Known among his fraternity as ‘The Master of Weaves’, Gaurang Shah is a highly revered name in the Indian fashion industry. His besotted jamdanis, meticulously woven in all the colours of the rainbow, take up only a fraction of his masterful creations.
With an artful eye for immaculate detailing, Gaurang Shah has been instrumental in the revival of traditional Indian weaves, and his creativity has re-molded the quintessential 6-yard sari as we know it.
My whirlwind trip to India now feels like a distant dream. Where did a whole month go? We spent the major chunk of our holiday in the beautifully picturesque town of Shillong.
My Hubby calls Shillong home, and spent his entire childhood here. Every nook of the city seems to hold a fond memory for him, and despite being away for countless years, he proves to be an expert tour guide, leading me through miles of endlessly narrow streets and cobbled stairs.
When exploring a city, I like to take to the streets like a local. Sure, a fancy hotel stay is a much-needed rejuvenating treat but I had under 24 hours to backpack around Guwahati, the capital city of Assam (North East India) and ofcourse it involved a major eatathon!
I have always had a fascination with the eye-catching embroidery that comes from the North-Western Indian state of Rajasthan.
My father in-law has a very endearing caretaker who originates from the Garo Hills. Swing is a short, middle-aged man with a rather muscular stature and a deep, dark chocolate-brown complexion, and has been a part of this family ever since I married into it. Yes, his name is Swing! Given his fondness for the bottle and a very jovial disposition, this name seems pretty apt for him. Sparse teethed yet ever-smiling, Swing has formed a special friendship with my daughter who he last saw as a 2 year-old. My daughter does not speak any Indian regional languages, and Swing has very limited use of the English tongue. Yet the other afternoon, I saw him sitting there trying to tell her a story in colloquial Hindi.
Always keen on hearing some regional-style storytelling myself, I sat down to listen and offered to be the translator between the two. Swing narrated the story of Gangbo Raja, a folktale that has been passed down generations in the Garo Hills.
I am spending the last few precious days of Ramadan in India with the extended family. Iftars here are rather different from the UAE. When fasting in Dubai, we tend to focus on the socializing aspect of Ramadan, and are spoilt for choice with the plethora of Iftars and Suhoor buffets on offer.
In my husband’s hometown of Shillong (Meghalaya), Iftars are far more solemn and people prefer to enjoy them within the privacy of their own homes with close family. Neighbours exchange dishes, but mainly meet up in the mosque for the extended prayers.
I spent the last couple of days at my maternal aunt Zuleikha Hazarika’s place, and had the pleasure of watching her very talented cook, Ali, whip up a giant pot full of traditional Chicken Pulao (an aromatic chicken pilaf fragranced with the spicy notes of cardamom, cloves and cinnamon). In the true spirit of Ramadan, the pulao was divided up into boxes, and distributed across the neighbourhood to close friends, as well as the less fortunate.
“The bus was a carcass of a vehicle, a mere tin box with faded paint and prison bars that housed an entire crowd of perspiring strangers. Each grasped on to any available solace as the driver took frivolous turns on the rocky, uneven roads ahead. I stood there, balancing my luggage and child with hands and legs, praying the next swirl will not deplete my balance, lest I end up crashing out of the glass door behind me.”
Antique Bazaar is an experience in itself. Apart from the delicious lineup of very popular Indian dishes the restaurant has to offer, the interiors have the look and feel of a bygone palatial courtyard, complete with intricately hand-carved furnishings and portraits of mythical royalty.
Book at table around 9 pm any day of the week, and you are in for a visual treat. Antique Bazaar has its very own band of Bollywood singers and dancers who keep diners entertained with a whole array of old and new numbers, and even take on song requests.
Suchita Pandey, the very talented designer behind the Indian and Indo-Western label ‘Suchita’s Stylista’, is making a comeback in the Numaish Summer Show 2016 (scheduled to be held at Hotel Conrad from 29th to 30th April).
I had the pleasure of meeting Suchita at the Numaish Winter show, and still get asked about the gorgeously unique red bandhani dress she gifted me (you can see me in it here). I am therefore super excited to see what she has in store for us for Summer 2016. Read on for a sneak peek!
I am Trouble by KC is yet another unique fashion label to be showcasing at the Numaish Summer Show on 29th – 30th April (at Hotel Conrad). With a name that spells ‘trouble’, this fun, quirky brand has a notoriously colourful range of unique fashion clothing, footwear and accessories for men and women. 
‘I am Trouble by KC’ was conceptualized and created in Delhi by the suave, young Kunal Chatterjee. Let’s have a chitchat with him on his take on fashion, and what his spunky brand has in store for the Numaish Summer Show.
The Tezzy Files 