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
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 – 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
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
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
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
Weekend Musings – We shall never know ..
Exploring a whole new culture and its history, its evolution and the reasons that make it what it is today … is like taking a journey with imperfect lenses not … Continue reading
The Way We Were
Stunning larger than life print from the collection of negatives of Souza & Paul, Goa’s oldest photo studio, presented by the Serendipity Arts Festival. Soooo beautiful!! Jm Dec 2016 … Continue reading
Waiting to Grow Old
A friend reminded me that at 50, we are the youngest of the old people. But I cannot wait to get to the next stage and become the oldest of … Continue reading
Beauty is Ageless
“Beauty begets beauty” Timeless beauty from Gujarat creating more timeless beauty.
Twin from the Past
So here is a photograph that I took in 2008 of a structure in Agra. Here’s a Black & White rendition of the image Imagine my surprise when I found … Continue reading
Art in Architecture – The Magnificent Blue Mosque of Istanbul
The Sultan Ahmet Mosque or Blue Mosque is stunning not only because of the Blue tiled interiors that give it its other name, but also because of the dome structure … Continue reading
Rajasthan Tribal Costume
Regular Costume of a woman from Rajasthan belonging to the Garasia tribe – one of the numerous tribes in Rajasthan. Am wondering how many of us can carry off that … Continue reading
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
A Kashmir that We Shall Never See Again
Kashmir: A geography I have not yet been to. A history that none of us can ever go to. A few old photos that bring alive the lifestyle of Old … Continue reading
Guest Post – Memories of Swat – Kohistan Valley
Steve Wallace is a Textile Collector living in Australia and has kindly shared his memories of a visit to the Swat Valley three decades ago through this note. Photos are … Continue reading
Lost & Found – An Ancient City in Northern Thailand
An experience from 8 years ago almost lost in my memory… revived through photos. In 1984, some ancient tablets were found at a site about 5km from Chiang Mai in … Continue reading
External Article: Bound Feet – A Photo Essay
A superb photo essay “The Last Surviving Chinese Women With Bound Feet” WARNING: Graphic images. External Article: Bound Feet – A Photo Essay
Vietnam Diaries
So close yet so far! Vietnam being just a short flight away – there is the feeling that I can go there anytime. And as a result I put it … Continue reading
Caving in Halong Bay – First Adventure
Well ‘almost’. Caving is the recreational pastime of exploring wild generally non-commercial cave systems. The beautiful Halong Bay in Vietnam with its 2000 towering limestone islands and islets offered me … Continue reading
