In the local Silk Expo It was a lazy Saturday morning. The morning newspaper had an innocuous pamphlet advertising a silk expo in the neighbourhood. Since we did not have any particular plans for the morning, we decided to Read More …
Silks of India
Tag: Arteastic
The natural entrepreneur – Our Artisan story
Artisan story – Anju, the Madhubani painter On a wintry evening five years back, I was visiting a bustling handicraft fair in Bhubaneswar. The chill in the air, the vibrant colours in the handicraft stalls, the lively crowd, some wonderful Read More …
Five Must-Buy crafts from Arteastic online handicraft shop
Each craft has a story to tell. Each craft is a chronicle of our culture and heritage. Keep our heritage alive! Bring home the traditions of the East! Our pick for you – five must-buy crafts for your home and Read More …
Reinterpretation of Kaikeyi – Odissi performance
Kaikeyi – the multi-faceted queen of Ramayana The accomplished Odissi danseuse Sharmila Mukherjee talks about her creative production Kaikeyi. Potrayal of Kaikeyi, one of the most unusual and most misunderstood character of Indian mythology, is a very challenging subject indeed. Read More …
Indian Classical Dance and Impact
“Zore se mar! I cannot hear your feet!”, said Debidi, my guru. Literally translates to, “Harder! Stamp your feet harder!” Debidi (Debi Basu) is a well-known Odissi dancer, guru and savior to whom, any Odissi practitioner wishing to enrich the Read More …
My grandmother’s mystery box – Dokra antique box
Antique Jewellery Box My Dida (maternal grandmother) had an antique box inside which she used to keep all her personal belongings. It was a four-cornered storage box kept on the shelf inside her wooden almirah. Dida was married off at Read More …
Shilpa, the young Chitrakar – Our Artisan Story
Shilpa, The young Chitrakar Birakrushna-harepur is a small village in the Puri sadar district of Odisha. Shilpa grew up in this village. Now she is a role model and source of inspiration for many youngsters in the village. She is Read More …
Hidden Paradise: Kihim village on Konkan Coast
Vacation destination – the obscure village of Kihim One of the many things that I have often debated with my near and dear ones is whether a vacation within India is a better experience than one without. Well, the quality Read More …
A village of weavers – Story of Maniabandha saree
The Journey – in search of Odisha Ikat Khandua and Maniabandha handloom It was a hot summer morning in the month of May. We set out in a rented car from Cuttack towards a village called ‘Maniabandha’ in the Athagarh Read More …
Ordinary yet extra-ordinary : Story of Mae Nildete
Motivated by nothing but compassion, this wiry, bright old lady had made it her mission to find and support as many orphaned or displaced children as she possibly could. She may not be as famous as the women I have mentioned before, but her kindness, generosity and grit are no less inspirational to me.