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Tibetan Buddhist Ritual Kettle Embossed With Four Harmonious Brothers (Made In Nepal)

The boiling kettle is a simple item, so thoroughly annealed into our lives that one could not possibly give it any meaning beyond its utilitarian role. As everyday and easy to overlook as it is, it has been written about in great detail in the tripithakas. When the whistle blows, it takes one aback by the senses; one naturally realizes that is time to take it off the fire, and the moment this action is performed, it is like nothing ever happened. Somewhere in the Buddhist texts, they say that the whistling kettle is akin to the anger in us (or restlessness, jealousy, any emotion that induces unease in the mind) and that these emotions are triggers for us to take some action. They take us back by the soul, and giving in to them would be akin to letting the jarring sound of the kettle's whistle go on and on whilst trying to otherwise live our lives.

The symbolic kettle that you see on this page is, therefore, more than a work of art. It is sculpted from copper and gilded with gold and silver, with a finesse that is the hallmark of Nepalese workmanship. Embossed on the surface are images with a spiritual significance in Tibetan Buddhism, such as the four harmonious brothers. However, there is more to this buy than just the irresistible aesthetics. The kettle conveys the lesson that through anger, your mind is indicating to you that something needs to be done. You need to take control of the situation that angers you instead of venting it and doing away with whatever harmony is left. Like taking the kettle off the fire, that decisive action - if it is the right one - would satiate your anger such that you would no longer suffer from it.

Bamboo-Yellow Phulkari Embroidered Dupatta from Punjab with Sequins

Phulkari ('phul' means 'flower' in the vernacular, while 'kari' means 'embroidery') plays a very important role in the life of a Punjabi lady. She is given one by her grandmother at the time of her birth; wears one during the all-important phere ( as an integral part of her trousseau); and wears one when she steps out for the first time after becoming a mother. The dupatta that you see on this page is more than a fashionable odhni that would merely look great at a party or a pooja. It is a slice of history, a work of folk art that you could wear. From the vibrant colours of the phulkari to the sequins that punctuate the embroidery, this one is a characteristically cheerful number.

Traditionally phulkaris were not commercially produced. They were the domain of women who made these wonderful textiles at home for the daughters and other women of the subsequent generation. It is no wonder then if this gorgeous dupatta, should you decide to buy this, becomes a precious hand-me-down in your family. It is long and luscious, decidedly youthful in its appeal, and fashionable in a way that will not fall out of trend. An ethnic classic, this piece of folk fashion would more of an investment in your wardrobe.

Vitarka Mudra Buddha, Seated In A Glade

Having originated as bhitti chitra (wall paintings), Madhubanis are a rage among folk art connoisseurs. This is because the charms of the original Mithila style, the region of Bihar where this form of art originated, are largely intact, arguably unlike other Indian folk arts. The work you see on this page is unconventional in that it deviates from the norm - it is done on portable canvas to cater to modern-day demands as opposed to a mud-plastered wall, and no vivid colours are to be found between the lines of the composition. However, the thick black lines of the Buddha's form and the elements of nature that surround him, occupy every surface area unit of the handmade paper canvas. Both the subject and the style betray the spiritual ethos of the home of Madhubani art.

It is a complex work - curves of varying lengths, thickness, and degrees of straightness put together a picture that is simple yet eloquent. A solemn, haloed Buddha sits in poorna-padmasana on a magical lotus in a glade. One of His hand is in the vitarka mudra; an alms-bowl rests in the other. He has only fawns and peacocks of the forest for company. Delicate sprigs fill the forest floors, while the woods begin to thicken in the background. Apart from the kundalas, the Buddha has His princely shringar on, a reminder of His early life in the Shakya clan. Zooming in on His halo, one would see a rim of gorgeously symmetrical lotus petals. This Mithila painting would add to your space an ethos of the rustic and the ethereal.

The Four Harmonious Brothers Reach The Fruit Of The Tree

The four brothers are in harmony as they traverse the Himalayan foothills in this gorgeously coloured thangka. Ample verdure coats the numerous hills dotting the landscape. Deep blue waters, abound with life and motion, punctuate the same. Some of the taller hills are covered with snow, their cloud-kissed peaks painted with a skill endemic to Tibetan and Nepalese thangka painters. In the centre are the four brothers, each arranged on top of the other in terms of seniority (partridge over the rabbit, over the monkey, over the elephant). A recurring motif in Buddhist-inspired visual arts, this arrangement conveys the importance in Buddhist tradition of honouring age above nobility or greatness or learning.

It all started when the brothers fell out with each other, and in a state of mutual discord turned to discussing the age of the banyan tree (which has been painted ahead of the brothers in the direction they are taking). While the elephant remembers it as a bush from his childhood, the monkey remembers it as a mere shrub and the rabbit as a leafless sapling. However, it is the partridge that had carried its very seed in his body and planted it there, so he is the one sits above the rest of his brothers. This is the Tittira Jataka parable that the Buddha had narrated to teach his disciples that age comes above everything else. In fact, it is this arrangement that enables the partridge to reach for the fruit of the banyan tree to share with his brothers.

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26" The Glorious Hanuman | The Jewel of The Ramayana In Brass

The more that is said about Lord Hanuman, the more that remains left out. Of superlative strength and great personal beauty, this vanar-roopa deity is best known for His devotion to Rama in the itihasa. Vanar-roopa, because He used to be very mischievous as a child (son of Anjanadevi and Vayudeva) and had subsequently been punished with a blow to the face Indra Himself. He was tutored by Sooryadeva, and is the most perfect of yogis across space and time. In the necklace of Ramayana characters, He is the brightest jewel. Of elegant speech and extraordinary intelligence, it is His active devotion to Rama that enables the latter to finally rescue His wife from the clutches of Ravana.

Storm-Gray Designer Floor-Length Anarkali Suit with Printed Golden Bootis and Zari Embroidered Border

The Anarkali-style suit is the Indian version of the western ball-gown. Long and flowing and characterised by voluminous skirts, it is an ensemble fit for no less than a queen. The dress you see on this page is one such Indian Anarkali suit comprising of trousers, dupatta, and a dress-kameez to-die-for. The colour is a soft pale gray that makes for a feminine statement. It brings out the glittering gold of the booties printed along the length of the skirt. Its hem is adorned with dual panels of embroidered gold lace. Note the ample pleats that the skirts of this dress have been gathered in, and how gorgeous it would look as you motion.

It is no wonder that the dupatta is a relatively simple strip of silken fabric; after all, with Anarkali-style suits it is the kameez that is designed to be the showstopping element. It has a miniscule pastel-coloured trim at the hem, and a bunch of tiny white booties spaced out across the field. This Indian suit comes with signature choodidar trousers in matching gray colour. The USP of the ensemble lies in the long-sleeved, beautiful seamed bust. From its high, soft round neck emerges a strip of golden discs of varying sizes that lies in a semicircle over the bust, enclosing more of the printed gold booties.

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A Powerful Vision Of The Ferocious Bhadrakali (Tantric Devi Series)

The image of the solo Bhadrakali is as powerful as it gets. The paintings in this series have been reproduced from the famous Basholi watercolours, all the hallmarks of which are to be found in this one. A naked, barely adorned corpse for a pedestal; portrayals of Shakti-roopa devis from India's tantric tradition against a solid-coloured background with minimal hints of landscape; and a singular shringar and style of crown for the deties in question. The Devi Bhadrakali is dusky, the ashen blue of Her silks blending with Her complexion. Chunks of gold in Her pearls-dominated shringar match the gold on the border of Her garment. She rules over not just the universe as we know it, but also whom we consider the rulers of the universe.

Her head is set with a crown that befits Her heavenly status - it is ornate and made from gold, studded with emeralds and trimmed with three pink lotuses that are just about to bloom. The halo that surrounds Her head is in the form of the sun itself, albeit a solid grey colour that gives off rays of pristine light. From the colour of the moors behind Her, it seems that the sun may have set and the twilight is making way for the dusk. Zoom in on the Devi's face, wherein lies the beauty of the whole composition. A ferocious composure of countenance characterises that beauteous face, with the large bloodshot eyes and the awe-inspiring fangs that emerge from betwixt Her luscious lips. A third eye is to be found on Her vibhuti-smeared brow, on which sits a sliver of the silver moon.

The Four Harmonious Friends Wall-hanging (Made In Nepal) (mthun-po spun-bzhi, Skt. Catvari anukulabhratr)

The motif of the four harmonious friends is to be found in abundance in Buddhist-inspired art everywhere. The four brothers comprise of the elephant, the monkey, the hare, and the partridge; whilst the all-important harmony lies in their position relative to each other. This harmony was established after a period of mutual discord. The brothers had gotten down to discussing the age of a banyan tree in the Himalayan foothills where they dwelt. The elephant had seen it when it was a bush; the monkey, when it was a shrub; and the rabbit, when it was a tender leafless sapling. However, the partridge remembers having carried its very seed in its body and planted it there. His age and seniority were thus established, and mutual respect and harmony restored amidst the four.

The exquisite wall-hanging that you see on this page features this all-important motif. The same is a fine example of Nepalese handiwork, the copper repousse having been done with great skill and labour. Zoom in on each aspect of the work to take in the sheer level of details - the adornments on the elephants and the landscape they are walking on, the series of lotus petals and gems of red and blue that frame the central motif, and ashtamangala symbols laterally arranged on either side of the same. Peacocks and a kirtimukha image are on the lower panel, while the upper one features more complex repousse. The whole composition is framed by more lotus petals that run along all four sides of the wall-hanging.

Garnet-Rose Bedspread from Gujarat with Embroidered Kutch Patches and Mirrors

The right bedspread could work wonders for your space. After all, the bedroom is the inner sanctorum that rejuvenates you each night and should be an image of all that you hold dear. The bedspread you see on this page serves just the purpose. A warm colour palette against the superb cotton make of the spread creates an item that is designed to add comfort and personality to your space. A riot of soft natural pastels, to be found in remote Gujarati countrysides, infused with a vibrant, dominating shade of red is as characteristic of Kutch as it gets. It is a region known for the lively and colourful textiles produced by the women, a fine example of which is this bedspread.

The signature patches that grace this bedspread feature the rustic style of embroidery that has been perfected locally in Kutch. Tender foliage motifs in natural colours are to be found in abundance, the same having been puntuated with miniscule silver mirrors that shimmer against the light. All these are the rage across the subcontinent, which explains how widely coveted are the dupattas, ghagras, and home decor fashioned in the region. Infuse your space with a bit of the essence of India - earthy colours, rangoli-esque motifs, and a disntinctly endemic art of embroidery - to return to each night.

The Birth of Andhaka, From Devi Parvati's Playfulness Upon Mandara Parvat (Superfine Painting)

On a warm and clear blue-skied day, Lord Shiva sits on the mount Mandara. He has assumed the poorna-padmasana on a tiger-skin, and is steeped in dhyana. The conscious depths He is in could be gauged from the depiction of His form - five heads, ten arms, complexion like the polar dusk, and all the chakras of the body prominently shining through. The little Ganesha, His son, is sitting on His lap. He is enjoying a laddoo - no picture of the Lord Ganesha is complete without a laddoo in the periphery - and is lovingly held in place by His father. The trusty Nandi and a tiger have been painted in the foreground, quietly sitting on the flowers and verdure of the region. There is nothing to disturb the calm of the situation, till Mother Parvati arrives on the scene. Gorgeous as She is, She is a most playful mood the morning of the painting. She creeps up behind Her husband, who is too consumed by dhyana to notice the rustling of Her silks and the tinkling of Her shringar.