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A chemistry professor’s quest to save orchids in Assam

In Assam, the blooming of the foxtail orchids, or the kopou phool, marks the coming of spring. 


The exotic rare orchid, which is the state flower of Assam, sparked a curiosity in Ankur Rajgogoi who decided to find out about different varieties of the plant. Over a decade ago, in 2010, he decided to plant a foxtail orchid at his home in village Kukurasora of Charaideo district as he found himself staring at the flower.


“In Assam, it is easy to get two species of the Dendrobium genus (the or...
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A Bodoland mission to help victims of conflict heal

Ever since Abdul [name changed] had seen his house set ablaze by a certain community during the 2012 riots, he had felt vengeful. As a part of the Bodoland Happiness Mission, Abdul underwent almost seven years of healing and trauma counselling, which helped him realise that the conflict between the two communities had spared no one.


“I realised ‘hinsa’ [revenge] was a part of the problem, never the solution. I have forgiven the people who did this to my home,” he says.


The 2012 riots betwe...
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She’s a lifeline for Meghalaya’s endangered western hoolock gibbons

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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He’s saving Tripura’s puppetry tradition, no strings attached!

Every fourth Saturday of the month, the terrace of 54-year-old puppeteer Prabhitangshu Das’s home near Agartala’s Netaji Chowmuhani locality, is transformed into a lively puppet theatre. Children can be seen rehearsing till 10 pm, after they are through with their studies for the day.


The terrace is a flurry of activity, from crafting colourful props, learning to manoeuvre puppets, and rehearsing dialogues to writing scripts. Through it all, Prabhitangshu handholds each of his 10 students....
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Karitchi, no longer a forgotten condiment of Garo cuisine

In the remote landlocked regions of India, especially in the hilly areas, salt was once an expensive and rare commodity. The Northeast had to rely on sea salt brought in through long and difficult trade routes, making it scarce and costly for the common people. Salt was a prized item in the barter system, often exchanged for agricultural produce, livestock, or other essential goods.Due to its high price and scarcity, people sought alternatives to sea salt. In the Garo hills, one such substitute...
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How Meghalaya’s Tura became a chess hub 

In a leafy public park in Meghalaya’s Tura town, a new sporting experience is pulling in the crowds. On any given afternoon, the park’s tranquil setting is transformed into a hive of strategic battles, all unfolding on 64 squares of black and white. 


Chess, the royal game of kings and knights, has found an unlikely home in this part of India — traditionally known for its love of football, cricket, traditional archery and martial arts.The weekends bring several sessions of chess games, each on...
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Flood-prone Assam village sees hope with terra water filters

Barak valley in southern Assam and perennial floods have long been notoriously synonymous. Surrounded by a sea of floodwater every monsoon, thousands of villagers in Cachar district live with the paradox of “not a drop to drink”. However, a simple technology ensures that Rakhal Dey Laskar of Sarashpur village has clean water to drink. 


Laskar, a farmer in his late 40s, wades through the recent deluge to reach a whitewashed concrete tank fitted with a terra filter, set up among a copse of bete...
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How a pungent delicacy is supporting Tripura’s indigenous community

Smoking, sun-drying, fermenting, pickling… Centuries ago, long before the advent of modern refrigeration, ingenious methods were employed to preserve food. In Tripura, one such culinary tradition that has stood the test of time is the art of making berma — fermented fish.


Berma’s potently pungent presence in Tripura’s kitchens is indispensable. Among the Tripuris, the largest indigenous community in the state, dried and fermented silver barb fish, locally known as puti, holds a special signif...
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Assam villagers ward off elephants with draw of lots

An unconventional form of community engagement is quietly reshaping the conservation landscape in Assam’s Manas National Park, where elephants roam and forests whisper tales of ancient wisdom. It’s not through protests or petitions but via an unexpected avenue: a yearly lottery.


This isn’t your typical raffle. Residents of more than 160 villages, home to farmers, participate in this ritual that transcends mere chance. Their stakes? The safeguarding of solar-powered electric fences along the p...
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How bamboo farming is transforming lives in Tripura

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. Little did...
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Display of India-Bangladesh friendship at Tripura’s Akhaura post

Akhaura, 10 km from Agartala, serves as a vital land port connecting India and Bangladesh. A zero line, marked near Agartala-Akhaura check post, symbolises camaraderie. On Bangladesh's Victory Day, guards exchange greetings, sweets, and flowers.





Before the elaborate ceremony begins at the zero line, the area is cleared of visitors. An emcee ensures silence among the seated crowd before the performance starts, celebrating both peaceful moments and friendly rivalry.


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In Tripura, balladeers of snake goddess battle drug crisis with music

The rhythmic heartbeat of tradition echoes after 8pm in Jolaibari village, around 98km from Agartala. Sudipta Roy, a 25-year-old medicine salesman, concludes his workday and converges with his band in a chosen rendezvous — be it the community hall of the nearby Ram Thakur ashram, the village marriage hall, or a band member’s house to fight drug abuse in Tripura.


In a setting reminiscent of a baithak (seated gathering) session, the lead singer weaves verses from the Manasa Mangal Kavya into th...