“I knew the food cultures of Ukhrul could find a place here.”
— Shirik Chingri, who runs Indigenous Basket, a shop in Bengaluru
From Our Community
These stories have been sourced from a growing network of passionate Locavores from across India. Join us as we gather diverse stories, wade through local markets and farms, experiment with flavours, have conversations with experts from across fields, and get our hands dirty.
“This ensures I get some money every day to light my stove”
“This ensures I get some money every day to light my stove”—Kesar Londhe, Wastepicker, Pune
Gariahat Bajaar’s Shaak Maashis Can Always Predict My Dinner Menu
Golden pumpkin flowers, red roselles, magenta eggplants, and various shades of green everywhere you look. At Kolkata’s Gariahat Bajaar, shaak maashis bring a variety of winter greens foraged from the outskirts of the cit…
Kalpana Padmakar’s aspirations are clear: a bigger hotel serving her fish-based delicacies—“someday”
—Kalpana Padmakar, who runs Koli Katta, a small kitchen serving Koli-style fish, rice, and chapatis.
“There’s a stark difference in how people live here”
—Ram Nivas, who runs a bhelpuri-sevpuri-jhaalmuri stall
“They’ve started dumping cement there. It results in smaller, less meaty oysters that take longer to form”
—Ratna and Alka, Koli fisherwomen, Mumbai
“Being the eldest daughter in my family, I learnt to cook early on”
—Awule Lasuh, who cooks office lunches for 30+ employees
“There is no first aid, or protective gear to stave off such injuries. There are no toilets, no shade”
—Jamuna Khatuwa, a coastal fishworker in Bakkhali, West Bengal
“Every homestay has a cook now. Tourists rarely come to eat here”
—Sushila Panwar, who runs Aunty Ka Dhaba, a roadside eatery and convenience store