• Art,  Heritage,  History,  Sarees

    My Saree Stories: Part 10

    The tenth edition of my saree stories features the story of the revival of the Patteda Anchu, details of Kathiawari embroidery as well as information about the art of Srikalahasti Kalamkari. All of course, shared in my…

  • Heritage,  Sarees

    My Saree Stories: Part 8

    It is festival time in India, and every week you have one celebration after the other. This is a good time for sarees to be aired. And no one minds if you choose to wear something over…

  • Art,  Heritage,  Sarees

    Sujani: Embroidery from Bihar

    One of the many diverse art forms that lie relatively undiscovered in Bihar is the Sujini or Sujani embroidery. The earliest known examples of Sujani embroidery date back to the mid 1920s. Women hand embroidered these masterpieces…

  • Heritage,  Sarees

    My Saree Stories: Part 7

    Part seven of the series contains some trivia about saree motifs from Kanchipuram, some more trivia about the weaving of mulmul, and an invaluable lesson from my Dad when I went saree shopping. Saree #61: A Kanchi…

  • Heritage,  Sarees

    My Saree Stories: Part 6

    The saree obsession now takes greater heights. I had bought this black saree last year in November from a stall outside a conference in Nagpur. I wore it but for the life of me couldn’t remember what…

  • Heritage,  Sarees

    My Saree Stories: Part 5

    I’m back with more saree stories, this time with stories about typical Bihari traditions and some lesser known handlooms. Saree #41: A green leheriya from Rajasthan This was a very special moment for us in 2014. My…

  • Art,  Heritage,  Sarees

    Khenda: The saree quilt

    The house has become quieter. The mourning rituals ended last evening. Most visitors have left. Even people of the house are beginning to travel. Work beckons. Subodh and one of my nieces together come to me. “Do…

  • Heritage,  Sarees

    My Saree Stories: Part 4

    Welcome back to savour the next part of my saree stories. This time I have for you some funny stories from my Chennai visit, including some experiments with a new drape, and some ordinary days draped in…

  • Heritage,  Sarees

    My Saree Stories: Part 3

    Summer has transitioned to the much awaited monsoons. Romance is in the air. A compilation of some more of my saree stories. Saree#21: A summery cotton saree with applique work My other sarees go into hibernation or…