I am a little hesitant to club these three writers together as representative of subcontinental Muslim women writers in the early part of the 20th century. However, though as writers they are quite different, for the purposes of today’s post … Continue reading
Brooch 2: I have seen a few 40s Indian movies where the brooch was used to fasten the saree at the waist. However, this photograph is the only one I have found with said brooch. Also rare to find a … Continue reading
Brooch 1: An unusual placement of the brooch on the saree blouse. The blouse itself seems to be the square neck kind of style of the 40s. The photograph is of HH Maharani Krishna Kumar (the basis for Rekha’s character in Zubeidaa). [X]
Princess Shashi Raje of Dewas in an embroidered ghaghra-choli looking poised and a little enigmatic in a studio photo. The choli is almost completely hidden by jewellery and yet it doesn’t feel excessive. Arm bracelets seem to have been very popular in the … Continue reading
A pretty cap sleeve blouse which allows for arm bracelets (bazuband). Pic taken in the 1930s. Source: people.howstuffworks.com
This gallery contains 3 photos.
Navaratri starts on October 16th. From L to R, the three forms of the Devi worshipped during the 9 days – Parvati/Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati – in differing attire. The three painting styles are Kalighat, Raja Ravi Varma and Kalamkari respectively. … Continue reading
byeloriszanianka: July, 1957 issue of the China Pictorial (Ren Min Hua Bao) shows a still of China’s National Youth Theatre’s performance of dramatist Kalidasa’s Shakuntala to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the founding of the China-India Friendship Association. Shakuntala is … Continue reading
And last an interesting peek into the making of the dress of ancient heroines, including Shakuntala, in the Amar Chitra Katha comics. No doubt a Shakuntala of the 21st century would again be quite different (though we can perhaps skip this soap opera … Continue reading
Shakuntala has also been filmed a fair bit. Surprisingly MS Subbulakshmi dispensed with a blouse in the Tamil movie Sakunthalai (directed by the American, Ellis R Dungan). Other film depictions like V Shantaram’s also discard the blouse. All employ a number of flower garlands … Continue reading
Sacontala says goodbye to Madhavi. Illustration for La Civilizacion by Don Pelegrin Casabo Y Pages (Mir, Tarradas, Comas, 1881-82). Shakuntala first appeared in the West in a William Jones translation and its not surprising the German romantics loved the drama. Subsequently Theophile … Continue reading
Vintage Indian Clothing 