Many years ago, along a winded dusty road, there were two small villages in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, on a lesser-known trade route called ‘The Wool Road’. Travellers from far-off lands would stop by these villages to recuperate from their long journey from China
Hand-stitched clothes and knitted garments were the norm for us when we were growing up. It certainly wasn’t because of our mothers and grandmothers’ love for handmade, but that was how life simply was back then, for most of us. ‘Ready made’ aka machine-made was
Basketry is as old a craft as perhaps pottery, practised by communities across the world using a variety of techniques and an array of materials. A typical basket is made of grass, and tightly woven into beautiful patterns using bright colours. These baskets (and other
Respite from the heat, the freshly washed lushness of the surroundings, the earthy scent that envelopes our senses, the shrill sound of the crickets and visuals of blinding pinks, calming greens are just some of the blessings of the monsoons. Monsoons need to be celebrated
Storytelling has been a part of Indians for hundreds of years. Styles differ based on communities across the length and breadth of the country. Storytelling traditions often include wonderful dance performances and song recitals. It’s no wonder that every child in India grows up
Indian traditional apparel and costumes, specially the ones made for festive occasions tend to be heavily embellished. Some like it extra ‘heavy’ and some like it ‘light’, but very few people can steer clear of the golden lure! As a little girl, my sister was
Lots of stories exist for how Rakhi, as a festival came into being but the one about the war between Gods and Demons is my utmost favourite. It stresses the point that this festival wasn’t just about a brother-sister relationship but simply about asking for
Re-use, Re-cycle, whatever you want to call the process, the idea is pretty much the same; it is giving something a new look, a new face and perhaps even a new purpose in life. Don’t we all need this too, in our lives now and
“A few years ago I came across a phrase – ‘To do a common thing uncommonly well, brings success’, and I think this is exactly what I set myself to do. I wanted the clothes I made to be uncommonly good, clothes which catered to
What does furniture mean to you? For me, it is nothing but a ‘movable item’ that makes a space livable. It’s for us to choose that piece of ‘movable item’ wisely to reflect our personality, our beliefs and traditions. While growing up, I believed that the ‘clever
