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In a Qila
How Qilasaaz is effecting change in the lives of women artisans of Mahmudabad. The backbone of the erstwhile world of feudal privilege and opulence was always an invisible army of skilled craftsmen/women and artisans. They ensured a splendor and an aesthetic richness that was often breathtaking. Their efforts affected every aspect of life then and…
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Breathe New Life into your Home!
“I believe that trends must have the capacity to stay relevant for a long time; at least a few years, at any rate. Otherwise they are not worth the money and the trouble. Accessories of course, are the exception to the rule because that is the easiest way of updating a space and giving it…
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Jaypore Upcycling Week
What happens to that pretty cotton saree when it thins with wear and washing? Those scraps of fabric that get cut and discarded by the ‘master ji’ during the hand tailoring process or on an automated assembly line? The strips of leather that don’t fit into the design of a chic bag? Most of the…
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Ajrakh Tales – Re-Contextualizing an Age Old Textile on the Contemporary Scene
The elegant symmetry of geometric patterns, the waltz of Indigo & madder dyes, and the minor imperfections that add to its allure… this is what forms the syntax of an ancient craft like Ajrakh. Like a skilled raconteur, the standard 3 meter length of an Ajrakh print tells tales of its invigorating history, the many…
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Re-Worn: Getting a New life
A weaver sits on his loom patiently weaving ‘Khesh’ – a weaving technique that uses new yarn in the warp and strips slashed off old sarees in the weft. The weaver chooses these strips randomly off a pile sitting next to him; the result is a stunning piece of fabric where the colors of the…
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All That Diwali Jazz…
Just in time for that last-minute setting, between dancing flames of the diyas, the colorful rangolis, the fragrance of flowers and incense sticks, sweet sweets, here are décor ideas to give you an instant Diwali celebration swag. So, are you ready for the biggest and the brightest festival of them all? To make your festive…
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Uzbekistan : A Thriving Culture
Uzbekistan is one of the oldest civilized regions of the world. First settled by Iranian nomads, Uzbekistan has been in turns ruled by the Greeks, Turks and Arabs, the much feared Genghis Khan and Taimur; the ancestor of Mughals. By the time Uzbek tribes became powerful in the 15th century, Uzbekistan had already cemented its…
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Sacred Art – From Temples to Homes
India has a long and storied tradition of art, tracing its origin back to pre-historic settlements in the third millennium. Nearly every civilization that has since occupied the sub-continent for any span of time has left an indelible mark on its culture and artistic consciousness. So has every major religion that rose from its soil…
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A Love Affair with Jewelry: Amrapali’s Chandrika Collection
In India, all that glitters, is nearly always jewelry. We can’t have enough of it and it’s not just the wedding and festive seasons that make us hungry for more; we’re in love with our gold, silver, diamonds and precious jewels throughout the year. India’s style lexicon is punctuated with jewelry of every shape and…
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Silken Wildflower by Jaypore
With a wildflower plucked off the roadside, tucked in my hair… Two bare feet up on the dashboard, hands waving through the pleasantly unfamiliar air… Jaypore launches a breezy collection of hand-dyed kaftans, dresses, waistcoats and more in habutai silk, showcasing fun solid-color palettes. This collection also includes hand-block printed stoles in crepe silk and…
Storytellers of Wonder 