FINE DETAILS | Louis Vuitton Ombré line of luxury leather goods is a feast to the eyes
Called the Louis Vuitton Cuir Ombré, a naturally soft and plain leather with a slightly aged patina, it will be seen on belts, shoes and bags. The brand, which has the most recognizable monogram in the world, will also introduce a new school-style satchel, the Cartable, in warm brown and anthracite grey tones.
In keeping with the name, the colour palette too, is split into two: the first group focuses on cool blues and khakis with red highlights, while the second is warmer in earthy mixtures of rich browns, greys and burgundy–both creating a soft, rounded and lived–in look to the collection.
The line is slated to hit the racks at select LV stores on 26th June 2015.
THE HIGH LIFE | An increasing number of Indian hotels are now happy to welcome your furry mates! Photograph: Ashley Marie via pinterest.com
Your pet can no longer be an excuse for not going on a family holiday to cooler climes during the dog days of summer. The concept of pet friendly hotels is new to India but is gaining currency. Today hotels are customizing services to pamper man’s best friend along with the family.
The Luxe Cafe sniffed around the country to find some of the best pet-friendly hotels for you:
ROOF WITH A VIEW | Experience all that Mumbai has to offer with the best views of the city
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts (Mumbai)
The hotel offers special bedding inside your room for a pet weighing less than 5 kg for no extra charge whatsoever. However, your pet has to be on a leash anywhere outside the room and is not allowed in dining outlets, health club and pool area of the hotel. The etiquette includes that you must clean up after your pet inside hotel premises as well as around the neighbourhood. The pet cannot enjoy room service in your absence and should not be nuisance for other guests. In case you need pet food, you must contact the concierge at least 24 hours in advance.
TOUCH OF TRADITION | The architectural style and design of the resort will transport you through centuries of tradition laced with a modern touch
Tree of Life Resort & Spa (Jaipur)
Tree of Life offers you tranquility in the lap of royal opulence. The spacious villas have a garden, so there is ample space for your pet to run around. Says Akhil Anand, the General Manager of the resort, “You must bring along bedding for the pet. The kitchen staff whips up interesting menu for your pets on request.”
BEACH WITH THE BUDDIES | The eco-friendly beach hotel will give you a unique and unforgettable holiday experience
Dune Eco Village & Spa (Pondicherry)
If you are seeking peace and tranquility, nothing beats Pondicherry. And what if you could get a great eco-friendly hotel that allows your furry friends as well? Dune Eco Village & Spa is one such place here. It is reported to be the place where the likes of Madonna come to chill out. The owner has dogs of her own so even your dog has company.
CITY OF JOY | The city offers aesthetically designed luxurious accommodations for you, your loved ones, and that furry one!
Aamby Valley (Pune)
If you thought just a hotel wasn’t enough, come to Pune and you’ve an entire city created over 10,600 acres of hilly terrain. The resort boasts of an inexhaustible list of exclusive features such as sauna, spa, nightclub, tennis court, steam room and a 24*7 fitness centre. But the cherry on the cake is that you can bring your pets along. From meals to pet-sitting, everything can be arranged on request.
EXQUISITE ESCAPE | Crusoe through the pristine beaches, without having to worry about your pets
Vivanta By Taj (Goa & New Delhi)
Elegant décor and luxurious amenities are not the only things that make Vivanta a great option. The hotel welcomes your pets and for no extra charge. Chitra Saleem, General Manager for Vivanta (Goa) says, “Except for the F&B areas, the spacious facilities ensure your pet is not restricted to have a good time. And while there is no specific menu enlisted for pets, everything can be arranged from the bedding to meals if you make a request in advance.”
GLOBAL DESI GOES GLOBAL | Manish Mehrotra, the chef behind Indian Accent's path-breaking contemporary Indian menu
This ends a two year search for the right space, said Rohit Khattar of Old World Hospitality, adding that the beautiful hotel will be home to Indian Accent “later this year”.
A pioneer in innovative contemporary Indian cuisine, including the popular Mishti Doi Cannoli, Mehrotra’s award-winning restaurant will be placed right alongside the hotel’s premium in-house restaurants – serving the flavours and traditions of ‘Indian food for the twenty first century’!
So the next time you’re in need of some food-therapy in NYC, you know exactly where to head.
CLASSY & FABULOUS | The Chanel au Ritz Paris could be the world's most fashionable spa. Photograph: A Chanel boutique, popsop.com
France’s most luxurious brand, Chanel, is coming to Paris’s most luxurious hotel, the Ritz! The hotel is all set to reopen after three years of renovations. Rightly called the Chanel au Ritz Paris, the spa will offer treatments using the brands extensive beauty range, including Chanel’s Sublimage range, among the world’s most expensive beauty creams
The famed hotel has played host to some historical personalities- Cole Porter played piano there; Princess Diana dined there; Ernest Hemingway wrote there. In fact, Coco Chanel has called it her ‘home’!
Kanvarani Ritu Sinhji of Wankaner in Gujarat started the kids -wear business when she discovered there was a dearth of good Indian-wear for kids. She began with Lakhnavi dresses because her mother-in-law is Princess of Kalakankar, a place near Lucknow.She still sources material from the city of Nawabs. Her creations include anarkali with intricate work, churidars, lehngas and bandhgalas. Ritu is now giving a royal touch to poshaqs for girls which includes garara, choliand dupatta and, brocade jackets for boys. She identifies luxury with royalty because what we consider luxury today are items from the past
TRAVELLER TRAILS| Radisson Blu Water Garden in Dhaka offers a nifty stay option to those visiting Bangladesh for work
Not one usually on top of the radar, Bangladesh is a country which has been put under the ‘Next Eleven’ tier of developing countries with serious growth potential. With the government trying to diversify the economy with stress on industrial development, Bangladesh is working its way to being an important presence in the subcontinent. With a history riddled with strife, the country’s natural beauty is often overlooked but is something to explore along with its viability as a ‘best value’ destination for those travelling for work. Visible amidst the recent turmoil is the rise of a liberal public, which augurs well for the times to come as the government is developing business tourism given the proximity of hills, beaches, rivers, tea plantations, forests, and archaeological sites juxtaposed with the busy towns and cities of Bangladesh. What the country offers in terms of facilities for the business traveller is also a topic to be taken up considering there are some luxurious properties worth the time and effort of busy visitors who can relax in the comforts of these hotels known for their hospitality, accessibility and unique ‘Bangladeshi experience’. Here is our curated list of Bangladesh’s best and beautiful business hotels for you to consider on your next trip there:
EXPERIENCE LUXURY | The lavishly spreading Pan Pacific Sonargaon is all about plush ambience and service
Pan Pacific Sonargaon
This prestigious 5 star hotel is situated prominently in the centre of Bangladesh’s Diplomatic Zone and commercial district in the capital city of Dhaka. With a Business centre equipped with meeting rooms, wi-fi, secretarial services and such, the hotel is clearly a top choice for business visitor who can also revel in its lush greenery which offers respite from the concrete jungle around. The exclusive offerings such as limousine rentals and round-the-clock room service make it a viable one for the time-strapped, stylish traveller who can then end his stay with a relaxing dip in the hotel’s expansive pool, or a visit to the salon or the shopping arcade, followed by a nightcap at the Balcony Bar which has an extensive selection of international wines and liquors.
The hotel offers a choice of 277 suites and hotel rooms in Dhaka that marry old-world charm and contemporary sophistication. The penthouse Bengali Suite here is theluxe stay option that encapsulates chic urban living with soaring views of the city and swimming pool. This 9090 sqft suite comes with a large bedroom, a tastefully furnished living area with separate guest bathroom, a well-equipped kitchenette, and an exclusive dining area for up to six guests, and not to forget the accompanying Pacific club privileges of butler service, evening cocktails and such. The international cuisine restaurants like the Italian Ciao Bistro and the Barbeque Jharna Grill at Pan Pacific Sonargaon are two of Dhaka’s best restaurants and worth mentioning here.
POOLSIDE PARTY | Sprawling green acres of the Radisson Blu Dhaka are set off by multiple avenues to relax at
Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel
Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden is set on seven acres of lush green gardens studded with water features to justify its name. Situated at just a ten-minute drive from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, this hotel is also in the vicinity of the diplomatic enclave and main commercial hub of the city. The accessible locations add to the world-class conveniences of this business hotel with the ambiance of a resort. There are 200 spacious hotel rooms and suites featuring modern décor and offer lovely views overlooking the sparkling pool, lush greenery and bustling city streets.Corporate travellers will love their Business Class Rooms with upgraded in-room amenities, a daily breakfast and evening refreshments at the Business Class Lounge or Water Garden Brasserie, complimentary airport transfers, complimentary laundry and daily turndown service. For conferences and team meetings there is ample space like in the Grand Ballroom, Utshab Banquet, and smaller boardrooms which come with breakout areas and service. For the weary workaholic, the hotel offers many avenues of relaxation like at their Sundaree Spa which is one the city’s best. And if you are sports junkie then you can take off to the adjacent Army Golf club for a calming round of golf, or vent it out on the treadmill in their state-of-the-art Health Club, or hit it hard at the tennis court. This hotel has seven restaurants and bars to cater to varied needs but worth special mention is the Cigar Bar with its selection of international cigars and the Sublime Restaurant featuring a modern open kitchen setting and dishing out some seriously decadent dishes.
RELAX AND REJUVENATE |The pool side at Westin Dhaka is the perfect spot for a dip and drink at the end of a long day
Westin Hotels and Resorts
This award-winning hotel is located in Gulshan, an upscale area of Dhaka, near corporate offices—such as HSBC and Chevron—embassies, shopping, and entertainment complexes. Situated only 20 minutes away from the international airport, the hotel is a relatively new entrant on the Bangladesh luxury hotel scene but is already a favourite and structurally one of the tallest hotels in South Asia. The amenities available are various starting with the state-of-the-art Fitness Studio, the rejuvenating Westin Spa, and the outdoor heated pool. Meanwhile, for the business traveller there is the Business Centre with a suite of professional services. For those on longer work related visits, the hotel has 235 spacious guest rooms, including 24 suites to offer. But the one to choose is Executive Suites which are corner suites with floor to ceiling windows allowing panoramic views of the city and also access to the exclusive Executive Club Lounge with its dedicated workspace for optimal convenience plus daily food and beverage service. Wood flooring, a handsome mahogany panelled credenza, neutral colour palette, and eye-catching artwork makes these suites the perfect space to relax in.A stately upholstered headboard tops the king-size signature Heavenly® Bed with its ten layers of comfort and patented pillow-top mattress – a luxury beyond measure. And if this were not enough there is the en-suite oversized marble bathroom featuring a glass-enclosed rainforest shower, separate deep soaking bathtub for a perfect end to a long day. And should one be having guests over, the additional powder room, located next to the living room, makes hosting effortless.
For the foodies, The Westin Dhaka is a lovely dining destination with its five diverse restaurants and bar. There is traditional Bangladeshi fare and also Italian among the menus on offer. The features to mention here are the Eat Well menu for kids, the fresh and wholesome juicery and the specially curated SuperFoodsRx menu cultivating “food synergy for the wellness conscious.
CHITTAGONIAN PRIDE | The Peninsula Chittagong is a lovely business hotel with spacious rooms offering a view to the outside
The Peninsula Chittagong
Moving away from Dhaka, the capital city is Peninsula hotel in Chittagong, another very important commercial hub in Bangladesh. The hotel is located at theGEC circle of the Port City in a scenic and convenient location minutes from the commercial centre surrounded by famous retail shops, restaurants and corporate offices. There is selection of fully serviced modern venues – banquet hall and boardrooms – to suit all occasions, be it corporate meetings, off-sites, conferences. The five star experience is available here with concierge services, limo rentals etc. There are 144 rooms and suites of different types but the one to seek out is the Luxury suite, furnished with solid wood furniture along with teak wood flooring, and a king sized bed with orthopaedic bedding. The ceiling height windows overlook the hotel and the distant hills. There is a separate living room to host a business meeting as well. For when the work is done, there is the fitness centre and the Tararom Spa which has authentic Thai therapies to refresh and re-energise at. The dining facilities here include the Isles Bar and Flamingo Café. But the signature restaurant of the hotel is the Laguna Restaurant which combines the cuisine of five Asian countries – Bangladesh, India, Thailand, China and Sri Lanka with the Arabic and Continental Cuisine. The ambience and the service are both international while the restaurant provides perfect setting for luxurious dining and hosting.
TASTE THE BEST | A whisky trail worth exploring leads you straight to the Scottish highlands
Let’s raise a toast to the spirit which was first distilled as a medicinal brew by Irish Christian Monks in the late 6th and early 7th century AD and baptised as ‘Usquebaugh’, which isGaelic foraqua vitae or water of life. The brew travelled with missionary monks to Scotland and became an integral part of the Scottish identity and, subsequently,a symbol of Scottish resistance and rebellion against English hegemony in the early 18thcentury. The Usquebaughis today one of the most sought after spirit, but better known by its anglicised name-whisky.
Though the Irish claim to have given whisky to the world but the fact remains that when you talk about whisky it’s the Pagoda silhouettes of distilleries dotting the beautiful Scottish landscape which come to one’s mind. The first historical records about the brew in the Scottish official books appear in 1494.There is an entry of ‘eight bolls of malt to Friar JohnCor wherewith to make aqua vitae’. A boll is an old Scottish measure of less than six bushels. One bushel is 25.4 kg.
MACALLAN DISTILLERY | An iconic Scottish distillery which comes with a legacy
Morereferences appear in September 1506 in the treasurer’s accounts of King James IV.He made entries for the 15th and 17th of the month which read ‘for aqua vitae to the king’. However, the earliest reference to a distillery in the Acts of the Scottish Parliament is in 1690, when there is mention of the famous Ferintosh distillery owned by Duncan Forbes of Culloden.
An unpublished letter of February 1622, written by Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy to the Earl of Mar, reported that certain officers sent to Glenorchy by the King had been given the best entertainment that the season and the country allowed. It stated: ‘For they wanted not wine nor aquavitae’. Thenew brew served was, no doubt, the locally distilled whisky.
Subsequent references in various official records establish that the Scottish folks have been producing whisky since the late 15th century and despite suggestions of newfound bestsellers, the connoisseurs stay partial to the brew with a Scottish tag.
CASKED IN OAK | Whisky which is aged to perfection in oak casks tastes of woods and spices
Actually when we talk about Scottish whisky it’s the single malts that one refers to, in general. It is acombination of centuries- old production technique, the perseverance, patience and craft which goes into making a fine bottle of single maltturns it into a delight for its loyalists. Of the more than 100 distilleries in Scotland, producing the finest single malt, there are some which inspire the romanticism of Robert Burns and others which arouse the rebel sprit of Scotland epitomised by Braveheart William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.
Being a Scotch aficionado there are some single malts which one enjoys more than others and therefore, the following favourites:
FOR THE TOP SHELF | Glenfarclas 40 years old is the pride of Speyside
Glenfarclas 40 Year Old
The Glenfarclas Distillery is located on the Recherlich Farm in Ballindalloch in the heart of Speyside. This malt is at the top end of the price range for the Glenfarclas single malt whisky.A bottle costs almost Rs 42,324, yet its basic presentation is pretty much the same as the rest of the range.
The malt has a dark brown copper colour which reminds me of an old, slightly tarnished penny. The initial aroma is the scent of an old oak tainted by the dry fruity smells of the sherry cask. I like the way the two distinct aromas have blended.It is hard to decide where the oak ends and the fruity sherry begins. There is also a nice herbal quality that reminds me of woodland meadows full of heather and willow thicket.
The whisky carries a good dose of wood spice in the initial delivery. I taste vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon, allspice and glimpses of ginger, dabs of orange liqueur and glimmers of rich rum like demerara sugar. Those sherry accents are there too, as raisins and dates combine with bitter-sweet chocolate giving impressions of a fruitcake drizzled with chocolate pudding. It is, however, the woodspice that dominates as 40 years of aging speaks clearly in the whisky.
SHERRIED SMOOTHNESS | Coming from the celebrated distillery, Macallan 18 year old is one to cherish
The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old Whisky
This Speyside Single malt comes from the celebrated House of Macallan.It is rich mahogany in colour and shows strong bronze highlights in the glass. The whisky delivers a wallop of smoky sherry flavour and spicy oak as it enters the mouth. The sherry flavour is rich and intense and, can easily overwhelm the palate lessening the impact of the other flavours in the whisky. One can taste dried fruitslike prunes, raisins and dates, charred and caramelised baking spices, a woody cognac with a hint of grape, and a dab of cherry flavour all mingling together.
Addinga few drops of water to itreveals a nice brown sugary sweetness, and then you taste orange marmalade and ribbons of cocoa. The smoky sherry still permeates the whisky but the added water allows more of the subtle nuances to be appreciated. The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 years costs almost Rs 11,700.
FRUITY PUNCH | Feel the undercurrents of toffee, caramel and canned fruits in this long-aged malt from Highland Park
Highland Park 25 Year Old Whisky
It is rich mahogany in colour with a noticeably heavier or more oily appearance than one would normally associate with whisky. The effect of the long-term aging in oak barrels reverberates through the whisky.
My first impressions of tasting it brought memories of caramelised butterscotch toffee, sweeter underlying sugars and a floral peat rich with heather, citrus, and damp spruce moss.
The taste has strong elements of canned fruits – apricots and peaches, which add weight to the whisky. There is a firm cereal grain running through the whisky and a subtle smokiness under the peat with dry fruit flavours of raisins and prunes which seemed to burrow into it and become part of the floral peat. The intensity of this smoky peat keeps rising and falling, carrying and pushing forward other flavours rather than becoming the dominant flavour. Amidst all of this is an underlying oak flavour which is firmly melded into the whisky. A bottle of this beauty will set you back by Rs 27,084 approx.
AMBER NUMBER | Beautifully bottled, the Old Pulteney 21 year old is one for the display
Old Pulteney 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
This award-winning single malt displays light amber/gold hue. It has an oily texture which coats the palate.The first flavour I encounter is butterscotch with hints of tart green apple and fresh green grapes. A few expressions of dark fruit – dates and purple plums – follow, and there are hints of Christmas fruitcake. A little chocolate custard bubbles up, and then as I hoped, the oak spices kick in. Spices, tart green apple and gooseberries all seem to collide in the finish causing an explosion of spiciness upon the palate as the whisky is slithers down smoothly and the spice builds up upon the palate. Old Pulteney 21 year comes with a price tag of about Rs 9,500.
EXTRA MATURE | The smokey flavour of this single malt from Glenmorangie will have you hooked in no time
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (12 Year Old Edition)
This whisky displays a light to medium gold colour with some obvious rusty tones. The initial aroma is fruity, oak filled and stained with chocolate.
The first sip brings forward oak spices and luscious flavours of maraschino cherries dusted with chocolate. I taste light lemon and orange peel flavours within the oak spice accompanied by vanilla and a light touch of mint. The time in the port pipe has given the whisky a vague smoky character similar to what we would find with a sherry cask whisky. However, I find the fresh fruitiness to be more vibrant than it would be in a typical sherry cask whisky with more flavours of ripe fruit and red berries and less of dark dry fruit. The sweetness seems to be just about perfect as it complements the fruit and spice without becoming cloying. A bottle of it will come to you for about Rs 4,500.
There are many more single malts which are worth dying for.But that’s for another day. Till then I will leave you with this phrase in Scottish Gaelic, ‘Slàintemhor a h-uilelà a chi’s nachfhaic‘ [great health to you every day that I see you and every day that I don’t].
SPEED THRILLS | Conquer the roads in style riding on your very own Triumph
The snarl of the Triumph Street Triple send my mind racing back through my college days in Bangalore. Back to the time when seniors would proudly flaunt their puny yet potent RX100s. There were only a few bikes available and we had to make do with them.
The strong Kawasaki KB100 was on its way out. Suzuki was trying to go one up on Yamaha with its Shogun. And fuel-sipping gentle four-strokers were on their way in. For years, I thought, performance motorcycling was dying a slow death here. Closer to 2015, looking around, I feel couldn’t have been more wrong.
Though I personally loath motorcycles from Bajaj due to their less-than-premium component quality, the Pune-based bike maker has done a fabulous job with KTM. Currently, at only Rs 2 lakh, the KTM Duke 390 with 44bhp on tap is one of the most riveting and value-for-money performance bikes in India. Chew this: At around Rs 6 lakh, a Triumph Bonneville gives you around 60bhp.
Indians are smart. And auto makers across the globe know it. Once, the former India head of US carmaker Ford, Michael Boneham, said Indians are not price-conscious but value-conscious. Boneham was responsible for Ford’s turnaround in here and it was only under his leadership that Ford introduced their hatchback winner, the Figo. So, the Aussie knew what he was saying.
I am smart too. For instance, since I have been looking for a nice bike to invest in, I still haven’t been able to zero in on one. Here’s why: In the beginning, I turned to Harley-Davidson’s Iron. It was affordable and good-looking. I am 35. I looked down the road at the next five years and thought I could still ride the Iron in 2020 and not look too out of place. If not anything else, Harleys do have a lot of swagger and can carry off the old-broke-and-hungry look with élan.
The 675 motor has dollops of torque and the fast-revving nature of the bike’s power plant means you will be busy on the shifter to get the best out of it
But then, my good friend at Triumph India, Siddhartha Varma, offered me a two-day ride on the Street Triple. “Try it out,” he said.The test drive consisted of a quick touch-and-go to Jaipur. While the Street Triple could have mastered the twisties in the mountains of Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh, the NH8 is the perfect setting for a motorcycle: Wide open straights, traffic jams, patches of broken tarmac and interesting people.
The Street Triple happily cut through the nonsense at Gurgaon, where highly competitive drivers in Maruti Swifts bayed for my blood. The 675 motor has dollops of torque and the fast-revving nature of the bike’s power plant means you will be busy on the shifter to get the best out of it.Ride quality was near flawless. The committed riding posture is the most comfortable among all the bikes that I have been on in my life (and there have been quite a few). The Street Triple also allows you to stand on the pegs in case the going gets too rough.
The NH8 opens up at quite a few places and the long expanses are a treat for those looking to push the limits. Thankfully, the Street Triple didn’t disappoint. The punchy 79bhp in-line 3-cyclinder mill kept pace with my nerves and I covered around 150km in under 1.5 hours. However, buffeting from the wind was a big irritant on certain stretches.
“At around Rs 9 lakh on-road, the Street Triple is an exciting albeit a slightly expensive proposition for anybody looking to balance city carving and highway sprints with ease.”
Back at home, coffee mug in hand, I looked at the Street Triple parked under the neem tree. It looked picture-perfect in its own way. It didn’t have the mad angles of an MV Augusta Brutale or the resplendent flair of a Ducati Streetfighter. What it has is a nonchalant composure and very high-quality components. All its lines tuck in nicely and give it ripped appearance without making it look unnecessary edgy. The nicely finished exhaust sits beneath the engine and does a fantastic job of bringing you that unmistakable wail of an inline-3.
At around Rs 9 lakh on-road, the Street Triple is an exciting albeit a slightly expensive proposition for anybody looking to balance city carving and highway sprints with ease. In the end, it boils down to a fine line between value and indulgence. The Street Triple falls into the second category. As for me, I said, I am a smart customer. So, I will wait a wee bit before I can get my hands on the Ducati Scrambler.
A PRINCELY PROCESSION | Vintage accoutrements like chhatri, gaddi, pankhi are all part of the fashion that comprised a royal’s ensemble
As Rani Sandhya Kumari of Khajurgaon reminisces about how, during Dussehra, the “elegant bichonas were drawn out of the cupboards for ceremonies, to cover the thrones where rulers used to sit”, she also remembers that the “embroidery on one designed for my grandmother was elaborate, [while] the work on the other created for my mother was a little light.” In the spirit of resurrecting the exquisite heritage inspired art that predominated royal accessories, the Rani of Khajurgaon, in Rai Bareily district of India, has her own brand of vintage regalia seen during royal weddings and processions of yore. Along with chawans (used to ward off evil spirit) and pankhis in gold and silver, she has a rich array of home accents under her label ‘Pakke Rang’. We have her here in a short tète a tète
The Luxe Café:Tell us about the work you do? Royal regalia is a heritage thing, basically used for durbars and weddings. Earlier, the work was in real silver and gold embroidery with semi-precious stones and navratnas work and the entire set up was only used on special occasions. But now we see these things dying out and it’s not easy to transform the old stuff. So the thought behind this was to revive the tradition but in contemporary ways. The royal families are still using it and various other people have just kept it. It is very close to the Indian culture and origin. Even today every Dussehra, it is still being used. The person who has inherited the royalty, sits on the throne with entire regalia and the arms are taken out and worshipped.
ROYAL UMBRAGE | The ornate chhatri is not just an embellishment but is also a symbol of the royal’s seniority and the due respect
What inspired you to start this? How I started doing all of this has a small story behind it. My daughter was getting married, during which I restored the entire regalia myself because the kaarigars would not have been able to do justice to the same. It took me 3 months to restore just one bed sheet. Royal families still use the Royal regalia- like galichas at weddigs. The galichas were stitched with different threads and were a very important part of weddings, poojas and other important functions, and are still considered to be an integral part although less used nowadays.
PATTERNED PORTRAITS | Richly embroidered galichas or kaaleens are intrinsic part of the royal heirlooms
Which fabric do you work with? Specially while making Galichas. Mostly velvets are used for the richness, and it also looks very royal and intricate. There is a pad of cotton thread in the entire design over which the stitching with threads is done. Falisha work with kasab thread and aari work makes this galicha very special and royal. All this work is done in Lucknow and we have a team of kaarigars who do intricate zardozi work.
A RIOT OF COLOURS | From home accents to wedding regalia, Rani Sandhya Kumari brings heritage and its colours alive
How is the demand for royal home decor stuff? People like very traditional things. Typical royal families go for gaddas, chatris and we make it on order-to basis. Galichas, pankhis, cushion covers, round table covers, bedsheets and carpets are also in demand. It is very expensive and not everyone can afford it, as we do very intricate work and it is nothing close to the cut paste format.
ON A HIGH | Given a certain premium were signature pieces of home accents standing for the opulence of a certain royal household
She goes on to add, “We have royal patrons and then we have Marwari clients who come asking for one of the things. Someone who is planning a royal or a theme wedding with heritage properties also goes for this lavish traditional spread. One example of a patron I would like to share – This person was from Scandinavia, he was one of the royalties and he wanted to turn his palace into a resort and he ordered the crest (2 elephants with a tiger head representing bravery and integrity). Every crest has a story attached to it, and he got his crest done on the cushions, stands etc.”
Faced with a choice between the survival of the planet and a new set of matching tableware, most people would choose the tableware. You may find the sarcasm in this comment by George Joshua Richard Monbiot, an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism hard to digest but will agree that the right tableware spices up a formal or informal meal. If you have the dough, here are some items which will add new meaning to fine dining: The Baraock Christmas Plate at $450 by Versace, Hermes Bleus d’Ailleurs Soup Tureen at $1,300, Villeroy & Boch Althea Nova dinnerware collection, Royal Albert Old Country Roses Tea set at $400 and the Wedgwood Cornucopia Dinner Set
