A universal symbol for the source of life, the Sun has been worshiped and accorded a preeminent status across varied cultures, mythology and religions. Hindu religious texts personify the Sun as Surya, the only form of divinity that is visible...
The humble and universally popular motifs of checks and parallel lines take on a touch of magic when the deft fingers of Kanjivaram weavers translate them onto timelessly beautiful silk saris. Apart from aesthetics, checkered cloth has a deeper significance,...
Bold, subtle, earthy or bright, the colours of Kanjivaram saris seduce even the most jaded of palettes, enthralling the viewer with their ineffable, ageless beauty. Equally interesting are the Tamil names bestowed upon these shades, for many colours and blends...
Kinetic! That aptly describes the ‘neli’ motif used by Kanjivaram weavers. ‘Neli’ in Tamil refers to a wriggly movement akin to the quicksilver slither of a snake. On a Kanjivaram sari border, this abstract motif translates into one or more...
City, village, seashore or hill – go where you will in Tamil Nadu, its gopurams or iconic temple towers are unmissable, symbols of a vibrant, unbroken tradition of faith. These imposing structures, with ornate sculptures often picked out in fluorescent shades,...
The ocean and its many moods have always fascinated creative minds. Was it the mystic, timeless patterns of its waves that once caught the eye of a weaver on the Coromandel Coast? We’ll never know, but among the many- splendored...
Long after the rituals, feasting, music and gaiety are but a memory, the colours of an Indian wedding remain indelibly imprinted upon our consciousness – a vivid, beautiful palette that celebrates the union of two hearts! In India, the bright...
Picture courtesy: kanjivaram.org The tradition of weaving in India has an ancient, storied past. Beginning with the discovery of bone needles and cotton fragments in Indus Valley Civilization sites, there are references to the weaver’s craft in religious epics...
“Rain falling around, Its just the sound I like to hear, when my heart’s feeling down Try to smile once again, As they splash my window pane I quite like that, I don’t mind I’ve got no complaint Rain drops...
