“I knew the food cultures of Ukhrul could find a place here.”
— Shirik Chingri, who runs Indigenous Basket, a shop in Bengaluru
Everyday Locavores
“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
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 in 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
“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
“I hadn’t even driven a car when I began with the tractor”
—Ratish, who pushes and moors fishing boats