Arts and Crafts of India-Madhubani

So much has been heard and told about Madhubani,that it doesn't need an introduction

Madhubani or Mithila painting is a style of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar state, India and the adjoining parts of Terai in Nepal. Painting is done with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments, and is characterized by eye-catching geometrical patterns. There are paintings for each occasion and festival. 

Madhubani painting has been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey) and other areas of Mithila. The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered rice.  and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively. and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively.(Read more here..)

Last Surajkund mela,I found some craft persons from Bihar with some simple and basic and rustic drawings on some piece of cushion cover sized cloths.The sheer simplicity of the people and the designs just captured me and i thought one or two would make a big difference to these craft persons and also to my living room..Look into it here below..

oranges paired beautifully

browns that matched perfect

wood,yellows and browns

designs hand  drawn

indian designs ,truly

on the palette,the living room...

The traditional designs of Madhubani has been given a new life by the Color Caravan founded by Swati Seth.The traditional designs have been modified keeping in mind the modern spaces and today's lifestyle.These designs easily blend into the modern and traditional homes. Their beautiful  Madhubani Kettles and their mind blowing colours are a rage these days.Color caravan turning two today ..I wish them many more happy days to come..Support the crafts,buy their products and love them and make their life better.

a gorgeous Madhubani painted kettle in Anuradha Varma's Dream home..check her here,from Color Caravan

image copyright to Color Caravan

image copyright to Color Caravan

Images exclusively copyrighted to Color Caravan,Anuradha Varma and Lakshmi Arvind

Published-The Traditional touch

An article about the Traditional Decor elements and about how the home could be decorated traditionally.Recently got published In Deccan Herald.I thank Savitha Karthik and the entire team for giving me the opportunity to write an article.All images shot at my home..

Warm wishes on Vinayaka Chaturthi..my daughters way

Wishing all loved ones and my dear readers a Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.
Wishing you moments as sweet as his Laddus..
Interest,love ,dedication and concentration of my seven year old ,with my help she makes a small beautiful white clay Ganeshji..and some violets from the garden .

a painting drawn by my daughter(form the archives)

an attempt by her in making ganeshji with white clay

Thanks to Shalini,my dearest friend  who gifted me some clay and we were waiting for a good opportunity to open the packet.

Published-Thank you Prismma!

Thank you Prismma for the wonderful opportunity being given to me for showcasing my small and simple decorations for all your viewers across the world.Here you will find many a decorations with flowers

Prismma Autumn edition..Sep/Oct 2012 page 82-90
Link to the article:here
All images in the article copyright Lakshmi Arvind

Published-Classic Courtyards

I really don't know why courtyards fascinated me from childhood and they still..These fascination lead me to a point when I plan my home now,incorporating these spaces at many levels,rooms less and these spaces more..Many thanks to all the great architects who have influenced me like Geoffrey Bawa,Bill Bensley,Laurie Baker,Revathi Kamath .Those amazing spaces have influenced my life in many ways.The dream of starting a decor blog started with the love of courtyards.The Mangalore tiled roofs ,the rain that flowed into the courtyards,the light and shades,the light that fell into the room at various times of the day... I can say so much ,they interest me in various levels and I have seen many a courtyards till now.I have travelled so much in search of courtyards and their spaces 

When Savitha Karthik of Deccan Herald contacted me for an article about the courtyards,I readily agreed.I had researched much about the courtyards and had enough images in hand.As written in the article,courtyards are getting revived these days by architects and they are finding ways to incorporate these spaces and giving different meanings to it at different levels...

Traditonal Kerala houses and courtyards within them

courtyard inside the MG Haveli,Ahmedabad

inside the Nadine Le Prince Havei,Fatehpur

inside the Diggi palace,Jaipur

inside the twin HAveli in MAndawa

haveli in shekhawati

Nadine LE Prince HAveli,Fatehpur

All images shot by Lakshmi Arvind

Arts and Crafts of India-Blocks,Prints and Patterns

Journeys into Jaipur always has helped me search for the old blocks used for printing..Each journey has gifted me one or two blocks.An arrangement on the side table where the blocks stood along the fiery Red Hibiscus flowers.This morning waking up to the withered and fallen flowers was a sight. Blockprint cushions and bedsheets always had a soft corner at our home.The Indian touch lended an air of elegance in the rooms...

All images:LAkshmi Arvind.please dont use without permission

Piramal Haveli..A Neemrana non hotel Hotel

Rainy days in Delhi takes me back to memories,reminiscense of rainy days enjoyed . It was a rainy day at Piramal Haveli.Piramal Haveli is situated in Bagar,enroute Shekhawati.Piramal Haveli is a Neemrana non hotel Hotel. Neemranification as their site says has now come to symbolise a new blend of restoration,rebuilding and revitalization of ruined architectural wonders.

To find simplicity and style you must visit Neemrana..its an authentic Indian Experience.

Aman Nath and Francis Wacziarg are the founder members of Neemrana.. read more about them here

The blockprints,the antique and  wooden feel,the blues of Piramal Haveli,the long corridors,the long windows,the old and haunting feel of the haveli..that still remembers its past..it was beauty with no bounds..We were there for a  quick lunch..This was the first Neemrana we visited and many more Neemrana's to come.

the Piramal gate and hence the name Piramal Haveli

rain clouds above

beautiful wide view

loved the wide angle 

the moody and the rainy day

flowers strewn all over in rain

blockprints and chairs dressed,loved the prints on them

loved the corridors,white washed

blushing and eyepopping

all wet,bougainvilleas cascading

yellow bars and old tiles stuck on walls

old tiles ..a ganapati ji 

loved the choice of textiles

yellows and pinks happily intermingled

long windows and views and the greenery

seating arrangement

beautiful choice of furniture,my type

loved all this

beautiful colours..blues,greens ...a rainy day

courtyards,the fresh smell of rains

the blue lanterns hung

the details in the doors

loved the feel of so many hanging lanterns

the beautiful view...

loved all the details

loved this blue...clouds blue

 As we were about to leave it started raining .

All Images Lakshmi Arvind
Please do not steal images from the site