Storytellers of Wonder

Category: People of India

  • Second Skin

    She is beauty, she is grace, she is elegant in every step. She is gentle, she breathes passion, she is life in every thread. She is ancient, she is timeless, she turns at each whisper of her name. From time long past, and into the future unseen, she will hold countless stories, within the folds…

  • Healing Melodies

    The difference between life and drama is measured by how quickly life can turn on its head and amaze you. In medieval India, such was the miracle of music, that sometimes, life was stranger than fiction. Legend has it that Tansen, Mughal Emperor Akbar’s court musician was once asked to sing Raga Deepak, and so…

  • Tale Trails: Street-side Sunday Surprise at Daryaganj, Delhi

    When Edward Spenser wrote his epic poem The Faerie Queene celebrating the Tudor Dynasty and Elizabeth I, little could he have imagined that more than 400 years later the monetary worth of his words would be tested by a weighing contraption installed in Delhi. At 0.82 kgs, Spenser’s allegorical masterpiece exchanges hands at Rs. 180.…

  • 5 Unconventional Dos for first time India travelers

    A discerning traveller chooses a travel destination based not just on the location or weather but based on the overall experience. Of course you could be fully satisfied with the fabricated experience courtesy of Thomas Cook but at some point you may question the integrity of it all and wonder aloud, ‘is this the real…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • The Butchered Art of Mirrorwork

    For those familiar with an Indian flea market, the sight of a gypsy woman clad from top to bottom in beefy silver jewelry and a bright, ornate costume is probably not a new one. She may be found hard-selling here wares ranging from heavily embroidered shoulder bags, bedspreads or table runners. There’s truly nothing fascinating…

  • We are Twins.. Almost..!

    When we saw these gorgeous portraits of Indian royalty and these intensely ethnic rooms, we couldn’t help play match! So here you go, on a royal rendezvous, with these perfect sets of twins, well almost..! Whoever says men can’t carry off pink, hasn’t seen this handsome portrait of the Maharaja of Jodhpur yet. And the room’s just…

  • Home Diaries: Rustic Retreat

    Many of us covet a getaway in the lap of nature, where quietude can release all the accumulated stresses of city living. When designer and decor aficionado Viji Jayaraman decided to set up home away from Delhi where she grew up, she wanted to create a space that encompassed all the fabulous ingredients of a…

  • Home Diaries: A Goan Sea-Shell

    We all love homes that are an extension to the owner’s personality, that reflect her passions and weaknesses, homes where conversation flows without words. Jaypore decided to step inside beautiful homes from around the world and bring you the unique aesthetics, decor inspirations and wonderful stories that come together to create a personal space.  …