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Urvashi
Using a variety of blocks to create just one motif, an artisan’s deft hands illuminates a simple piece of Mulberry silk with delicate floral and geometric motifs. Another crafts-person adds a layer of shimmer to it with intricate mukaish work, and yet another, collaborates with a designer to shape the fabric into feminine cuts. And…
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Maharani
Ring in the festivities with ‘Maharani,’ Jaypore’s newest collection of buttery soft Chanderi separates enlivened with foil-printed motifs, an enchanting sprinkling of khari, and finished with dainty hand-embroidered details, on a canvas of sumptuous shades of mustard, gold, teal, and dusty rose. An opulent ode to the richness of block-printing, each piece is painstakingly crafted…
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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…
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Suhaana
When the searing sun threatens to play spoilsport, nothing is quite as refreshing as a tall, ice-cold beverage, in a sub-zero oasis Jaypore’s newest edit of naturally-dyed, hand-spun, handloom cotton separates are the sartorial equivalent of a cold drink on a hot summer day. Sublime silhouettes, elevated with dainty hand-done zari-crochet and sequin-work promise to…
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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…
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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…
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Maheshwar’s Raksha Bandhan Connection: The Ties That Bind
Raksha Bandhan is conventionally known as the festival commemorating the love between a sister and her brother. Each year this love is renewed and strengthened by a symbolic gesture – the sister ties a piece of thread – a rakhi – on the wrist of her brother. The thread represents the brother’s commitment to protect…
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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…
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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…
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Avacayam – From Temple Flowers to Colors
Holi, the festival synonymous with colors, surges the sales of ‘gulal’, balloons and pichkaris (water guns) being sold at the roadside stalls and markets. While the air is filled with mischief and people are drenching each other…have you ever wondered how these synthetic colors affect our environment? As the awareness grows, more and more people…
Storytellers of Wonder 