The Quintessential Indian ... Interior!

Well, now that I have you here, I need to confess that there is actually ...no ...such ...thing! 

For a country that is as rich, dynamic, complex, crazy, contradictory and multifarious as Mother India ...it would be a misnomer to use the word 'quintessential' or 'typical' to describe any of its overarching characteristics, artistic proclivities or aesthetics.

Somewhere in Puri ... 
internal grills, wooden shutters, deep, 
 dark vermillion, tribal borders ...& a bust of Lenin!!  
WHAT THE???

You will find on the east of the Subcontinent a reverence for dark, lineal, earthy & brooding colours, designs & utilities -- as befits the folkloric & tribal observances of, say, Odisha & Assam -- as well as the austere, erudite tastes & influences of both pre & post-British Bengal. 

Colonial-style, peacock wicker-chairs & 
weaved moda (stool/table) in a Bengal bungalow

Terracotta, earthen-ware, stone/concrete walls & floors,
& lattice screens are common in east Indian homes

Traditional textiles - Odishi, handloom, ikat sari in 
 mustard and navy blue/aubergine. Tonal 'tastes' seem to 
reflect the staple diet of fish, dahl & brinjal (eggplants)

*A Kolkata classic. 
Earthy hues, historic, time-worn collectibles, dhokra (brass) accessories, plates, pictures, patina & solid rose-wood furniture...

...All add to the fusion of old-world charm & indigenous artisanship of this region.

Over to the west side, the desert dominates, giving way to an explosion of light-absorbing, architectural & textile-reflecting counterpoints. Rajput & Mughal warriors, Gujarati Garba & Rajasthani Kalbeliya dancers, snake-charmers, gypsies & merchants all accede & ascend to the spectacle of effusive colour. To dazzle in 'full' light, or by romantic moonlight, is both a palatial & personal predilection in these parts.

*Don the sunnies for this Jaipur gem -

fashion designer, Liz Bruce's confection of

cushioned alcoves, elaborate arches & stenciling,

cobalt-glass chandeliers & floor pillows for flouncing

Doors of distinction.
Jewel-toned Amber fort with its opulent recesses
& gestures in gold

 A chorus of kaleidoscopic choli blouses awash with
the west-Indian wow factor -- textured, glittering threads &
no colour restrictions, set the tone for one's home

 *Bolsters are BIG & reclining is recommended!
Enamel, glass, precious-stone & metal inlay,
marble, mud-brick & maharanis combine to produce the most lavish west Indian interiors

*A decorative jhoola (Indian swing)
just seals the deal

Down south, with its tropical climate and lush, verdant greenery, a light hand & deft touch see simple, subdued cotton textiles, brass fixtures, wooden houses, sculptures & evocative rangoli patterns -- all part of an intrinsic southern lore, governed by female energy (shakti), motherhood & holistic living. This classical, artistic influence & beautifully serene style can be widely viewed & experienced throughout much of Asia, where Hinduism was exported -- most notably in Indonesia, Cambodia, Burma & even Vietnam.   

Keralan teak-wood mansion with sculptural roofs,  
Venetian etched mirrors 
& sacred Hindu deepam (oil lamp)

*Simple, white & indigo cotton, 

Nelson-fluted floor-lamp & side-table

*Easy, breezy, ethereal ...
with trompe l'oeil stair mural

*Teak toys, antique brass scissors 
&  other apprized items

Chalk rangoli design - 
welcoming friends & good fortune

To the north of the continent, where vertiginous cliffs, mountainous terrains & robust residents salute the source of all life -- rivers, endangered eco-systems & the loveliest of low-clouds ...we stumble upon practical magic. Fishing, farming,  sacred ritual & all things fertility come into play in art, design & building. Villages & villagers of the north place great emphasis on blankets, bamboo, coir, cane, Warli paintings, murals & metal-work.

*Traditional Indian charpoy bed 

& blankets galore

*Sculpted wood & woven cane, sparkly 
cushions & silvery things (including Nandi the bull -
bearer of truth & righteousness)

Handmade bamboo 'chik' screens

allow for airiness & peekaboo privacy

'Warli' home paintings of the north
tell the tales of nomadic Adivasis

While there's enviable variety & heart-heaving abundance in the textiles, textures & treatments of Indian homes & palaces -- from north to south, east to west, big, small, traditional or contemporary -- one thing underpins them all; the interpretation, expression & celebration of the specific environment in which they exist and the ancestral legacies that have coloured & constructed them.

I find the hearths & homesteads of my homeland to be imbued with instinct & individuality ...& much like the people themselves; mindful, artful & decidedly devotional. 

Thank you for making space in your day to read my post 

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#All Writing & Water-marked photos by Rani.C (Char)
*Image from Elle Decor International edition 2012 - Kolkata home of Surajit Iyengar (personal copy)
*Image from Celebrity Style magazine 2006 (personal copy)
*Seeta Devi in the film, Prem Sanyas (The Light of Asia) 1925
*From 'India Style' - Monisha Bharadwaj (personal copy)
*Image from 'Indian Interiors' - Sunil Sethi, featuring the south-Indian home of Jean Lesage (personal copy)
*From 'Indian Interiors' - by Sunil Sethi.