Shaam-e-Sarhad: A day at a border village in the Rann
In January this year, we were in Gujarat to be part of the Rann Utsav. The festival held in the Rann of Kutch from November to February each year attracts several tourists. We were to spend an…
The revival of Ajrakh
I have always been fond of the Indigo range sold by Fab India and own several of their block-printed kurtas and some sarees. The patterns and aesthetics of Ajrakh have always appealed to me. But I knew…
The art of Rogan block printing
We were in Ahmedabad and my friend Deepa asked us if we would like to see the craft of Rogan block printing. So we hired two auto rickshaws and went off to find Khan Chowk. After some…
The story of Kachchi Dabeli
I remember first buying a packet of Kachchi Dabeli masala in a supermarket and wondering why it was called Kachchi. It took me a few moments to discover that it was not कच्ची or ‘raw’ but कच्छी…
Photo-op on the Tropic of Cancer
On our way to the Rann of Kutch, I spotted a blue signboard which said: It caused me to yell at the driver to stop for a photograph. I was even more excited as it was Makar…
