usha uthup - an original

had usha uthup, one of india's leading singers asked for advice from a pr person before launching on her singing career, no doubt she'd have been advised to dress the part. slim down, wear western clothes...here she is 40 years later. herself. in sarees, flowers in her hair, bangles on her wrists, rocking it like no one else.

truly an inspiring original!

the paithanis

the paithani is a much admired, historic weave from maharashtra. festive, opulent, bright and celebratory. and expensive. orignially, they were made using pure gold thread for the embroidery. the designs are painstakingly converted into the final form after days of labouring by highly skilled weavers. nowadays, a lot of them are made on power looms, making them affordable to a wider range of women. here are some from a recent gathering. the purples do seem to be the most popular.