Editor's Picks

Dark-Cheddar Handloom Bomkai Sari from Orissa with Temple Border and Fishes Woven on Pallu

The unmistakable aspect of Orissa's Bomkai sarees is the muhajorhi endpiece. Muhajorhi refers to the contrasting colours and the angular discontinueous supplementary wefts that characterise the pallu, resulting in folk motifs. The marigold-and-silver Bomkai number you see on this page has a minimalistic endpiece - bands of silver punctuated by black, with miniscule saltwater fishes forming a one-of-a-kind pattern. The black goes on along the entire edge of these nine yards, making for a narrow border that brings out the beauty of the rest of this saree.

This saree is the colour of dense marigold petals, which shimmers from the pure silk it is made from. It is a solid colour, but for the long, tapering templetop motifs of the border jutting into the field. From everyday Tamil sarees to the one-of-a-kind Paithani numbers, the templetop-bordered saree is a traditional motif that never goes out of fashion in India, which means you cannot go wrong with this purchase. Teamed with some statement hand-me-down jewellery, this saree would look as good at poojas and havans as it would on weddings and parties.

Shri Rajarajeshwari, The Embodiment Of Beauty

Each of the das mahavidyas, the ten deities of great wisdom, are a form of Sati, Shiva's wife. Sati assumes those forms in order to block the ten directions so that Her husband could not escape Her rage. Each mahavidya, a roop of the divine mother, has Her own qualities, mantras, and devotees. Shri Raja Rajeshwari is one of them, an embodiment of beauty like Durga and Kali are embodiments of power. Hence, She is depicted by artisans as brimming with the grace of youth. This Kailash Raj watercolour is no exception. The deity's skin is rubescent, Her shringar flawless, and Her stance one of divine fervour.

She sits draped in thick garlands on a solid gold throne, over which lies the train of Her red silk saree. It is studded with pearls and emeralds like the ones on the chunky gold pieces adorning Her lobes and torso and limbs. From beneath the generously inlaid crown emerge the black ringlets of Her much-sung-about mane. In Her four hands are the symbols of life and plenty. Colourful flowers are strewn on the floors beneath Her throne. A plethora of pooja samagri has been strategically placed on the foreground: a basket of fresh fruits, a tall curvaceous diya, and a kalash.

The artist's skill could be deduced from the richly coloured background of the painting. Steady brushstrokes, layered one after the other, convey the powerful glow of Her gigantic halo. The red core emanating a circle of yellow light that gradually emerges into a dusky blue, gives the viewer an impression of the setting sun.

Aragon Plain Pashmina Handloom Shawl from Kashmir with Intricate Sozni Embroidered Paisleys on Border

This solid-coloured pashmina is fit for a queen. The rich colour of moist earth becomes the fabric like no other neutral. Because pashminas have traditionally been woven in statement, feminine colours, this one is sure to stand out. An infusion of pretty pastels characterises the embroidered panels along the edges, which complement the field colour. The motifs are classic - paisleys and chinar leaves, superimposed with miniscule tendrils. These motifs are quintessentially Kashmiri, where these one-of-a-kind shawls are fashioned.

The texture is to die for. Softer than butter, warmer than toast, it could be layered over your choicest evening sarees and suits to exude an inimitable traditional glam. In fact, the word for the fabric comes from the Persian 'pashm', which means 'soft'. No other part of the world has the skill to work with this wool, which itself is endemic to the Kashmir-Tibet region. A single work of pashmina such as this one takes weeks, if not months, of labour to be finished, making these shawls as desirable they are the world over.

Devi Dhumavati, The Most Unusual Of The Mahavidyas

Dhumavati is nothing like you would imagine a Hindu devi to be like. One of the das mahavidyas that the great Sati split into in order to contain Her husband, Shiva, Dhumavati is not characterised by the celestial splendour associated with even Her fellow mahavidyas. Her skin is smokey (dhuma is the Sanskrit word for smoke) and She wears the coarse colourless saree of the Hindu vidhva, as opposed to the resplendent youth and thorough shringar (the mark of the sadhva) of the Others. No living being is Her vahana. She rides a horseless chariot and is accompanied by a bunch of jet black crows, which are scavengers and widely believed in India to be the harbinger of bad news. In this muted portrayal by artist Kailash Raj the mahavidya's oddities are so lucid, the colours used so limited yet precise that if one gazes into this watercolour long enough one could almost hear the ominous cackling of the crows that flock to Her.

The Devi's iconography is a powerful depiction of Hindu widowhood. Apart from the highly symbolic white saree that drapes Her aged figure, Her unkempt tresses and no-makeup look convey keen existential sorrow. A bunch of akshamalas on Her neck, arms, wrists, and ankles is Her only shringar. A strange sense of hungering lines Her face. The eyes are listless. Static kula in one hand, the other raised feebly in varada mudra (gesture of blessing), Dhumavati is the very image of tamaguna. However, Dhumavati also implies an alignment of widowhood (an imposition, involuntary) with sanyasa (voluntary renunciation of one's wordly obligations). The Indian widow is no longer constrained by the demands of householding; she is is free to walk the spiritual path in pursuit of moksha. She stands for adversity that serves to build character.

In this light, Dhumavati is the bestower of siddhis. She is invincible and steady in the face of misfortune. The soothing background of the painting brings out the drama of the mahavidya's presence. Gently undulating mounds painted the palest of pastel green rise against the atypical hue of the sunset. It matches the colour of the chariot in the foreground, done up in tints and shades of gold, standing on the flower-studded grass beneath. Note the divinity exuded by the contrast of the gold of the chariot roof against the dimming blue of the twilight skies.

50" x 28" Turquoise Handmade Pure Silk on Silk Superfine Carpet from Kashmir

Kashmir is a very important, and turbulent, religious and cultural center. Famous for its craftsmanship and textiles, the likes of which are to be found nowhere else in the world, ours is a definitive collection of the produce of the looms of the valley. The most tasteful of sarees and jackets, made from wools and silks that are endemic to the mountains, are curated in our textiles section. Another of Kashmir's much-coveted produce is the statement Oriental rug, of which this is a fine example. Having emerged from the local handlooms of the region, it is a panel of sturdy homegrown cotton embroidered with ample proportions of silk to create an object of great beauty.

37" x 25" Beige Handmade Pure Silk on Silk Superfine Carpet from Kashmir

Kashmir is a very important, and turbulent, religious and cultural center. Famous for its craftsmanship and textiles, the likes of which are to be found nowhere else in the world, ours is a definitive collection of the produce of the looms of the valley. The most tasteful of sarees and jackets, made from wools and silks that are endemic to the mountains, are curated in our textiles section. Another of Kashmir's much-coveted produce is the statement Oriental rug, of which this is a fine example. Having emerged from the local handlooms of the region, it is a panel of sturdy homegrown cotton embroidered with ample proportions of silk to create an object of great beauty.

37" x 25" Turquoise Handmade Pure Silk on Silk Superfine Carpet from Kashmir

Kashmir is a very important, and turbulent, religious and cultural center. Famous for its craftsmanship and textiles, the likes of which are to be found nowhere else in the world, ours is a definitive collection of the produce of the looms of the valley. The most tasteful of sarees and jackets, made from wools and silks that are endemic to the mountains, are curated in our textiles section. Another of Kashmir's much-coveted produce is the statement Oriental rug, of which this is a fine example. Having emerged from the local handlooms of the region, it is a panel of sturdy homegrown cotton embroidered with ample proportions of silk to create an object of great beauty.

70" x 49" Beige Handmade Pure Silk on Silk Superfine Carpet from Kashmir

Kashmir is a very important, and turbulent, religious and cultural center. Famous for its craftsmanship and textiles, the likes of which are to be found nowhere else in the world, ours is a definitive collection of the produce of the looms of the valley. The most tasteful of sarees and jackets, made from wools and silks that are endemic to the mountains, are curated in our textiles section. Another of Kashmir's much-coveted produce is the statement Oriental rug, of which this is a fine example. Having emerged from the local handlooms of the region, it is a panel of sturdy homegrown cotton embroidered with ample proportions of silk to create an object of great beauty.

70" x 49" Royal-Blue Handmade Pure Silk on Silk Superfine Carpet from Kashmir

Kashmir is a very important, and turbulent, religious and cultural center. Famous for its craftsmanship and textiles, the likes of which are to be found nowhere else in the world, ours is a definitive collection of the produce of the looms of the valley. The most tasteful of sarees and jackets, made from wools and silks that are endemic to the mountains, are curated in our textiles section. Another of Kashmir's much-coveted produce is the statement Oriental rug, of which this is a fine example. Having emerged from the local handlooms of the region, it is a panel of sturdy homegrown cotton embroidered with ample proportions of silk to create an object of great beauty.

50" x 28" Mars-Red Handmade Pure Silk on Silk Superfine Carpet from Kashmir

Kashmir is a very important, and turbulent, religious and cultural center. Famous for its craftsmanship and textiles, the likes of which are to be found nowhere else in the world, ours is a definitive collection of the produce of the looms of the valley. The most tasteful of sarees and jackets, made from wools and silks that are endemic to the mountains, are curated in our textiles section. Another of Kashmir's much-coveted produce is the statement Oriental rug, of which this is a fine example. Having emerged from the local handlooms of the region, it is a panel of sturdy homegrown cotton embroidered with ample proportions of silk to create an object of great beauty.