Editor's Picks

19" Sheshashayi Vishnu, And The Birth Of Lord Brahma | Handmade

The image of the Sheshashayi Vishnu induces great calm and stability in the mind of the devotee. Shesha is the name of the naga (snake) on whose coils the Lord lies in sleep, which is the Sanskrit word for 'end'; 'shayi' in Sanskrit stands for one who is lain down. It is the volatile moment between destruction and re-projection, the transitional state between two cycles of time and existence as we know it. It is a powerful image and as one looks upon it, one visualises the chaotic but amniotic ocean that surrounds Him as He dreams the world into being. He is a superbly handsome deity as captured in the select medium of bronze, this composition having been handpicked from South India for its high-precision finish.

Chaturbhujadhari Devi Kali, With The Beauteous Eyes

Madhubani art is so called because it is endemic to Bihar's Madhubani district; the Mithila region, to be precise. Having been practised by local women, it is a form of bhitti chitra ('bhitti' means 'wall'; 'chitra', 'painting') used to decorate the home and the hearth. Understandably, the themes dominant in the folk art produced by a simple, reserved people are devotional and draw from the rich mythology of the culture. This contemporary Mithila painting is no exception. It is a rudimentary Mother Kali composition - the long-haired, long-tongued chaturbhujadhari Devi with the determined, almost fierce gaze. Her husband, the Lord Shiva, lies supine beneath Her divine feet. From the traditional mud-wall canvas, Mithila art has evolved to be done on portable canvas such as paper treated specially for the purpose in this case.

It is characterised by thick black outlines, filled in with solid colours with no shading. The painting you see on this page deviates from Madhubani colour conventions, featuring a black-and-white colour format. White spaces are minimised with finer and finer detailing in black, the pigment for which has been derived from carbon black. Despite the rustic mood of the work, Her iconography, as well as Her husband's, is replete. Her hands bear the implements of wrath, and She is naked but for the deathly skirt of severed human arms. Between Her large beauteous eyes is the tattoo of a trishool, indicating that it is to Shiva She belongs. Zoom in on any portion of the background to appreciate the time and labour that must have gone into the same.

Statement Black Wooden Ring With Sterling Silver Latticework

An unusual make of finger jewellery, this ring would be a quirky item to accessorise your outfit with. It is fashioned from wood and lacquered for a super-smooth finish. The base colour is a statement black, such that it will look good no matter the dominant colour of the rest of your ensemble. It is not only the concept of this fashionable designer ring, but also the high-precision finish of the workmanship that makes it a statement accessory. From ethnic to western and everything in between, this ring would go with almost any and every item of your wardrobe.

The body of the ring is thick and embossed with bits of symmetrically cut wood arranged against the lacquered black to form a bold pattern. These chips range from a shining white to a golden yellow in colour. The surface of the ring that would be conspicuous to onlookers is superimposed with a curvaceous latticework of sterling silver. This is bound to make this ring your go-to accessory, your own personal signature that is at once assertive and feminine. This is indeed the kind of eclectic jewellery that turns heads and starts conversations wherever you go wearing this.

Mother Of Pearl Pure Pashmina Handloom Shawl from Kashmir with Kalamkari Needle Embroidery by Hand | Takes around 1 year to complete | Handwoven

Pashmina is select. It is regal. An exquisite Indian fabric that has clothed royalty since time immemorial, the shawl you see on this page is a fine example of its aesthetic possibilities. Handpicked from the loom of the mountains, it is a particularly youthful number. The colour-palette is irresistibly feminine - vibrant blues, greens, and oranges, with a generous infusion of multiple shades and tints of pink. The result is a gorgeous image of temperate floral beauty.

No other part of the world has the resources and the skill to work with pashmina. The fabric is made from the natural molt of the endemic changra goat, which is then delicately spun into yarn, dyed, and painstakingly embroidered using local techniques, which means that this single pashmina item has taken months to be finished. The kalamkari is dense and superbly precise, a hallmark of the high-quality craftsmanship and labour that have gone into this wearable work of art. Layered over your choicest Indian sarees and suits, this pashmina shawl would make an inimitable statement.

32" Traditional Yali Temple Pillars In Temple Wood | Made In South India By Hand

The Yali is to Indian culture what the griffin is to Greco-Roman culture. It refers to a creature that has the features of the most powerful members of the faunal kingdom, and is yet more powerful than all of them put together. The Yalis in this one-of-a-kind wood sculpture have the mane of a lion, the teeth of a crocodile, and the musculature of a horse. An age-old symbol in the visual arts of the South, the Yali composition gained prominence during the sixteenth century.

The Solemn Banjara Sisters (Framed)

There is something about the banjara's idea of life that survives despite its being counter-intuitive. A sense of home is so fundamental to our psyche that the nomadic way of life appears to us to be an impracticability, albeit a romantic one to some of us. For the banjaras, life is neither romantic nor impracticable; it is simply what it is. Their livelihood is in itinerant trade which range from gorgeous handicrafts to fortune-telling, which would barely count as survival in our books but suffices their purpose - enough for them to have lived this way for years, without desiring what lies in abundance around them. The oil painting you see on this page depicts a pair of banjara sisters. Their self-contained composures of countenance convey that these peoples tend to be reserved with us outsiders.

Sterling Silver Anklets With Ruby And Cubic Zirconia Drops

Every woman should own a pair of statement anklets that are as good to team with party outfits as they are to be worn around the house. In this part of the world, where the anklets on this page have been made by local silversmiths, every woman has that one pair that was her first, gifted to her by a senior female member of her family to commemorate her growing up. The sight and sound of it carries her back to her childhood, and she would probably hand it down to one of her daughters for her to remember her childhood by. These handpicked silver anklets would make for a great hand-me-down among the women in your family.

It is a series of tiny silver discs with rangoli-esque engravings on them. These are interconnected with even tinier silver loops that lock into each other with the help of proportionately sized silver bands. From each of the silver diskettes emerge three drops - a rich majenta-coloured ruby flanked by glassy cubic zirconia. The gems used to finish the anklets are miniscule and encased in silver. They will be sure to announce the wearer's presence as she motions in and out of rooms around the house. Alternatively, these would great in a pair of stiletoe-clad feet.

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Cashmere Poncho from Nepal with Embroidery

The poncho is a versatile garment. It functions as both a top and an outerwear that you could layer over the rest of your outift. The one that you see on this page is a colour-blocked poncho handpicked for its sheer elegance. Fashioned from pure pashmina wool, it comes from the looms of local Nepalese weavers because no other region in the world has the knowledge and skill to work with pashmina. The naturally molting underbelly hair of the endemic changra goat takes an eye-watering proportion of time and labour to be spun into yarn, dyed, turned into fabric, and embroidered.

This explains why the pashmina fabric is so desirable. This poncho is a pale grey and brown number, superimposed with minimalistic embroidery down the bust. It sits gently on the shoulders, making for a drape that is deliciously feminine. Pashmina is arguably the warmest fabric that there is, which is despite its superlative lightness. This poncho is sure to be a signature addition to your wardrobe - you could wear it to parties or gatherings with a traditional spin, depending on how you choose to accessorise it.

Deepalakshmis Stand In Welcome, Infectious Calm On Their Faces

India has a one-of-a-kind bronze tradition. It began in the recesses of Southern India upon the time of the Pallava dynasty rulers, who were generous with their commissions for local artisans. Temple bronzes had been a thing of Southern life till that point in time, but it was with Chola patronage that the medium gained prominence. South India has been the home of bronze since then - to this day the region produces the most exquisite bronzes, temple and otherwise. The technique is ancient and painstakingly time- and labour-intensive, but it results in pieces of visual art as beauteous as the one you see on this page. It is a couple of youthful Indian beauties called deepalaskhmis ('deepa' is the word for the flame of homemade Indian lamps).

The deepalaskhmi figure is supposed to be placed at the entrance to one's home or office. These gorgeous ladies bear a welcoming stance. The thalis in their hands are designed to hold a number of ghee lamps to be lit shortly before the arrival of visitors. They are dressed in traditional Indian silks and wear a world of shringar. Their hips are jutting out, their faces bearing an infectious calm. A parrot is perched on the gracious shoulder of each of the deepalakshmis, which is considered a symbol of romance in Indian culture. Note the traditional Indian hats that rest at an angle on the lovely heads of the ladies, and the multi-lateral lotus pedestals they are propped up on.

Hanuman Fetches A Mound Of Sanjeevani

The Lord Hanuman bearing a mound of the wild sanjeevani as He traverses over the subcontinent is the most endearing of His iconographies. When the brothers encountered a crisis and Lakshmana, the brother of Purushottama Rama, was on the verge of succumbing to His injuries, no one but Hanuman could be counted upon to revive Him. Having accomplished all eight yogasiddhis, He had flown over to the Himalayas in no time, rooted out an entire range that was home to the all-important herb, and brought it back to the party down South. It is said that he had made a brief stop in the lower mountains and touched His knee at a mountaintop, where a temple has been built to immortalise His great yogic feat.

It is indisputable that Lord Hanuman is the brightest shining jewel in the necklace of Ramayana characters. He has been painted against the stretched cotton fabric canvas characteristic of Indian folk paintings. The technique employed is called batik, the procedure for which involves repeated waxing and dyeing to aid the composition. From the pronounced jawline to the superlative musculature of His form, from the indispensable goad to the large tail flourishing behind Him, this is a painting of the Lord in His full glory. He is minimally clothed as befits a yogi, with His haloed crown and shringar in place. The statement red-and-yellow colour palette exudes a sense of power and stability that complements the aura of the deity in question.