Storytellers of Wonder

Category: History

  • The Royal Atelier: Preserving the Legacy of Miniature Paintings in Kishangarh

    Kishangarh is an erstwhile princely state founded by the Jodhpur prince Kishan Singh in 1609. Located at the centre of this now bustling town is the Kishangarh Fort, enveloped by the Phool Mahal Palace and the Gondulav lake beyond. The Fort, built in 1649, is an epitome of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture.…

  • Divine Scroll: Pattachitra Art from Odisha

    Pattachitra is a traditional art form from Odisha that is based on Hindu mythology. The name is derived from Sanskrit word for cloth “patta” and picture “chitra”, denoting cloth-based scroll painting. The art work is specially inspired by Lord Jagannath and the Vaishnava cult and all the colours used are naturally obtained. Since the beginning of the Pattachitra…

  • The Nomad Lyric: Embroidered Textiles from Kashmir’s Gujjar Bakarwal Tribe

    The river Lidder that flows through majestic mountains and meadows near Pahalgam in Kashmir had earlier this year taken on a ferocious form, threatening all life that breeds alongside its banks. But before nature played truant, perhaps in just retaliation against man, a community of nomadic tribesmen began to migrate southwards from their camps at…

  • Mashru Project by Raw Mango: Celebrating A Lost Legacy

    The word ‘mashru’ comes from the Arabic word ‘shari’a’ that means ‘permitted by Islamic law’, an allusion to the prohibition of wearing pure silk fabrics by Muslim men, citing laws in the Quran that restrains luxury in their lifestyle. Mashru is a mixed fabric composed of a smooth silk surface and soft cotton backing, thus making…

  • Resplendent Legacy: The Beloved Patola of Gujarat

    “Padi patole bhat faatey pan phite nahin”, “The design laid down in the patola may wear out, but it shall never fade.” True to this ode to its beauty, a Patola is a coveted silken textile that is believed to have been woven since the 4th century AD. According to historians the weaving was certainly…

  • Re-inventing the Kitchen

    With 40 hour work weeks and a constant demand for performing and producing on the work front, after-work hours are all we’re left with to unwind and relax. Since this time is mostly spent at home, modern homes, especially kitchens, are all about maximizing convenience and eliminating all that cannot afford us that. This is…

  • Bridging the Old and New Worlds: Vintage Textile Collector Mr. A. A. Wazir

    The room is layered with brightly colored phulkaris, rabari embroidered cloths and cowry shell tassels. Among them is seated a man who has spent more than forty years painstakingly building what can easily become a museum collection. At his home in Bhuj in the Kutch region of Gujarat, the septuagenarian Mr. A.A. Wazir has passionately…

  • Silken Threads: Romancing the Lustrous Kanjeevaram Saree

    Distinguished by its wide contrast borders and rich motifs, a traditional Kanchipuram (or Kanjeevaram) saree is a sight to behold. Deriving its name from the town of its birth, a Kanchipuram weave has long been a treasure of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located about 72km from Chennai, Kanchipuram gained eminence during the…

  • Clouds of Color: Imaginative and Vibrant Central Asian Ikat

    References to Central Asia conjure up images of flat, rolling sandy deserts and a vast arid landscape. However, upon closer look it throws up colors so vivid that the eyes are mesmerized by their distinctive beauty. The vibrancy of an Uzbeki ikat robe or wall hangings adorning a carved door does justice to their name.…

  • 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…