Havelis of Mandawa - Part 1.

It was indeed a blessing to have lived here for some days in a haveli called Mandawa Haveli, the best option we could have ever got, having faced a little problem while looking for decent options to stay.

A Haveli beautifully restored, a charming inner courtyard, restored frescoes and beautiful rooms, the coloured glass, the beautiful fabrics and furniture.. A place ushering in its own charm and character.We stayed in a Room called Nilesh, all rooms were named after Lord Krishna.

a little history

the beautiful entrance

bougainvilleas and girls

the turbaned gatekeeper and the majestic entrance

frescoes and flowers

the little apple

more bougainvilleas

on our way inside

floating flowers

their courtyard

bougainvilleas floating,my style

outside our room called Nilesh

ambience in blue

loved this lamp

beautiful hanging lamps

an anexe to our room where we sat,played and looked at the rains

lit courtyard arches

beauty of the lamps

lovely paintings all over

loved each of them

the library where We indulged alot,loved looking to the streets from here.

I have since then discovered that this place has already been visited and blogged by Archana Srinivas in her excellent blog Rang Decor. Do read more about this place here.

Green the Gap

Green the Gap set up by the NGO Swecha in 2008 in Delhi spreads  awareness  for reuse and recycle.I was amazed seeing their range of well designed products .They give good livelihood opportunities for people in the textiles sector.They say they hope to change attitudes of people how they think.They make consumers think about the choices we have to make in our shopping habits.

The Green Gap workshop is in Malviya NAgar,South Delhi.The have employed tailors on a full time basis,who transform old tyres,tetra packs,waste cloths,waste leather and other materials into new products.Their small team makes excellent quality materials.

Images courtesy:Green the Gap.

The Vintage Charm :Lai

Exquisite silver jewellery,by the gemologist Puja Bhargav a Graduate from the NIFT(Delhi). Her designs have won the awards including those form the De Beers,World gold council and Perles de Tahiti.Jewellery ranges from exquisite silver pieces to quirky wood, bone, glass & fabric based handcrafted fun jewellery under its sub-brand   "Jujubi jewellery".


What I loved about them is the interpretation of Indian themes rendered in contemporary designs. Themes such as the paisley motif, design details from old palaces, havelis etc.- researched and stylized into jewellery designs to suit modern tastes & sensibilities.


 LAI 's indian soul and global spirit appealed to me much more than anything.

the paisley collection

what a thought behind the coin collection jewellery

the very colurful rangoli collection

the enamel work collection

the last of their series,Greek collection

All images copy right:Lai

Indu Harikumar...

A childrens writer and a brilliant illustrator as I say ,but you will all be  very clear from her blog posts and in all the works she does.She says she is an elephant lover,traveller,fabric fiend,lover of languages,totes,hand bags and what not..It was accidentally some months ago reading about a cafe in Delhi and heard about the exhibition she had there led me into her blogs and finally found a good friend in her..eventhough we have not met.She has authored books and hope she gets many many accolades for the brilliant work .She is recently into recycle and reuse and makes small bags,totes,from scraps of cloth and some of them are for sale too..

 loved this one,for all mango lovers,mangoes are very much in season,i would have framed this..summers and mangoes

a match box book for the tomato lovers

a cover  form some bakery ....becomes a man with tie,love the moustaches

another bus ticket becomes abus..,brilliant imagination

a chance to convert the ticket tub into art.this was when the common wealth games were held.Kunzum cafe held this event with Indu harikumar..Walk in with the ticket and walk away with art.this is how they welcomed common wealth games with a difference. 

another beauty

its chocolate season

 these are some beautiful bags which she recycled from old materials and were for sale..these might have been sold..but there are more flowery bags and brocade bags for sale.
Find them here
Visit her blog here:

Indu:...it took me along time to post,but your illustrations are brilliant..waiting to meet you


All Images:Indu Harikumar