Celebrations Decor - An Indian Decor blog

An Evening at Sarkhej Roja,Ahmedabad

2012-01-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

Sarkhej Roza was the home of the spiritual leader of Sultan Ahmed Shah named Ahmed Kattu Gang Baksh, who was a Muslim religious leader. It contains a cluster of monuments, the origin of which can be dated back to the times of Mughal rule in Ahmedabad.Read more here

Sarkhej Roza,the most tranquil spaces I have ever come across and I think I could visit it umpteen number of times.The inner most mausoleum forms the wonderful realm of architecture within the Roza.Its truly a sacred world.The architecture is mesmerizing. It is a platform where three distinctive worlds coexist, namely royal, religious and social. The palaces and tombs form part of the royal world, the mosque constitutes the religious realm and the tanks and pavilions have given rise to the social world. The carved stone grills create an atmosphere of tranquility, thereby serving as a great retreat for people seeking peace. Our Driver Johnny was the one who guided us in time at the Roza.When we reached there the sun had started its descend and the atmosphere was bathed in the golden light.What more could we ask for?

"Adhan" the call for Prayer,could be heard from the loudspeakers there .People rushing for prayers,some of them relaxing under the neem tree,some enjoying the breeze,some involved in gossip sessions.There weren't much people there at this time of the year.The reflection of light created beautiful impressions as we rushed from buildings to buildings. The play of lights is wonderful and slow and gradually it envelopes the place.Indeed a blessing to be there.We even got permission to see the backside of the tank.

Adhan and the play of light and then you enter the mosque the most sacred among all ,and thats a space on its own ,helping us to see the ultimate goal,The god,the Allah as they say..As we entered ,it was filled with prayers the Namaz,a very simple,faithful and mindless exercise.It filled our mind..We could hear the voice of God in ones soul.It was one of the days when I felt in peace with myself and the surroundings.

as we enter the map of Sarkhej Roja

The Lattice work

sun sets and the wonderful play starts

the shadows grew and grew and they ...

they enveloped the place where we sat

the mood,the sanctity of the environment made us bow down to god

noticing that each work is stark different from the other

shadows and shadows

its greener on the other side,as i panned

beautiful and exquisite

the serenity

as we entered

hear the inner voice,prayers filled the space

as we walked

please take note

inshah allah!

as we walked past the corridors,the old photographs,jaalis and shadows

a meeting room

the great tank,usually where bazzars are there during festival time

light awashed buildings

the tank from the mosque area

wonderful for summers,resembled hindu architecture alot

the tank in its entirety

used to get filled with water

sat here and remembered and rethinked a lot of together times..

Images :Lakshmi Arvind
Pl do not copy nor steal images

Kalamkari of Gujarat/Mata ni Pachedi

2012-01-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

India has a rich textile tradition,no doubt and the artist has developed several mediums to express his imagination on to the canvas in many ways.Religious textiles portray the Indian culture to a great extent.Gujarat also has a Kalam kari art of its own and its called Mata ni Pachedi. `Having read about Mata ni Pachedi,before the trip,I was very sure that I wanted to see an artist who does this art,visit him and learn .Our driver Johnny knew each art of gujarat in detail and he took us through some very narrow gulleys in the main town of Ahmedabad to show the artist at work.

This Religious textile Art is done in a cream coloured cloth.They are hangings painted with iconographic representation of gods and goddesses.They usually form the backdrop behind Goddess Durga in temples .If the devotees wishes come true they offer it to the lord.During the festival season this art work is in demand in villages .In earlier times,the whole work used to be done by hand.Now they have blocks available.the sides of the cloth is decorated using blockprints and then the inside is handmade.

I think its now getting evolved from religious purposes to objects of decoration.

the representation of goddess Durga at the artists work place

his fathers photograph

the photographs of all gods at the artists workplace

Goddess Durga

Depicting Ramayana

another form of Goddess

Goddess Saraswathi devi

In the chariot

Blockprints

artist at work,black colour is coal mixed in oil and kept in tins for days

glory of the Raja

my enthusiastic daughter even captured a video of his work

a glance at his two room house,the kitchen where the vessels are arranged on shelves

Images and Ideas:Lakshmi Arvind
Pl do not steal the images.

"Agashiye",House of MG,Ahmedabad

2012-01-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

We were at "Agashiye", the little restaurant within the heritage hotel, "The House of Mangaldas", for an authentic Gujarati meal.Each meal was a treat to the eyes and a feast for us.They were an array of Gujarati delicacies like the meetha dal,pakoda,tamarind chutney,poori,parota,shrikhand,achar and khichadi too .The last day we were about to leave they even gave us complimentary sweets,coz of the everyday visits there and there were complimentary coupons also everytime we went for the next visit..The food was enjoyable,lipsmacking and the decor was so homely and heavenly..I think this is the first time i featured something like this.

My daughter the 7 year old still says of going back ..

as we walked through the fragrant corridors

walk past a lovely sunlit courtyard

the lovely stone path

urulis and flowers floating

black and white photographs on every walls you walk past,the bamboo shade with holes on the tube lights

the seating outside agashiye

outside agashiye

stone uruli

of blockprints and patch works

the coloured windows

the plate set on the table

loved the light,that fell on the juice

loved the concept of dried leaf on a clay plate and salad on it

the Gujarathi thali..

the amazing homely icecream,they had so many flavours each particuarly for a day

Images Lakshmi Arvind

"Arts Reverie",Dhal ni Pol,Ahmedabad

2012-01-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

The trip to Ahmedabad happened just like that. Its true that it has charmed us more than any other city, wanting us to visit more..Why not a trip to Ahmedabad? After many rounds of discussion, the tickets got booked. We already had some idea of where to stay :)-, even years before I started this blog. I always wanted to stay in a pol, experience it the way it is and having read a lot about the charming Haveli,"Arts Reverie" long back we were almost sure where we wanted to stay. Arts Reverie, is set in Dhal Ni Pol, one of the several pols that line the walled city. It once belonged to a Jain jeweller, but has been bought by Ahmedabad-based author and art critic, Anupa Mehta, and Jeremy Theophilus and Barney Hare Duke, who head A Fine Line Cultural Practice, based in the United Kingdom.

A big thanks to Anupa Mehta .

I had already been warned that there are no Taxis plying in Ahmedabad and to take autorickshaws as it is a stones throw from the Railway station. We barely managed to squeeza the auto in between the streets in Dhal ni Pol and reached the two storied haveli with green and blue windows carved pillars, wall frescoes. It is the only building in the pol with a large white sculpture of two warriors perched on their horses, strategically located on the roof, an emblem of the power that the jeweller’s family once wielded. The wood frescoes and brackets on the façade walls and the courtyard, a meeting space for the family were all found in this haveli also as the other houses in the pol.

The Plumerias kissing the white walls drawn in black ink welcomes us warmly into the Haveli. A lovely intricate painting on the walls greets you in. From the courtyard, at one end is the pooja room, there is the wooden staircase with a trap door, which has to be pushed open to enter the first level. Then there is the functional lounge/the dining hall, a veranda converted into a common meeting space. A white wall with a niche with a jewelled pattern of an elaborate neckpiece, drawn by an American artist as soon as we enter the lounge. An old almirah forms the backdrop for a small library filled with books on art, travel and architecture. The furniture is basic—a long table accompanied by wooden stools, topped by cushions. This is where you have dinner, read a book or watch television. The inward-looking haveli has three floors.

On the ground level are the office and the kitchen. The first floor has three rooms, and the second holds a mosaic-floored terrace, another bedroom and an exhibition space for artists. The bathroom, a large all-white space, is common to all the rooms. Well-ventilated, the haveli has 25 windows, some opening to the courtyard and others, to the road outside. Our room was the only double room with more paintings on the walls, a big double bed and a wall full of old books. Every minute thing lined to heritage can be seen here, the jharokhas, the windows, the old patterened mosaics, the furniture, the old cupboards, there is an array of patterns on floors and in each section you see a different pattern.

Arts Reverie is an ‘art residency’—a retreat for artists, art critics, filmmakers and writers, where they can stay for weeks or months. One of the rooms is also rented out to the not-so-creatively inclined. You have a freeWi Fi environment and breakfast complimentary.

the first look from the streets

the blue the green and the white windows

Arts Reverie,loved the fonts used,how artistic

on to the left as we enter plumeria kisses the hand drawn walls

the first step and we see the small pooja room

the look up from the courtyard

greens hanging against the windows,an enchanting sight as light passes through

the roses and their fragrance as we pass the courtyard

as you look back into the courtyard from the steps

the trap door

walls painted in aburnished red with alovely mirror and an old chair

a lovely niche as we pass through the corridor leading to the lounge

another niche

eyes get glued onto the old handle of the cupboard

small chairs fixed with a lovely material that matches the flooring

the lovely long table with the huge almirah kept at the side to it

inside our room, the walls are hand drawn

paintings made by artists hang on walls

lovely candle holders kept onto the side and dont forget to check the flooring

as we go up the stairs,the walls are hand drawn

a corridor leading to the two one bedrooms and check the flooring

was so happy to see the Father of the Nation in a lovely niche

As it was time for us to leave, Anupa Mehta, The "Festival Director" handed us the brochures of Ahmedabad International Arts Festival. The brochures which were designed in Dark pink and white and as we have a last look on the windows, we see their colours changed to pink and white..How artistic? I loved everything, the homely feel, the colours, the artistic mind of the people behind this...how beautiful, isnt it?

As we look back, we see the windows changed to pink and white...

Colours keep changing and so our travels, as we travel, we see more colours and get enchanted and charmed. I do hope to keep you all charmed the way we do as we see a lot more India together.

All Images and ideas By Lakshmi Arvind
pl ask before using the images, do not copy nor steal.

Mangaldas ni Haveli,Cafe and craft Centre

2012-01-09T00:08:00.000-08:00

A trip to Ahmedabad three months back and still I sit for long hours in front of these charming images. The restoration of old monuments, havelis, heritage walks are all a part and parcel of Ahmedabad. With a 7 month old baby it was difficult for us to go for heritage walks, so we took an Autorickshaw. The best way to see the city is in an autorickshaw driven by the loving "Mohammed Bhai". Is there any tourist who comes to Ahmedabad who doesn't know Mohammed bhai..? Mohammed Ghulam Ahmed, a man trained by the Ahmedabad Heritage Committee. Want to know everything there is to the walled city’s heritage? Mohammed Bhai will tell you when and who built a particular mosque or temple, and just what is so special about it. Mohammed Bhai knows more than Ahmedabad’s history or its architectural gems. Very few havelis allowed us inside and one such haveli is the Mangaldas ni Haveli. As in all other Havelis, this one also has a courtyard, frescoes and brackets and so on..

Mangaldas ni Haveli is located in the heart of the historic walled city of Ahmedabad. It is estimated to be over 200 years old and it originally belonged to a Nagar Brahmin family (Brahmins were considered the highest amongst all castes in India). It is one of the finest examples of carved wooden architecture typical of that time. It was bought by the Mangaldas family in 2006 and has since been restored. It now houses a café and a Learning Centre and is accessible by a shuttle service from The House of MG.

was glad the old switches were retained

the door detailing

the courtyard, the airy one

balls and hearts were found tied and they were dancing to the tune of wind

the way up

the doors also had these lotus representations

the windows,huge and large

the cafe centre which is closed now

motifs on the terrace

lovely lotus motifs on the walls,signature of house of MG

loved this one on the parapet lining

the old world feel

steps to keep the pots..

Still charmed and very charmed and will keep on posting about Ahmedabad..We have travelled to many cities and no city has charmed us so much as this city keeps us haunting for more....

Images and Ideas:Lakshmi Arvind

"Memories of my pol in Old Ahmedabad"

2012-01-05T00:27:00.000-08:00

Have you all heard about a book on pols which has been being brought out for children. The book is about life in the pols and uses a unique combination of sketches, old sepia family photographs of families living in the pols and an insight into unusual aspects of living in this unique community setting. The book "Memories of my Pol in old Ahmedabad' was unveiled on April 18, 2009 on World heritage Day.

"The book is being brought out by Cruta Foundation and City Heritage Collection, for Ahmedabad heritage cell.This book is an attempt to unveil to the new generation, the charm of old Ahmedabad through the childhood memories of those who grew up there. It's also an effort to instil interest in its preservation and continuity. Images are from the book which was found online.

The story is told by Pratima:Listen to her as she tells you about her story and memories...the good old ones. The most striking feature of the children's book is that the story is narrated by a little girl, who has been brought up in the pols and explains to readers the lifestyle there. The girl, Pratima Mehta is now 75. Pratima takes its readers around Desai-ni-pol in Khadia, literally. From parrots, the community chowk, otlo' where women discuss their social problems to unique wall paintings called ghokhlas' and the soothing experience of listening to chants from nearby temples and rushing for evening aartis'.

Pratima, however, does not miss out sleeping on the agashi' the rooftop of her house during night when while staring away at an elaborate sky and the twinkling stars puts you to sleep.

She talks about the unique architecture of houses in the pols, where the central courtyard ensures that temperatures within the house remain cooler unlike houses in the present times.

This painting by Amit Ambalal alludes to the legend of Sultan Ahmed Shah of Gujarat (late-14th – early-15thc.). Hunting on the banks of the Sabarmati, he was amazed to see a hare chasing a hound. Convinced that such a place must possess some miraculous quality, he set up on the site a new city – Ahmedabad – to which he shifted his capital from Patan in North Gujarat.

This is Pratima from the Mehta Family.

You approach the main door through a notlo a kind of small, raised porch. On either side of the main door is a gokhlo–an ornamented niche in the wall. In the old days diyas – oil lamps –would be placed in these gokhlas to light.


		.

My brother Priyadarshan and I grew up in this house. Ours was a large family – our parents Bhimbhai and Chandravatiben; uncle and aunt Kanubhai and Hiraben; our Dadaji (grandfather) Dahyabhai; and many aunts and cousins. Dadaji was a lawyer, and Diwan (Chief Minister) of some of the princely states that existed in India before independence. He built this house when our father was born. We had two grandmothers. The elder of them had no children. It was she who supervised the construction of this 21-room house. A pencil sketch of nine-year old Pratima by the famous artist, the late Rasiklal Parikh(1910-1982) dated 11th february, 1944.

Inside the house is a big chowk (courtyard). The chowk had a display of brass utensils, and the doors leading from it into the rooms were decorated with rich torans (hangings across the top of the door frame) of glass beads. We spent most of our time in the chowk. There was a hinchko (swing). After lunch, when the elders retired for their siesta, I would happily sit on it. In a corner of the chowk was a small, octagonal well-like structure, covered by a heavy, dome-shaped copper lid with a big handle. This was the opening for lifting water from the tanku – a large underground tank which collected rainwater from the roof. After the first few showers had washed the whole roof clean, no one was allowed on it. The tanku was our main source of water through the year.

Even in Ahmedabad’s hot summer, it was comfortable inside the house. Cool air flowed through the front window into the house, taking the warm air up and out through the chowk. This cooled the entire house. Our living quarters were on the first floor. The second floor had bedrooms, and in summer the agashi (rooftop terrace) was a pleasant place to sleep under the starry sky. We could hear the bells and the chants of shlokas and aarati from temples on both sides of our house. Opposite us was a girls’ school, from which the soothing sounds of morning prayers floated across.

On the first floor the diwankhand – the large hall where guests were received. Here Dadaji used to meet distinguished visitors. One of them was Swami Vivekananda. During the freedom struggle many famous national leaders, such as Gandhiji, visited our house. Our elder grandmother, Jadavba, used to sit on the otlo in the evening and women from the pol would come to discuss with her their personal and social problems, seeking solutions. Our younger grandmother Savita Gouri was a pious woman whose life revolved around prayer and ritual and seeing to the needs of holy personages.

There were lots of birds – pigeons, sparrows and green parrots with bright red beaks. They lived in specially built gokhlas in the walls and ate from the chabutro in the pol. We fed the birds and kept water for them to drink. There was a chokthu (openspace) in front of the nearby haveli of Sir Chinubhai Baronet, grandson of Shri Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, founder of Ahmedabad’s first textile mill and the first President of the Ahmedabad Municipality. Many leading Indian cricketers also stayed there as guests.

the cows in the pols are also fed by the people in the house

Hope this would make for an interesting read...

Image courtesy and Text Courtesy:here

The Old World Charm: the Pols of Ahmedabad

2012-01-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

Time has bestowed beauty to the pol architecture of Gujarat, making it an ornament of world architecture. The 21st century, the century of urbanisation, aims to achieve the goal of harmonious cities by focusing on developing harmonious relations between the spatial, the social and the environmental aspects of the cities.

Having read so much about the pols, we wanted to imbibe the essence of the old city in all its means, we stayed in a place in one of the pols, and we spent time loving the old city. I loved the close knit environment, the colourful doors and the loving people behind them. Ahmedabad to me is just a melting pot of cultures, religion and traditions. In this, the rapidly developing new Ahmedabad has a lot to learn from the heritage of the walled town. Without proper knowledge of the pols, our knowledge of Ahmedabad is incomplete. These pols are the real identity of Ahmedabad. The word ‘Pol’ conjures up an image of an old world charm and a series of innovations in sustainable architecture dovetailed into the built form. ‘Pol’ architecture is an interesting evolution in urban living space.

The pols of old Ahmedabad are old residential areas dating back to 1714. The word 'Pol' is derived from a Sanskrit word 'Pratoli' . The 'Pols' were known as 'Pada' in the Solanki period. It is said that when Sultan Ahmed Shah found the city, he stayed in the pol in the beginning. This pol was known as 'Mahurat Pol', which is now in Manekchowk. The construction of new pols continued and even increased during - Maratha Rule. Many pols were constructed during the years 1760 to 1818.

The city has many big and small pols ranging from six house pol (Ghar-ni-Pol) to pols having about 3,000 houses (a big settlement). The biggest pol of Ahmedabad is known as Mandavi-ni-pol. At present, there are about 60,000 houses in 600 pols of Ahmedabad. Reflecting the rich cultural ethos of Gujarat, pols have their geographical origins in the north of Gujarat. Known as "padas" in the north Gujarat towns like Patan, pols are a key to the understanding of what is called the settlement pattern of Gujarat. Originally, people of the same caste or social group would live together in a "khadki" and a group of "khadkis" would make a pol. During the Muslim period, the residential areas meant for the high officials of Ahmedabad were called "puras". Each pura would have many pols lived in by people who were attracted by the opportunities that the city had to offer.

They are honeycomb like community dwellings enclosed by a wall and protected by huge gates. There are about 360 pols in the old city of Ahmedabad alone. Many of these pols have colourful names, reflecting the richness of Gujarati language. These densely packed clusters of rows upon rows of houses, joined by labyrinthine streets are where thousands of years old Indian architectural traditions continue to live. These pols are an exuberant riot of beautiful wooden facades, lovely wooden brackets, lovingly carved fenestrated windows, magical balconies,otlas, carved wooden chabutaras (bird feeders) for feeding pigeons, khadkis and chowks, a main street with crooked lanes branching on either side, secret entrances, walls and gates which were barred at night, temple, playing areas, sculptured wooden doors, windows, beams, pillars and balconies. The central open space is known as the chowk and the rest of the zones are built around it.

More about the peeling paint, open windows, closed doors, coloured facades in the next few posts..

All images Lakshmi Arvind. Text courtesy here, here, here and here.

Wishing a very Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T23:42:00.000-08:00

Wishing all my readers a fabulous New Year and a Wonderful year ahead.

I have lots and lots and lots of stories and gorgeous pictures to share with you all.I kept on thinking ,i will blog it when i get enough and ample time to think and weave a story out of it and never ever got the time,and sometimes thought let the blog site be revamped ,a new look that's needed here,a New Year and never did i get enough time to do all these things in a row.Some among the wonderful trips that we made last year were to the Shekhawati region,in Rajasthan and then another to the lovely state of Gujarat,where we thought within our timeline we would cover Kutch also,but alas the time was not enough and we perched on to see the entire Ahmedabad in its glory..When searching through the pictures,it becomes immensely diffcult due to the zillion images taken during these trips.But I have troubled myself and searched the better among them and here I am in this month sharing the travel pictures and stories each day..Hope you will enjoy them immensley..

Images :Lakshmi Arvind

Missing you..

2011-12-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

A post different from the usual.I am deeply sad and shocked by the sudden death of Bharati Chadha of ETHAAN. The first time I saw her was at a winter dastakar in 2009.From then on she remained friends with me ,a very natural person as she is ,very gentle always and an eversmiling face.I still have the mail in my inbox which says she missed seeing me the last Dastakar............I am still looking at the mail with tears in my eyes.My love and support to Ritu in continuing the effort of craft work.

I am praying for her and for her family,god be with them.

Prop up your home this festive season! (26th-31st Dec)

2011-12-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

Another contest to let your creativity go free from GoodHomes.

Please see the following 5 decorative items!

Use any of these items to create your own theme decor at home and upload the picture on the GoodHomes facebook wall! GoodHomes gives you a chance to experiment this party season!

Let the creativity kick in! This is the last contest of 2011 !

The best idea will win goodies from GoodHomes!

P.S. - Looking for some inspiration? Check out these videos by GoodHomes!

Click to see -
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=293686280673239
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=287941917914342
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2683905186923

Christmas cheer and loads of wishes

2011-12-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

Splashes of red and green make my Christmas world.The bit of the mood at home.My daughter decorated the tree and i kept telling her the stories of red and green colours of Christmas.The dark lustrous green leaves and the red ,shiny ,luscious berries of christmas season.The evergreens in winter and the fairies that live with them I couldn't help but keep adding the ideas that inspired me this Christmas,those last minute simple festive decor touches.Simple pieces mixed with bright colours make wonderful Christmas Decor.

All images and content Lakshmi Arvind.

Brighten your Christmas Corner Contest (20-25 Dec)

2011-12-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

Do you Decorate every corner of your Home?
Some of us make the mistake of ignoring small areas or corners when it comes to decor!

Lets learn something new this December - Watch this video by Ronitaa Italia-Dhanu, the Editor of GoodHomes magazine as she shares with you exclusive Christmas decor tips! Decorate a corner of your home & share it with us!

The best decorated Corner will win Goodies from GoodHomes!

Video Link - http://on.fb.me/DecorVideo

Note Link - http://on.fb.me/ChritmasCornerContest

A Christmas Home

2011-12-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas will be here in a few days. I hope everybody are probabaly well on your way completing the list of all your yearly traditions.Some old pine ones and some colourful patch work sheets just surprised my senses with the home coming of christmas.I really dont think I can run away from the true traditional colours of christmas the red and green..The subtle December light shines in all corners of my home ,leaving me with shadows that chase my life away..

Old pine cones collected,bunched and hung at various corners,a corner of my bench

...

a wiping cloth converted cushion cover

pine cones on the centre table

the light the subtle one...mmm

christmasy covers..

christmasy sheets on the bench

Image courtesy:Lakshmi Arvind
pl do not copy nor steal images

A Celebration of Fabric and Ornament

2011-12-14T22:48:00.000-08:00

The LakeSide Studio as it called lovingly named Tharangini, tucked away in a green oasis in the heart of Bangalore city is a centre for the human exploration of creativity.If not for an invite for the exhibition of Fabric and Ornaments I would never have known them.Rediscover the rich heritage by learning all traditional folk arts.They have artists teachers who are skilled master craftsmen .Find inspiration by the lake and our wise old trees as you begin to discover balance and harmony through art

Tharangini has a Jewelry project design studio that celebrates the culture and tradition of ornament and a Textile Arts Center that custom new stories in fabric using age-old techniques of handblock printing, shibori, batik, pattern dyeing and the like to create one-of-a-kind fabrics and saris, made specially on order

Jewellery craftsmen have inherited skill sets through years of patience and practice and our designers bring in a current perspective.Made in natural materials of gold and silver with natural precious coloured gemstones, they are conscious of this planet and recycle metal and revive old metal techniques.Frejya Laxmi is our commisioned or bespoke line that is craft intensive encomapassing all aspects of jewelry in relation to life.

Textile Master crafstmen bring decades of experience to a customized design process, deriving from a play of colour and imagination!Being one of the city's oldest block printing studio, we continue to build interesting bridges between the old and the new.

Inaddition to this they have Dasara melas,Shibori workshops ,blockprinting workshops,workshops for children where they are introduced to the traditional art forms,mask making,festive story telling and sessions in charcoal drawing and photography too.

Tharangini, Bangalore's premiere Handblock Printing Studio since 1977, is pleased to invite you to

A Celebration of Style in Fabric and Ornament...

Presented by The Jewelry Project & 2Up 2Down

at Tharangini, Dec 15-17th, 11am to 7pm

For details: Eesha 9731728946, Deepti 9845033445

The Jewelry Project by Deepti Sudhindra & Eesha Zaveri

Housed at Tharangini, The Jewelry Project, a nature design studio that makes commission jewelry, handmade by master craftsmen.

They showcased at design dialogues in jewelry, with the worlds's craft council and unesco ,

at the fashion week, both in delhi and was shortlisted by the british council for young creative

entreprenuer of the year, for their work in addressing the grammar of ornament in metalsmithing

to create a new vocabulary in indian jewelry.

the collection has a vast range this year. vintage styled jewelry in flat diamonds, authentic antique jewelry in old silver, sourced from across the country and rare, a fashion collaboration collection with smallshop, (featured in vogue),the revival and sustainable project of handcraft skills in the filigree project, an exploration of the paisley and lotus in metal, very colourful and bright charm jewelry and our inhouse design team collections

2Up 2Down by Namrata Shah

2up2down represents exquisite range of hand-crafted textiles in shiboris, block prints and luxurious hand-wovens. her inspired work was featured at the Asia house fair,London 2011.

She was awarded the 'Young Creative Entrepreneur Award 2009', India- British Council and

featured on young turk CNBC TV-18, 2010

Namrata's exquisite work can be found various designer stores like Cinnamon, Melange, Anonym etc..

Image courtesy:Tharangini,Jwellery design studio,2up2Down

Go Green

2011-12-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

Go Green a wonderful concept introduced by Good homes.They have a lot of inspirations this Christmas.Take inspiration and Go Green in your home.Contests and Contests this Christmas in association with Good Homes.Share a picture of Green Christmas Decor setting in your home here

Image courtesy:Good Homes.

Bits of Christmas here and there....

2011-12-08T05:13:00.001-08:00

The Christmas men have arrived and so is the Snowman....Silpa ,my dear friend shares the Sunday afternoon pleasure they had at home...Some easy Do it yourself with thermocol,eggs ,red felt cloth and cotton...the bits of christmas here and there...

Image courtesy:Silpa Harish

Christmas Decorations

2011-12-07T10:31:00.001-08:00

Swati Seth of Color Caravan shares an easy DIY for Christmas tree craft.Use old bulbs,paints,liners,glitters,jute strings and do it yourself...So easy and so colourful.Reuse and recycle and ecofriendly too...A must try...

Image courtesy:Swati Seth

the Loaded Trunk-

2011-12-06T02:38:00.001-08:00

Founded in 2009 and privately owned by Roni Jaco of Kansas City, Missouri, The Loaded Trunk is an online global boutique conceived from a passion for shopping, traveling and entertaining. Find art objects, artifacts, textiles and other beautiful objects from the U.S., Indonesia, Turkey, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Guatemala and other remote or exotic locations around the world.I was amazed at the Indian Artefacts Roni collected and is their on shelves waiting for its customers..

Roni makes it a point to delve in to the unique beauty and awe at the heart of each of her extraordinary destinations. She has a natural eye for art and design, along with a true talent for bringing warmth and beauty into the home.Roni collaborates with her established network of global artisans in the U.S. and abroad to assemble an online catalog of products meant to be both admired and used.Please do check out for the uncommonly cool items that can create a warm and uniquely beautiful atmosphere.

I couldn't get more inspired today...Its now that I am slowly getting back to the routine of more and more posts...get inpired and shop..

lovely ikats

burmese nats

silvery glasses and silver adornments

vintage prints of gods and godesses

lovely turkish bowls

antique silver colander

amazing range of pottery

lovely kantha spreads.

brass etched spoons

miniature paintings

jewellery boxes

feather bowls

small beaten bowls for floating candles

beautiful hand sttiched bags

lovely pillows form thailand

lovely textiles from the world

All Images and Information courtesy:the Loaded Trunk

Porcelain Clay Molding Workshop

2011-12-05T21:57:00.001-08:00

Delhi based Ceramic Artist Tanuja Jain,promulgates art as a part of everyday life.Tauja's creations range from tableware to jewellery all glazed and fired up, bent and twisted into different, funky shapes that can be used as is or displayed as standalone pieces in your living room.She is deeply inspired by the Art Nouveau tradition that is popular in France and Spain. Art Nouveau stands for New Art in French and is an approach where art can be part of everyday life.She uses different techniques like Raku,where the object is removed from the kiln when it is at the highest temperature and crazing ,when it is given an instant cooling.So many other glaze methods are used by her.

Its now time you learnt from her,so why wait,

Learn to create stunning porcelain objects of nature at Tanuja Jain's 12 hour/2 day workshop.The subject for the class will be "objects of nature".So you can choose from what you want to create-flowers,leaves,stems and much more.All the tools and raw material ,including premium porcelain clay imported from china,will be provided by the teacher.This class is ideal for beginners and amteur ceramists

Read more about the classes here and visit her profile here

Image and Information courtesy:here,here,here

Take a Deep Breath !

2011-12-03T00:36:00.001-08:00

Take a deep breath and they are gorgeous.Its winter time and i am sure you will love rugs as much as I love.The bright winter rugs will spruce up any interior.

The world of beautiful decor and its my pleasure to have shared with you all.There's so much of design inspiration and beautiful photography out in this world.Enjoy all the world of inspiration with me.

that rug and the table

blues blew my mind

rug on the wall

squiggle orange rug from the rug company

pallet sofa and that rug

that rug,the room design is by Liz Caan.
So happy to have found this day bed on one of my travels.its yet not reached our home

colours

chic style

look at who is sleeping!

love this ,the red

blue silk

simplicity of the jaipur dhurrie

love this room

I am in love,truly

this cosiness..

i cannot dream for more

here,here,here,here,here,Vogue,here,here,here,here,here,here,here

Weekend Window Shopping

2011-11-27T07:54:00.001-08:00

A lazy Sunday and some weekend shopping. Online stores like Shopo, Afday and Unwrap India gives you a wide range of options to chose from. Each shop has their clear presence felt in the market with their style of personality. Treating myself to something nice at the shops left me with a positive impact on mood.

Shopo doesn't need any introduction. Its fun and colourful and a market place for anything and everything you desire. Based in Chennai with a team of 2, their effort definitely needs to be congratulated. Handpicked designers sell their stuff online through shopo. They take care of logistics too, a face to sellers also that gives a trust to the buyers.

durga tote bag

matsya ,my favourites among them

Varnam, another favourite..I am yet to lay my hands on these beautiful products

Unique HAndpainted mugs from Poi Doi

Yutis duppatas...surely will buy them

Anek Designs potli necklace,my daughter wants them...

shoe lace book f from chromakey

Afday, a Bangalore based offers art for everyday. A mix of traditional as well as new age art and craft. A lot of them are functional products useful in daily life. Their products have been sourced from the NGOs, artists, local potters, designers, amateurs and so on.

Ikat lampshade

guava leaf magnets

kachnar magnet

recycled coasters

banana fibre bags

Unwrap india a fairly new store which sells only handmade things, made in India. Their goal is to bring Indian Handicrafts from the remote interiors of India.

bags in the shapes and colours of kites

kettles as lamps

kettles as planters

vintage boxes

cans decorated

bengal bags

kalamkari coasters

cushions in bright colours

cushions in sea blue

Images courtesy: Artists and the respective shops. Browse through their sections to check out for these products.

"Indian Homes" Blue horizons # 5

2011-11-24T22:14:00.001-08:00

The house of the Noted Interior designer "Rohini Shankar" in the confines of chennai is literally a blue coloured abode.She has tried and incorporated her favourite colour in whatever possibilities in her small space.She does it with windows,glass panes,crockery,ceramics,curtains,paintings and in whatever way it is possible.She has opened the rooms to the garden ,a lush tropical extravaganza.All murals and paintings are by the famous personalities like Henri Rousseau.A wrought iron staircase has been painted in the signature blue.The blue hue runs through the house.Dramatic juxtapositions of colours. From the mezzanine one can see the painting by Chandra Bhattacharjee. The head in granite is by Rajasekharan Nair and the ladder also seems to play a part in the design.If a home can speak of the owner,the this house will shout that its the home of an art aficianodo. She has also used an eclectic mix of furniture along with the modern minimalism.

All Images courtesy:Inside Outside
Text courtesy:Geetha Doctor
Images courtesy:Prashant Bhat

Upasana Integral Designs and Tsunamika

2011-11-23T23:37:00.001-08:00

A lazy Sunday and a chance watch of Manish Aroras tour to the former French colony of Pondicherry.I watched along with him the amazing streets of Pondicherry and then to Auroville.i have always had a love for Pondicherry,a place I always loved to visit and it never happened .He discovers some for the interesting designers in Pondicherry and I finally visit along with him Upasana and Uma and her artists village and then Tsunamika..Its a must that I should share with you all .

"Upasana" was born in 1997, originally with one table under a tree, as a garment design and manufacturing unit. An open space for creativity and design in all its forms. Being born within the unique context of Auroville, the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother have been our inspiration at Upasana.Upasana means sitting near and this name has been coined to realize the sacred divine presence that permeates the Universe.“Upasana” is based on the rich tradition of Indian textile crafts.

Inspired by the unique aesthetic heritage, Upasana have been working on bringing India to the modern world through its vibrant textile tradition. They have been fortunate to work on various fabrics from the simple and elegant to the exquisite, sourced from across the country. Their efforts have now culminated in the “Textile Archive” – a space for preserving, displaying and learning all about textiles and design.With Integral Design, they have also been consciously involved in various projects in design and more - trying to raise design to a level beyond the product and applying it to answer various problems of everyday life and social development.

Upasana has always exciting projects.They have two brands named Paruthi and Devayani.Paruthi is for the cotton textiles, from Organic cotton and Devayani is from the Varanasi Weavers.They also have a project named Tsunamika for the Tsunami hit and Small steps for the freedom from plastic bags.Tsunamika has so far been the most successful and fulfilling socially responsible communication design intervention for Upasana.

The little Tsunamikas: mamma, sister and baby have touched millions of hearts offering a healing touch to those directly affected by the devastating Tsunami of 2004, and a balm to those who suffered the secondary trauma through the media; watching, reading and hearing about the calamity. Tsunamika brought a smile to her creators and to those who held her; transforming the bitter memories of the tsunami into something creative, innocent, simple, sweet and empowering.

The project started as a trauma counseling effort for the fisherwomen in February 2005. Like all other projects of Upasana, Tsunamika took to a life of joy. The raw material came from industrial waste and 500 women were taught to make the dolls. Consequently, 200 women took it up for their livelihood. Following a “Gift Economy” Tsunamikas have never been bought or sold. They are shared, unconditionally; they are gifts of love and friendship. The whole project runs on donations, whole-hearted outpourings as Upasana has experienced.
Buy Upasana products and be a part of them and visit whenever you go to Pondicherry.

Add caption

All images courtesy:Upasana Integral Designs,www.tsunami.org

The World of Art

2011-11-23T06:06:00.001-08:00

An online Art Fair the first of its kind in India and I spent hours today browsing through the various paintings,photographs,sculptures and installations.Many of them became my favourites instantly.Some of them by very well known and some of them which I have never heard at all,what matters is the art,isnt it?Serious art lovers can always have a choice here without leaving the confines of their personal space. A place where 41 leading galleries showcase over 900 artworks from more than 200+ renowned artists through a first of its kind, an exclusively online art fair - India Art Collective. The Art Fair starts on 19thNov, 2011 at 10 am IST and will conclude at 7.00 pm IST on 26th November, 2011.

Jayashri Burman

Dibin Thilakan

A.Ramachandran

Yusuf Arakkal

Jayashree Burman

Manjit Bawa

Abul Azad

Jamini Roy

Pitamber khan

Dhruvi Acharya

All images courtesy:India Art Collective and the respective Artists.

a Farm Stay and Surjivan

2011-11-19T22:21:00.001-08:00

It seems like yesterday. A journey to get inspired. A Beautiful part of the world and lovely surroundings we have been to last year.. A beautiful farmstay, most peaceful of all and unbelievably delicious village food. A journey which we took to a farm near Delhi a few kilometers away from Gurgaon. All travels for us are to take some time off from work and the hectic schedules of the cities fast pace. This truly made it possible. The houses were made of mud and cowdung, painted in terracotta colour and designs were made on it to remind us of small villages in Gujarat.

All images Lakshmi Arvind. Please do not use without permission.

Upcycled Wine bottles

2011-11-14T19:46:00.001-08:00

Co-founder at My Sunny Balcony, Reena Chengappa and Athreya are brimming with ideas. This time they upcycle wine bottles into beautiful colourful pieces of conversation. It was Athreya who painted the wine bottles in warm and glowing colours. I got excited at the look of them, the sheer colours left me in dismay and as expected each of them got sold at the garage sale which happens once in every month in Bangalore. The photographs or the colours or the paintings, is left to you all to decide which is the better among them...You can find elephants, chirpy birds and cute blossoms on them.

I am glad Reena for sharing these images here

some elephants

owls and birds

flying birds

a whole lot of them

fishes and flowers

in love with the pinks

monkeys and rhinos

morning blues,still sleepy

hibiscus flower stencilled

in bunches they look awesome

in the gardens

.. a view from above

All pictures copyright Reena Chengappa.
Please contact her here

ReImagine

2011-11-13T22:18:00.001-08:00

ReImagine:Art,Fun and Creativity

Its a pleasure meeting creative people and I am so happy that I discovered Reimagine and the creative team behind.

‘ReImagine’ is an upcycling project that Lynessa has started along with a friend, Kushy Kuttappa. Though both their educational backgrounds and professional work are in psychology, their interest in art brought them together at an art course last year. They decided they wanted to start a fun project together.

‘ReImagine’ was thus born as an avenue to explore and express their interest in art and creativity. As they pondered on what they wanted to create, 3 empty wine bottles that were be discarded stared longingly at them ... and in their beauty, fragility and translucence, they found a medium that has given them much joy and adventure. They say these bottles are reminders that beauty can be created from anything.

Few points on ‘ReImagine’

•Focus is on making upcycled objects that are aesthetic, functional and affordable - to promote the idea of beauty in ‘Green Living’.

•Currently they make products from used glass bottles but plan to extend to other materials as well. The bottles and jars used are donated by friends or sourced from restaurants.

•Aesthetics: They spend a lot of time on design. One of their goals is to challenge the idea that ‘recycled objects look like scrap’.

•Functionality: The products can be used and washed daily and are professionally finished.

•Affordability: Current range is priced between Rs.250 to 500, depending on the design work they have put into it. They specifically want to create products that anyone can buy.

They plan to showcase and sell our products at exhibitions. They also offer customized products for individuals.

Its amazing what these empty bottles have to tell you:Read, Enjoy and do let me know..

on the centre table

for flowers

in the kitchen

on the dining table

holders for spoons

brush and penholders

on the side tables

brush holders

tealight holders

amber coloured ones

blue bottles and yellow flowers

Any enquiry regarding ReImagine can be made at :Email.ReImagine@gmail.com or contact Lynessa Coutto here.

The fragrance of Deepavali at home

2011-11-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

Beauty in my corners,the fragrant way this Deepavali.The fragrance filled our minds and i do hope will fill yours too..let them fill the years in glory.I am sure all of you had a wonderful Deepavali.

each corner had something special,my kancheepuram sarees tucked in all corners gave the brightness

boat shaped diyas made a wonderful holder for flowers and leaves on the dining table

enduring fragrance

puja symbolism

Akhanda diyas and ganeshjis

Ghee lit lamps

every corner had lots of tealights in small tea glasses

hanging lamps and bokeh

tea lights and tealights

brighter blessings

tealights bright

All images by Lakshmi Arvind. Please do not copy or reproduce.

Celebrations Decor - GoodHomes November issue

2011-11-04T02:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you GoodHomes for featuring my blog in your November issue.

Happy Diwali !

2011-10-26T01:08:00.000-07:00

Wishing all my readers a Happy ,Prosperous and Beautiful Deepavali!May all your wishes come true!

Images and Ideas by Lakshmi Arvind

Thank you Prismma!

2011-10-26T01:03:00.000-07:00

Thank You Prismma for the wonderful opportunity given to participate in Diwali Celebrations.You can all read about it here.

Images and Ideas :Lakshmi Arvind
Please do not copy or steal

Bask in the glory of warm hues....

2011-10-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Loving all the warm hues and the magic of the simple decor..

Images and Ideas by Lakshmi Arvind
please do not steal nor copy from the site

Light up your Special Corners

2011-10-22T05:32:00.001-07:00

Brighten your space and light up your corners this Deepavali.Let that create the mood ,style and feeling to the home.Let them enhance the beauty of the corners

Add caption

.
Images Lakshmi Arvind. Ideas Gayatri Arvind. Please do not copy.

Celebrations Special 18/10/2011

2011-10-20T01:57:00.000-07:00

A visually pleasing way of lighting lamps this Diwali.BE it be on a painted tile or by adding a bling extra to the handmade Diyas or by adding that special touch by adding designs underneath the Diyas.

Diyas and a painted tile

inside icecream cups

the special touch with little beads

a handmade box and tealights in kumkum holders

patterns and paisleys

intermingling them with tealights and paisleys

that special touch to the decor

tealights in silver glasses and some jewellery to the shine

Diyas and some handmade glitter coasters

Add caption

patterns in black chart paper

in the night only the patterns will stand out

As Sri stays in US and earthen and brass diyas are not available easily,she has come up with out of the box ideas.Thanks Sri for Sharing these.
Aren't we glad that we live in India?

Will come up with my Ideas for this Diwali...stay tuned...lots more..

Images courtesy Sri

Celebrations Special 17/10/2011

2011-10-17T01:54:00.000-07:00

The sparkling festival sesaon rolls in again bringing along with it the fresh flowers, overflowing silks, candles, floaters, vases, marigolds, zari bordered cushions and knickknacks in silver, bronze and ivory tones.

Set the stage and turn the house into a cosy setting for the gorgeous evening..Let the home take a classical look on one day, a house in style on the other and let fun unfold everywhere.

There are innumerable ideas everywhere to get inspired, there are no dearth of ideas,but even then easy to replicate ideas with everyday elements are always a welcome. Come get inspired and travel with me to the world of rangolis, diyas and lamps. Let me showcase some traditional and contemporary and do it yourself inspired ideas from my favourite magazines to brighten up your home.

The first of the series is from my dearest flickr friend "Sri" who always stands as a source of great inspiration for as a person a friend.

Rangoli painted on a tile

Inspired by Geninine:rocks can also be coloured in glitters or gold painting and display them in trays

Spool dolls,inspired by wundercraft

spool dolls covered by ribbons to give them a festive look

spool dolls on the crochet

on the side table,intermingle them with diyas or floating flowers or candles

Antique mangala board/palanguzhi painted

Antique palanguzhi,display your candles and beads and flowers

A festive cheer

decorating ideas continues with a slate tile drawn with tic tac toe squares.display your candles,diyas and flowers.use this as a centre piece.

finally float some flowers in jam bottles recycled

See you with more inspirations tomorrow..hope all of you will enjoy this series.

Images courtesy:Subasripillai

please do not download nor save nor copy from the site

Good Homes - Diwali special

2011-10-08T23:15:00.000-07:00

It's here. The Good Homes Diwali Special Edition has hit the stands and is full of interesting decor ideas that we have come to expect from them.

They have contests lined up and this is a chance to participate and win goodies.

Contest #1 is to Beautify your home with existing home accessories for Diwali. The 2 most creative and beautiful ideas will win special goodies only from GoodHomes and will also get featured in the magazine.

Go ahead and participate, the link is here.

Fab India Workshop

2011-10-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

Don't you all want to know what happened at the FabIndia workshop at Kalaghoda on Sep23,2011?

The Recycle and Reuse workshop of Good homes in association with FabIndia was a great success.It had a completely fresh and innovative approach and explored the topic with enthusiasm.This restablished Good Homes as an authority on Lifestyle and Decor brand.

To tell you all something about the event the editor of Goodhomes Ronitaa Italia-Dhanu conducted the event.The participants were taken through different vignettes where the aspects of recycle and reuse where highlighted.with the existing materials they recreated wonderful things without changing the format.The attendance was limited so that they maintain the sense of intimacy and close knit community that made the event special.The participants were left thrilled and excited for another comeback very soon..

Brandawareness was created by engaging with FabIndia customers and this brand building exercise established and encouraged interaction with readers and GoodHomes.Stunned and amazed how wonderful the event was beautifully crafted by GoodHomes our "Decor expert"..

Images :GoodHomes

Pottery in Delhi

2011-09-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love Pottery and Pottery items..I am not an exception to this..Dont you all love ?

A post based on an interesting article that came up in Times of India , named "Kiln Deep "nowadays they dedicate the fridays Weekend planner to Art and culture.They cam up with various options to study Pottery and to buy pottery and to enjoy pottering in Delhi...It made an interesting read and thought it would interest my readers too..

They did definitely mention about "Saundhi Mitti " And about Ruchira Bhatia...and her online pottery studio..

Scour the streets of Delhi's Mini Alwar to pick the best ceramics.In the vicinity of Kumhar gram,near Sainik Vihar,it houses 700 families from Rajasthan,Alwar shapes a great chunk of ceramicscape-decking all the fairs and even five star lobbies.To familiarise even better with this talent hub,Indomania cultural tours have initiated a day tour of this pottery village,in association with South Asia Foundation,an NGO working for crafts people. To tell you about the tour,it starts early morning,during Summer to avoid the heat,preferably around 6 or 7 am and concludes by 10.30 am.They have a small souvenier shop as well..

Visit them here:

Potter Mania

TOI lists the professional potters in and around Delhi that give great frist hand experinces in its own.Sheila Hashmis studio,Meena Vohra in Noida and then the MAATI SRIJAN:The clay studio in IP extension,a gallery space and a store showcasing pottery pieces,including those made in their own classes and studio spaces.

Then there is the Delhi pottery studio in safdarjang enclave equipped with wheels,kilns both gas and woodfired.There are also special weekend classes and special summer batches.They also run a ceramic centre in Sanskriti kendra,Ghittorni.A month long pottery course in the beautiful environs of SANSKRITI at an affordable cost of Rs 1500 is absolutely worth it.So just make clay when the sun shines!

my very own from Bridge Pottery,Pondi

from Bridge Pottery,Always gets filled with flowers...on all ocassions and otherwise

Information courtesy: Supriya Sharma,TOI