Isn’t that Lord Ganesh bowing? (the elephant’s trunk is the clue…) Lord Ganesha in Asset 1749 This is a scene from a large Wayang Batik textile from Cirebon Indonesia. Surprised by the Hindu God’s inclusion in an Indonesian art? The culture of Cirebon exhibits Hindu influences because of the Hindu King Siliwangi in the 15th century. Oral traditions, supported by Wayang performances, offer a glimpse into these cultural influences – with the Ramayan & Mahabharat well-entrenched in their culture. Wovensouls has recently acquired several Wayang textiles that are no longer made, featuring cult ..read more

“Nothing left to lose” is a sad statement … it is not a position to be envied – because surely each life must have at least one thing, one relationship, one love, one memory, one hope … one rasgulla even, just something to look forward to that keeps one alive and excited. This statement will probably not appeal to me until I am actually dead. But “being prepared to lose everything” is a statement of self-preparedness. It is a statement of I’ll take what comes and find my way. It is an assertion of the confidence there is to rebuild. And this statement has great appeal! The ability to rebuild ..read more

Or I could say addicted to the skies. My sweet mentor Mrs. Wagle once told me of a failed project. She had seen the balloon sellers who set out out in the morning and walk around neighborhoods, stop near schools or playgrounds and try to sell their ever-replenishable stock of balloons. They walk all day everyday – so much so that fitbit might want to consider making them their brand ambassadors. They belong to a particular group – maybe it is a splinter group of some clan or tribe that has found economic value in the wandering + balloon-selling idea. Mrs. Wagle had observed them over time. And ..read more

Pictures from the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation depicting the dress of he women of the desert. I have great faith in the traditional wisdom that is passed down the generations. And so I hope to find the answer someday for the use of black as the color of choice in the sunny hot environment. One more curious question added to the trillions of things to wonder about! *** jm wovensouls.com ..read more

So I got sent an “maybe you’ll like this” type of email from an auction house. It featured an old map. I knew that people collected old maps but knew nothing more about them. And so I ignored this email and moved on. But then, the crisscross diagonal pattern on the image lingered on and distracted me while I read the next few emails. And I was compelled to go back and take a second look. The criss-cross were too precise to just be there for art’s sake. There was logic and order in those lines with so many focii. And I saw that all these were arranged radially around a compass-like icon. Clear ..read more

A textile caught my attention for the unique scene it depicted…. Men, women, dancing, musicians… This is clearly set in a ‘Kotha’ in which courtesans and dancing girls welcomed noblemen and wealthy patrons for entertainment. In the model of life in those days, courtesans offered all forms of entertainment – music, dance, discussions and more. There is no equivalent of such a word in English so a translation is not possible. If you have red the ‘Memoirs of a Geisha” that model offers a parallel to understanding the Kothas. Classic Hindi films like “Umrao Jaan” and “Devdas” offer a peep into th ..read more

Student Monks begin their learning of Buddhist scriptures at a young age. Sitting amongst them as they chant in an atmosphere of scent and vapors of yak butter lamps in an ancient monastery hall, with painted walls darkened with the soot of the lamp over decades is a once in a lifetime sublime experience that I enjoyed in Lingdum in Sikkim. Those 4 days of immersion in that culture will probably never be repeated in my life. But a visit to the Norbulingka monastery in Himachal Pradesh did serve me well in reminding me of the past and drawing me into reliving those through the sights and sounds ..read more

Sharing some pictures of a lovely evening at a street concert outside a temple in Hanoi It did not matter that I stood or sat on a rock. All that mattered was the sweet melody and the sweet smiles of the musicians. The concert, free for everyone, took place outside the temple gates: And when it was dark, the lanterns came on, the young folk musicians took their seats and the music began. In Asia, I’ve observed that to enjoy culture one does not need to pay $$$ to enter a concert hall or to be a part of a traditional event. The magic is everywhere and all it takes to be a part of it, is one ..read more

The scenes in a shawl made a hundred years ago show moments of pleasure and joy. And clearly these scenes give us joy even today. Smoking in the garden, holding a baby and taking your dog and bird out for a walk … Some thjngs are timeless I guess: All part of a Manila Manton shawl – assesr 1149 on wovensouls. com See the shawl here: https://wovensouls.com/products/1149-antique-double-sided-embroidery-manila-manton-cantonese-embroidery *** jaina mishra May 2023 ..read more

A decade ago I witnessed the amazing culture of Mizoram at a festival and took some photos. Presenting some photos here once again: Chapchar Kut is the harvest festival celebrated in Mizoram, a state of North East India. At this festival, the Cheraw or bamboo dance is performed by young boys and girls. The boys across the performance ground clap bamboos in a synchronised beat, while the girls step within the bamboo patterns created by the boys. The footwork steps change from time to time along with the beat and the girls have to be careful not to get hurt. Image taken at Aizawl, Mizoram. SEE ..read more