Textile Study Tour of Punjab
Preface on the minor notes about the textile study tour, Punjab, 2019
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
A Textile Lover’s Dream
7am As I struggled to walk barefoot at 15 degrees Centigrade on even colder marble floors – suddenly I see this vision: An unopened pile of textiles …who knows what … Continue reading
Architecture of Amritsar
What have these bricks seen? Set in the city of Amritsar, these buildings have seen strife and tragedy like few others have. The Jalianwala Baug massacre, the Partition, Operation Blue … Continue reading
Divine Caring
A street photo taken just outside the Golden Temple Complex, Amritsar 7am, Early February, Temperature 14 degrees Celsius No words needed.
A Phulkari Fan from the Olden Days
Here’s another cultural remnant of the olden days in Punjab – A ceiling fan decorated with Phulkari work: The rope is used to swing the fan and is held by … Continue reading
A Charkha Spinning Wheel
Sighting of a decorated Charkha Spinning Wheel – used in a vanishing craft
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
The Olden Days – Right Here Right Now
Different places in the world are living in different time zones. And so even though it is not yet possible to do time travel, it is possible to revisit my … Continue reading
Boats of Eastern India, 1800s – Company School Paintings
Seen on an auction site, these paintings give us a glimpse of the lifestyle of those times. To pursue the characters that lived these lives, watch the Netflix original series … 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
The Goldsmith’s Craft
In another life that I lived within this life I had a little venture called IQ Club. Had a lot of fun creating a brain-games-based workshop for kids. The parents … Continue reading
Washing Shawls in 1867
An antique Indian miniature painting from the Kyburg exhibition catalog (1988) depicts the washing of shawls The 1867 painting is possibly from Lahore, Such a treat to get a glimpse … Continue reading
Let’s Spin Some Yarn
Seen in the Himalayas….an activity, a skill, a lifestyle …. People STILL live in this charming way! All through our afternoon conversation in which our minds and mouths engaged, their … Continue reading
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
Painting Seen on a Wall in Nomadic Chanthang
Contemporary Art is one area that Dies not appeal to me. But this painting seen on a wall spike to me enough to want to cluck it and shate ut … Continue reading
A New Mystery -Ancient Terracotta Blocks
Seen in one of the important trading hubs of the old Silk Route – and retrieved with difficulty from the back of a dealer’s dusty shelf, lying in a plastic … Continue reading
Legacy of a Past Life
This post is not about art or culture… Once upon a time I had a little venture called IQ Club. The idea came from working with my own kids and … Continue reading
Nomadic Weavings of Chanthang
Seen in the Himalayas in the Chanthang desert in Eastern Ladakh. Their living spaces Let’s gp in … To see their home & their weavings (videa to follow later) Volunteers: … Continue reading
Mountain Art – Large Ancient Himalayan Buddhas – 4
The Yarma Gombo A set of natural rock formations revered and venerated by Buddhists as the appearance resembles the face of Buddha and other dieties. I would not have known … Continue reading
Mountain Art – Large Ancient Himalayan Buddhas – 3
Seen just outside Mulbeg – An engraving on a mountain face that may have been the starting point of a sculpture. May 2018
Mountain Art – Large Ancient Himalayan Buddhas – 2
The Mulbeg Chamba Mulbeg is a small Buddhist village in Kargil that I’d first heard of while studying Perak headdress types. Never thought U’d visit it someday to see the … Continue reading
Mountain Art – Large Ancient Himalayan Buddhas – 1
Huge Ancient Buddhist Sculptures in the Himalayas
Ancient Cave Paintings in Sasphol
13th Century Sasphol Caves, Ladakh Went up a mountain to see the magnificent Buddhist cave paintings. Worth every huff and puff. The big achievement was the small journey out of … Continue reading
A Visit to Phyang Monastery
Sat still within the ancient halls with only a young monk in attendance. Time passed unmarked by minutes and seconds. What do these matter when the walls have seen centuries! … Continue reading
Himalayan Peaks – Journeys of the Soul
A few photos of some Himalayan Peaks taken over many journeys over the years. These spots evoke in me a great longing for journeys that I will never undertake …. … Continue reading
The Sawantwadi Palace
A walk around the charming old Palace building of Sawantwadi, in South Maharashtra just a few km from Goa. The overall building layout and the minor accents are native to … Continue reading
Artwork of the Day: Mirrors of Identity
A pair of Chaakla Decorative Textiles from Gujarat with rare golden mirrors Asset 152 on WOVENSOULS.COM
Nomads in the Himalayas
Found these photos taken in March 2016 in my folders – waiting silently for my attention. A sighting of a nomadic settlement – a split second decision to stop … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Applique Art from Bharaich
View a Khanduri cloth from Bharaich from the Met
Sentinels & Thresholds
The threshold is a very important line in a traditional Indian home. It is washed and decorated beautifully every day with auspicious symbols drawn in powder by the woman of … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Antique Kalamkari Art
A fabulous 17th C Kalamkari Artwork!
Goa Carnaval 2018
Something to do over the weekend in case you are in Goa! Delighted to find local culture in the themes of the floats! Delighted to find people of all ages … Continue reading
Tipu Sultan’s Tiger
What an interesting artwork commissioned by Tipu Sultan! Seen at the V&A museum, London
Daily Art Fix – Saris as Textile Art!
Seen at the Victoria & Albert museum jaina mishra Feb 2018
Painted Map of Benaras – Indian Art
A pilgrim’s map of Benaras with the Kashi Vishwanath temple at the centre. Seen in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London Feb 2018 jaina mishra| wovensouls View more Exquisite Antique … Continue reading
Silken flowers from Gujarat India
One more fabulous piece from Gujarat! At first I thought it was a print … until I read the explanatory note! ❤️ This textile is from the V & A … Continue reading
Goan Portugese Houses – Art in Architecture
Classic Goan Portugese Houses are found all over Goan villages. Some are in great condition, others dilapidated. Viewed collectively, they represent an art style that belongs to the late 1800s … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Textile Art of Gujarat – AGAIN!
I might be accused of bias as Gujarat is my home state – but since I am not the only one to be smitten by Gujarat I might be absolved … Continue reading
The Weight of Commitment
The weight of this token of commitment is about 100grams. Of Gold. !!! In case you are underwhelmed … here is a similar piece displayed in the V & A … Continue reading
A Tent Hanging from India
The series on the V & A textiles continues with the printed tent hanging! Makes me think that I should pay some more attention to prints … From the … Continue reading
The Wine Cup of Emperor Shah Jahan
Emperor Shah Jahan’s wine cup: Am still confused about the way it is to be used as a cup for drinking … It is probably cups like these that inspired … Continue reading
A Kalamkari Coverlet – Antique Indian Textiles
A visit to any museum can be exhausting and the maximum I can handle is about 1 – 2 hours of exposure. In any given hall there are always too … Continue reading
Creating Art Every Day
Isn’t it terrific that in our way of life, the act of creating art is one of the basic household activities that every single woman indulges in? Art is too … 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
Bullock Carts & Oil Mills in Applique!
An endearing naive 2-dimensional rendering of bullock cart & a bullock-run oil press or oil mill! And the featute that makes me wonder about the Banjara connection is the white … Continue reading
Connecting the Dots of Gold
In the past, gold jewelry with motifs created by arranging tiny granules of gold was popular in some parts of India. Ancient Greeks used the granulation process too but the … Continue reading
My kind of Palace
After a long time I have been able to afford the time to take a little solo trip. And here I am in a charming palace sipping green tea! in … Continue reading
Blessing Containers in Silver
How many people have others praying for them? Am certain that I have fewer today than I had 50 years ago. And so as these blessings become rarer, I value … Continue reading
Art Revived
Some vanishing arts have been strengthened and resurrected by external change agents. Soof Embroidery of Gujarat is one such art that had the blessing of nurturing by people who devote … Continue reading
