The explosion of digital content creation has swept across the globe, and platforms like YouTube and Instagram have become a focal point for creativity and posting reels and viral content. The trend has turned countless individuals into overnight sensations, and brought them fame and money.

This digital age and the knack for content creation has people from all walks of life. A small village in India named Tulsi has come up as the new craze of being the content creation village or YouTube Village of India.

It is located just over an hour's drive from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, where more than 1,000 of its 4,000 residents actively produce content for the world's most popular video-sharing platform.

How did ‘Tulsi’ become a digital dream?

Tulsi's journey to becoming a hub of digital content creation began in 2016 when two residents, Jai and Gyanendra Shukla, decided to try their hand at creating YouTube videos. Jai, a teacher, and Gyanendra, a former network engineer, had no prior experience in video editing or digital production. "We just wanted to create something fun and post it on YouTube," Gyanendra told the Better India. Despite facing obstacles like copyright issues and technical challenges, the duo went ahead.

In 2018, their dedication paid off with the launch of their YouTube channel, 'Being Chhattisgarhiya'. The channel quickly gained thousands of subscribers, and the creators began earning a steady income. Their success inspired others in the village to join the YouTube bandwagon, and soon Tulsi was accumulated with content creators. Today, it's hard to walk through the village without encountering a film crew shooting everything from dance performances to comedy skits to DIY videos.

What is common among these content creators?

According to Better India, Tulsi's content creators are united by one guiding principle that all their videos must be family-friendly. Their content often includes present day takes on traditional themes, showing festivals and cultural practices. "We want to show the youth how festivals and cultural practices were celebrated in the past, so they can carry these traditions forward," explained Gyanendra.

Content creation in Tulsi is a process that doesn’t depend on an individual alone. Creators share ideas, discuss script, acting, and cinematography, and use the locals at the production level. Most of the early actors were from the village's Ramlila mandlis, but a newer generation of actors has also come up.

How many channels does ‘Tulsi’ have now?

Today, Tulsi boasts around 40 active YouTube channels, many of which are gaining significant attention. Channels like 'Back Benchers Creation' (24,800+ subscribers) and 'Nimga Chhattisgadhiya' (9,200+ subscribers) are popular in the state. Most channels make between Rs 20,000-40,000 a month from YouTube ad revenues, and some creators have also earned contracts for small-scale advertising and product endorsements.

Does the district administration support these villagers?

Identifying the potential of ‘Tulsi’, the Raipur district administration has invested infrastructure and support into its content creators."We are creating state-of-the-art studios and digital environments to help these artists hone their skills and maximize their creative potential," said Sarveshvar Bhure, Raipur District Collector to Money Control. The project involves Hummer Flix, Chhattisgarh's first high-tech studio specifically built for Tulsi's content creators. The administration aims to increase the size of the studio and open an institute for professional training.

Source: The Times of India