be seen by the many folk songs, lore and dances all having been inspired in some way by the stories of valour, and skill of the warrior headhunters.Take a head to get ahead? The belief behind headhunting was closely linked to the fertility cult; taking the enemy’s head would transfer some of his power and soul to the hunter, the fertility of their fields and the well-being of the warrior would increase. At times, a person would be spared had they eaten at the house of a Konyak Naga or had something that could be given to them as a gift. Heads would be hung at the entrance of the village on a sacred tree and adorn the outside of the warriors house as symbols of virility; the more heads you had, the mightier a warrior you were. The headhunters can easily be distinguished and spotted among the other Nagas by the tattoos they’ve earned from taking heads, as well as the necklaces they would wear of small brass heads–one brass head correlated to each real one taken by the person. They wore special war headgear too, made out of hunted wild pig horns, hornbill feathers and wild bear or goat hair. A traditional basket decorated with monkey skulls, wild pig horns and sometimes even hornbill beaks would be specifically made and used to carry back the human heads from the battlefield. The hornbill represented loyalty because the female bird would stay in the high nest and depend on her male mate to feed her, an iconic emblem of Nagaland. The right to use the feathers of a hornbill had to be earned by a tribesmen, so only those who excelled at the battlefield would have the right to decorate themselves with the hornbill feathers. Of course, these were past traditions. In time, the tribe was quick to realise the damage they were doing to the species and instead of hunting them, they started protecting the birds instead.Burying old traditions and reversing ancient beliefs Konyaks were animists, worshipping elements of nature, and it was with the arrival with the British Christian missionaries in the late 19th century that things began to change for this once remote tribe of notorious headhunters. Many tribal practices were soon renounced, willingly or otherwise, such as the training of young boys in martial skills and educating them about the tribe’s beliefs and practices that would happen at Morungs, sort of a community building or dormitory for young boys, and the biggest practice that was done away with was that of headhunting, an essential part of their ritualistic lifestyle. Konyaks resisted Christianity and modernisation longer than most other tribes of the region, yet, by the late 20th century close to 90 percent of people in the state had accepted Christianity. Headhunting was no longer practiced and the people were encouraged to bury the heads they once so proudly displayed. Each village had a separate house for the collected skulls to which everyone was expected to contribute, most of which were subsequently destroyed. The Konyaks were reported to have given up headhunting in 1962, with last reported cases in the region documented between 1963 and 1969.An annual celebration of everything that was Like the rest of Nagaland, the Konyaks are in a state of transition but spring arrives and for a stretch of six days in April, all the traditions of the tribals come alive with colour and splendour (apart from hunting heads) and that’s during the Aoleang Monyu Festival. The festival signifies the beginning of the New Year and is celebrated after the seeds are sown in the new jhum fields, marking the end of the old year and arrival of the next. People spend the first day of the festival, called Hoi Lah Nyih, preparing for the coming five days of celebrations, collecting firewood and vegetables, making rice beer and weaving new clothes. The second and the third days are called Yin Mok Pho Nyih and Mok Shek Nyih, which means searching and roping in the domestic animals to be sacrificed by the heads of each family during the festival. Lingnyu Nyih, the fourth day, is the biggest of the Aoleang festival. Men and women dress in traditional clothes and ornaments and the entire day is spent in feasting and merriment. Lingha Nyih, the fifth day, is a day of respecting and honouring each other. Elders of the village are honoured by the young boys and parents call their married sisters and daughters inviting them for a feast. Families visit the cemetery of their dead relatives and pay homage to the deceased. The sixth day or Lingshan Nyih means the final day of the Aoleang Monyu, and is usually spent cleaning up the homes and village as life gets back to normal.Nestled in the hills and surrounded by forests, the Konyak tribe has had a relatively sheltered existence. Modernisation has slowly crept in through the winding forests and hills as against the picturesque landscape stand thatch-roofed houses of wood with occasional tin and concrete popping up. The tribe’s roots in the past slowly come loose as indicators of outside influence can be seen everywhere, such as the black bowler hats worn by some men. Yet if you look closely enough, yoou might still notice a brass head necklace. Headhunting may be barbaric to the modern ‘civilised’ eye but it held a place in the konyak society that was of grave importance and the time has come where the last generation of true headhunters are soon to pass on. You can still spot an elderly tattooed headhunter but the numbers are dwindling, and with the end of headhunting came the end of the tattooing tradition. Practice of headhunting was banned but the rituals have remained the same, wooden heads, carvings and animal skulls take the place of human skulls. Most of the fully tattooed men and women today are in their late 80s and 90s and their cultural legacy needs to be recorded as it slowly dies out. Anthony Pappone in his photo-series The Last Head Hunters, Konyak Tribe Warrior gives us an intimate look into the Konyak tribals in their private and personal space. Scroll down to see some of his incredible photographs.

Words: Sara Hussain comments“Blood, a crucial amenity, is to be handed out to… Read more › “His disappearance is still a mystery,” confided 54-year-old Begum Jaan,… Read more › Adil Hasan’s eponymous photo series on Aligarh Muslim University is… Read more ›  “To say yes to one thing, is to say yes… Read more › “As a woman, I apologise for calling you stunning before… Read more › Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is… Read more › Dr. T.S. Kanaka’s professional journey is a compelling tale of… Read more › Since the fall of the Taliban regime, a generation of… Read more › At the age of 25, Tsuneko Sasamoto became Japan’s first… Read more › Every year, we see a flurry of Facebook posts begging… Read more › For the last few months, all Facebook users have been subjected to vaguely worded, misleading messages asking them to support the Free Basics campaign, which was a cleverly disguised repackaging of the original Internet.org plan supported by Prime Minister Modi. While part of our digital world naively bought into the ‘poor internet for poor people’ proposition, a large number of users pointed out the dangerous ramifications this plan could have on Net Neutrality in India.[To understand the full extent of the problematic effect Free Basics could have in India, read this before scrolling on.]The regulatory body reviewing the Free Basics proposition, TRAI, in a letter addressed to Facebook’s Director of Public Policy in India Ankhi Das dated January 18, slammed Facebook’s Free Basics campaign for being a “crudely majoritarian and orchestrated opinion poll”. With the soft power a company like Facebook wields, not to mention the lobbying it underwent with support from the country’s Prime Minister, TRAI’s independence as a regulatory body was put to the test as it evaluated this proposition, and it seems to have passed with flying colours so far.Image Source: BBCHe says, she says: TRAI & Facebook’s alleged miscommunication Through various exchanges, Facebook sent TRAI millions of responses it collated from various internet users. However, the number of responses became a bone of contention in this process. While Facebook claimed to have 11 million responses, TRAI received only 1.89 million, and Facebook seemed to have a curious explanation of the same. In a letter written by Das, she states, “Specifically, our inquiry revealed that on December 17 05:51:53 GMT, an individual … took action that blocked Facebook from delivering any additional emails to advisorfea1@trai.gov.in. This appears to have been accomplished by unsubscribing from receiving all further emails from Facebook, effectively requesting that Facebook cease delivering emails to the address. This action prevented the Facebook system from sending further responsive emails to TRAI.”As TRAI sees it, if Facebook’s mails were being restricted, they should have brought that to the regulatory body’s notice so that it could be rectified. Joint Advisor K. V. Sebastian responded to this claim in his letter stating, “If this were indeed the case, TRAI should have been informed immediately for appropriate steps to be taken. In fact, a similar instance of user complaint regarding the non-functioning of an email address during the response period for this Consultation paper was brought to the notice of TRAI by individual stakeholders and the situation was immediately rectified. It is surprising that it took over 25 days for you to inform TRAI of this.”Image Source: The GuardianTRAI sees through Facebook’s cleverly worded ‘I support Free Basics’ messagingCalling out Facebook’s vague and purposefully misleading communication to users, TRAI slammed the company for its “self-appointed spokesmanship” on behalf of those who responded to the Free Basics campaign. Further, TRAI stated that Facebook’s submitted responses didn’t adequately address the issues raised in its consultation paper, “Neither the spirit nor the letter of a consultative process warrants such an interpretation which, if accepted, has dangerous ramifications for policy-making in India.”In the digital age where the amount of data control companies like Facebook have over the world, clever lobbying and PR double-speak are dangerous, especially when they are directed towards shaping public policy. It’s comforting to know that pictures of ‘Ganesh the farmer’ aren’t enough to disguise unethical campaigning and lack of transparency. Further, while the TRAI has proven its mettle as an independent body so far, we await the open house on net neutrality and differential pricing that it will hold in New Delhi today, hoping that all these issues are addressed. Words: Rhea Almeida comments“Blood, a crucial amenity, is to be handed out to… Read more › “His disappearance is still a mystery,” confided 54-year-old Begum Jaan,… Read more › Adil Hasan’s eponymous photo series on Aligarh Muslim University is… Read more ›  “To say yes to one thing, is to say yes… Read more › “As a woman, I apologise for calling you stunning before… Read more › Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is… Read more › Dr. T.S. Kanaka’s professional journey is a compelling tale of… Read more › Since the fall of the Taliban regime, a generation of… Read more › At the age of 25, Tsuneko Sasamoto became Japan’s first… Read more › Every year, we see a flurry of Facebook posts begging… Read more › There are some tricks of the nature that you must make a point to try and witness, and the glow-in-the-dark natural phenomena that we all know as ‘bioluminescence’ is one of them. A magical sight to witness, it occurs as a result of phytoplanktons—microorganisms that emit light in response to stress causing the water around to light up.A rare sight, despite being one that occurs across the world, Lakshwadeep Islands have been known to have the highest spotting of the same. However, for those who can’t fit a trip to the island in the near future, reports suggest that a trip to our very own Juhu beach might do the trick.Since Thursday, this beautiful phenomenon has been gracing the beach causing people to stare in awe. Sayeli Bhalekar, a resident in the Juhu Koliwada area seems to be one of the first to have witnessed the sight. Her friends, Abir Jain and Nilesh Mane, who received a call from her shortly after refused to believe her until she presented them with a video.Image Source: DNA“Wherever we placed out feet, the surrounding area started glowing. It was like watching an animation film,” explained the duo, who headed to the beach immediately after viewing the video. It was after talking to a few locals that they realised that they locals had been viewing this since the 14th of January.“This was the most difficult thing as it was not possible to spot the glow from the road due to the lights. Hence, we had to move towards the Danda side, which was dark and we could see the bioluminescence clearly. I waded chest-deep in water and after making several changes to the settings on my DSLR camera, we were able to click the images,” said Mane. He believes that the El Niño effect could be one reason for this occurrence.Being third year B.Sc zoology students, not only were their interest spiked, but they have collected water samples from the spot and are now planning to publish a scientific paper about Blue Waves.Dr Parvish Pandya, associate professor of the zoology department and vice principal of Bhavan’s College, rightly said that such an activity has never been recorded or reported so far in Mumbai. “As soon as these students informed me on Monday about this activity, we went to the beach stretch that evening but did not see any luminescence. We have asked the locals to alert us when they spot it again. I appreciate the work done by these students as they are doing this research even as they are appearing for their ongoing internal examinations,” he said.Considering this phenomenon can’t be predicted, we suggest that you head to the beach before it disappears.Words: Krupa Joseph comments“Blood, a crucial amenity, is to be handed out to… Read more › “His disappearance is still a mystery,” confided 54-year-old Begum Jaan,… Read more › Adil Hasan’s eponymous photo series on Aligarh Muslim University is… Read more ›  “To say yes to one thing, is to say yes… Read more › “As a woman, I apologise for calling you stunning before… Read more › Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is… Read more › Dr. T.S. Kanaka’s professional journey is a compelling tale of… Read more › Since the fall of the Taliban regime, a generation of… Read more › At the age of 25, Tsuneko Sasamoto became Japan’s first… Read more › Every year, we see a flurry of Facebook posts begging… Read more › [Note to readers: Breaking Free is being screened on Thursday, January 21 at the Indian Panorama Film Festival  at New Delhi's  Siri Fort Auditorium-II] ——“It is important that LGBTQ issues are seen as human rights issues. Families, colleagues, friends and straight allies have to come out in support in order to change mindsets on a larger scale. Only then can real change occur.” - Sridhar Rangayan Sridhar Rangayan is an openly-gay filmmaker who has been at the forefront of India’s battle for equal rights for the last 20 years. He has tirelessly worked, campaigned, and spoken for gay rights—and his films have become mainstays of queer Indian cinema.His latest venture, Breaking Free, is drastically different from his previous work. In the film, Rangayan explores the ramifications of Section 377 and its invisible-yet-dominating presence that continues to haunt India’s LGBTQ community. The film took seven years to complete and took Rangayan all over India as he attempted to document the human rights violations against LGBTQ Indians at the hands of society, the law, and the government.Scroll down to read our Q&A with the man behind some of queer India’s most iconic films.Sridhar Rangayan. Photograph by Punit ReddyI. Tell us a little about yourself.I left behind a successful career as a television writer and director, and jumped into independent filmmaking because I felt that we needed to tell our stories to the world. The Indian LGBTQ community needed a cinematic voice. So Saagar Gupta and I founded our production company Solaris Pictures, through which we have produced and co-produced several LGBTQ films like Gulabi Aaina, Yours Emotionally, 68 Pages, Purple Skies and Breaking Free. All of them have helped raise dialogue around social issues like HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ issues, both in India and internationally.II.  What about ‘Breaking Free.’ How did the idea for it come about?I have been working for LGBTQ rights for over 20 years. Seven years ago, there was a horrible incident that shook me badly: the Bengaluru police undertook a drive to evict all hijras and transgenders from the city because the police and government felt that they were an ‘evil influence’ on society. Within two to three days, hundreds of hijras and transgenders were dragged out of their homes, arrested and locked up. Even activists who staged a protest were beaten up, molested and arrested. This caused an uproar and there was a press conference held in Mumbai at the Press Club in protest, as well as other incidents involving gays and lesbians. I went there to document the event and was extremely moved. One thing emerged clearly from the passionate speeches by the activists and Anand Grover (the senior counsel who was fighting the Section 377 case): the root cause of victimisation of LGBTQ community was Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. I felt I needed to know more about Section 377 and that was the beginning of the journey of Breaking Free. I felt compelled to discover, uncover and highlight the issues around it.Breaking Free has been a completion of a seven-year journey across India to document the human rights violations against LGBTQ persons at the hands of the law, society and government. The film is a testimonial to counter the Supreme Court and government’s argument that Section 377 of the IPC has not affected anyone. The interviews in the film prove that the law has been used and misused repeatedly to target and victimise LGBTQs.What is encouraging, as the film reveals, is that the LGBTQ community has risen out of the shadows, and moved from invisibility to empowerment. In the second half of the film, when younger LGBTQs speak up, it is amazing to hear them being less anxious and concerned—to see them not experience shame, guilt or anxiety about their sexual orientation or gender identity. It is amazing to see them free and liberated.The film has been shot over seven years across seven cities—Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Lucknow, Kolkata, Pune.Protesting against Section 377 of the Indian Penal CodeIII. How was the film received? The film premiered at the 6th KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival in May 2015, and from then, travelled to more than 17 international film festivals in 12 countries. The film had an amazing screening at the Godrej India Culture Lab in Mumbai and Alliance Française de Bengaluru.I’m also thrilled about its inclusion in the prestigious Indian Panorama 2015 by the Directorate of Film Festivals and that it is was screened at IFFI 2015, Goa. This gives the film a larger, more diverse audience, hopefully sparking off mainstream thinking around LGBTQ issues, and finally getting people to see it intrinsically as a human rights issue. It is also recognition by the government that a film on LGBTQ issues is important to be screened as part of its program across India.IV. How different is Breaking Free from your previous films?While my previous documentary Purple Skies dealt with the lives and issues of lesbians, bisexuals and transmen, Breaking Free focuses more on the law and its implication on the community. And though Purple Skies deals with some stories of anguish, it also focusses the on lives of a few people who have managed to overcome challenges and are now leading a happier life. But Breaking Free is a much darker film—it doesn’t whitewash the problems of the community, but lays them out honestly. Some of the stories in the film are very hard-hitting.V. Considering the themes your films explore, what difficulties do you face while filming?It was quite challenging to get access to the gay and transgender persons who were victimised. We had to trace them with the help of lawyers, activists and community organisations. Most of the victims obviously wanted to forget what they went through and move on with their lives. So it was not easy for them to relive the horrors of the past. Yet they spoke on camera for our film, so that their stories can help bring out the truth. One of the victims, Pandayan from Chennai, is no more as he immolated himself after he was repeatedly gang-raped by nice policemen. So we had to track down his sister to find out what happened to her transgender brother. We finally met her living in a hutment on the pavement in a small town several miles away from Chennai. Convincing her to speak was challenging because she had given up hope about finding any justice for her brother and she felt there was no point in digging up the past. But finally, she was convinced that Pandyan’s story has to be told—not only to audiences everywhere, but also in the hope that it will reach government officials and lawmakers.The most difficult part was telling my own story in Breaking Free, as a gay man. It was poignant and an interesting shift in perspective as it made me realise how difficult it must be for those who tell me their stories—this time it was I who was on the other side of the camera.KokilaVI. Where do you think we are currently in India with respect to LGBTQ rights?After years of being invisible due to Section 377, the 2009 Delhi High Court verdict decriminalising homosexuality was a big step and cause for celebration for the LGBTQ community. People found the courage to come out, tell their families, colleagues, and friends about themselves. They also found the confidence to participate in LGBTQ cultural events like film festivals, queer-themed nights and pride walks. But everything changed with the Supreme Court reversal of the verdict in 2013, which re-criminalised same-sex relationships once again. It was indeed a huge blow to the LGBTQ community. But what is interesting is that there is great resilience now. Those who have come out do not want to go back into the closet, they want to be more vocal in their demand for justice.VII. What, according to you, are the main problems facing India’s LGBTQ community? And how can they be resolved?LGBTQ issues are still seen as issues of a small community of people—what the Supreme Court called a ‘minuscule minority’. For one, India’s LGBTQ community is not so minuscule, with a guesstimated four crore people. It is essential that LGBTQ issues are seen as human rights issues. Families, colleagues, friends and straight allies have to come out in support to change mindsets on a larger, mainstream scale. Only then can real change can occur.VIII. What has the general reception of your film been like? And what do you hope viewers take away from your film?It has won hearts everywhere it has been screened. It is inspiring LGBTQ people to stand up for their rights and is motivating allies to speak up in support of the community. Young people are saying it has given them a sense of history, an idea into the truth about the misuse of law, and an inspiration to work for a world that is more equitable.UrmiIX. Where do you think India is currently, compared to the world, with respect to LGBTQ rights?There is a greater consciousness about LGBT issues now in India. There is definitely more tolerance, if not acceptance. Change in perception is taking place, but it is indeed slow. We still have years to go before we can talk about equal rights, marriage laws and adoption rights. I do hope I will be able to see the LGBTQ community completely free within my lifetime.X. Tell us about KASHISH and the role you play—and why India needs this festival.We started KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival to provide a platform for LGBTQ films to be seen on the big screen at a mainstream theatre, and to support young Indian filmmakers making LGBTQ films. Founded in 2010, over the past six years the festival has grown in strength. It is now recognised as South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ film festival and one of world’s top 5 LGBTQ film festivals. With over 1,800 attendees each year and around 8,500 footfalls into the theatre, KASHISH has become an important event in Mumbai’s cultural calendar.It is also the only LGBTQ event in India that attracts so many Bollywood celebrities and more than 150 press write-ups every year. But what is really important to us is audience feedback—what they take away from the festival. For the LGBTQ community, KASHISH is a safe space for the community to feel empowered and watch LGBTQ films on the big screen with no fear, shame or anxiety. For the mainstream audience it is a window into the LGBTQ world, in order for them to understand it better. KASHISH also programs Indian LGBTQ films at festivals around the world and distributes the films to help the filmmakers.Our latest initiative, KASHISH Forward, is India’s first travelling campus LGBTQ film festival that takes a program of youth-focussed LGBTQ films to colleges and universities across India. This initiative has already been held at Punjab University, Tagore International School, Ambedkar University, Ashoka University, Presidency University, Sophia College, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bombay. The responses at these screenings have been amazing—there is far more openness among India’s youth in terms of accepting LGBTQ persons. There is also an eagerness to learn more and form a non-judgmental understanding.XI. Who are your inspirations?My inspirations in terms of films are Shyam Benegal, Sai Paranjpye, Pedro Almodavar, Gus Van Sant and Rob Epstein. But in terms of life, my biggest inspiration are my parents. My father taught me hard work and selfless love, and mother taught me patience and humility. These are the four qualities I truly believe in and hope to continue to live up to. And as far as Breaking Free is concerned, the true inspirations are the hundreds of LGBTQ people who have fought against all odds.Scroll down to watch an exclusive 10-minute clip from Breaking Free Compiled by Neville Bhandara Visit Solaris Pictures’ website and follow them on Twitter [Note to readers: Breaking Free is being screened on Thursday, January 21 at the Indian Panorama Film Festival at New Delhi's Siri Fort Auditorium-II] comments“Blood, a crucial amenity, is to be handed out to… Read more › “His disappearance is still a mystery,” confided 54-year-old Begum Jaan,… Read more › Adil Hasan’s eponymous photo series on Aligarh Muslim University is… Read more › In India, juicy, delicious burgers are a lot like unicorns. You’re… Read more ›  “To say yes to one thing, is to say yes… Read more › “As a woman, I apologise for calling you stunning before… Read more › Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is… Read more › Dr. T.S. Kanaka’s professional journey is a compelling tale of… Read more › Since the fall of the Taliban regime, a generation of… Read more › At the age of 25, Tsuneko Sasamoto became Japan’s first… Read more › Source

The post Filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan On ‘Breaking Free’ & Fighting Section 377 [Interview] appeared first on .

Show more