Category Archives: Literature

Lit Post – 3

Posted on 09/10/2015 by Anu M

Kamala was simply dressed in a pink silk sari, fastened on the right shoulder with the diamond coronet which Tara had lately given her. The thick soft tresses of her long jet-black hair were wreathed with white roses, and she … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s, 1940s, Authors, British Raj, Chinese, Colonial, Early 20th Century, fashion, History, India, Indian Authors, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Literature, Indian men, Literature, Men, Photography, Studio Portraits, Vintage Books, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, Vintage Men | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lit Post – 2

Posted on 18/09/2015 by Anu M

अब मेरी बेटी का मामला है मेरी कोख में जन्म लेने वाली मैत्रेयी का। मैं इसको उस खड्ड में नहीं गिरने दूंगी, जिसमें गिरकर औरत जीवन-भर निकलने को छटपटाती रहती है और एक दिन खत्म हो जाती है। Now it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, 20th century, Accessories, Central India, Culture, Indian Authors, Indian Bride, Indian Dress, Indian Literature, Indian Women, Literature, Novels, regional styles, Sari, Sari Blouse, Television, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Books, Vintage Bride, vintage costume, vintage fashion, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Islamic Dress Post

Posted on 20/04/2015 by Anu M

When you think of Muslim influenced fashion in India you think of anarkalis, gauzy dupattas, tight churidars, a North Indian style that has a tremendous grip on the popular imagination not least because of Hindi movies. While the Mughals with … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, 1920s, 1940s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Art, churidar kameez, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Deccan, Dress Reform, dupatta, Early 20th Century, Family, fashion, Girls, India, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Islamic Dress, Islamic style, Literature, Mughal, Paintings, Photography, Postcards, regional styles, Religion, retro, retro fashion, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, South India, Vintage, vintage art, vintage costume, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage photography, vintage sari, Women | 3 Comments

The Bindi Post

Posted on 11/01/2015 by Anu M

The tikli or spangle is worn in the Hindustāni Districts and not in the south. It consists of a small piece of lac over which is smeared vermilion, while above it a piece of mica or thin glass is fixed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s, Accessories, bindi, Central India, Colonial, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Hinduism, historical fashions, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Literature, regional styles, Rural, Vintage, vintage fashion, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2015

Posted on 01/01/2015 by Anu M

Everyone should read Banalata Sen, whether in the original Bengali or translated. As I mentioned the sari history posts were very time and energy consuming this year.  I might revisit some of the earlier decades as the information on them … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, Bengal, Early 20th Century, Indian Literature, Literature, Personal, Poetry, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Plucky Girl

Posted on 23/09/2014 by Anu M

Sanskrit poetry is so often full of lovelorn ladies unable to bear separation from the hero (Virahotkanthita Nayika). And this recurs often in those Radha-Krishna paintings. And of course Hindi cinema is full of “viraha” songs.  But none of that … Continue reading →

Posted in 7th century, 8th century, Ancient India, Feminism, Girls, Indian Women, Literature, Love, Poetry, Romance, Sanskrit, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Spring Post

Posted on 07/03/2014 by Anu M

पुष्पिताग्रांश्च पश्येमान्कर्णिकारान्समन्ततः। हाटकप्रतिसंचन्नान्नरान्पीताम्बरानिव॥ And look at these flower-tipped karnikāras everywhere – they look like men robed in yellow and laden with golden jewellery. [X] Spring (Vasanta) in India is generally in the months of Phalguna and Chaitra (roughly March and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Contemporary, Culture, Flowers, Hinduism, History, Indian Dress, Indian men, Late 19th century, Literature, Paintings, Sanskrit Drama | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Conrad Rooks’ Siddhartha

Posted on 24/11/2012 by Anu M

Under black hair, which made to tower high on her head, he saw a very fair, very delicate, very smart face, a brightly red mouth, like a freshly cracked fig, eyebrows which were well tended and painted in a high … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient India, Buddhism, Indian Cinema, Literature, Movies, Period Drama, Sari Blouse | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Book Cover Post

Posted on 08/11/2012 by Anu M

Apart from the movie based on Maitreyi/La Nuit Bengali, the book covers also leave much to be desired featuring as they often do a generic exotic Indian woman barely indicative of the decade in which Maitreyi takes place. The first … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, India, Literature, Romance | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Book Extract Post

Posted on 04/11/2012 by Anu M
Posted in Authors, India, Literature, Sari Blouse, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments