The 6 Sparkling Days of Diwali 

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a grand celebration in the Hindu calendar. This is an unparalleled experience that is observed over six magical days of Diwali, where several deities are commemorated. Almost a billion people across the globe participate in Diwali celebrations, and several countries officially recognize it as a holiday. Many cities in…

Ecology – The Modern Confusion (Part 2)

This is the talk given by Swami Chinmayananda at K C College Hall, Mumbai on 16th July 1992. With interesting stories and new insights, He has beautifully cited the modern confusion around our understanding of ecology. The Charles River Charles river in Boston – a beautiful river – but every 10 yards there is a…

Birth of Chinmaya Mission

The Seeds of Chinmaya Mission June 5, 1953, marked the conclusion of Swami Chinmayananda’s first yagna in Chennai and the beginning of a movement, the likes of which modern India had not witnessed before. At that point in time, however, no one could have guessed that they were witnessing a turning point in the spiritual…

What is a Kasavu Saree?

Introduction to Kasavu Saree Kerala Saree, commonly known as the Kasavu saree, is the traditional wear for women in Kerala. These sarees can be further classified as Kerala Set-Saree, Set-Mundu, Neriyath, Kavani, Kasava etc. These are crafted mainly at Kuthampully of the Thrissur district in Kerala. Kasavu saree is crafted mainly by the Devanga Chettiar…

What is a Maheswari Saree?

Maheshwari handlooms are one of India’s most well-known handcrafted textiles loved the world over for its fineness, delicacy and sophistication. Like all handwork, much imagination, labour and patience go into its making. History of the Saree The first evidence that the Indian saree was worn was found with the small statues of Sumer dates back…

Block Printing – A Timeless Indian Art

Block Printing – The Story continues… As discussed in the previous blog, Block Printing was revived from 1960 onwards by dedicated individuals like Shrimati Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. Shri Brij Bhasin also played a significant role in uplifting this craft on Gujarat. At a local level, few artisans like Shri Ismail Khatri of Ajrakhpur showcased exemplary leadership in…

Why We Must Support the Handloom Industry

Contribution of Handloom Industry In these days of energy crisis and global warming, it is more sensible to  encourage the eco-friendly handloom industry rather than textile mills and power looms that are energy and infrastructure intensive.   Using Handloom fabrics can help in reducing Global Warming.  Handloom is a highly comfortable fabric that is most suitable for…

Why Do We Not Touch Papers, Books and People With the Feet?

All Things and Beings are Worshipful In Indian homes, we are taught from a very young age, never to touch papers, books and people with our feet. If the feet accidentally touch papers, books, musical instruments or any other educational equipment, children are told to reverentially touch what was stamped with their hands and then…

Block Printing – from Then to Now…

Block Printing – Its History Recorded history of block printed fabrics, date back to the Indus Valley civilization i.e. around 3500 to 1300 BC. Exact reliable early history is difficult as textiles rarely survive the tropical climate. From the Harappan period onwards, export of textiles, specially cotton is confirmed. A piece of fabric, showing Indus…

Handloom – A Timeless Tradition

What is Handloom? Handloom refers to wooden frames of different types which are used by skilled artisans to weave fabrics usually from natural fibers like Cotton, Silk, Wool, Jute etc.  It is a cottage industry where the entire family is involved in the production of cloth. Right from spinning the yarn, colouring, to weaving on the…