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Pichwais of Nathdwara
Legend has it that in 1409 AD, near Govardhan hill in Mathura an image of Lord Shrinathji, the mountain lifting form of Lord Krishna, was discovered while a cow worshiped the lord with offerings of milk. A temple was promptly established at this site and was held in high reverence. In the 17th century, during…
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Treasured Travelogues: India through the eyes of Artists Thomas and Willam Daniell
India has bewitched many an artist who has found such beauty in the landscape and its people that it has prompted them to translate some of the experienced charm onto the canvas. The late 18th century saw an English uncle-nephew duo, Thomas and William Daniell, setting sail to India, arriving in Calcutta in 1786. Upon…
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Shadow and Light.. a little black a little white..
I see a rustic courtyard in dappled light, with thatched roofs, and ageing terracotta figurines… I see a woman in white cottons, with dark eyes and quaint silver rings… I see an old tree dancing, to the tranquil notes of an iktara playing in the background… I see old clay pots, dark with…
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Home Diaries: With Anuradha Varma of MyDreamCanvas
Thrilled to showcase a home tour of the lovingly decorated home of Anuradha Varma, blogger extraordinaire and creator of one of our favorite blogs, My Dream Canvas. For the last 8 years she has gradually and painstakingly built a beautiful abode that reminds her of home ten thousand miles away. Today’s feature not only showcases a fabulous…
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Tale Trails – A hidden haven for booklovers in Ahmedabad
I had read about it. Adjectives like rare, tucked away, quaint, hidden gem etc. can make me visit anything, even a postbox, and this was a full-fledged bookstore. And so it was to be, in the summer of 2013 when I found myself in Ahmedabad, yet again. (It is quickly becoming one of my favourite…
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Textile Narrative: ‘Mata-ni-Pachedi’
Mata, Shakti, Devi – These names evoke vivid images from mythology. The Chitara families of the wandering Waghris tribe of Gujarat visualize Goddess’s many manifestations as hand-painted or block-printed images on textiles, surrounded by stories from myths, epics and folk traditions. ‘Mata-ni-Pachedi’ translates literally to ‘that which enshrines the Goddess’. The historical evidence of this…
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A Divine Glimpse
Etched in my mind are childhood memories of jostling a determined crowd to get a glimpse (jakhi) of Shivji Bawa, better known as Shreenathji, eight times* a day during my trips to Nathdwara, Rajasthan. I grew up in a devout vaishnav family and a yearly visit to this auspicious shrine town was a given. Shrinathji is a form of god Krishna manifest as…
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Madhubani – More Than Just A Picture on the Wall
Originating in Bihar, Madhubani or Mithila paintings were once drawn on walls and doors of homes as a gesture to delight God. As the time progressed, the art graduated to other mediums like cloth, hand-made paper and even canvas. And today, it has become widely popular, owing to its unique designs and rustic look. The figures…
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Heart of Glass – Thewa
I’ve been looking around for some new jewelry. I began thinking about different mediums and started contemplating glass. Glass has the ability to take on the robust colour qualities of gems like emeralds and rubies, yet it is unfortunate that most glass jewelry you can find has a uninspired flea market feel to it. In…
Storytellers of Wonder 