Rawla Narlai..An experience beyond vacations!

Contemplating on the images sitting in each folder and umpteen number of journeys done and not even one being shared in the blog..i wonder why am i not getting time to share these :)- each journey has a time  to unfold as i think:)-

The last year we looked forward to exciting journeys by road,longer journeys,where you needed to rest a night and then the rest of the journey the next day.Although it was exciting ,it was tiring too at times..
Last winter we decided to go a little beyond Ajmer ..,a little before Udaipur and Ranakpur and we specifically went to stay in the beautiful village called Narlai.There are very little people to come to the village to stay, as its an enroute stop to Udaipur. I wanted to visit the village,the amazing fort and spend some time with the surroundings which had been in my mind for a very long time.

Rawal Narlai  ...sits on a a beautiful and sleepy village on a country road.Hidden Away in the heart of Aravalli hills,at the foot of a mammoth granite rock,surrounded by forested hills and rocky outcrops,Rawala Narlai is a beautifully maintained heritage resort ,which was once a hunting lodge of Jodhpurs Royal family.Still owned by  members of Jodhpur family,the resort is now transformed from a mere hunting lodge into a stunning ,stylish boutique hotel with all its character and structure maintained.

The pink bougainvilleas all over,the plumerias at the entrance,the blue bells over the walls and doors,the overflowing white bougainvilleas,the red turbaned waiters,the jaipur rugs and so much more an experience beyond vacations!

Who doesn't get enamoured by these breathtaking images and light:)-

just stood gazing at the beautiful bougainivlleas as we entered the courtyard..this is what we wanted to see :)-how it trailed 

a view from up..looking down

the setting sun caught

the light shone everywhere

beautiful sights,beautiful prints

the room..the bed

hawa ka jhonka:)-

the white peeled paints and violets..what combination

lot of light pouring in..subtle white

the world of grace and charm..

the light that entered the crevices,fell down

yes..the plumerias

basking in the winter light

gracefully ..like a necklace

Please ask permission before you share images..Write to me at dr.lakshmi@live.in

Brigitte Singh..an Inspiration

I never thought I would live so close to Jaipur:)- Each travel brings us closer to Jaipur  as of now umpteen travels being made.Exploring the nooks and crannies of Jaipur still remains a lot more ..Any time you go to Jaipur there's always a touristy feel :)-Anybody who knows me knows about my love towards Blockprinting..There isn't any place to store any linens/quilts of blockprinting at home currently.


All craftisans  who does Blockprinting Nationally and Internationally..i salute them and they are all inspiration for me in one way or the other..But there comes some names which we have first heard of and the love towards them remains the "first love" And such a  name is "Brigitte Singh"..You think of Blockprinting and then you think of "Brigitte Singh".Her textiles known internationally,everyone is in awe of her designs and she herself has discovered and revived tradtitions in textiles.


Brigette Singh came to India 25 years ago and stayed on to revive textile traditions.There' s nothing intriguing about a foreigner setting up base in India under the "world-has-shrunk-to-a-global-village" reality. But 25 years ago, Brigette Singh, a French national was one of a kind, as she trudged through the streets of Sanganer, the hand-block printing hub of Jaipur, seeking to discover and revive traditions in textiles.


She first came to Jaipur at the end of 70's to study the art of miniature painting with an Indian Master,fell in love with and married his son, and made her home in Amber. She then became fascinated by India's rich textile heritage and the art of woodblock printing which had declined since its zenith in the C18th. Her workshop in Amber now produces an exquisite range of clothes, furnishings and accessories which are renowned worldwide and all produced under her personal supervision.







 Brigitte Singh handblocked textiles 







Interiors of the haveli of Brigitte Singh






Interiors of the Haveli of Brigitte Singh






'Italian Country Living" by Caroline Clifton Mogg open to a bedroom with Brigitte Singh fabrics.






World of Interiors, October 2011. Photography by Christopher Simon Sykes. Bedroom with Brigitte Singh "Poppy" curtains in Christopher Gibbs house.









Singh Poppy sighting. World of Interiors, August 2008. Photo by Anders Gramer.






Brigitte Singh Poppy quilt, Elliott Puckette house. Image is from Elle Decor, October 2000. Photography by Anita Calero. Story written and produced by Miguel Flores-Vianna.






Brigitte Singh bedroom photographed by Henry Wilson, House & Garden UK, May 2009.






the insides of the  workshop of Brigitte Singh..










Brigitte Singh's Red Chrysanthemum blockprinted cotton. 






Jaipuri Quilts..a book written by Krystyna Hell strom..one of Brigittes Jaipur Quilt on  the cover page







Some more traditional designs









All images from Pinterest,Style court ,live mint,"vivid photography blog"
Information from:style court,Culture wrap..an article from Live mint,Vivid photography blog
• 
  

Havelis of Nawalgarh,Shekhawati

We were in Shekhawati region for 3 days and so each day we kept visiting the important towns nearby Mandawa.

The town which we visited the second day was Nawalgarh.Like Mandawa this town also has got its fair share of havelis,some renovated,some looked after by the caretakers and some turned into schools.

Beautiful where the paintings and frescoes,and we found a lot of european influences in the paintings in Nawalgarh havelis which we visited.

the majestic entrance ,mirrors embedded on the entrance arches

loved this ,the worn,tired and the old

of light

roses and lady

the names being given to the girls can be seen above

loved the deatailing

old switches intact

sreeramji ,my lord

beautiful red

wider view

seating arrangement

loved the framing

a homestay option along with homecooked meals in nawalgarh,near the main road,near the poddar haveli

beautiful blue flowers and the walls in cowdung paste

liked the tower

the lantern with the cover on top..

window thorans outside

loved the minimalism..

All images courtesy:Lakshmi Arvind

please do not use images without prior permission.all images are subject to copyright