Welcome aboard! You are on a time travel device. And, are advised to hold tight, keep your jaws from dropping and eyes from popping out as Aparna Andhare, the maverick pilot, swooshes you through the lanes and by-lanes of Shekhawati in north east of Rangeelo Rajasthan. The region of Shekhawati is probably one of the... Continue Reading →
Have you visited your local Museum yet? We have :)
March is here, everyone will get busy with their financial work in India as this month ends the financial year here. It’s a stressful time when you realise that most of your investments have gone wrong and the essential papers are missing! For a de-stressful time, visit the local museum in your city to marvel... Continue Reading →
Spring is in the air ❤️ Really!
Breaking news from Nature: Spring has arrived! If you've not been aware, Spring slowly peeped in through the especially cold Winter of 2019 in a riot of colours... Well, Spring has always been around, about to jump on Winter and whisk her away 🙂 like those streaks of mischievousness in most of us which we... Continue Reading →
Forest Research Institute: pride of Dehradun
The Forest Research Institute, began in a small forest school at Dehradun in 1878 to impart training to forest rangers. In 1906 it became known as the Imperial Forest Research Institute located in Chand Bagh Estate. The objective was to “organize and lead forestry research in the country”. It also trained forest officers and rangers... Continue Reading →
2019 has an exciting start!
#projectinterpret started 2019 with a tour of the nearly 2000 year old Kanheri Caves in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali East, Mumbai. Easy to reach, through winding lush green path, spotting deers enroute, this cave cluster needs to be climbed by foot once a vehicle takes you to its base. Not for the... Continue Reading →
Thank you for accepting #projectinterpret ❤️
It has been a very exciting 2018 for VarnikaDesigns 🙂 The biggest was an attempt to reach out to more and more people through launch of its venture #projectinterpret - a multi sensory, cultural, interactive and inclusive space With #projectinterpret we travelled, excavated stories, explored multiple perspectives and interpreted them through experiential tours to heritage... Continue Reading →
#throwback to BodhGaya Biennale: 2016
The first BodhGaya Biennale was organised by the Bihar Government in the historic city of Bodhgaya in December 2016. The theme for it was appropriately selected as 'Peace' - as, "the intriguing idea of 'peace' is the focal point ...this allusion is hopefully not too late to recall an utopian urge and, hence, a... Continue Reading →
A 600 year old trek!
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson One Saturday morning, we went in our quest for the Kondapalli fort - if you had read the previous post then you would know why 🙂 yes, the crafts community that makes... Continue Reading →
Ganesha: the Elephant God
Lord Ganesha or ‘Ganapati’ denoting the Lord of the Ganas, is also known as Ekadanta, Gajamukha, Lambodara. The eldest son of Lord Shiva and Parvati, he is considered the ‘manas’ or mind if Shiva is ‘atman’ or the soul. He is worshipped for his various qualities in the beginning of all religious rituals as he... Continue Reading →
ArtEast articles: special issue on Museums
I am attaching 3 articles written for ArtEast, a contemporary art journal by the eminent artist Jogen Choudhary, as an extension of his initiative ArtEast. This special issue focuses on Museums. He was very keen to create an awareness on the dynamism in the Museum world, and its impact and need in India. I was... Continue Reading →
