SAL: An Open Hidden Community

SAL: An Open Hidden Community

In India, Sal tree has an umbrella-handle-shaped distribution all the way along the base of the Himalayas, curving back from Eastern India, moving to Central India with ending in Chhattisgarh.

Double Standards Of Ageing

The blog navigates the silence around menopause, how women from different class experience it and how it has shaped the author’s perspective on womanhood

Whom Does The Forest Belong To?

Whom Does The Forest Belong To?

All about the game of resources and identities, understanding intersectionality with respect to the reserves of Uttarakhand and the politics around it “Hey, hello, you, who are you? What are you doing here?” A forest guard asked me when I was going around for some...

Of Children And Childhood – What Are They Thinking?

Of Children And Childhood – What Are They Thinking?

Part of how Basic Healthcare Services takes care of the community’s health is through its Phulwaris, the day care centres. In areas that are off route (what is the route anyway? And what makes so many people build houses so far from each other and so far up the hill?)...

Inked In Tradition: The Tattoos Of Bind Community

Inked In Tradition: The Tattoos Of Bind Community

People in India have been using permanent tattoos on the skin for more than a century. Each clan had a distinctive personality frequently characterised by a large size tattoo. There are many social justifications for doing it in these communities. Most people nowadays...

Forty Minutes Of A Monday Morning At A School In Bhuj

Forty Minutes Of A Monday Morning At A School In Bhuj

Waking up by 7:00 AM is my definition of waking up early. The morning follows its motions. A bath to freshen up the body, a book to gently wake up the mind, and a cup of warm tea to bring ease and lubricate all the cogs in me. And with this reawakened self I leave for...

Addressing Mental Health Challenges for Women in India

Addressing Mental Health Challenges for Women in India

Introduction Mental health is as vital as physical health and should be approached with the same openness and comfort. It plays a crucial role in our overall well-being, influencing our thoughts, emotions, choices, and actions. Unfortunately, in India, discussions...

A Year In The Gojri Calendar

Winters are here and at the start of December, all the colorful kambals (coarse woolen blanket or shawl) are out. Days are short and people get done with their dinners early. More cups of steamy tea are consumed while sitting arond the fireplace. During the evenings,...

The Art Of Spinning : My First-Time Experience

The Art Of Spinning : My First-Time Experience

It's a flower. A flower unlike anything you and I have ever seen. Within it something white in colour and made of the thinnest of strands all held together in a ball with strength that's a mere suggestion. You can pull it from one side and it stretches further and...

भोपा और गाड़िया लोहार समुदाय

भोपा और गाड़िया लोहार समुदाय

भोपा समुदाय भोपा समुदाय राजस्थान भारत में लोक देवताओं का गायन करने वाला एक समुदाय है। यह मुख्य रूप से राजस्थान में ही है। भोपा शब्द पुरुषों के लिए प्रयोग करते हैं तथा भोपा स्त्रियों के लिए प्रयोग किया जाता है। भोपा राजस्थान में पाबूजी की फड़ और देवनारायण की फड़ में...

Understanding The Complexitites Of Labelling

Understanding The Complexitites Of Labelling

In a recent group conversation, a colleague lightheartedly asked something along the lines of, “How talkative do you think Adya is?” The other colleague responded with, “Yeh toh expert hai (She is an expert)”.  And I dreaded what I thought would follow next. Because...

Reflections From The Work On Tuberculosis

Reflections From The Work On Tuberculosis

I have been working for 18 months with Innovators In Health (IIH). The organization has been actively working on the ground for over 12 years now. They work to address public health issues like tuberculosis (TB) and maternal health. To understand IIH's work in detail,...

Center For Entrepreneurship Development, Gujarat

Center For Entrepreneurship Development, Gujarat

The Center for Entrepreneurship Development (CED), Gujarat is a government-run organization that aims to promote entrepreneurship in the state of Gujarat, India. In their 12 days of CED training, they focus on providing practical and theoretical knowledge in the field...