Tag - I am It!

Dear Pachchai tagged me a couple of days back to write 8 interesting facts about myself and my life! So, here goes:


A year back, I got booted from the oh-so-nice 20's into the 30's and had a minor 'mid-life' crisis. My husband convinced me that 'middle age' starts at 30 (!), and then I went through the exercise of 'what am I doing, what have I done so far, what I want to do' thinking ...this blog is an indirect result of my misplaced panic and unexpected wisdom of 'middle age'! ;-)


I thrive on multi-tasking! I NEED to have multiple things to do at a time or occupy my mind space. This also means that I haven't been able to achieve much success at learning meditation! My brain just doesn't sit still!


I am not much of a cook and had so far avoided stepping inside a kitchen [leaving it to the cook - yes, one of the minor luxuries you can afford in India!]. Since the time we built our home, I wanted to do something in the kitchen designed by me! So, started some bit of cooking - more of unique fare than regular dishes. My husband and I have a rating system for each dish I cook, and so far I must say that I have fared between 7 to 10 on the rating scale of 10 :-)


I ran a crazy credit card bill shopping for clothes when we went to Malaysia. The reason being that that was the one country where I could pick up clothes off the shelf in the regular sections! Yes, I am petite, petite with a capital P!


I am quite good with anything on wheels! From cars to bikes. My secret desire is to participate in the Trans-Himalayan car rally one day




My husband and I were the best of buddies for a year or so before we headed in the direction we did. I had the privilege of attending my best friend's wedding as the bride! :-)




I love dancing and as a kid have learnt Kathak - an Indian classical dance form



Did I mention wheels somewhere? - Well, I also have 'wheels on my feet' (literal translation from a Hindi proverb) and love traveling. That's the reason why you see the 'Travel and vacation' category on a design blog! We do a lot of weekend driving trips, and I am always on the lookout for interesting places and boutique resorts to visit. Next year, I am hoping that we are able to take the time out to do a 'Leh-Ladakh' trip and a Europe cross country trip


Phew!

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my life! Thank you Pachchai for giving me an opportunity to wax eloquent about myself!


A lot of my blogger friends have already been tagged, hence I will not tag them again. But I do want to tag Stan and KUS from Home Rejuvenation :-)

Forest of Honey...


...is the literal translation of 'Madhubani'. Madhubani is an art form practiced by women in the town of Madhubani in Bihar - a state in India. A traditional skill handed down through generations - the paintings are done on paper or cloth. Also known as Mithila paintings, these exquisite works of folk art have now found their niche in contemporary Indian design sensibilities. Though primarily used as wall decor, these designs are also used by top fashion designers in Indo-western ensembles. These paintings are done using natural colors (plant extracts), and use symbols like sun, women, animals, fishes and birds to represent the human lifecycle. Iconic Indian Gods like Krishna, Ganesha and Shiva are also popular!

Showcasing some beautiful (and colorful!) Madhubani paintings

Fish symbolises fertility

'Ardhnareshwar' - Man and Woman

Krishna with Gopis (milkmaids)


Peacocks


Getting a bride ready


Fishes again.


Interesting mix of modern with traditional. Women offering prayer at a tree, with a train in the background!


Parrots (disguised as peacocks?)


Krishna


Peacocks again!

Shows the nine planetary positions


Close up. Colors that will brighten up any room, any day!
Above images from some excellent online resources (you can also buy Madhubani art here) :

I would love to hear your ideas on where you would visualize such art in your home? :-)

The Royal Retreat - Devi Garh

18th century fort palace, nestled in the Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan
Designed by architect Navin Gupta and interior specialist Rajiv Saini
Years of effort to create a distinctive fusion design and ambience
Presenting Devi Garh













Design which is minimalistic and ornamental at the same time. Perfect harmony of traditional elegance with modern design sensibilities
With a little ingenuity and select artefacts, similar ambience could be created in our homes!





 
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