tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8886153249226720472024-03-04T20:01:23.230-08:00The Rajboori to Maka Maka Journey - Sustainable, Global, Artisanal Home & Fashionwww.makamakahome.comRajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-79367528033099776452018-07-23T12:48:00.000-07:002018-07-23T12:48:39.540-07:00EXPERIENTIAL SHOPPING - Winning Over Brick and Mortar Customers in an Online Shopping World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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</div>
<div class="p1">
With shopping becoming more of an online experience, retail outlets are facing a challenge to stay afloat in many parts of the world. These days, consumers choose to invest in experiences rather than products. My most recent adventure of running Maka Maka’s flagship store and café in Kolkata, India taught me invaluable lessons for surviving in a market that is tech savvy and more inclined to buying online. <span style="background-color: transparent;">The target customer for us is well-heeled, educated, curious, and has an admiration and appreciation for handcrafted and curated products coupled with a liking for eclectic fares in a café.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A3JKVNA7LJ44_C58Vu0XFlS67aQ_n4WFId9hn2zzbkPmUjpywOEwzia8gJkgXCG3xTG1foKJa3VAr2DBS0XRc5XN5BacZ7Ux_1YWStph52xswHImWarA8jHhzYInAhTm5VCuTmcVX6I/s1600/makamaka+banner+article+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1490" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A3JKVNA7LJ44_C58Vu0XFlS67aQ_n4WFId9hn2zzbkPmUjpywOEwzia8gJkgXCG3xTG1foKJa3VAr2DBS0XRc5XN5BacZ7Ux_1YWStph52xswHImWarA8jHhzYInAhTm5VCuTmcVX6I/s320/makamaka+banner+article+3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Experiential Shopping was what excited our customers the most, given that we were a "travel inspired" concept store and cafe. By creating a more immersive retail experience, we ensured that the customer left with memories, and not just with products or food items. Being able to enjoy our balcony seating, that overlooked a park, created many pleasant memories for a lot of our Cafe patrons, particularly the younger ones. Some of them lived outside of Kolkata and they came back with friends and family each time they visited the city!</div>
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For us, the core of customer retention was the experience they had while shopping at Maka Maka and enjoying the eclectic offerings in our café. Here are a few “stories” that will help illustrate my point on how to engage and delight customers:</div>
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<b>Experiential Shopping</b></div>
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Most patrons enjoyed the aesthetics of the space, which, to them felt like a journey through my travels across the world or within India. They stopped to enjoy the photographs on the walls and asked questions about Machu Picchu or Patagonia or Rajasthan and even about certain artisans I had met during my travels. It established a certain rapport with the customers as I shared my travel stories. When they entered Maka Maka, they felt relaxed and lingered, sipping on cappuccino and browsing through our curated collection. It became an enjoyable escape.</div>
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<b>Telling a Story</b></div>
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Our store décor almost resembled that of a gallery with white walls adorned with vibrant photographs of our Artisans. This made customers feel more connected to the artisans’ crafts, and helped generate a feeling of vested interest in supporting them. Every customer at Maka Maka loved hearing the stories of the artisans and their craft heritage.</div>
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Our customers appreciated the collection as they understood the effort that went behind curating an assortment that was hand-picked for their refined palettes.</div>
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<b>Encouraging Local Designers and Hosting Pop-Up Shows</b></div>
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We always encouraged young Fashion Designers or Culinary Experts to showcase their designs and food items through Pop-Up shows that we co-hosted. This offered our patrons a sneak peek at some new, undiscovered talent as well as first dibs on their creations. Our patrons thoroughly enjoyed the informal nature of the Fashion Shows and felt they could relate to the designs better. We always had great sales at these events! This also helped us reach more people through an expanded network of suppliers/designers.</div>
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<div class="p1">
<b>Paying Genuine Compliments to Customers</b></div>
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Our genuineness at making suggestions or paying compliments to the customers while helping in their buying process was much appreciated by them. There was an instance, when a patron came back with a friend to show Maka Maka’s collections. It so happened while she was shopping with us on an earlier occasion, we suggested to her to buy a clothing item that was not from our own collection but from another Designer’s which we carried in our store as we felt that it would suit her more. She heeded our suggestion and later received many compliments from friends and family, which in turn made her be highly appreciative of us. We felt this was our real reward.</div>
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<b>Going the Extra Mile</b></div>
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We once had an out of town patron who bought a one of a kind silk saree from our collection and needed a matching blouse at short notice of less than 24 hours. I called a seamstress who made beautiful blouses to fulfill this customer's need. This assistance and outcome thrilled the customer immensely.</div>
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<b>Understanding Our Patrons</b></div>
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When creating custom solutions for patrons, we always felt we needed to understand them better which would give us more insight in creating the right design for them. For example, a saree ensemble was designed for a patron to wear while attending a meeting with the Emperor and Empress of Japan. We could do this only after understanding her needs, as she was someone who rarely wore sarees. We also needed to be mindful of the gravity of the occasion.</div>
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Knowing the special needs of our customers and remembering them each time they visited us created a loyalty towards our brand. Our Baristas always remembered certain preferences of our regular patrons, such as, how someone liked to take their tea and what kind of tea they preferred.</div>
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<b>Having a Great "Team Maka Maka"</b></div>
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It would be unfair if the importance of the team at Maka Maka was understated. Their dedication in serving the customers was of the highest order, basis our underlying values and principles of customer service. They took personal responsibility in ensuring every customer was delighted, be it while going through the shopping experience or relaxing in the Café with their food and beverage of choice. I can't thank them enough!</div>
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-57397048144510847612018-03-06T10:15:00.001-08:002018-03-06T10:20:38.586-08:00Exploring the craft of weaving Jamdani and Muslin fabrics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the month of October, 2017, two lovely young German Sustainable Fashion Designers approached me to take them on a tour to show them the crafts of Bengal. Given that we had only one day at hand, I thought the best craft to see would be the UNESCO certified Jamdani weave and the ancient craft of weaving the diaphanous Muslin cotton. <span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Muslin is the fine fabric that once used to epitomize the dexterity of Bengal’s weavers and was highly coveted by the lovers of finer things in life.</span></span></span></div>
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Early in the morning we left Kolkata with the two Designers, myself and our very resourceful driver. The journey took us away from the hustle and bustle of Kolkata into the long stretch of the highway and the abundance of Kash flowers which bloom only in the Fall. Bengal had just finished celebrating the largest and most important festival of Durga Puja, the worship of the Goddess of Power (Shakti) and the pace was slow in the towns we drove through.<br />
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The ladies enjoyed some local sweet delicacies and the "bharer cha" (milk tea in a clay cup)! By the time we reached closer to our destination of the first village, it was time for lunch. Now, the town we were in, didn't really have any good restaurants that had amenities suitable for tourists. So, we had to take the help of a very nice traffic policeman who made a few calls and told us of a place that we could use for food and an hour of freshening up in safety and comfort!<br />
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A home cooked meal of rice, dal and vegetables was served which we enjoyed immensely and headed out to the village of Jamdani weavers. Jam (flower) and Dani (vase) is a Persian word that came to Bengal with the mixing of various cultures, migration, rulers, etc. The intricate weave takes meticulous precision, attention to detail, and very skilled hands, where the pattern in woven on top of the base fabric, all in simultaneous precision! Starting their work at 5:30/6:00am and ending at 6:00pm, the weavers can weave up to 4-5m of fabric a day! With monsoons every year, their homes that hold the looms, get flooded and disrupt work. Still, they persevere and continue the craft they inherited from their ancestors!<br />
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After enjoying more hospitality of sweets and laughter from the weaver families, petting their cows, and picking up a few Jamdani scarves from their workshop, we headed out for the village of Muslin weavers.<br />
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As we entered the village, all we could hear was the click-clack of the looms in action throughout the village. It was quite relaxing. We stopped by a few homes to learn more about the yarn, the fabric, the history and see the weaving in action. Muslin, is <span style="font-family: "droid serif" , serif;">Hand-woven from an uncommon and delicate yarn, and it was found in Bangladesh and Bengal and was exported to Europe for much of the 17th and 18th century. Noble ladies in Europe and the Royalty in India, all favored Muslin as the fabric of fashion! It is said, that the finest quality of Muslin is so light and fine that a 6 yard fabric can pass through a finger ring!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "droid serif" , serif;">After a very productive and immersive experience, and an entourage of villagers saying farewell to us and our guests, we returned to Kolkata in the evening, while discussing possibilities of working with these weavers in the future.</span></div>
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-45538465133121469032017-04-19T13:11:00.000-07:002017-04-19T13:13:34.501-07:00Eco-Friendly Textiles - Using Natural Dyes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With Earth Day upon us, I wanted to write about something that we are all in close contact with everyday of our lives - textiles. We adorn ourselves with them, we sleep in them, we hug them, and we sometimes sit on them too! But, do we stop and think what goes into making our clothing, our bed linen, our pillows, etc.?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At Maka Maka, we pay close attention to the kind of textiles we choose to create our home textile collection. We use only handwoven, sustainable fabrics to create our finished products of bed linen, pillows, and even some home and fashion accessories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, I wanted to write more about using natural dyes and how use of chemical dyes cause irreparable harm to us. </span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">About 8000 different chemicals are used in a </span></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Chemical dyeing processes </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">in its various stages.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The water consumption is almost 40 times the weight of the fabric</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The chemical dye seeps into ground water and pollutes drinking water reserves causing carcinogenic elements to be consumed by us </span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deshaj Collection</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If we as informed consumers make conscious buying decisions and purchase textile products, such as, apparel and home textiles that use only natural or azo free dyes to give color to the products, we can bring a change in the demand and supply dynamics of eco-friendly textiles!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The commonly used natural dyes are derived from herbs such as indigo plants, turmeric roots, madder root, and haritaki.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Haritaki - green</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Turmeric - yellow, gold</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Indigo - shades of blue</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Madder Root - shades of red and maroon</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Onion - rich, vibrant shades of orange, yellow, rust, brown </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Block printing in Rajasthan and Gujarat is primarily done using natural dyes. The abundant sunshine is also conducive to the colors being more vibrant and rich.</span></div>
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-18158015512241702532015-12-15T04:57:00.000-08:002015-12-15T04:58:17.315-08:00Exploring Crafts and Artisans in Rajasthan in the Monsoons - Blue Pottery!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
With the upcoming Pujas, Diwali, and Christmas-New Years, I decided to take a trip out to Rajasthan and then onto Gujarat, in search of new handcrafted items from various artisans. It was in August and the monsoons were in full swing in Kolkata. I wondered how it would be in arid Rajasthan.<br />
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A very early morning flight out from Kolkata got me to Jaipur by 7:00am! I headed straight for the village of Blue Pottery, some 55kms outside of Jaipur. The weather was perfect! Not hot and not humid but quite pleasant. I had connected with this artisan potter family in June when I had come for a separate reason, which, I'll be writing about soon!<br />
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Vibrant, cute, fun, and creative blue pottery decor items were placed before me in this lovely home where I was greeted with smiles and a cup of steaming Rajasthani Masala Chai!! Door knobs, incense stick holders in the shape of a palm, little cute Turtles - all made using the unique technique of Blue Pottery!<br />
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The patriarchs in this artisan family were trained by Kripal Singh Shekhawat, the father of Blue Pottery. Kripal Singh is known to have been approached by Maharani Gayatri Devi and Kamala Devi Chattyopadhyay of Crafts Council, to revive Blue Pottery. A unique mixture of gypsum, quartz, glass and gum is used as the basis.<br />
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Once put in certain moulds, they are baked in the hot Rajasthan sun for a few days. Then the artisans paint various patterns on them and they are put in the kilns. Once the product comes out of the kiln, one can see the beautiful and vibrant colors of turquoise, navy, yellow, green come alive!<br />
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I picked up my loot of items for Maka Maka, and headed off to the village of Bagru, known for natural dye block printing and Mud resist printing! But before I left, my artisan friends made sure I had a plate of homemade "poha" (a snack made of flattened rice and vegetables) and another cup of sweet Rajasthani masala chai as they weren't sure when and where I would grab lunch!!<br />
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I love making such friends wherever I go! <br />
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-4370303658498543132015-05-14T03:04:00.000-07:002015-05-14T03:07:10.838-07:00New Discoveries - Madhubani Painting and New Weaves - Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had left off the last post leading into the next set of exploration that would happen in our old stomping grounds, Bhagalpur. The once thriving silk town in North Eastern India has seen quite a bit of changes in the past few years.<br />
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The overnight train journey from Muzaffarpur to Bhagalpur was a very cold and uncomfortable one as we forgot to pack blankets and sheets for this particular ride where it was a sleeper class train! We arrived into Bhagalpur in the wee hours of the morning when this otherwise chaotic city was still asleep.<br />
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The rest of the day was spent exploring our old weaver clusters to see what kind of current work was being done and what the current status was. To our dismay and alarm, we found that the number in handloom weavers had drastically declined in the past 4 years or so.<br />
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Due to the cost efficiency in production, more handloom weavers have either shifted to powerlooms or have quit their trade! The ones that are left behind, a handfull 15-20, are highly skilled, slightly aged individuals, who still love to work on exquisite weaves at their handlooms but desperately need work! The availability of cheaper and inferior quality textile products from China has caused a huge dent in this industry!<br />
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We met one such artisan, who is selling potato chips, paan parag, etc. from his home cum workshop to make money while his loom sits idle on the other side of the room! He was quite annoyed with us for taking photos and recording him and said, "How many more photos do you need? Give us work!"<br />
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This image stuck in my head and I felt that unless we, as Designers, Producers, Retailers, don't wake up and take notice in a collaborative manner, this ancient and amazing art of weaving in North Eastern India will soon be extinct.<br />
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It was refershing to visit another village where the artisans seemed to be thriving and were prosperous. The key was demand for Tussar and Gicha silk sarees from Bengal and some other parts of Northern India. They had enough work and it was relatively less complicated of a weave so it was cost effective for them to continue their work.<br />
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A visit to the ancient ruins of one of the seats of knowledge, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikrama%C5%9B%C4%ABla_University" target="_blank">Vikramsila University</a>, ended our trip on a pleasnt note. However, it made me more aware of the current situation in handloom weaving and unless more of us, Producers and Consumers, collaboratively support this initiative, we will have lost another exquisite art!<br />
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-60257280575194554392015-03-27T07:30:00.000-07:002015-03-27T10:45:21.356-07:00New Discoveries - Madhubani Painting and New Weaves - Part 1!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The travel bug bit me again! Last February, we were finally able to get away for another exploration trip to the villages where our weaving is done and to source some new Artisan work. This is probably the most fun part of what I do, besides getting to design to my heart's content!<br />
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This time, we decided to take a trip out to the Madhubani region of Bihar, bordering Nepal. I had long wanted to explore the beautiful handpainted Madhubani artwork and finally, we were heading there! Leaving <a href="http://www.makamakahome.com/" target="_blank">Maka Maka</a>, our flagship store and cafe in Calcutta, in able hands, we headed out.<br />
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The winter chill was strong as we got off the train in Muzaffarpur, in the early hours of the morning. We headed out for the town of Madhubani with our escort, Kailash-ji. As soon as we got out of the congestion of the city, the highway became a pleasure to drive on! With yellow fields of mustard flowers on either side, and the morning mist hanging low, it was a refreshing and serene sight.<br />
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Once we reached the town of Madhubani, we headed to the NGO's workshop where most of the Madhubani artisans came to showcase their work or use the space to do their work. We spoke with a few women artsians and the chief coordinator of the location about the history of this beautiful and intricate painting that apparently originated during the times of the epic, Ramayana! The folklore says that, King Janaka, Sita's father had ordered that all the houses should be decorated with intricate paintings during Sita's wedding to Ram.<br />
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It's traditon, till date, for the villages in Madhubani area, to decorate their homes with this form of painting when there's a wedding or any festive occasion. In its original form, Madhubani painting was done using local herbs and cowdung. Currently, fabric paint is used to create the beautiful paintings on silks, cottons or on paper.<br />
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The pen used to create this artwork is almost similar to a fountain pen of the old days where the nib had to be dipped in paint to get the color in it. The artisans meticulously paint various stories from the epics, folklore, village scenes, or just elements from nature. <br />
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It was really enriching to see the high quality of artisanship. The icing on the cake was the freshly made sweets using fresh milk from a cow that lives on the premises! The flavor and taste was just out of this world! <br />
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After our work was done in Madhubani, we had to speed off to the village where Sujni embroidery work is done so that we could speak to a few artisans and start off a project with them, where a few of my designs would be done in their traditional Sujni embroidery. But before the next stop, a quick bite to eat was a must at a roadside dhaba!! Minimal facilities but optimal food at unbelievably cheap prices! 3 cheers for dhaba food! :-)<br />
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By the time we entered our familiar village, it was getting dark and cold. Without much further ado, and only after soaking in the fresh unpolluted air, feasting my eyes on the greens of the fields, did we get down to business! After discussing the new concepts and designs with the artisans, one of which is "Shakti"(women's empowerment), we headed back to the Muzaffarpur station to catch the overnight train to Bhagalpur. We knew it would be a pretty cold and uncomfortable journey as it was a Sleeper Class train! Well, it is what it is!<br />
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-16263120659868834532014-07-12T01:38:00.000-07:002014-07-12T01:38:36.746-07:00CROWDFUNDING FOR MAKA MAKA-RAJBOORI - ON INDIEGOGO!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear Friends,<br />
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After about 1.5yrs of launching "<a href="http://www.makamakahome.com/" target="_blank">MAKA MAKA</a>" Lifestyle Store & Cafe in Kolkata, India, as an expanded offering of RAJBOORI home textiles and home decor products, while supporting sustainability of artisans, we have launched a Crowdfunding Campaign on Indiegogo.com!<br />
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We need your support in the form of contributions and sharing of this campaign with your friends, families and colleagues! To take our venture to the next level and continue offering unique artisan made organic products, we need your HELP now! There are some great Perks associated with your contribution!<br />
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Thanks in advance!<br />
Team Maka Maka - Rajboori<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="445px" scrolling="no" src="https://www.indiegogo.com/project/maka-maka-lifestyle-store-cafe-a-global-forum-for-artisan-work/embedded/7806514" width="222px"></iframe></div>
Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-5882832907897456292013-05-13T03:40:00.002-07:002013-05-13T03:43:06.543-07:00An Artful Afternoon in Calcutta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There are many hidden treasures in Calcutta that I constantly discover even after having grown up here. One of these treasures is the home of Surajit "Bomti" Iyengar, located in one of the old colonial buildings that housed a British departmental store many years ago. <br />
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Bomti had come to <a href="http://www.makamakahome.com/" target="_blank">Maka Maka</a> when we opened, looking for wall plates and other hand-painted items from Portugal. Our conversations began and continued with a pending offer to have coffee at his place and discuss art. I finally made it over and with a lovely lunch that accompanied our conversations around art, his apartment with amazing views of the city and the visually stimulating decor, I also got to see his amazing collection of art and decor objects from around the world. Incidentally, Bomti's home was featured in Elle Decor: <a href="http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/artful-patina#slide-1">http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/artful-patina#slide-1</a><br />
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Not only that, Bomti has access to art from some very talented artists, who otherwise, would not have an audience! There were pieces that I could just pick up without a second thought! They were so vibrant, unique and would make a statement wherever they were displayed! With an eye for art and beautiful objects, and being the great conversationalist that he is, Bomti also becomes the perfect guide to take tourists and locals on heritage tours of old Calcutta that culminates into a sumptuous Bengali lunch at his charming apartment. <br />
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Once the weather cools down a bit, I plan on being a part of one of these tours and enjoying perusing through canvases and sketches of the artists he brings to light!<br />
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-35176887321086303292013-01-28T02:10:00.000-08:002013-01-28T02:10:05.577-08:00Updating Old Furniture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As our journey continues with Maka Maka, we constantly try to create new things for our patrons to discover. We were recently featured on a popular local channel in Kolkata (Calcutta) called News Time and one of the topics covered was how to update old furniture to make them a part of our modern lifestyles.<br />
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I thought it was great topic to discuss as Kolkata has a lot of the old, not only in it's colonial British architecture, but also in the interiors of many homes. Chest of drawers, almirahs, travel trunks, chairs, and much more, have been handed down from generation to generation. I've found that the current owners sometimes find it difficult to integrate these pieces into their modern lifestyles and homes. These pieces of the old world are usually beautifully crafted and can have some very interesting contemporary features that are timeless.<br />
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We suggest you give such pieces a facelift. A bright color paint, maybe, with a slightly distressed look could do wonders for an older looking chest of drawers. Changing out the old hardware on the drawers for funky new ceramic knobs can be a fun and interesting way of creating a great new look. This otherwise neglected piece of furniture could then become the conversation piece in your living room!<br />
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A travel trunk that carries many memories from many generations can function as a great new coffee table with storage for board games, books, etc. A fresh coat of paint or an interesting mural painted on it can give it a new life and function. Same goes for these old Burma teak chairs we had found in a very cluttered old furniture shop in Calcutta. It's great bones and structure appealed to me and a few coats of red lacquer paint and new seats upholstered in Black-Grey Ahimsa Silk, helped create a fabulous new look for these occasional chairs.<br />
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-82547392998159995442012-11-23T22:30:00.001-08:002012-11-23T22:35:34.230-08:00First Reactions to Maka Maka - our new store<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Since we opened Maka Maka, our new store in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, the response has been great. For me, it's great to meet people face to face and to get their direct feedback on the designs, the aesthetics, and the overall feel we provide in our store. This is exactly what I was hoping for.<br />
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Design cannot be done just in isolation and only to serve the creative aspirations of the designer, is what I believe, especially, when I'm designing something also for commercial viability. So, getting feedback from our patrons about their needs and likes or dislikes is a fantastic process for me as a Designer.<br />
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We've had people spend 30-40min sitting in our ottomans or the red Burma teak (reclaimed) chair and just chatting with us. Of course, they walked away with a Maka Maka bag in their hands! We've had little kids flop onto our Mala floor pillows and enjoy the comfort of the soft Matka Silk! But, this is what Kolkata is known for and I'm loving this bit that our patrons feel comfortable enough to spend some time with us to get to know us and our designs and inspirations a little better.<br />
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So, Kolkata, we hope to see more of your presence at Maka Maka and we look forward to forging a long term relationship with you!<br />
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Happy Shopping!<br />
<a href="http://www.makamakahome.com/" target="_blank">Maka Maka</a></div>
Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-83600788598073983412012-09-11T22:14:00.001-07:002012-09-11T22:14:23.665-07:00The Journey Has Begun...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a 3.5 month search and wait, we now have a location finalized for the new brand that will be launched as an extended offering of all things related to decorating your home! It is such an exciting time for us here in Kolkata as the team digs in all-hands-on-deck style to meet our target launch date!<br />
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We had been looking for an old house with some character or in a location that had a feel of a neighborhood but not far off from the main hubbub of daily traffic. A place where one can sit on the balcony, as they would in a typical old Kolkata home, and do some people watching or enjoy the breeze from the trees around, while sipping a cup of aromatic Darjeeling tea or an espresso and biting into a homemade delicious tea sandwich! <br />
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A place where one could enjoy the relaxed feel of home while browsing through our assortment of carefully curated home decor items and some fashion accessories sourced from around the globe and locally. We, of course, will show our own home textile collection produced locally with craftsmanship and attention to detail in mind but modern in aesthetic.<br />
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We found that place and hope to share it with our patrons very soon. Once we finalize the launch date, we will let you know so do stay tuned. For people of Kolkata, I hope you will find some unique designs and products of high quality for your home and as gifts and we look forward to welcoming you to our new home soon!<br />
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-44054639746782773082012-08-30T10:25:00.001-07:002012-08-30T10:25:29.380-07:00Light At The End of The Tunnel?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been 3 months since we got to Kolkata! I just can't believe where the time has flown by! In these 3 months, we faced the worst summer heat Kolkata had ever seen, a miserly monsoon season with sudden bursts of rain and sunshine in no time, and now, we're looking forward to the biggest festival, Durga Puja. <br />
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Needless to say, within these 3 months, we've scoured the city to find that perfect location for our store-cafe. During these 3 months we've had countless meetings with many real estate brokers, who couldn't fathom why we wouldn't be interested in a proper showroom, and kept showing us one disappointing place to another. But, finally, it seems that we can see some light at the end of the tunnel! <br />
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An old house in a fabulous location may be just the thing we've been looking for! Stay tuned for more news and updates.<br />
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Yes, photos will be uploaded soon as we begin the journey to create the new identity and essence that will be a bigger extension and offering of RAJBOORI!<br />
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Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-48735696770342455872012-06-19T23:07:00.000-07:002012-06-19T23:07:27.813-07:00An Adventure in The City Of Joy - Searching for Location - 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been one month since we reached Kolkata! Really don't know where this one month flew by. In this short period of time, we have managed to secure a home for ourselves, a car, a maid (yay!) and the most important one, a good and reliable driver! Yes, we need to have a charioteer to help us navigate and negotiate the alleys and by-alleys, the avenues and streets of this major metropolis! It's a little disconcerting having no control over the wheels of our own car but putting all things into perspective, it is much less stressful when we already have a bucket-full of stress awaiting us!<br />
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We have been frantically looking for a location that suits the needs of our vision pertaining to the lifestyle store-cafe. Kolkata had some amazing old architecturally rich bungalows and houses which have been rampantly replaced by multi-storyed buildings. It is proving harder for us to find that dream location but we haven't given up yet. In the process, we have learnt how things work here. The pace and agility are sluggish. There are always layers to peel when it comes to what something appears from the surface vs, what it actually is! However, there is always a way to get things done, may not always be straightforward! <br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">In the meantime, we took a short trip to the weaver village to look for some new source materials, textures, designs and more. Things have also changed there as demand for certain kinds of textiles has grown so much that the original value offering from this region, the gorgeous Tussar Silk, is now seeing a demise in demand and production! We have now taken it upon ourselves to find a way to revive the past glory of this Silk and it's varietals. However, it was great to see some really beautiful new designs and patterns emerge from the creative minds of our weavers.</span><br />
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<br /></div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-68118668804580156872012-05-24T10:39:00.002-07:002012-05-25T09:30:01.393-07:00An Adventure in The City Of Joy - Searching for Location - 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a fabulous tour of New Zealand and it's many sheep-filled pastures, and a quick breeze-through of Sydney, we landed in Calcutta (Kolkata) a little after midnight. The relatively quiet airport at that ungodly hour gave us a sense of calm, which is very hard to achieve in this city of 16 million or so people.<br />
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Outside, we were greeted by smiling family members and a sultry night. We were told with optimism that it was much cooler than other nights as it had just rained a few hours ago. Hmmm, we thought. If this was "cool" then what do we have in store??<br />
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The last few days have flown by like the unpredictable summer breeze. We've looked at a few locations for our store-cafe concept and liked a few. There's more to see as we have engaged a very smart and resourceful individual to expedite our search.<br />
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We also need wheels, and eventually, a charioteer to navigate the wheels as neither my husband nor I plan on taking up the daunting task of driving in this city of millions! To acquire these wheels, we have engaged a very enthusiastic young man, whom I have known for a few years now and he has worked his magic. We were treated with such hospitality and service! His friend owns a car dealership and that friend drove a car to us to let us see it! Now, where in the world do you get such dedicated and personal service from a car dealership?!! The search is still on for the right wheels that'll zoom us around the city (as much zooming the traffic will allow).<br />
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The search goes on for wheels, location and more as we continue to brave the heat and humidity in this city. I have to admit, Vancouver's gorgeous summer days are tempting me quite a bit! :-) <br />
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More soon....</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-39678621257639298772012-01-23T11:54:00.000-08:002012-01-23T11:54:20.917-08:00Blocked by Block Prints!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Towards the end of each year when I sit down to design the new collection for the upcoming year, I try to explore new horizons in techniques, skills, artistry, and colors while maintaining the favorites of the current year. This time, my sense and sensibility was filled with inspiration from not only the colors and artistry of India, but from another continent far, far away - South America!<br />
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The sights, colors, and essence of this beautiful continent needed to be incorporated in our collection for 2012. As will soon be revealed in the upcoming weeks, you will find the cool yet sensual icy blues of the Patagonian glaciers, the grays of the rocky and surreal mountains, and the spicy and rich fuchsias and Tangerines of the flora, resplendent in our collection. Married with the essence of South America, you'll find the geometric shapes of old Indian architecture and techniques used from ancient times.<br />
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During my recent trip to India, I had the immense pleasure of experiencing how block printing is done. This ancient tradition needed its boundaries pushed a little so we threw some very modern patterns and motifs for the skilled artisans to explore. After some trial and error, they came out beautifully! Never did I know that how much bad weather can affect block printing! Waiting for days or hours for the sun to come up or for the steaming of fabrics to be completed (4hrs!) so that we could see how they turned out, took a lot of patience and persistence.<br />
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The colors used for block print need great amount of sunlight and dry weather for the true vibrancy to blossom. Once steamed in this huge steamers, they are washed and dried for the final effect and then finished appropriately as per the textile used. This time we've experimented with some beautiful handwoven linen fabric and I hope you will like them too.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOnMl76Ci7YAYJpTEVC-NiUYx3Uf59FtN5i6T7XdBLqqQ_a_p4FzVZmYFC_D9z4btIhZLNHiGVObkarN6krs8isX_EZOIUupnGPLKH6KYOqFOAqcVdKJZ79X8ELSIjM-JlpVuhwshyphenhyphend8/s1600/steam-pkg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOnMl76Ci7YAYJpTEVC-NiUYx3Uf59FtN5i6T7XdBLqqQ_a_p4FzVZmYFC_D9z4btIhZLNHiGVObkarN6krs8isX_EZOIUupnGPLKH6KYOqFOAqcVdKJZ79X8ELSIjM-JlpVuhwshyphenhyphend8/s200/steam-pkg.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">block printed fabrics being rolled up to be put into the steamer</td></tr>
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Stay tuned for the reveal of the Rajboori 2012 collection in a couple of weeks!</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-33034635477731184462012-01-09T01:46:00.000-08:002012-01-09T01:51:45.857-08:00Happy New Year from Rajboori<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wishing everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year! It has been a while since I had a chance to write on our Blog and the reason is I have been super busy traveling in Europe and India.<br />
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Last November, I was in Milan and Barcelona for a few days. While in Milan, I got to spend some time at <a href="http://www.10corsocomo.com/milano/">10 Corso Como</a> and really enjoyed the process of exploration to discover little treasures. What a gorgeous setup! While browsing, the wonderful staff treated me and the rest of the customers to some champagne and <span class="st"><i>hors d'</i><wbr></wbr><i>oeuvres</i></span> that were absolutely delectable!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFK3cntGR2TkpKR4RBFc6d-joDMwMTFYvmzgRQwntWPpvwm1sm5A05p9aASzUrdIogz9ALBbXZPDfSRnjfTqOo-tJ5YAE6CWBagPged2808AVHXh67MbgUYR06rCNyPamrDMDn6D92H0/s1600/IMG_5396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFK3cntGR2TkpKR4RBFc6d-joDMwMTFYvmzgRQwntWPpvwm1sm5A05p9aASzUrdIogz9ALBbXZPDfSRnjfTqOo-tJ5YAE6CWBagPged2808AVHXh67MbgUYR06rCNyPamrDMDn6D92H0/s200/IMG_5396.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10 Corso Como</td></tr>
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In Barcelona, I stopped by <a href="http://www.nanimarquina.com/">Nanimarquina's</a> beautiful and vibrant new store and had a chance to admire their collection. I especially enjoyed the Kala rugs that are handwoven in India. I also had a chance to see Vincon which is fantastic store to discover some unique and interesting items for your home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJ8SFBF5n_p6QwhNoAd6KU_L__bqZc7lOlwb0La19jrM5e9VejGkXKtx37UgiWcEoF2vRJk2ejpvg_iquRarU38Vd_NYWF0LAsvTMS4kppB9uYKOEpLK9v6_d7Ovb6Tb8nm_fbR-T7Ns/s1600/IMG_4239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJ8SFBF5n_p6QwhNoAd6KU_L__bqZc7lOlwb0La19jrM5e9VejGkXKtx37UgiWcEoF2vRJk2ejpvg_iquRarU38Vd_NYWF0LAsvTMS4kppB9uYKOEpLK9v6_d7Ovb6Tb8nm_fbR-T7Ns/s200/IMG_4239.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kala Rug</td></tr>
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Once in India, we went to the dynamic and bustling city of Mumbai. Some new discoveries included <a href="http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/shop/le-mill-289830#">Le Mill</a>, <a href="http://mumbaiboss.com/2011/01/06/antiques-at-anemos/">Anemos</a>, and a revisit to <a href="http://www.goodearth.in/">Goodearth</a>.<br />
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Le Mill's neutral look and modern sensibilities in their assortment had a very European flair and it was interesting to see that their sheet sets were in solid colors. It may sound surprising to most Westerners, but in India, the general preference for sheet sets is in print! The earth tones were a refreshing sight after seeing a myriad of color everywhere we went! <br />
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The reproductions of antique pieces or the re-purposed antique furniture were a delight to explore at Anemos. One of the founders was glad to show us around and we admired their beautiful creations.<br />
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Goodearth was fun to explore, especially, the textiles, china, and other accessories. And, I do love their candles! It was nice to see a lot of refinement in the collection and attention to finer detail which we hadn't seen the last time we were there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvf2XXESXI86hCPZ5oXSt4X2wnw3HfEltXJmiNnK5U9vNKv8FMC9DltO5hFgoDsCGajX_1A_t-PVeXZcAsUcq29SXH6WB7hYMfnXDvffSfywnOGGGgCtgKLDxs3CpcN6O2OE9Je9jE518/s1600/IMG_1978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvf2XXESXI86hCPZ5oXSt4X2wnw3HfEltXJmiNnK5U9vNKv8FMC9DltO5hFgoDsCGajX_1A_t-PVeXZcAsUcq29SXH6WB7hYMfnXDvffSfywnOGGGgCtgKLDxs3CpcN6O2OE9Je9jE518/s200/IMG_1978.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Armchair - Goodearth</td></tr>
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As part of my own work for Rajboori, we have some major plans for 2012 which will be disclosed in time. However, that is keeping us very, very busy these days, while we're working on finishing the 2012 collection in which we will introduce some new techniques and fabrics besides Peace Silk, top-stitching and patchwork.<br />
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Stay tuned for more exciting news from Rajboori for 2012!<br />
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<br /></div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-85283754066055422672011-10-06T12:26:00.000-07:002011-10-06T12:26:09.657-07:00Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver and given my interest in all things "Eco", I wanted to stop by and explore what fashion trends were coming for 2012FW. The show includes presentations from <a href="http://www.nicolebridger.com/">Nicole Bridger</a>, <a href="http://www.prophetik.com/">Jeff Garner</a> (Prophetik), <a href="http://www.adhesifclothing.com/">Melissa Ferreira</a>, who are pioneers in Eco Fashion, and fashion favorites such as, <a href="http://www.jasonmatlo.com/">Jason Matlo</a>. Since wearable fashion trends transcend into home fashion, it's important to see what's cooking in their world.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPjgu38ed8I85NaE9bh61AvUr5Kdl7B9q0X_osZMxshTmYtH_AU3a0TtFkxsC3W4f5X6Nl-n4tTCycNtgvOzOQIHEvuRWTXPdPZcTMdSIGjMbxrICBMdpawrqoCh0Cv8ilEJcAe4916E/s1600/IMG_1694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPjgu38ed8I85NaE9bh61AvUr5Kdl7B9q0X_osZMxshTmYtH_AU3a0TtFkxsC3W4f5X6Nl-n4tTCycNtgvOzOQIHEvuRWTXPdPZcTMdSIGjMbxrICBMdpawrqoCh0Cv8ilEJcAe4916E/s320/IMG_1694.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa Ferreira, Jason Matlo, Nicole Bridger, Misty Greer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had the opportunity to attend the press conference and panel discussion held at the opening of Eco Fashion Week. There were many interesting questions posed to the panel and here are some key takeaways that can be applied to the home textiles industry and to some extent, our personal lives: <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>All the designers on the panel mentioned how they try to minimize waste involved in producing their collections.</li>
<li>Designers try to re-purpose the waste or donate to someone who can give it new life by creating other products, such a as accessories.</li>
<li>They all produce their collection locally, reducing carbon footprint </li>
<li>It's more expensive to produce eco fashion but once a consumer makes the commitment to purchase a Designer label that is Eco and sustainable, that consumer knows that the piece will last a lifetime. The longevity of natural fibers, such as, silk, linen, tencel, and spandex added to such fibers is much higher and in the end, we end up wearing the favorite Eco dress for many seasons, thus maximizing the return on the initial investment and causing less waste.</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCDbDLRd3Ry_Js3qq2oQrlWTnMLvZwDRjTX4uvLfAWk9AF7UTw3IgVgfFf4e3Hwm_NVmDUXP5BtC4EsucAh7a83iXNfkbFsaVqs66rPdU4lIo_wa0mkzmu5jX_NU0PCIGWJPOv9YIjBQ/s1600/IMG_1698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCDbDLRd3Ry_Js3qq2oQrlWTnMLvZwDRjTX4uvLfAWk9AF7UTw3IgVgfFf4e3Hwm_NVmDUXP5BtC4EsucAh7a83iXNfkbFsaVqs66rPdU4lIo_wa0mkzmu5jX_NU0PCIGWJPOv9YIjBQ/s320/IMG_1698.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicole Bridger</td></tr>
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All of the above points resonated with what we try to implement in the production of our Rajboori collection. We produce only enough to reduce waste and our designs use colors that are used all through a collection, making the collection easy to mix and match and coordinate harmoniously. The dyes we use are azo-free or vegetable, hence reducing use of chemicals in the process.<br />
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Silk, especially, Peace Silk, is more expensive to produce but at a consumer level it is an investment worth making as our quilts, coverlets, or pillows will last a lifetime, offering better return on investment to the consumer.<br />
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I hope more people come to the show and educate themselves on how to make more eco-friendly choices when it comes to fashion.<br />
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-67393185629258586292011-09-28T12:12:00.000-07:002011-09-28T12:12:59.042-07:00Mystical Machu Picchu and Colors of the Andes - Salkantay trail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The morning we began our 3 day trek on the Salkantay trail to finally arrive at Machu Picchu, started before dawn. Our guide, Celso, came to pick us up. We started off with a 2hr drive to Mollepata, the starting point for the trail. Given we had only 3 days to complete the trek, a 5 day trip was scaled down to (quite ambitiously I must add) a 3 day trek!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9M6kildYOk8OX3wnndyCWw_xcit6QB5K_Dys0EGIkw51NkSo83NKckWXnievNbr-9yeo3rX9qcBmjlP13GPXNNv1eP1xpBna5ibNI4gwJA-m-4V5g-6EKUY1haSh6xV-m1olJoSn2ZI/s1600/Salkantay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9M6kildYOk8OX3wnndyCWw_xcit6QB5K_Dys0EGIkw51NkSo83NKckWXnievNbr-9yeo3rX9qcBmjlP13GPXNNv1eP1xpBna5ibNI4gwJA-m-4V5g-6EKUY1haSh6xV-m1olJoSn2ZI/s200/Salkantay.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAqz7HBeOighOjwPovcoLXttELs4qZjl5P8YELmYmtaInyEj0iVJ9S13uBCDy7WA7uGnyW5lEp9aREth8MndQ2AbyYVo4oIIkOssb5_9PobNEooxNZ-je8wgZcIR_H8hWMNM0PPRcI0o/s1600/Salkantay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
Once we bid farewell to our driver, Cocoliso, and met our horseman, Jose, who had already loaded up the three horses with the luggage, we started the trek. The scenery was breathtaking, with soaring peaks of Salkantay and Umantay reaching for the cloudless, blue sky and the meandering streams flowing through the valley we walked through. On Day 1 we had to climb up to 4600m to the summit of Salkantay pass, which was about 4km, and then trek down another 7km to reach our campground for the night.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNyAoM4xsfutywTviMco0V30MG9S9YFa2xdwwmYVJGsf8rxKCYWnul3trIL-zSCgkWpOdRuPxg8BDk9H0CGdREoQLTB1krglq-uT50vhCk2i0I-l14Mz2hvOw3Xqvf1_W8TCm2A0OE_I/s1600/salkantay+trail+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNyAoM4xsfutywTviMco0V30MG9S9YFa2xdwwmYVJGsf8rxKCYWnul3trIL-zSCgkWpOdRuPxg8BDk9H0CGdREoQLTB1krglq-uT50vhCk2i0I-l14Mz2hvOw3Xqvf1_W8TCm2A0OE_I/s200/salkantay+trail+1.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Both of us are pretty active people and Subrata even runs marathons, so we didn't think it would be that big of a deal to accomplish this task. Well, altitude is an element we didn't take too much into account when we set out. Given, we didn't have much time to acclimatize before the trek, it hit us and more so, me, like a ton of bricks! Not so steep elevations started proving to be a mammoth endeavor! Our guide, Celso, who turned out to be quite the entertainer, started cheering up the breathless Senorita with little stories and funny antics!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOg7XRHOMJNfqF4bUvfBGAGh2eAVHdek0glB3vZCaQ25u9x5JRX8Fv4xKr9a5rpAn5LK-gPKlS3uA31yjiYI0ilgh6yq5XVwCvZb7DqP8dA18BTzJfk_kePg9VPryivnQeicl0iuyVFw/s1600/salkantay+trail+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOg7XRHOMJNfqF4bUvfBGAGh2eAVHdek0glB3vZCaQ25u9x5JRX8Fv4xKr9a5rpAn5LK-gPKlS3uA31yjiYI0ilgh6yq5XVwCvZb7DqP8dA18BTzJfk_kePg9VPryivnQeicl0iuyVFw/s200/salkantay+trail+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Anyway, after an arduous task, we reached the summit, not without stopping in between for a fabulous lunch prepared by Jose and Marcelino, who had trekked up faster than us and prepared a delicious, hot meal! The mountain dwellers breathe effortlessly at such high altitudes and apparently have trouble when they get down to sea level!<br />
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The views we saw during the climb up, the solitude of the mountains, the crispness in the air, and the feeling of elation after accomplishing what we had set out to, was unparalleled. The trek ended on Day 1 at a makeshift campground which was very "natural" in all sense of the word. Yes, no bathrooms, only amazingly beautiful natural settings! Our tents were set up behind a shed owned by a local farmer and a warm dinner was awaiting us. A sudden deluge greeted us that night and we feared the trail would be absolutely muddy, slippery and wet the next day, where we had to trek about 17km to La Plata campsite! Needless to say, neither of us went to sleep in peace that night!<br />
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The rain had stopped at some point that night and we woke up to a morning that was nothing but magical! Nestled between mountains and Peruvian rainforests, this little makeshift campsite seemed like a little gem. The moon was glistening on the Western sky and the crimson in the Eastern sky announced the rising sun. With a cheerful heart and very reliable hiking boots on our feet, Celso led us on the trek for Day 2, shouting "Vamos chicos, vamos la Plata!"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqL5znBPqvhGgWuZjl8WFn8ETd_92HdYp_ORAAoKgokq_wNnMlaycO1oRv7JMVq_zmC69PYvDjoEcmDq9fbY53jVev56DnmwEgN4hhrWmxm4lc29qlev4COD1-J-Syh2p1WDnmTlFtRMg/s1600/salkantay+trail+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqL5znBPqvhGgWuZjl8WFn8ETd_92HdYp_ORAAoKgokq_wNnMlaycO1oRv7JMVq_zmC69PYvDjoEcmDq9fbY53jVev56DnmwEgN4hhrWmxm4lc29qlev4COD1-J-Syh2p1WDnmTlFtRMg/s200/salkantay+trail+4.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOp5OivjRpZEQaMWHir_EYFQaoRAvovKJWvL6YrlaASu-mz4uXOviWwy94oEiuG_alL2bsk8ahDVewJynyLeiTeUC2OaYTs7Wkk1sd6M-nscnAzGV-t9kp3rhebJaoDH01m_Lkridy8w/s1600/salkantay+trail+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOp5OivjRpZEQaMWHir_EYFQaoRAvovKJWvL6YrlaASu-mz4uXOviWwy94oEiuG_alL2bsk8ahDVewJynyLeiTeUC2OaYTs7Wkk1sd6M-nscnAzGV-t9kp3rhebJaoDH01m_Lkridy8w/s200/salkantay+trail+5.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>We hiked down rocky terrain, over streams, through lush rainforests, indigenous communities and gorgeous views of the mountains. It was great to get a local flavor of how the people lived in those remote areas. The horsemen were so fast on their feet, negotiating the rugged terrain and reaching their destinations on time even though they were miles away!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DO64H4_erMQ3b-yEvJULIwCv54Z_KDUchj3PJtdWG4LS70JyUmzmyA_-4PeH7JdfcQATLwwGXKg2t6ip8WkSBuV5nuA3lPG9UvWAdwVlv3tM2upPjscrtgYp1FXw8mjVwKVAxCatgN0/s1600/salkantay+trail+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DO64H4_erMQ3b-yEvJULIwCv54Z_KDUchj3PJtdWG4LS70JyUmzmyA_-4PeH7JdfcQATLwwGXKg2t6ip8WkSBuV5nuA3lPG9UvWAdwVlv3tM2upPjscrtgYp1FXw8mjVwKVAxCatgN0/s200/salkantay+trail+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Day 2 ended after a hard 17km trek, at La Plata campsite, which had proper facilities! Our tent had already been set up and rest was all we could think of, not before a quick drive to Santa Teresa's hot springs to soothe our tortured muscles! <br />
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Day 3 started early but not like the ones before as only Subrata and Celso would go for a half day trek to meet Marcelino and me at Hydroelectric station, from where we would catch the train for Aguas Calientes. The plan was to take the 30min bus ride to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes very early on Day 4. Since we didn't have much time on our hands, we decided we didn't need to actually hike up to see Machu Picchu, especially, after what we endured on the Salkantay trail!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCXA1wf52oMj764hggHphUsrOY04f0EYXns2wv5p5eLhl-InbuFEXXJEYX9g8ZM8iBYeWGV9v6KTghYqPUn0WDh8gxZmx7pX9gGQF3b6TERk4q6yHN-ZmaGmSn5-2Y9gsVB-TPiRI8FM/s1600/salkantay+trail+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCXA1wf52oMj764hggHphUsrOY04f0EYXns2wv5p5eLhl-InbuFEXXJEYX9g8ZM8iBYeWGV9v6KTghYqPUn0WDh8gxZmx7pX9gGQF3b6TERk4q6yHN-ZmaGmSn5-2Y9gsVB-TPiRI8FM/s200/salkantay+trail+7.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
After being treated to a surprise birthday cake at 6:30 a.m., prepared for the Senorita by our amazing chef, Marcelino, I decided this was going to be a fun birthday after all! Subrata and Celso headed out and after a while Marcelino and I packed up and boarded a van with about 15 other tourists, guides, locals and even one braveheart on the roof! This precariously loaded ensemble of people and luggage started making its way up and down the mountainous roads of Peru. At one point, when giving way to an oncoming truck, our driver, who looked like he could be 16 years old, backed up so fast, that we almost went off the cliff! My heart pounding hard and hoping not to die on my birthday, I prayed that we all reached our destination safely. The roads of Peruvian mountains need much work and some recent flooding of the Urubamba river had caused much destruction, which is still being reconstructed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5s0yaUZ2K3wqc4TfuXdIooqEFZBmMGeWxFZqcu-023T3zv5VV_hXqxawlXjyFuqeGwTj32dSYzrXCnniTtzaX8qlJeBnVARcmDnAtVC1hIuN5zlx3R_OH97M-xX_teb6Y6IYlrpNRAU/s1600/salkantay+trail+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5s0yaUZ2K3wqc4TfuXdIooqEFZBmMGeWxFZqcu-023T3zv5VV_hXqxawlXjyFuqeGwTj32dSYzrXCnniTtzaX8qlJeBnVARcmDnAtVC1hIuN5zlx3R_OH97M-xX_teb6Y6IYlrpNRAU/s200/salkantay+trail+8.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCXA1wf52oMj764hggHphUsrOY04f0EYXns2wv5p5eLhl-InbuFEXXJEYX9g8ZM8iBYeWGV9v6KTghYqPUn0WDh8gxZmx7pX9gGQF3b6TERk4q6yHN-ZmaGmSn5-2Y9gsVB-TPiRI8FM/s1600/salkantay+trail+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>We reached Aguas Calientes after a wonderful train journey through rainforests, mountains, and the Urubamba riverside. A more tourist-centered town probably could not be found! We rested to wake up at 4:30a.m. to stand in line to be the first ones to catch the bus to see Machu Picchu when the first rays of the sun would sweep through these remote and mystical ruins.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AX_FaL__r3m-BOEeLkFFC34iEQS-k8HWGh_56MeVA6K6y0YgVLpcbw07DhRkBtJDmowApi7_WuNchVBWgqOb1W1h8WX3Lbkd8xAMB-NbuCuXkQbgIjLly8r1ScyHF9vvYD1_fty0sFU/s1600/machu+picchu1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AX_FaL__r3m-BOEeLkFFC34iEQS-k8HWGh_56MeVA6K6y0YgVLpcbw07DhRkBtJDmowApi7_WuNchVBWgqOb1W1h8WX3Lbkd8xAMB-NbuCuXkQbgIjLly8r1ScyHF9vvYD1_fty0sFU/s200/machu+picchu1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-18015599024269787962011-09-16T16:11:00.000-07:002011-09-16T16:11:32.292-07:00Mystical Machu Picchu and colors of the Andes - Cusco<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This past August, my husband, Subrata and I decided to go on an adventure in South America and it would also be a sourcing trip for Rajboori as I am increasingly seeking out global inspirations and sources to enrich our offerings. Our key destinations were Machu Picchu, Patagonia and Atacama desert, with cities like Valpariaso, Cusco and Buenos Aires thrown into the mix to offer some cosmopolitan, historical and cultural flavor and reprise from wilderness living. <br />
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After a day's journey from Vancouver, we reached Lima in the late evening. The airport was our "hotel" that night as we had a flight to the high altitude historical city of Cusco in the early hours of the morning. A few espresso shots at the Starbucks in Lima airport kept us awake that night.We reached Cusco in the early hours of the morning as the city was just waking up. The cool, crisp mountain air greeted us. Upon our arrival at the hotel, we were offered coca leaves, either to be chewed like the locals did or consumed as tea. I opted for coca-tea and Subrata went straight for the chewing option, hoping to drive off any remote chances of getting altitude sickness. Our 4 day trek to Machu Picchu on the Salkantay trail would begin from the next day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJgZ4fRuFZc1xYhERa_vM-WjSuKUUOJh6dIGUaNirrMhnpdbGhrpNsuH-owIgno91fRXTHt_qyKPAtjKCLYvHyOEDU3YFSPGQhUwSBtzfoMTsGSTRUyqTg8ez_vB_jT6XVsGrGw7p5hU/s1600/IMG_2433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJgZ4fRuFZc1xYhERa_vM-WjSuKUUOJh6dIGUaNirrMhnpdbGhrpNsuH-owIgno91fRXTHt_qyKPAtjKCLYvHyOEDU3YFSPGQhUwSBtzfoMTsGSTRUyqTg8ez_vB_jT6XVsGrGw7p5hU/s200/IMG_2433.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaza in Cusco city center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Cusco is a beautiful city nestled in the Andean mountains, built primarily in Spanish architecture as most of the original Inca architecture had been destroyed during the Spanish invasion and occupation. The alleys of Cusco were filled with sometimes enticing and sometimes strong smells of various indigenous food being cooked, out of which fried pork seemed to be prevalent and a favorite among most locals and some tourists. Cuy or guinea pig was a delicacy offered in most restaurants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6SLm8FumUWrtKOv6_s5_htaxbUEkEPHgl49XUBnD_x4BB9xAAj46ZDz7ID1FYCOalwXzWCimjrxM1iiwS-0pO7il9lRGwdLl6FKMpZ9v7I4sRCFNl-7uIv0jUkzkbQ9dsAC_j-_-j6A/s1600/IMG_3991copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6SLm8FumUWrtKOv6_s5_htaxbUEkEPHgl49XUBnD_x4BB9xAAj46ZDz7ID1FYCOalwXzWCimjrxM1iiwS-0pO7il9lRGwdLl6FKMpZ9v7I4sRCFNl-7uIv0jUkzkbQ9dsAC_j-_-j6A/s200/IMG_3991copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Alpaca shawls</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Now, I had to check out the amazing textile products I had been noticing since we had landed. The alpaca looked exquisite and a few upscale boutiques had the most beautiful and luxurious collection of shawls, scarves, and sweaters made from royal alpaca and vicuna wool. But I wanted to find something that was more Peruvian or Andean inspired and certainly more artisanal. So, off we went to visit the textile center in Cusco. This center is run by Nilda, who does inspirational work with the local artisans and they offer home textiles and some apparel in the center for purchase. There's also a very informative museum that illustrates how the art of weaving Andean textiles takes place and what ingredients/techniques are used to make these colorful items.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFqd6T1ureD8Bqenwajgem5QYjy0awYOpoZYBAuFCzd4RiFlfgdz4dwNa06pZ0TnK6OOvW0C8fKBHghJTP4Z_4cclvfNON3U_ELsjTGcGEqnWBW2ZW4EO55OmybOJOpD9SZelYiJGo1Y/s1600/IMG_2452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFqd6T1ureD8Bqenwajgem5QYjy0awYOpoZYBAuFCzd4RiFlfgdz4dwNa06pZ0TnK6OOvW0C8fKBHghJTP4Z_4cclvfNON3U_ELsjTGcGEqnWBW2ZW4EO55OmybOJOpD9SZelYiJGo1Y/s200/IMG_2452.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNXsUzhdK5CNM61bklnUcZkCRee6CwLb0IdD3G7tm0t3Edu5r-k4fUGiZbYdPdMV8HKaoU8hqPx1P3GOehcKa7A8gXUQm9u9mZ5DVhlmoSBPNwCOtm7oGKMVAD0hy08fl65VZ53Ya8as/s1600/Andean+textiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNXsUzhdK5CNM61bklnUcZkCRee6CwLb0IdD3G7tm0t3Edu5r-k4fUGiZbYdPdMV8HKaoU8hqPx1P3GOehcKa7A8gXUQm9u9mZ5DVhlmoSBPNwCOtm7oGKMVAD0hy08fl65VZ53Ya8as/s200/Andean+textiles.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
I was amazed to see the similarity of design patterns, style of weaving and the type of looms used by these artisan women and the ones that I have seen in North Eastern India! Did exchange of ideas and skills take place between the tribal artisan women of Peru and NE India at some point in history? If so, wouldn't it be great if we could revive that cultural exchange through design? With these thoughts churning in my mind, I went to bed, only to get up at an ungodly hour to leave for the Salkantay trek to ultimately reach our destination, the mystical Machu Picchu.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVnB6jgWrH3wMmfic-UptPwYYhykWkzTEOZDrDsGQO_wf50ko5A4cvxXrScpAJBwF7J3NpMdxOOtakZURhfs61lP469Kag8lnwxGUuUw5Z2owqyA0EJllHOZj6XqSRHm75oGT7uIC_T0/s1600/Salkantay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVnB6jgWrH3wMmfic-UptPwYYhykWkzTEOZDrDsGQO_wf50ko5A4cvxXrScpAJBwF7J3NpMdxOOtakZURhfs61lP469Kag8lnwxGUuUw5Z2owqyA0EJllHOZj6XqSRHm75oGT7uIC_T0/s200/Salkantay.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salkantay peak - playing hide and seek</td></tr>
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-72854495297842158162011-08-10T16:11:00.000-07:002011-08-10T16:11:57.623-07:00Heading out for points South, meaning the Southern Hemisphere!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It appears that working on design concepts, interacting with our amazing buyers, and fulfilling orders has kept me so busy that the only time I'm writing this blog is when I'm getting ready to go on a trip! So, should I turn this into a travel blog with design inspiration infused with it?? Travel is one of our passions, so my work ultimately reflects inspiration from our travels and I want our designs to be more and more global as I unite different worlds through my designs!<br />
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So, this time we depart for South America! Business or pleasure you ask? When has the life of an entrepreneur ever been about pleasure? If I'm going to places like Peru, Chile and Argentina, shouldn't I be looking at the textiles of those regions and the cultural influences from centuries past? Of course! I'm really looking forward to meeting new artisans and learning about their work, choice of textiles, and what inspires them. In between, we'll fit in some treks to the mysterious Machu Picchu and Patagonia while we take in the culture and beauty of Valparaiso, Lima and Buenos Aires.<br />
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Stay tuned for more updates on our Facebook/Twitter/Blog in the upcoming weeks on how our South American adventure turns out!<br />
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Adios Por Ahora!<br />
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-70920651257262084362011-05-18T14:02:00.000-07:002011-05-18T14:02:00.937-07:00Naturally Good and Mad Hatter Party!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It has been a busy few weeks, working on some new concepts and some amazingly talented Fashion Designers who are trying to create new trends, looks, and styles, all in the realms of eco-friendly and sustainable textiles.<br />
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On another note, our Holi quilt/throw made a special appearance in a Mad Hatter party in a beautiful garden, courtesy of Standard Magazine (<a href="http://www.standardmag.com/">www.standardmag.com</a> )! <br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150169867076615.305487.90971311614">Photo Album of Standard Magazine photoshoot</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwYicLI9tgU_uFzjSF7OwYhjA2xRxxULhMDvZBWRTMAGhRnihHQ86zpdxVOK1r5Gx8jk22av0oYnv_ymJNeT1Oj1OYlKBPvwhl-W6n8b_MwqfM3yOb91SBD67rkZYBkeKc603EAEN-c0/s1600/Standard+Mag_Austin_Holi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwYicLI9tgU_uFzjSF7OwYhjA2xRxxULhMDvZBWRTMAGhRnihHQ86zpdxVOK1r5Gx8jk22av0oYnv_ymJNeT1Oj1OYlKBPvwhl-W6n8b_MwqfM3yOb91SBD67rkZYBkeKc603EAEN-c0/s320/Standard+Mag_Austin_Holi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRL11u3hXmyEzGJUy_lHba8tj8IHEo_MqFILVCwzZKuml4E4QuaU5YdjVRrcLIbCYRUXqJ8Ymi-yw_AAfE5N-6xQrXrxysRqtkNdWXi1guG2t-3VhPXXmYwW1v1pFf9THFeC6S6MObgU/s1600/Standard+Mag_Austin_tableset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRL11u3hXmyEzGJUy_lHba8tj8IHEo_MqFILVCwzZKuml4E4QuaU5YdjVRrcLIbCYRUXqJ8Ymi-yw_AAfE5N-6xQrXrxysRqtkNdWXi1guG2t-3VhPXXmYwW1v1pFf9THFeC6S6MObgU/s320/Standard+Mag_Austin_tableset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mitun was recently interviewed by AATCC Review, a prestigious non-profit technical association that provides a lot of well researched information regarding the textile industry (<a href="http://www.aatcc.org/">www.aatcc.org</a>). Their current issue features Rajboori in an article called Naturally Good by Maria Thiry, which is a great compilation of information from various industry experts on natural and synthetic fibers. Mitun shared her knowledge of silk, especially, Peace Silk, and other natural fibers in this article.<br />
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-22661099636321951382011-04-05T09:02:00.000-07:002011-04-05T15:20:23.129-07:00Escape with our Escape coverlets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Infuse your homes with a splash of juicy and tantalizing Spring colors - Aqua, China Orange or Fuchsia! Hand-embroidered, geometric shapes, top-stitching - all available in our modern and luxurious throws/coverlets that can be used year round. With a Peace Silk top that feels more like cotton mixed with wool to the touch and a soft and sensual charmeuse back, these throws/coverlets are sure to add comfort, design and vibrancy to your home.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyMSP4TARlgHuQ9q_T2SOGj-T1jQ5hjGFHwGy8v7uwtkhcVzndIe7AFcBH4M0EgAwzEX-tvHgfNNmDs3Zx5gniwPE8HuVrNLCQAxELb8OvhwxX4Fp62AFlR_cfA_rYhO7aJZKZ4ln9hE/s1600/escape_aqua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyMSP4TARlgHuQ9q_T2SOGj-T1jQ5hjGFHwGy8v7uwtkhcVzndIe7AFcBH4M0EgAwzEX-tvHgfNNmDs3Zx5gniwPE8HuVrNLCQAxELb8OvhwxX4Fp62AFlR_cfA_rYhO7aJZKZ4ln9hE/s320/escape_aqua.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-70369194107090852672011-03-15T23:55:00.000-07:002011-03-16T13:37:50.255-07:00Storming Rajasthan IV - Camel Safari and Golden Fort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I woke up filled with excitement as I was going to ride a camel for the first time today and also explore the Golden Fort of Jaisalmer! The owners of our boutique hotel, Pol Haveli, are two brothers, Anna and Manu. They were more than happy to arrange for a customized camel safari for us since we were pressed for time and couldn’t avail of the usual sunrise or sunset safaris. People can also spend the night on the dunes in very comfortable tents while enjoying local music and dance and a sumptuous Rajasthani meal. We decided to leave that for a future trip.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynhPSJDMDrYDzUy4RJpQeJBALvMVmo-I00zvuIBJ2Bkqy7_5sZ2KZU9pPELgLJUmr1meku2mj_IL06GUISxfTvRHft_vFVwszPaqWfVQPuwPYA5xnIsnhg1pddlDq0PAOziFjB6JYvts/s1600/IMG_1051cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynhPSJDMDrYDzUy4RJpQeJBALvMVmo-I00zvuIBJ2Bkqy7_5sZ2KZU9pPELgLJUmr1meku2mj_IL06GUISxfTvRHft_vFVwszPaqWfVQPuwPYA5xnIsnhg1pddlDq0PAOziFjB6JYvts/s200/IMG_1051cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> After a fantastic breakfast of masala omelets, cheese toasts with flavourful tea and a fabulous view of the fort from the rooftop restaurant, we left for the dunes of the Thar desert in a covered jeep. The road took us through dusty and desolate desert landscape, where we spotted an occasional camel loitering or feeding from the local vegetation. After about a half hour drive, we reached a small Rajput village of only a few 100 inhabitants. The houses were small and humble, built from the yellow sandstone available locally.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAYnK6IIprzNdsA_7aR09dZSqd73GcghRNLaMAXPZIElRPWMG5QbQ9IVRmas2F3Xqa1oKAylhyphenhyphenUw1jsGC90sX3GRYK1Nf_e9AcckclDnMLmb1Zbjbw8QQRQN2kPcJHenp2RD1jSSPjeU/s1600/IMG_1064cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAYnK6IIprzNdsA_7aR09dZSqd73GcghRNLaMAXPZIElRPWMG5QbQ9IVRmas2F3Xqa1oKAylhyphenhyphenUw1jsGC90sX3GRYK1Nf_e9AcckclDnMLmb1Zbjbw8QQRQN2kPcJHenp2RD1jSSPjeU/s200/IMG_1064cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUzSoxO63P-DRy9pEg4F8ilWu6pZlXCgdXPuNUCzk5CuBXvAayh4KMYEKdcljdfK6LP3mb1LLKDt6aNHolCn6luzl0ndJ4DIAS8s9imBmz3F6R7dPzppV7sNw2_4gHtjvjQoa5ps2Ldg/s1600/IMG_1071cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUzSoxO63P-DRy9pEg4F8ilWu6pZlXCgdXPuNUCzk5CuBXvAayh4KMYEKdcljdfK6LP3mb1LLKDt6aNHolCn6luzl0ndJ4DIAS8s9imBmz3F6R7dPzppV7sNw2_4gHtjvjQoa5ps2Ldg/s200/IMG_1071cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our camels were ready for us and the guide instructed us to follow the method of “boarding” a camel. I climbed up onto the back of the animal and settled in before the camel was instructed to get up. This was a weird feeling as I had to lean back when the camel was getting up and lean forward subsequently to keep my balance. We started our trip down the sandy path that led us to the dunes of the desert. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzFM_jW_D999aUwDfa84Ic9nJCVTebZ9WkQpN96b40RWEUuTqz53ea79qmAbS-9BFeAOJmU4-JGQtZI95XFdd4Yd24tmVz-i7A-7V8U-01EBcQgmPgSEladCOcQWQ33IbxPZmzO9WSOY/s1600/IMG_1105cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzFM_jW_D999aUwDfa84Ic9nJCVTebZ9WkQpN96b40RWEUuTqz53ea79qmAbS-9BFeAOJmU4-JGQtZI95XFdd4Yd24tmVz-i7A-7V8U-01EBcQgmPgSEladCOcQWQ33IbxPZmzO9WSOY/s200/IMG_1105cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYXmBvRonEh9hMHbeHH4O6RaLRCks0Ue8eIsWE2iaK3hhptFQu7IXcTEnugYHKPjLjID1FL7WdVt7rYKcHv9AcOP98GQ-JuIkACaPGK4WU5TBgKAxxylhI_efgGx7Zv1-n7fPNye3EZg/s1600/IMG_1091cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYXmBvRonEh9hMHbeHH4O6RaLRCks0Ue8eIsWE2iaK3hhptFQu7IXcTEnugYHKPjLjID1FL7WdVt7rYKcHv9AcOP98GQ-JuIkACaPGK4WU5TBgKAxxylhI_efgGx7Zv1-n7fPNye3EZg/s200/IMG_1091cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have had the pleasure of riding on an elephant many times in the wildlife sanctuaries of India but this was a unique experience in itself! At times, I had to shift my weight to make sure I was balanced properly for fear of falling off the animal’s back. Once on the dunes, we got off to walk through the sand a little bit and it was a great feeling! The sand was soft under my feet and so smooth. I felt that a little sand-slide was required to pay tribute to this beautiful element of nature and threw myself down one of the sand slopes! Yes, it was fantastic and I highly recommend this to all! I could only imagine how gorgeous it would be to see the dunes during sunset.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After some more camel riding and camel racing, we decide we needed to return to Jaisalmer as the Golden Fort was still to be explored. Once at the fort, we were approached by a very endearing and persuasive guide called Hasmukh, who wouldn’t take no for an answer and for a mere Rs. 70 ($1.55), I thought it would be worth our while to humour him. Hasmukh was quite fluent in conversational English as he dealt with foreign tourist all the time and told us that the fort was built 900 years ago and about 4000 people still resided within the boundaries of the fort.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hAfHtgiVG-QdqyrNiB1IEDYfA4r17SuXmH7_VO_j-EGyhCJV4XFufTxpiF3YzY3qH8FJIkeNE_thLXrqQUUZc2harRSV7JevWT75_OV86WX4ubugliIsSDVCfVOzXUEcsWRoKmrYlIw/s1600/IMG_1148cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hAfHtgiVG-QdqyrNiB1IEDYfA4r17SuXmH7_VO_j-EGyhCJV4XFufTxpiF3YzY3qH8FJIkeNE_thLXrqQUUZc2harRSV7JevWT75_OV86WX4ubugliIsSDVCfVOzXUEcsWRoKmrYlIw/s200/IMG_1148cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR_4S3DrSz3RfDTqYkJagPNIDYxhI66RPLigIWPUDwbpEOgH2PTnDGvHqpbwSLSNsPnuqiVdtPtrNzOoO6Qfnzb7kl2x_lqHy8Ppxt9d73xmYk868JdGGSeug2TxNY_WcnDu3H4KoynQ/s1600/IMG_1149cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR_4S3DrSz3RfDTqYkJagPNIDYxhI66RPLigIWPUDwbpEOgH2PTnDGvHqpbwSLSNsPnuqiVdtPtrNzOoO6Qfnzb7kl2x_lqHy8Ppxt9d73xmYk868JdGGSeug2TxNY_WcnDu3H4KoynQ/s200/IMG_1149cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8lwH1y6nX2GmcJdGs-aoaSRvxwBKNOMkLaKiGUllYeDNEtpeGajqOhsTHtcz_Qfrr7ogiysOyTG9zHy7QeIFkUqTEC-p4ZaXXH5RaW7Fup_M9gT_JdCwrxYjno7mq-olykuwF-eBjuw/s1600/IMG_1123cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8lwH1y6nX2GmcJdGs-aoaSRvxwBKNOMkLaKiGUllYeDNEtpeGajqOhsTHtcz_Qfrr7ogiysOyTG9zHy7QeIFkUqTEC-p4ZaXXH5RaW7Fup_M9gT_JdCwrxYjno7mq-olykuwF-eBjuw/s200/IMG_1123cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The King’s palace was a gorgeous piece of architecture but smaller in size compared to other palaces in Rajasthan. The cobble stoned paths led us to a high point in the fort from where one could see the city around us that did look like a golden city made of the yellow sandstone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I needed to pick up a few souvenirs made from the fabled yellow sandstone. Hasmukh took me to a store called Light of The East whose owner was originally from Calcutta! He had moved to Jaisalmer after watching the Ray movie, Shonar Kella and having fallen in love with this enchanting desert city! His store had a lovely collection of unique stones, gemstones, crystals, etc.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxUDXygGwIzBAKY9wGZaUfpBsePHwcfcHkiH0NgMpDV5ji9t8OCqBLvQv5lkeOZoOgRGWufP4_pm6lM1mV-56R95-56lumByrOS0cTvAUv7sN2Rgx8D4mgSqNKRch4-hr3PNJCNQUl-0/s1600/IMG_1135copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxUDXygGwIzBAKY9wGZaUfpBsePHwcfcHkiH0NgMpDV5ji9t8OCqBLvQv5lkeOZoOgRGWufP4_pm6lM1mV-56R95-56lumByrOS0cTvAUv7sN2Rgx8D4mgSqNKRch4-hr3PNJCNQUl-0/s200/IMG_1135copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdfVQ7PEqu1WVMG9mvMYZnRc5P6hqff3-p0p_jibdU4VzjAqu1kmm6fs8t7IQvjUbhL1EeV2F1zgQiT_f_CO4gOde-ZqlrSlnp46judhaXumGtuIh1bcloQC9w3A9tcUqYU5FRapRU0c/s1600/IMG_1138cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdfVQ7PEqu1WVMG9mvMYZnRc5P6hqff3-p0p_jibdU4VzjAqu1kmm6fs8t7IQvjUbhL1EeV2F1zgQiT_f_CO4gOde-ZqlrSlnp46judhaXumGtuIh1bcloQC9w3A9tcUqYU5FRapRU0c/s200/IMG_1138cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After I’d had enough of the charms of the Golden Fort and it’s architecture, we began our journey towards Jaipur where we would spend the night before heading for Delhi to catch my flight back to Vancouver.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPReLq5JNT0HWo6gFzMHVQ4IKNwE_ArUd-j8jBdQnddiRhLmc913fAky_BaAC48IUuKjkwSIq5DkkJ4veK-pTvqzmqcpEkbcYPWuK2fTB7cIgmHOjsct5yC8dkKGrxxUMXRjQPGBPRvcQ/s1600/IMG_1166copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPReLq5JNT0HWo6gFzMHVQ4IKNwE_ArUd-j8jBdQnddiRhLmc913fAky_BaAC48IUuKjkwSIq5DkkJ4veK-pTvqzmqcpEkbcYPWuK2fTB7cIgmHOjsct5yC8dkKGrxxUMXRjQPGBPRvcQ/s200/IMG_1166copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uc1YHYLMw_dEcvWr6hzWJu3xuadQpevGeo5mFPIUbY_b-KbJlErtZqMi6P_GNAEs3u1hQBtoiJRzuEC_FUe4Hz_nk33yKijy2TCJllHtlU3OJqNtj-tDc7B89err1LHiMW5vfAqjnEM/s1600/IMG_1151cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uc1YHYLMw_dEcvWr6hzWJu3xuadQpevGeo5mFPIUbY_b-KbJlErtZqMi6P_GNAEs3u1hQBtoiJRzuEC_FUe4Hz_nk33yKijy2TCJllHtlU3OJqNtj-tDc7B89err1LHiMW5vfAqjnEM/s200/IMG_1151cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmF2YryB0Nz2WsiI1TZH4LAcAl1Jl8eRlVaArO9C8odAvAS9y6IqwWte505x23LpRPTne84ofNxbUokbIE14F8_4MHSupiLGRmEWJKq6LAeW1vQf3ZORauvYLCcrspMnrzvlvlvuPK5k/s1600/IMG_1122cpy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmF2YryB0Nz2WsiI1TZH4LAcAl1Jl8eRlVaArO9C8odAvAS9y6IqwWte505x23LpRPTne84ofNxbUokbIE14F8_4MHSupiLGRmEWJKq6LAeW1vQf3ZORauvYLCcrspMnrzvlvlvuPK5k/s200/IMG_1122cpy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div></div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-4101072602060384052011-03-06T10:43:00.000-08:002011-03-06T10:43:12.353-08:00Storming Rajasthan III - In the Golden Fort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We left the Blue City of Jodhpur behind us and set off down the dusty desert roads for Jaisalmer, the city of the Golden Fort (Shonar Kella popularized by the movie with the same name made by Oscar winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray). It was a 330km journey and judging by our past driving experience, we didn't expect to get there until 9 or 10pm. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcKOP2ITplKHTpvwjI9y2wwU0ja2gvThaBMv4gi3C2opMrLYtvX9NieeWATd0SSDLIGIODnSeltcd07Q4ceeIC0z9Lo3x42jqJ46qOP35eEVhRwRw4LGhv2D7PiK2H7zZdyU_VTqAHak/s1600/IMG_1014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcKOP2ITplKHTpvwjI9y2wwU0ja2gvThaBMv4gi3C2opMrLYtvX9NieeWATd0SSDLIGIODnSeltcd07Q4ceeIC0z9Lo3x42jqJ46qOP35eEVhRwRw4LGhv2D7PiK2H7zZdyU_VTqAHak/s200/IMG_1014.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Before leaving Jodhpur, our wonderful chauffeur, Nitin, made sure that Canadian (crazy) Madam didn't miss the famous Mirchi Vara and kachoris of Jodhpur. These Mirchi Varas are delicious and not for the mild at heart! It's literally a hot pepper coated with a spicy potato and oinion mash with a breadcrumb exterior that is deep fried. It tastes divine! We grabbed a box of sweets for the long ride and were on our way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAiO_1zMIHv6kQS-Iur8LLa-GvNs_-ayQGl9DB2vSOCJ9s8Ok_3-46JAAGwIF_II08g46a04bAlaX4AJWKPBRxfUJ0wwl6fa49Z0C3Rp5d-9lhp9NgstAr56qtJ8RaLP0DOZ-O6P-3rY/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAiO_1zMIHv6kQS-Iur8LLa-GvNs_-ayQGl9DB2vSOCJ9s8Ok_3-46JAAGwIF_II08g46a04bAlaX4AJWKPBRxfUJ0wwl6fa49Z0C3Rp5d-9lhp9NgstAr56qtJ8RaLP0DOZ-O6P-3rY/s200/IMG_1023.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In search of Mirchi Vara</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lunch wasn't a "fancy restaurant" experience but around 4:00pm we stopped at a roadside "dhaba" or Indian fast food shack. The charpoys (vinyl and aluminium multi-purpose sitting/sleeping furniture) were laid out and wooden blocks were placed strategically to form make-shift tables. We met an adorable little boy of maybe 9 or 10, whose name was Salim. He could recite the menu in one breath and if stopped in between, would resume from the start!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTG9ABa0pYji4bPk5u-wr9Z-j1QD-Z8mN2mEgVEhkE8rz5BDyT3Oozicc2F9XijTVEQnTFEWbc8EV0_08pCbVfzxHh7ZxiR9WFDsrChtYqKIQyyFmJc2FvZluTCDrk2YtAP11B5DL8T0/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTG9ABa0pYji4bPk5u-wr9Z-j1QD-Z8mN2mEgVEhkE8rz5BDyT3Oozicc2F9XijTVEQnTFEWbc8EV0_08pCbVfzxHh7ZxiR9WFDsrChtYqKIQyyFmJc2FvZluTCDrk2YtAP11B5DL8T0/s200/IMG_1027.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
After asking him, I learnt of a very interesting arrangement in Salim's family, that came about based on economic needs and reality of their situation. Salim doesn't go to school but earns Rs. 2000 each month by working at the Dhaba. His older brother goes to school and comes home and teaches him what he has learned. This way, Salim supports the family and is somewhat being educated. What an interesting arrangement, I thought! So much reality for a 9 or 10 year old boy, who didn't stop smiling and serving the best rotis I've ever had!<br />
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The journey to Jaisalmer took us through more dry and open lands of Rajasthan. We saw a lot of windmills that had been installed all over the desert areas. At about 9:30p.m. we finally reached Jaisalmer. The hotel we stayed in had an amazing view of the Golden Fort from the rooftop restaurant. It looked dreamy and called out to me to come and explore it's narrow alleyways.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra7kzanLVmV3l-AZ-tENiUddQdMPynqUpVxVznko5r9w3MJ9xRAzSTu1cPh-41116RADMs7aF7tpMqTJohRa-UYYwj6dL7IOsjtoOr8PWZn4gEDwKw8B_RBKivxdlzuyeeDVQqSIui3Q/s1600/IMG_1124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra7kzanLVmV3l-AZ-tENiUddQdMPynqUpVxVznko5r9w3MJ9xRAzSTu1cPh-41116RADMs7aF7tpMqTJohRa-UYYwj6dL7IOsjtoOr8PWZn4gEDwKw8B_RBKivxdlzuyeeDVQqSIui3Q/s200/IMG_1124.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">part of the King's palace - Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv64e_TtQi55kzET0ydRBuL47kKxYHQMpmOYyBVE6wf1ueeBzZwjxm2PxnsXHMacxcHmw1UCaItUtQSpsQO_5s66UWL_ZM9ypVw8DhFDo53Kjde5sRCHWaVYy0kFp5diLN__H89l0PGk/s1600/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv64e_TtQi55kzET0ydRBuL47kKxYHQMpmOYyBVE6wf1ueeBzZwjxm2PxnsXHMacxcHmw1UCaItUtQSpsQO_5s66UWL_ZM9ypVw8DhFDo53Kjde5sRCHWaVYy0kFp5diLN__H89l0PGk/s200/IMG_1037.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Fort of Jaisalmer</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After a delicious dinner of kaju curry, gatta, and egg curry, sleep was next on the agenda before I embarked upon the next adventure, camel safari in the Thar Desert and exploration of the Golden Fort!<br />
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888615324922672047.post-4156621469260577112011-03-01T23:42:00.000-08:002011-03-01T23:42:23.965-08:00Storming Rajasthan II - In the Blue City, Jodhpur<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The morning came in our lovely Polo Heritage hotel (<a href="http://www.poloheritage.com/">http://www.poloheritage.com/</a>) with birds chirping in the lawn and soft sounds of the hotel getting ready for the day ahead. I didn't get a chance to explore the hotel and its grounds the night before so I took the opportunity to do so in the morning. Jodhpur is a city of art and culture as that was evident in the smallest details around me. The huge room with its 20ft ceilings and locally made colonial furniture and beautiful marble floors in the bathroom, all added to the charm of this beautifully appointed heritage hotel.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JIqblYhlQjp9Tn6JKlATZ0eQKvu2QM7HlHU6XY87f3V20j0DdcPyz1gis77XWgKtzhKRJsTW_UoN-NyBHXoT7_Q3hTW8GFecRQTq_zpwm3aMFhvisBowsT7dyIx68FazcZuIw-yKOWk/s1600/IMG_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JIqblYhlQjp9Tn6JKlATZ0eQKvu2QM7HlHU6XY87f3V20j0DdcPyz1gis77XWgKtzhKRJsTW_UoN-NyBHXoT7_Q3hTW8GFecRQTq_zpwm3aMFhvisBowsT7dyIx68FazcZuIw-yKOWk/s200/IMG_0833.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCLbWm31bVldn5IwaoAvzxC9y9a0cy5awbxmEUkuwRmrHFOAS7tnssRQYugqK8aTzkfUcg48On2yJVeGs4Jn8DUoefWUPwpSegJBal4vAm0VX-volxIfTLhtspyLehw6aA1y3c2bse-M/s1600/IMG_0917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCLbWm31bVldn5IwaoAvzxC9y9a0cy5awbxmEUkuwRmrHFOAS7tnssRQYugqK8aTzkfUcg48On2yJVeGs4Jn8DUoefWUPwpSegJBal4vAm0VX-volxIfTLhtspyLehw6aA1y3c2bse-M/s200/IMG_0917.JPG" width="200" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a fantastic breakfast of upma and tea, we headed for <a href="http://www.tajhotels.com/Palace/Umaid%20Bhawan%20Palace,Jodhpur/recreation.htm">Umaid Bhawan Palace</a>, the home of the royal family of Jodhpur and a luxury hotel as well. The view from the top of the hill was breathtaking and as we walked up the path to the museum section of the palace, I admired the grounds and the amazing architecture of the palace. Inside, we saw some select objects that were collectibles of the royal family. To this day, even if monarchy doesn't truly exist in India, but the royal families in Rajasthan still hold the respect of the people. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpARNS-Rpxs3M-cs-kXlJflPSI_ky3JF6xyYqCx4c0Aa3Gm8An_Kew_iIbQ51B6I2SFwTuDYx8a4lZvnN7ZppXwOu8vXl0aGzTaRq-fl-1QJWT1TljzJk5IWRR78H5Oqeo4_2sWK60xYg/s1600/IMG_0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpARNS-Rpxs3M-cs-kXlJflPSI_ky3JF6xyYqCx4c0Aa3Gm8An_Kew_iIbQ51B6I2SFwTuDYx8a4lZvnN7ZppXwOu8vXl0aGzTaRq-fl-1QJWT1TljzJk5IWRR78H5Oqeo4_2sWK60xYg/s200/IMG_0852.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ78J9JheS7Ci3qhWClydDj-rHq3aE4t_WoB1vG7qivTRW2hKCBPGjQN6EZkyXKUZ5PTipMDIzn4oYmGV_bpWKwsRENLZJ8niAf0hDdyBeE0kblp_tQPjMPtMfnYnOWtQ96kq4FkRP6fM/s1600/IMG_0859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ78J9JheS7Ci3qhWClydDj-rHq3aE4t_WoB1vG7qivTRW2hKCBPGjQN6EZkyXKUZ5PTipMDIzn4oYmGV_bpWKwsRENLZJ8niAf0hDdyBeE0kblp_tQPjMPtMfnYnOWtQ96kq4FkRP6fM/s200/IMG_0859.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aPwiMMNc9EuCOztHZCmXs9hLrUhzpD4Ohf2zna7m6hd718uJiJJ7w3kROPSoIcUAjWIXY_Py8chzOYQ32Fx-5I1CMzWRYZT8wOX0lc5QpulyluDn8GDxh7jsfk6Hv5XqzzYNLm2l74c/s1600/IMG_0863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aPwiMMNc9EuCOztHZCmXs9hLrUhzpD4Ohf2zna7m6hd718uJiJJ7w3kROPSoIcUAjWIXY_Py8chzOYQ32Fx-5I1CMzWRYZT8wOX0lc5QpulyluDn8GDxh7jsfk6Hv5XqzzYNLm2l74c/s200/IMG_0863.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k86yY_QHI4zIZPHzAUYytB9ZJt7ZKvHNlo32cQ4pGOzrvalb93jXM-RX0izfDBt58D-z_2aj5PNDbean8K8hTObtjOzp9nWKVM-r6BHg57KYJYa181y_aUyqBbKuT66FvdMq7Ftc_hQ/s1600/IMG_0909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k86yY_QHI4zIZPHzAUYytB9ZJt7ZKvHNlo32cQ4pGOzrvalb93jXM-RX0izfDBt58D-z_2aj5PNDbean8K8hTObtjOzp9nWKVM-r6BHg57KYJYa181y_aUyqBbKuT66FvdMq7Ftc_hQ/s200/IMG_0909.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rpuFEIVI10sPIIHaVWgATg8uBV25KV3sEf6u42CAvClLNQ2Q9ZUfzlY22ROMUxAxKSVyfw3Q-aIxiyBYizxUXitBElmCjbUDmrf_8utNncxl-vsDtAiQjMxfwQe1JqStb3yhL1UPyH0/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rpuFEIVI10sPIIHaVWgATg8uBV25KV3sEf6u42CAvClLNQ2Q9ZUfzlY22ROMUxAxKSVyfw3Q-aIxiyBYizxUXitBElmCjbUDmrf_8utNncxl-vsDtAiQjMxfwQe1JqStb3yhL1UPyH0/s200/IMG_0891.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PcYUp07f4Bpe-BmC7LnbqjlJLIBEIerE4QJ3vUAOO6LB_MMf0dgy8zTQ6UhjCH3KV3XdgOmgHCSApjgFH9lM_5LfIeco8YokNamWW3akgQugxm1EhFcCdDZAN-XNUA5lsXO3zz-OGvg/s1600/IMG_0889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PcYUp07f4Bpe-BmC7LnbqjlJLIBEIerE4QJ3vUAOO6LB_MMf0dgy8zTQ6UhjCH3KV3XdgOmgHCSApjgFH9lM_5LfIeco8YokNamWW3akgQugxm1EhFcCdDZAN-XNUA5lsXO3zz-OGvg/s200/IMG_0889.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> Once we enjoyed the royal hospitality, we decided to head to another area of historic and architectural beauty, the Mehrangarh Fort, which rises majestically from the hills around Jodhpur and offers a fabulous view of the old city of blue around it. I loved these blue houses! The fort itself was a gorgeous piece of architecture with so many stories to tell. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqVlLBGUfZaE_I_RFHZ3hXwRi9hBwkM1BMbg6TPb_hEX-EAiqADeZPw3GKbRwWLMZDf9oM97jAj63WJ1Va-nt3xuTkobYC3fwQ54pIInUkddyuNWJxJ8k2G9FcGZFr2euZ11GUYa764Q/s1600/IMG_1000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqVlLBGUfZaE_I_RFHZ3hXwRi9hBwkM1BMbg6TPb_hEX-EAiqADeZPw3GKbRwWLMZDf9oM97jAj63WJ1Va-nt3xuTkobYC3fwQ54pIInUkddyuNWJxJ8k2G9FcGZFr2euZ11GUYa764Q/s200/IMG_1000.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzz81KONqkzMj-n3GMahyphenhyphenaZUmnc4ShAAtWLaKIjv75Esqzuej7YqPwXkhrdbLM5DOfPS_b-sFPaoe4ELCQ-SSM3s914dsuyOAk8ghAZZ30co2sGK2jMyh08zi9Q5L1za0Qs_ccgansLM/s1600/IMG_0937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzz81KONqkzMj-n3GMahyphenhyphenaZUmnc4ShAAtWLaKIjv75Esqzuej7YqPwXkhrdbLM5DOfPS_b-sFPaoe4ELCQ-SSM3s914dsuyOAk8ghAZZ30co2sGK2jMyh08zi9Q5L1za0Qs_ccgansLM/s200/IMG_0937.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>After taking in the views we headed for the desert city of Jaisalmer and the Golden Fort (Shonar Kella). some 330kms away from Jodhpur.<br />
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</div>Rajboorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07554661471711881059noreply@blogger.com0