Culture Devi

Culture Devi Cultural tours and Heritage Walks in Bastar, Nagaland, Manipur, Pondicherry.

There are multiple varieties of chutneys that people consume in Bastar, one of them is "chapra chutney".Often on social ...
24/05/2026

There are multiple varieties of chutneys that people consume in Bastar, one of them is "chapra chutney".

Often on social media, people refer to it as 'chiti ki chutney' (meaning ant chutney). It is unlike that saying. Chapra is a particular species of ants, often found on trees, and weave nests. It is known as 'weaver ants'. Due to its ferric acid content, it tastes sour.

People in Bastar, make chapra chutneys and pair it with other dishes. Yes, Odisha has the GI tag for this, but the recipe is entirely different. There, it is known as Kai Chutney, and they use mint in it.

In Bastar, the recipe of Chapra Chutney is simple.

Ingredients:
- chapra (Weaver ants)
- ginger
- garlic
- green/dried red chillies
- salt

The tangy chapra chutney is ready.

Share this with someone who would love to taste the tanginess of chapra chutney ❤️

5 things that make Goncha unlike any festival on earth. Most people have never heard of even one of them. 1● 22 idols o...
17/05/2026

5 things that make Goncha unlike any festival on earth. Most people have never heard of even one of them.

1● 22 idols of Lord Jagannath, along with his divine siblings, taken in procession on three chariots, found nowhere else in the world, not even in Puri.

2● A battle where people run through the streets with mock bamboo guns loaded with peng fruit, exclusive to Jagdalpur.

3● A 15-day ritual seclusion of the deity before the festival begins, and the most emotionally charged first-sight ceremony you will ever witness.

4● No barricades. No spectator zone. Pull the chariot rope, step into the Tupki battle, walk with the artisans, Goncha is built for participation, not observation.

5● Goncha is neither purely temple worship nor purely tribal ritual, it is what 600 years of cultural exchange looks like when it goes well. The Jagannath tradition from Puri, transformed by the Dhurwas into something Bastar calls its own.

Swipe through for the full story on each one.

We, at Culture Devi, host a small group to Goncha every June/July. DM us GONCHA and we will send you all the details to join in the tour.


IndiaFestivals HiddenIndia Tupki LordJagannath ExperientialTravel OffbeatIndia Jagdalpur BasarTourism IncredibleIndia FestivalTravel

Shades of the widest waterfall in India, in late January. When the winters bid farewell, the sunlight over the waterfall...
16/05/2026

Shades of the widest waterfall in India, in late January. When the winters bid farewell, the sunlight over the waterfall turns it into a muse for the spectators. Standing there and witnessing the roar of this mighty waterfall is hypnotic at all times.

Presenting Chitrakote Waterfall, Bastar

Over 600 years ago, a king walked from Bastar to Puri, and what he brought back changed this land forever. Goncha Decode...
07/05/2026

Over 600 years ago, a king walked from Bastar to Puri, and what he brought back changed this land forever.
Goncha Decoded #1 - the origin story.

Maharaja Purushottam Deo of the Kakatiya dynasty made a pilgrimage to Jagannath Puri. He offered emeralds to Lord Jagannath. He witnessed the grand chariot procession there. The King of Odisha was so moved with his devotion that he gifted the Maharaja a 16-wheeled wooden chariot and the title Rathadhipati, Lord of Chariots.

The Maharaja returned to Bastar with 360 Aranyak Brahmin families, who carried with them 22 idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. All 22 were consecrated in a single temple in Jagdalpur. Found nowhere else in the world.

Over time, Gundicha became Goncha, shaped by the tribal soul of Bastar. 617 years later, it still happens. Every June/July. The same families. The same temple.

We will take you there. DM us GONCHA and we will send you everything.

Nagaland Hornbill Festival gets a lot of visitors every year. This year, it will celebrate its 27th anniversary. Many co...
06/05/2026

Nagaland Hornbill Festival gets a lot of visitors every year. This year, it will celebrate its 27th anniversary. Many consider it as simply a music festival. But it is more than that.

Hornbill Festival is the occasion when all the tribes of Nagaland gather together at one place to represent and celebrate their culture. Once the people who were headhunters are now teaching the collective spirit of peace to the world.

When you stand in front of the grand stage during the inaugural ceremony, goosebumps will take over, if you listen to the music and the story behind.

Cheers to the spirit of peace and togetherness. Looking forward to host guests this year at Hornbill Festival.

Local aquatic life in Bastar. Often depicted as snake-like fish by the vloggers in their videos, this eel-like fish is k...
20/04/2026

Local aquatic life in Bastar. Often depicted as snake-like fish by the vloggers in their videos, this eel-like fish is known as kochiya/ kuche/kucha. It is very enticing to see it move😅.

Should I share its video?

©CultureDevi

The foundational journey of Culture Devi started in 2021. It has been five years now. Although I registered the business...
19/04/2026

The foundational journey of Culture Devi started in 2021. It has been five years now. Although I registered the business in February 2024, the journey can be a learning for the interested and aspiring ones. 

This particular tour was in April 2021 in which I volunteered as a freelancer to accompany the guest for two days. Now the gig economy is trending, right. Tourism offers the opportunity to work as freelance guides too. But you must know why you are doing, what you are doing. 

Jakob from Denmark visited Bastar earlier with his family in 2020 and in 2021, he was visiting for his work related to the procurement of Sal seeds. 

I had very limited experience in the field in tourism as my earlier work was inside the office. But I always explored places whenever I got a chance to do so. This particular tour gave the kickstart to set foot on the field.

10 years in the tourism sector is going to be completed in September and a lot of untold stories and accounts are there. For someone who wants to learn, please feel free to get in touch. I wish to see more females in the field leading the tourism sector and get support from others.

Apatani women in Ziro are the resilient holders of culture and change makers. Meeting the elders and the younger generat...
09/04/2026

Apatani women in Ziro are the resilient holders of culture and change makers. Meeting the elders and the younger generation, having a conversation with them, and being a part of their festival, opened up windows to understand their perspective.

Strong women, change makers, and the bearers of tradition.

Note - The facial tattooes and the nose plugs were considered as beauty markers in those times.

- Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh

One of the most exciting and unique tours of Culture Devi is under ex*****on in Northeast India. Peter and Annie visited...
04/04/2026

One of the most exciting and unique tours of Culture Devi is under ex*****on in Northeast India. Peter and Annie visited Chhattisgarh last year and were enthusiastic to explore the northeastern parts of our country. So we are on a 28 days Northeast India Festival Tour covering Myoko Festival, Aoleang Festival and Bihu Festival.

We were lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. The photo series show a very special moment, a married sister visiting her maternal home and gifts being exchanged. Daughter of Tapii Rajen's family from Hong village brought rice wine and rice flour as gifts and got pork bacon in exchange as the gifts. We were welcomed in their home to witness this beautiful tradition and were offered delicacies and rice wine. The ritual of welcoming till her farewell was intense and emotional.

When we travel to the villages of Mon in Nagaland, we get a chance to engage with the elderly Konyaks. Some of them are ...
21/02/2026

When we travel to the villages of Mon in Nagaland, we get a chance to engage with the elderly Konyaks. Some of them are the headhunters, the warriors who carry their stories with their existence. Just sitting with them and having a chat will introduce you to a whole world of their times.

Join in Nagaland Aoleang Tour as we take part in the village festivities.

Tour date: 2nd to 7th April 2026

Kudiveeran, the warrior god. Kudiveeran Theyyam is performed for the warrior god, Kudi Veeran, who was a skilled kalari ...
19/02/2026

Kudiveeran, the warrior god. Kudiveeran Theyyam is performed for the warrior god, Kudi Veeran, who was a skilled kalari martial warrior. A deity of power, and strength, Kudi Veeran.

Courtesy - Susheel Marcus

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House No/972, Tetarkuti, Geedam Road
Jagdalpur
494001

Telephone

+918770665005

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