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A photograph is never taken, it is always given.
Steve McCurry
HUMANSCAPES
PORTRAITS OF THE EARTH
THE TRIBAL TASTE
A Project with TATA-Steel CSR, Jamshedpur
In December 2021, I was chosen aboard a three-month project with TATA-Steel CSR as a researcher and writer for their book and series of short films.
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Our team's expedition started from Assam, traversed through Jharkhand, and ended in Telangana. We explored the indigenous cuisine and culture of the tribes in all three states, covering 6 major tribes - the Bodo and Rabha tribe in Assam, the Oraon, the Santhal and the Ho tribe in Jharkhand, and the Koya tribe in Telangana/Andhra Pradesh.
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The book written became a treasury of tribal recipes from the eastern tribal belt of India. Infused with these recipes are the aspirations, anecdotes, legends, and histories of the tribes. I worked as a Chief Co-Writer on the book, titled Re-Orthodoxed, which is yet to be published by TATA.
The short episodic films delve into the mosaic of indigenous culture - from music and medicine to rituals and religion - all in the background of the rich culinary practices of the tribes. We documented the process of making traditional dishes (some delicacies include silkworms, snails, laddoos, millet porridge) which became a mirror into their very identity. I worked as a scriptwriter on the films. The series is yet to be released by TATA.
