-
From House To Home In Just A Few Clicks
That yellow ikat rug you brought from Bali, those dhokra dancers a dear friend gifted to you, your mom’s set of silver frames or that planter you just bought on a whim…these are the things that make your home look like a 3D version of you. And its elements change just as you do…a new…
-
Qudsia
Imagine a stunning canvas of orange, green, pink, and yellow, brought to life in silhouettes just right for taking a little twirl, crafted in the most comfortable cotton mul, and elevated with an attention grabbing crinkle-effect, splendidly lined with hints of gota. Jaypore’s freshest edit of kalidar kurtas, churidars and dupattas is the culmination of…
-
Road to Auroville: Why this commune attracts artists
Auroville is best known as a spiritual hotspot that attracts scores of people to its verdant, lush grounds, looking for peace and a meaning to their life. An ideal township, Auroville also attracts creative beings that are looking for a new approach to their life and work. Artists, designers and potters driven by their passion…
-
Matters of the Art: In conversation with gallery owner Anchal Shinde
Shaped by her experiences and driven by her zest for art, curator and gallery owner Anchal Shinde is unapologetic about her views on the current Indian art scene. She studied commercial arts at South Delhi Polytechnic and fed her love for art with courses from the University of Melbourne and the School of Oriental and African Studies…
-
The Grand Old Lady of Kutch: Chandaben Shroff (1933 – 2016)
The driving force behind Shrujan – Chandaben Shroff – passed away on August 23 at the age of 83. Fondly known as Kaki to everyone who had met her, Chandaben was a pioneer in the field of crafts conservation as she began working with artisans much before anyone else. As someone who has lived in…
-
Textile Trails: Museums for the Fabric Lover
A 200-year-old jacket that belonged to a Peshwa minister; a wall made of blocks used for printing; a village like space dedicated to India’s fabric traditions. These might seem like disjointed bits of information but look closer and you’ll find a thread that ties them. These are all pieces of the complicated Indian textile jigsaw. And…
-
Textile Trails: Where The Loom Comes Alive
Did you, like us, not want National Handloom Day to end? Beautiful images of effortlessly draped handwoven sarees, weavers working their magic on the loom and cities steeped in textile traditions made us long for an earthy aesthetic. It also evoked in us severe wanderlust. After all, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Kota, Paithani – all get their…
-
Colors of the Earth: The Allure of Natural Dyes
In 1856, a 14-year old William Henry Perkin invented aniline purple or Mauve, while trying to synthesize Quinine from chemicals derived from coal tar. His little accident created a whole new industry of chemical dyes and put natural dyeing, one of mankind’s great achievements, on the list of endangered arts. Indigo blue, Tyrean purple, Madder…
-
Stitch by stitch
“I must share the story of Tabassum with you. She was one of the most highly-skilled artisans in Lucknow. She had won state-level awards. When we started training her as part of the first batch of the Sangraha project, she was very overwhelmed. She broke down and started crying. She said she wasn’t capable of…
-
Beyond the Red Lehenga: The Indian Bridal Story
The bride in her bright red lehenga has become one of those images used on brochures that explain India in three minutes. Right up there with the Taj Mahal, a tribal woman from Rajasthan, the backwaters of Kerala and the Qutub Minar. Though the lehenga is quite the bridal symbol, India and its many states…
Storytellers of Wonder 