The untold story of the headhunters of Nagaland

Nagaland is one of the most raw and beautiful states of India. This state has many hidden stories to tell and one of them is the story of the head hunters. Nagaland is famous for the practices of head hunting and getting inked (tattoo) which was linked to their tradition and culture. The two practices were closely related to each other. The practice of headhunting was banned in the 1940s . These tattoos were the marks of recognition in their society. Today's generation has given away the tradition of getting inked and most of these head hunting Naga tribes have adopted Christianity.

You will be surprised to know that India is the country having the most diverse tattoo tradition in the world. However, in this blog post I will only be talking about the head hunting practice of the Nagas and the significance of the tattoos on their body.

The head hunting tribes such as the Konyak and the Wancho tribes used to attack their enemies by hunting down their heads by a sharp weapon. These heads were brought home and collected by the people of the tribes. They believed that the soul of a person resides in the head and bringing the head of the enemy, to the village, brings extra energy to the people. These warriors were worshipped like a god in the society and these head hunters had the privilege of getting not only their face but also their chest, neck and back tattooed. The warrior having the most number tattoos was recognized as the ultimate warrior and gained enormous respect from the people.

The practice of decorating the house with the heads of animals and humans became popular among the head hunters. Once the head was taken down, it was brought to the village and kept in the boiling water for some time and then kept for drying. These heads were seen as trophies by the people.

Different marks symbolized different achievements of the warrior example, for a man who has hunted a tiger will have a different tattoo and for hunting a human head one used to get a different mark inked.

Women had different rules of getting tattooed. The tattoos were made once they hit puberty and another after they got married.

Although this practiced was banned by the British government long ago, but it is believed that the practice is still continued by these head hunting tribes.

Stay tuned to know more such stories. Don't forget to like, share and comment.

- The Roving Feet

Things to do in Goa

Have you ever wondered what makes Goa a stunning place to visit? We have beaches in other Indian states too, don't we? Then what is so special about Goa that drags the tourist to this place. Talking about our experience, We've been to Goa 4 times already and we still look forward to travel there again.

We've heard people say, there is nothing to do in Goa and we always wonder what makes them say that? If you are one of those people, then you have probably not planned your past trip right.

The best time to visit Goa is from mid October to Late January. You may opt to go in September- October to avoid the rush and avail discounts on stays. We've been there in early October and in January too. Goa is greener and peaceful in September- October. So plan your trip accordingly.

Here are a few tips to make your Goa trip memorable and fun.

• Say no to crowded beaches

Visiting a crowded beach may ruin the fun. The more crowded a beach, the more chances are that it will be dirty. Avoid going to beaches like Calngute and Baga. Here are few beaches you may opt for.

1. Sinquerim (north Goa)
2. Paloem (south Goa)
3. Kalacha (north Goa)
4. Madrem (north Goa)
5. Ashwem (north Goa)
6. Morjim (north)
7. Cavelossim (south Goa)
8. Patnem (south Goa)
9. Arambol (north Goa)
10. Agonda (south Goa)

• Dishes and drinks to try in Goa

Goa is full of beautiful cafes/ resto bars/ shacks which offer mouth watering dishes and seafood. Make sure you try out the following:

Dishes

1. Prawn rava fry
2. Pickled tea-leaf salad, Bomras, Candolim
3. Goan Prawn
4. Royale pizza, Baba au Rhum, House Nr.1054 Sim Vaddo, Anjuna
5. Indo-Portuguese lunch, Palacio do Deao, Quepem
6. Tuna teriyaki
7. Black tagliatelle with salmon
8. Goan Fish Curry
9. Rotisserie chicken
10. Goan Curry Fish
11. Recheado
12. Bebinca
13. Mussels Rawa Fried
14. Bangad Curry
15. Crab Xacuti
16. Goan Nevri

Drinks

Alcoholic Drinks

1. Uraak
2. Feni
3. Armada
4. Port wine

Non-Alcoholic Drinks in Goa

1. Sugar cane juice
2. Lime soda sweet and salty
3. Lassi
4. Kokum Juice
5. Coconut Water

• Forts

1. Chapora Fort
2. Aguada Fort
3. Cabo de Rama Fort
4. Corjuem Fort
5. Rachol Fort

• Water sports

Adventure lovers can't say no to water sports of Goa. You may opt to go for the following adventurous water sports:

1. knee boarding (at Candolim Beach, Mobor Beach, Rajbaga Beach)
2. Kayaking ( at Palolem Beach, Dona Paula, Hollant Beach)
3. Windsurfing ( at Dona Paula Beach, Bogmalo Beach, Vagator Beach, Calangute, Colva, Palolem, Miramar, Baga Beach)
4. Scuba Diving ( Grande Islands, St. George Island, Devagh Island, Pigeon Island, Netrani Islands)
5. Jet skiing ( at Colva, Calangute, Candolim, Mobor, Miramar, Rajbaga beaches)
6. Banana Tube Boat Ride ( at Calangute, Agonda, Candolim, Palolem, Miramar, Baga, Vagator, Anjuna)
7. Parasailing ( at Dona Paula, Majorda, Anjuna, Bogmalo, Calangute, Colva, Candolim, Vagator)
8. Yachts and Cruises ( at Mandovi River, Mayem Lake, Miramar Beach, Candolim Beach, Palolem Beach)

• Other activities and places to see

1. Dolphin sight seeing
2. Cruise party
3. Candle light dinner at the beach on the shack
4. Dudsagar waterfall
5. Divar Island
6. Spice plantation
7. Street shoping

• Churches and temples

1. Basilica of Bom Jesus
2. Shantadurga Temple
3. Shri Mangeshi Temple
4. Se Cathedral
5. Brahma Temple at Carambolim
6. Three Kings Church

Next time you plan a trip to Goa then have a look at this before you leave.

-The Roving Feet

Few easy and economic tips to make your home look cozy this Christmas and New year

Perfect cozy bed room ideas

A fire stove in the living room and heavy furniture surely makes the house look very cozy and comfortable during winters but the idea of having a fire stove in the house requires a chimney connection or a special space for the stove. The ideas of heavy furniture and fire stove may sound expensive for the temporary winter season, especially in a state like Delhi, where the season changes after every few months.

Here are few easy and economic tips to make your home look cozy this festive season. Whether you're relaxing or entertaining, these cozy decorating ideas will create a warm and inviting house this winter. Steal these ultimate ideas to celebrate a super cozy Christmas and new year this season.

• Yellow bulb/ lamps rather than tube lights

Yellow lights rather than tube lights

According to the color psychology, yellow colour is associated with the feeling of warmth. Using yellow lights at home during the winters, tends to give a warm and cozy look than tube light in your room.

• Soft Cushions/ pillows of different sizes

Cushions and cushions

Using soft cushions or pillows on beds and sofa makes you want to snuggle to joy. Using big/small cushions is a great idea to attract everyone.

• Say yes to rugs

layer the floor with beautiful rugs

Use of rugs makes the home look neat and saves you from the cold floor. If you have a light coloured wall, then its better to choose a dark coloured rug and vise versa. Contrasting the colour of rug/carpet with the wall is a great idea to make the house look cozy and beautiful.

In smaller rooms one may use the light coloured rugs to make the room look bigger and for a larger room, like the living room, one may use dark coloured rugs. This will help the home in looking vibrant and neat.

You may use two or multiple layers rugs to keep the room more cozy, if you have a flat on the top floor, as the flats on top floor are colder as compared to other flats on the lower floor.

• Wood accent and pine cones

Wood accents and pine cone for winter look

A room having wooden accent gives a feeling of warmth, comfort and affection. You may choose to use wooden tables, wooden chair or wooden decoration items which will give the house a feeling of 'home sweet home' this winter.

If you are someone who is thinking of buying wallpaper to cover the stains on the wall, then you may choose a wallpaper showing wooden textures which will give you a more cozy looking room.

You may use pine cones as a piece of decoration to make the house look more creative, giving it a winter theme.

• Scented candles

Scented candles

Say a big yes to scented candles this winter. Candles give a very peaceful, cheerful and warm feeling in the winters. You may choose to use different shaped candles in different areas of the house.

Using scented candles like 'lavender', 'hot cocoa' and 'the first snow' in winters, will add on to the theme of the house.

• Cozy nook

Idea of a cozy nook

If you are someone who loves to read novels, then you may place a shelf for your novels in the seating area or beside your bed for a cozy nook.

String lights or lamps, visible from outside the window give a festive and cozy look. You may choose different shaped lamps and different coloured lights in contrast with the wall colour for a cozy nook.

• Layering the bed/furniture

Lots of layering on the bed

Layering the mattress makes the bed cozy. You may choose to layer the mattress with a normal bed sheet, further covered with a warm bed sheet and quilt.

• Heavy drapes

Heavy drapes

Dark coloured drapes or heavy drapes make the house look cozy and warm. Choose the drapes according to the colour of the walls and the furniture to give it a classy look.

Avoid dark coloured drapes if the room is small in size. You may choose pastel coloured drapes for a small size room this will not only make your room look bigger but also cozy and warm.

Follow for more life style, travel and culturally related blog posts.

The Roving Feet

Bhuli art reviving the culture of Uttarakhand

In today's world everyone talks about western culture and practices. Very few people look upon the rich traditional culture, art and practices of India.

Tanya Kotnala (Founder of Bhuli art) and Tanya Singh (Co-founder of Bhuli art) are among those few people who are trying to revive the tradition of art and culture of India, specifically the culture of Uttarakhand. Tanya Kotnala holds a degree in Fashion Design from NIFT, Shillong and Tanya Singh holds double masters in Food and Nutrition and Food Communication from IHM, Pusa India and University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy.

After finishing their education, they have worked in rural clusters of India, in their areas of expertise. This has helped them both to run Bhuli (their enterprise which was established in March 2017) and promote the 3 things they are focusing on, namely art, craft and food of Uttarakhand.

The term Bhuli means younger sister in Garwali (the dialect of Uttarakhand). Bhuli art is promoting the Indian culture by drawing illustrations of the culture, cuisine, flora and fauna, costumes, practices, history and basically everything about Uttarakhand . They also sell these beautiful pieces of art online. Their intagram and facebook page namely Bhuli features beautiful piece of art showing the beauty of India.

They say "Uttarakhand is a state which is not recognized in terms of Arts, Craft and the cuisine. The prime motive to establish Bhuli is to make a platform for the state where its essence can be celebrated and it gets the recognition it deserves."

Here is the glimpse of their work

Bhuli art showing bride of Uttarakhand

Bhuli art showing Himalayan Monal, the bird of Uttarakhand

Bhuli art showing history of Uttarakhand (chipkoo movement)

Bhuli art showing Garwali women preparing the local dish of Uttarakhand 

Bhuli art sharing recipe of the local dish

Bhuli art spreading awareness about flora of Uttarakhand

Bhuli works in two phases;

• Government Collaboration -The government projects help them to outreach remote areas, thereby helping them to get a better insight of the persisting problems in the community. In the past Bhuli, did a 'Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign' where the posters designed by Bhuli were displayed at 19,000 Anganwadi Centers across Uttarakhand. On the occasion of 'International Breastfeeding Awareness Week' these posters were used to educate the caregivers of the children on the importance of breastfeeding.

Currently they are in the process of making the Anganwadi centers of Uttarakhand attractive for kids to make the process of learning fun for them. Every month they go to one of the district of the state and paint an Anganwadi center.

• Self-Initiated Projects Apart from collaboration with the government -Team Bhuli conceptualize creative projects around social causes while promoting flora/fauna, arts and crafts culture of their home state Uttarakhand. Through these self-initiated projects, they try to generate revenue to fuel their future long-term goal that is to upgrade skills, (trying to minimize the effects of Palayan (migration) in rural areas of Uttarakhand) bring development and innovation in existing products trying to make it attractive for the masses.

In their entire journey their family and friends have been supportive throughout, but still they faced two major problems.

Our societies have always been male-dominated and no matter how much the times have progressed, these deep rooted traits always crop up somewhere or the other. A woman exhibiting entrepreneurial prowess is presumed as wanting to take over the role of the male.

Second problem that they face is balancing time between business and family. They say "Guilt of not being able to devote sufficient time to home creeps in sometimes, which negatively effects both, the entrepreneur and the enterprise".

But they have taken up the challenges with open arms and are facing them as they come.

At the end of year, they also plan to celebrate the diversity and culture of India as a whole through their beautiful cultural calendars.

Stay tuned to know more about India's culture, practices, beliefs, tourist places, best hotels, cafe/restaurants, offbeat places and inspirational stories of the people of India.

-The Roving Feet

Looms of Ladakh -A real example of women empowerment

Ladakh is surely a spectacular place to visit and the people of Ladakh are hard-working as they survive there in harsh weather conditions. The primary occupation of the locals is agriculture based on the Indus River for their livelihood. Barley, wheat, buckwheat, peas, rapeseed and beans are the main agricultural products. Apples and apricots are grown in warmer regions of low altitude.

Ladakh's eastern and south-eastern border contiguous with Tibetan Highlands is called Changthang. The communities living here follow their traditional occupation of rearing long-haired goats and sheep to earn their livelihood by trading the wool, which is another primary occupation of the locals.These herdsmen are called Chang-pas. Changthang is also known as the cradle of finest cashmere or pashmina.

Recently it was noticed that the locals started following the trend of migration. The Chang-pas started migrating to Leh and other urban settlements for a better lifestyle. This became a major concern as it might affect their way of life. Another reason for major concern was that the locals living there are sentinels of the border, hence it was important to find a way of keeping the locals motivated to earn their livelihood there itself.

This issue was acknowledged by Looms of Ladakh (launched in July 2016). Through the project Laksal which means 'skills' in Ladakhi language, the project aims to train the unemployed women of these communities to make finished products with resources which are available to them like pasmina, yak, camel, sheep wool. These finished products are hand knitted and hand woven.

The motive behind the project Laksal is to stop the locals who are migrating in search of better livelihood options, by giving the women of the community, an opportunity of forming a women cooperative.

Birth of the idea

On one of his district tours to Chumur, Deputy Commissioner of Leh, G. Prasanna Ramaswamy IAS, noticed the women knitting beautiful garments for their family. This was when this idea stuck him to hone the women’s innate skills along with introducing weaving, so that they make marketable products.

His wife Abhilasha Bahuguna and he had also discussed promoting Pashmina products during courtship when on many of their exhibition visits they were surprised on not finding Changthang Ladakh pashmina sellers when it is the source region. Everybody else was selling Pashmina and everything under the brand name using the cooked up marketing tactic of fabled Pashmina shawl that can pass through a ring when genuine fabric cannot pass through a ring. So they strategized and worked together on Project Laksal to create the brand Looms of Ladakh. Other likeminded and dedicated officers and individuals joined hands to contribute in the success story of Looms of Ladakh Women Cooperative.

With a clear vision in front of them they aimed to establish sustainable Pashmina, Bactrian camel and Yak wool small scale industry with responsible environment impact in Ladakh. This was much needed so that the locals can remarkably benefit from their own ecosystem; this high end raw material comes from.

With their observations over many visits to the place, a comprehensive scheme was laid out.

Looms of Ladakh has tie ups with financial partners and designers who are helping this self help group of women to reach a desired goal. This self help group includes women of eight villages namely Chuchot, Pheyang, Kharnakling, Stok, Chuchul, Merak, Perma and Sato. 150 women are working under an executive body. This is a perfect example of using traditional skills and achieving a sustainable production.

How are they different from other retail entrepreneurs in cashmere, Yak and Sheep wool?

• They don't work for any entrepreneur.
• They are entrepreneurs without schooling.
• They hire management graduate, but they themselves take care of other executive functions.
• They have office bearers like Chief Executive Officers, Cashier and product officers who are not schooled but wise and passionate enough to run the cooperative. These positions are elected every two years. So one who is CEO this year can be a member after two years. Similarly, a member can be elected as a CEO.
• A certain percentage goes to the members and rest is kept for buying raw materials next season and paying bills. Some amount is kept for welfare funds for the members who can get small loans for health and child education only.
• Social audit are also done of the women cooperative to maintain understanding, motivation and transparency among the team.
• They are also working for insurance and other artisan benefits for the members.

They are not just entrepreneurs, but social entrepreneurs. They are not working for an entrepreneur, but they are together entrepreneurs working for themselves.The group of women has not only won hearts of the people with their work, but they have been an inspiration for the world.

-The Roving Feet

The reason behind nose plugs and face tattoo among the women of Apatani tribe of Arunachal

India is a country where each state has its own beliefs, practices/customs and rituals. These traditional rituals and practices usually carry some meaning or logic attached to them.

The traditional practice of nose plug and face tattoos, among the women of the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, also had a hidden reason behind them.

There was once a time when every woman had to wear these bizarre accessories, but since the middle of the 20th century, the custom began to die. According to the Apatani, the practice of nose plug was a way of protecting the women of the tribe. It is believed that the women of Apatani tribe are most beautiful among the Arunachal tribes, so the women of the particular tribe were kidnapped by the neighboring villagers.

To make themselves look unattractive to the other tribes, these women began to wear black nose plugs and tattooing their faces with a horizontal line from the forehead to the tip of the nose, and five lines on their chins. With time this practice became a tradition or practice of the Apatani tribal women.

But the tradition of the Apatani nose plug hasn’t been practiced by any woman born after 1970, and as time passes, this custom will probably soon be forgotten.

The dying practice of nose plug and face tattoo still draws the attention of the tourists to the village.

The traditional practice of tattoo is quite popular in north eastern states of India, but the meaning behind these tattoos differs from tribe to tribe.

Stay tuned for reading more.

-The Roving Feet

Make your own favorite flavored green tea at home instantly and experience its benefits

The month of October and November brings in many infections with the change of season and festivals. The most common health issues that we face during this period are throat infections, cold and cough .

As travelers, we always carry a packet of green tea with us, as change of weather may cause uneasiness sometimes.

Having green tea once or twice a day can not only help you keep away from these infections, but also helps you gain other health benefits. These health benefits are as follows:

1. If you have Type 2 diabetes, green tea can lower the amount of blood sugar spikes you experience.
2. Green tea helps in getting rid of bad cholesterol while keeping the good cholesterol around. Green tea has a compound that blocks cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract and aids in excretion.
3. According to a Swiss study, green tea boosts the memory area of the brain. Regular intake of green tea helps in protecting your brain against two of the most common neurological disorders namely Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
4. Drinking green tea can lower your chance of cavities and other related dental problems. The European Journal of Nutrition even claims drinking one or more cups every day will reduce the risk of losing teeth. Be cautious about adding honey, sugar, and other sweeteners to your green tea, which can quickly reverse these benefits.
5. The drink can reduce not only your body weight but also your body fat percentage and waist circumference. Polyphenols in the green tea increase the rate in which your body transforms food into calories. The catechins generate heat in your body, which burns those calories. Besides breaking down fat and burning calories, green tea boosts your metabolism when combined with caffeine.
6. It not only to prevent hair loss but also promote hair growth. Washing your hair with freshly-brewed yet cooled green tea can reduce dandruff and dry scalp problems. Rinse your hair with water about 10 minutes after using green tea.
7. The polyphenols in green tea work as powerful antioxidants that shield your skin from harmful free radicals. Green tea not only fights against signs of aging but also treats skin ailments and promotes longevity. 
8. Green tea helps repress angiotensin, which is just one cause of high blood pressure. The Archives of Internal Medicine did a study that revealed those who drank green tea, specifically one-half to two and a half cups a day for an entire year, reduced their chance of high blood pressure.
9. Consuming green tea on a regular basis is linked to lowering the chance of osteoporosis and related fractures. The antioxidants in the beverage actually help prevent the loss of bone density and improve bone-building cells.
10. Antioxidants in green tea are so powerful that they can help lower the chance of cancer.

If you want to make your own flavored green tea at home then, follow the steps below:

Things required:

• Green tea leaves which are easily available online or in the market
• 1 cup of water
• one of these flavours : Ginger/mint/ lemongrass/lemon/tulsi
• Honey (if required)

Process

1. Boil one cup of water.
2. Add green tea leaves (1/4th teaspoon for 1 cup) in boiling water
3. Choose and add one of these flavours like Ginger/mint/ lemongrass/lemon/tulsi (add according to your taste)
4. Turn off the flame. You may add 1 teaspoon honey as a sweetener if required.
5. Cover the utensil for 2 minutes
6. Serve the tea

Make sure that you consume 1 to 2 cups of green tea in a day only. Do not consume it empty stomach.

-The Roving Feet