Glimpses of Punjab
A few photos that offer a little cultural flavour of the style Punjab. It was a delight to witness the preservation of ethnic identity in-spite of the tsunami of bland … Continue reading
Wearing her mother’s Bridal Haalvan Phulkari
A “haalvan” phulkari is done on very fine cotton cloth that is similar to mul mul. This is the first time I held one in my hand! All bridal textiles … Continue reading
Just another day in India
And while real rural India wears gorgeous clothes as daily wear, in urban India I am wearing blue jeans… Sigh! jm December 2018
Service or Sacrilege? The Dilemma of Textile Art Fragments
Have you seen these? Amazing creativity isn’t it?!! ❤️ The ones that I have are in good but not in perfect condition – usage, withering natural life of the fibre … Continue reading
Artwork of the Day
Amazing Ethnic Art worn by a very small minority group in Guizhou China. Asset 228 on WOVENSOULS.COM Enjoy the Visual Feast!
Wealth of Ladakh
Photos of photo prints of women wearing traditional jewelry at festivals. The magnificentv Petak headdress has been discussed earlier. But the others have not received enough attention! Here are sone … Continue reading
Wearing Art – Antique Himalayan Ceremonial Silver Belt
When everything the eye sees is artistic and pleasing, where art is an intrinsic part of every object, there must be undercurrents of joy constantly hitting the people… Maybe THAT … Continue reading
The Bridal Sari of the erstwhile Queen of Sawantwadi 1922
I’ve seen a dozen or so amazing antique zari saris but none has been as unusual as this one seen in the museum of Sawantwadi, This shalu – a zari … Continue reading
Art of Africa
Of course Africa is too large to be clubbed into one art group … But that made a nice title … The Art of the Yoruba caught my eye recently. … Continue reading
Hidden Gems – new sightings in old acquisitions!
In an embroidery rich in texture and motifs and age, it was easy to miss the 5th color used sparingly – it hid within the flowers – almost shy of … Continue reading
Who doesn’t enjoy Music in the Park!
MUSIC IN THE PARK – Notes in Silk!!! Just received this beauty made in Canton a century ago! Am yet to count the number of instruments being played in this … Continue reading
Courtship in Silk
Daily Art Fix – motif on an amazing wearable antique cantonese shawl! ❤️
The Bonona Festival of the Himalayan Aryans
October 2016 A trip to the interiors of the Himalayan ranges. A journey that would have taken 6 days by animal carriers 40 years ago but today takes 7 hours. … Continue reading
Himalayan Art, Style and Fashion
A look at the ornate headdress of the Himalayan Aryan People
Where the Men are Liberated
In most places around the globe, the world has imprisoned men in clothing of plain colors – colors that ensure that the wearers melt into the background. The most they are allowed is a strip of color in the form of a tie. [But don’t be fooled – it is mostly lip-service – out of the 5 feet of fabric, only about 1 foot is allowed to peep through from under the coat!! ]
The Way We Were – II
Photos of an exhibition of photos from negatives in the archives of Souza & Paul – the oldest photo studio in Goa, presented at the fabulous Serendipoty Arts Festival 2016. … Continue reading
Textiles in the Chaurapanchsika Love Poem of the 16th Century
Chaurapanchasika is a love-lament poem from the 16th century (some say earlier). [Chaurapanchasika is a set of 50 verses written by a Kashmiri Pandit Bilhana in the 11th century. It … Continue reading
External Link: A Wedding in Central Asia
I do not understand the words – but the beauty can be seen and understood easily! LINK
Adornments to Entice
In many cultures in the Eastern hemisphere, lifestyle devices are structured with the intention of security and protection. Clothes and costumes are designed to deflect the viewer’s eyes rather than … Continue reading
Postcards from the Past – Old Dayak Costumes
And they now all march on towards jeans+t-shirts! Photo of a postcard from the 70s-80s
The Fabulous Biboki weaving of Timor!
Double Sided supplementary weft (or warp?) weave from the Biboki people of Timor. An antique example: A betel nut bag: A vintage example: And a fantastic paper … Continue reading
INVITATION – Antique Indian Textile Art @ The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Singapore
BAZAR: SAT & SUN 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th November 4pm-8pm A mini-exhibition will showcase some textile masterpieces from the past. Some pieces from the wovensouls collection will also be available … Continue reading
Made for Each Other – A Handsome Turban for a Handsome man
\\ A guest at a Rabari Wedding wearing a handmade turban. jm Sep 2015
Dowry Bags & Purses
A link to the Dowry Bags & Purses of Gujarat, India. jm July 2015
DAILY ART FIX – AN ARTWORK A DAY
An addict constantly needs a fix to keep him stable. Me – in moments of extreme stress I find solace & peace in viewing works of traditional art. In normal … Continue reading
Where the Head is Held High …| Naga Headdress
The Naga people are proud of their heritage. With a hat and fashion sense like theirs, I would be too. It must be so easy to live Tagore’s words there: … Continue reading
Rainbows to B&W
Just one look at the contrast between traditional costumes of tribes that are worn on festivals and their normal day-to-day clothes makes me think that our rainbows are turning Black … Continue reading
Triangles of Passion – A Special Textile
A Bagh textile with a thousand triangles – created with love and passion
Naga Shells – Nocte Naga Portrait
Portrait of a Nocet Naga girl with traditional costume
Women of the World – Garasia Tribe
Click to see more images of the colorful tribe! jm March 2015
Anarchy & Chaos in a Tribal Textile!
Most traditional textiles seem to follow the patterns that are unique to their tribe. These patterns probably began with some seed of an idea and then evolved over generations to … Continue reading
Loin Cloths – Art in Frugality
It appears to me from media, from the TV shows, films and music, especially those from Hollywood & Bollywood, that the world today is obsessed and preoccupied with matters of … Continue reading
Auctions of Interest
Some beautiful pieces that caught my eye in the upcoming auctions: 1.Miniature Painting, Rajasthan | Treasures of Asia | Auctionata | Sept 4th, 2014 2. India, photographs – Indian textiles … Continue reading
At the homes of Rabaris
A few pictures taken with majestic Rabari women & men in their own homes, over the years. Attending a Welcome or Swagat at a wedding in the homes of welcoming … Continue reading
Textiles within Textiles
Am studying my Phad (Par) textiles and enjoying the complex scenes painted in. There are two types of Phads: one narrating the legend of Pabuji and the other narrating the … Continue reading
A Story in a Nose Ring
Four times I have had my nose pierced. In spite of the fact that it is long & hook shaped and has provided all its viewers with immense mirth – … Continue reading
The day I almost missed a Flight – Textiles of the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
In the late 80s I had heard about the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad and the things I heard evoked a desire to visit. Life came in the way between … Continue reading
Wovensouls ‘Vanishing Cultures’ Exhibition Highlights | Vintage Akha Headdress
This headdress is a signature element of the costume of one of the Akha subtribes living in Northern Thailand. Available for acquisition. ‘Vanishing Cultures’ An exhibition of photography & antique … Continue reading
Stunning Old Costume Photos from Tibet
A delightful find on Facebook – stunning old photos of Tibetan women wearing their extravagant headdresses and accessories! The headdress is used as a tool to attach false hair tied … Continue reading
Costumes from Mongolia – A Peep into the Past
A discussion on a forum board opened my eyes to the details that form part of the background of paintings. In this particular case, the forum discussed rugs in the … Continue reading
ANTIQUE NINGYO DOLLS
ANTIQUE JAPANESE NINGYO DOLLS Note the detail in the costumes and the detail on the faces. The two dots on the woman’s forehead are intriguing! jm Nov 2013
INTRICATE WOVEN ART OF BHUTAN
ANTIQUE BHUTAN KERA TEXTILE ART ANTIQUE KERA VINTAGE KERA (OR KIRA) jm Oct 2013
Costume & Jewelry Culture of the Dard Aryan People, Himalayas
It seems to me that all Himalayan cultures have spectacular costumes! One that stands out as distinct and unique is the Dard ethnic group in NorthWest India. Spread over a … Continue reading
Turquoise Art – The Blue Veil of Ladakh
An unusual Museum Quality Perak headdress from the Purang / Burang region. Authentic heirloom peraks are extreme,y rare now and among Peraks Purang Peraks are the rarest to find. The … Continue reading
Handsome Turbans of Western India
A few photos from my old travel albums The complete album with full size images may be viewed at WOVENSOULS.COM jm Aug 2013
Navratri – the Festival of Garba and Raas Dance
With the Full Moon night of this lunar month, the season of festivals begins in India. The festival phase of the year coincide with the lean activity phases in farming … Continue reading
Akha Hilltribe Costume Art
The fragility of the Akha hilltribe culture is most poignantly presented in a book ‘Peoples of the Golden Triangle’. Ironically, the two people who wrote this book were missionaries in … Continue reading
Tribal Life in Orissa – a tribute!
I was in Orissa in January and the month of May is about to end, and yet the tribal life that I experienced there remains unshared on this blog. … Continue reading
The Stylish Priests at Jagannath Temple
Who said that men’s fashion has to be bland and boring? Jagannath temple in Puri is one of the 4 important pilgrimage spots for any Hindu. The temple is old … Continue reading
Kalinga Diaries
Kalinga. Now called Odisha (Orissa). The poorest state in India financially. Yet, among the richest states culturally. Every Indian has heard of Orissa through its arts – either the dance, … Continue reading
