Encounters with the Maharani
Indian journalist, R.V. Smith, recalls his impromptu meetings with the beautiful Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur Hollywood star, Clark Gable described her as one of the most beautiful women he had ever met. This from the man who romanced Vivien Leigh in “Gone with the Wind” is fulsome praise indeed. No less was Vogue’s selection […]
A Pigmy in a Giant World
Platform soles may let you put your best foot forward but strut around in ten inch heels and you feel lofty, in-charge and ready to kick up a storm. My annual health check-up usually deteriorates into a group-therapy session (where I’m the group)… I am considered overweight. Determined to actually do something about it this […]
A Labour of Love
Among the numerous types of tribal and village woven containers of Iran, the tachehs are quite special. These large bags are made by the villagers of the province of Chahal Mahal, in the foothills of the Zagros mountains, west of Esfahan. The tacheh are used to store wheat, barley and flour. Their designs are very […]
Painting with a Needle (Part Three)
BENGAL KANTHA: The kantha embroidered quilts of Bengal are a lesson in thrift and skilled craftsmanship. Discarded sarees are placed, one on top of the other to the required thickness, the ends being folded in and held in place by simple running stitches. The design is then traced on the surface and the entire field […]
Unique Rhythm in Stone
Quoting from Zerin Anklesaria’s article, she describes the trip to the northern territories, which was prompted by the desire to see the Khajuraho Temples built by the kings of the dynasty that claimed direct descent from the Moon God. The story is predictable. It goes back to a sultry night when a beautiful maiden was […]
The Beat of the Millenium
On the night of February 14, 2000, days after his father, the great tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha, passed away, Ustad Zakir Hussain mesmerised an audience at the Trade Centre in Dubai with an emotional performance during the concert “The Beat of the Millenium” featuring nine percussionists creating a fusion of music, an amalgamation of […]
Painting with a Needle (Part Two)
CHIKANKARI: Chikankari of Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh is believed to have been introduced by Nur Jahan, wife of Mughal Emperor Jehangir, and worked originally only with white thread on white muslin. One of the impressions it gives is of being patterned on fine lace. The most popular form of the craft has the threads cover […]
Someone Else’s Shoes
A story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of second chances, Someone Else’s Shoes was a nominee for the Best Fiction Award in 2023. Jojo Moyes also wrote ‘Me Before You’ and ‘The Giver of Stars’. Nisha Cantor, globe-trotting wife of the stinking rich Carl Cantor, thinks she loves her lifestyle, her expensive clothes, […]
Unearthing a Talent
The doors slid open and Roshan Perera stood on the threshold of FedEx, the international courier company. FedEx had given him hope of initially training with them and thereafter he could apply for a job in the company. He started work in the internal communications division of FedEx using his graphic skills to produce artwork. […]
Painting with a Needle – Part I
Handicrafts from India have attained a worldwide regard for beauty, ingenuity, artistry and as a medium for the expression of rural India. Pride of place is, however, inevitably given to Indian embroidery. Its infinite variety, delicate handwork,