Weekend Window Shopping

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. 

Blue horizons

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

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.

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