Festival Time – Mumbai Style
This week it’s Janmashtami that the city celebrates – the birth of Lord Krishna. Baby Krishna loved home-made butter and he’d help himself to all the butter pots in the … Continue reading
Tanjore Diaries
They say, one makes it to the big temples of India, only when they call out to you. Maybe they do. But maybe my senses are not tuned to hearing … Continue reading
The Thanjavur Maratha Palace
Every now and then, I come across interesting people I yearn to meet. No – not Brad Pitt or George Clooney. But people like Dostoevsky. Lee Kuan Yew. Chanakya. The … Continue reading
The Saraswati Mahal Library at Tanjore
As a collector, I take pride in the things I collect. Through my sources – ebay & shops all over the world, I am proud to note that I have … Continue reading
Tanjore Style Painting – Where It all Began
And this is where it all began: This unbelievable Tanjore painting depicting 63 Nayanars, came to be mine in 2020 through an auction in London. Estimated to be from the … Continue reading
Wall Paintings & Murals – Tanjore
The number of visuals vying for the attention of my eyes is mind-boggling. What should I see – what should I stop and stare at, what should I stop and … Continue reading
Stone Sculptures & Bronze Statues – Tanjore
Disclaimer: Compared to other forms of art that I know very little about, in the field of stone and bronzes I know absolutely nothing. My reactions when I saw these … Continue reading
Heritage Homes of Tanjore
Life is lived every minute of every day. And so, long ago, we decided to surround ourselves with beautiful things. In the choice between return on investment in financial terms … Continue reading
Shiv Lings at Tanjore
The city of Tanjore is not big geographically. In a single day it is possible to visit the 2 important world heritage sites. But to look at everything that those … Continue reading
Art in Architecture – Tanjore Temple
Traveling again. Gaining experiences. Learning more. Feeling more. And hoping to share them all here. *** Contrary to intuition, on this trip I learnt that the time spent on an … Continue reading
Let’s Explore Himalayan Art – Antique Wooden Sutra Cover
Sometimes a video just does the job better! Sutra covers are usually highly decorated and very beautiful. Because it is through the creation of art – on walls, in architecture, … Continue reading
Art in Combs!
Beauty can be exhausting …. Because there is no end to the numbers that can offer this delight. With all the freedom in the world to look at beautiful objects, … Continue reading
INVITATION: Textile Talk – May 7th
Wovensouls would like to invite you to an online showing of two music-themed trade textiles that are under study and appear to have links to Toraja, India and Egypt. Such … Continue reading
A Fabulous Walk in Ladakh, 1982 – Guest Photos – PART II
Too many good things have wandered into my life and so until proven otherwise I shall continue to believe that I am a favorite with the Gods of serendipity. And … Continue reading
A Fabulous Walk in Ladakh, 1982 – Guest Photos
I’ve always felt that I am one of the extremely fortunate ones on earth defying the odds of an average or even sub-average life. For, how else can one explain … Continue reading
Ganga Snaan & Cleansing the Soul
In my opinion, the philosophy held within religions offer very useful supports to manage one’s own mind. Mind control of one’s own mind. And when one is on a downward … Continue reading
Pollution in the Ganga
They say the Ganga is polluted. Yes. After days of sitting on her banks with my feet in the water I can confirm that. Here are pictures of the pollution: … Continue reading
Ganga Arti, Haridwar
The city wakes up to attend this pre-dawn arti, in which the Ganga is worshipped with lamps and flowers. The devout take a bath in the chilled waters of the … Continue reading
Chance Encounters / Haridwar
Just walking around absorbing the culture of Haridwar and I get to witness some important ceremony by Radha worshippers: p.s. the music is original – a little live band led … Continue reading
Heritage – Genealogical Records in Haridwar
I’d heard about the family-historians or Pandits in Haridwar many years ago. Their sole work in life is to maintain records of families and they have been doing this as … Continue reading