Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Travel India through Unravel India


When i think about Vintage, India is a country that definitely tops the list. With its rich inheritance of art and culture, textiles and handmade products, India has some very exquisite forms of arts. Have you ever wished to travel to those remote areas of India, to shop for collectibles that are originated from there and still have limited reach to the masses. Do you have the itch to travel to small villages, walk through the tiny, bumpy lanes and by lanes with puddles to reach those artisans whose hands create magic?? With our daily hectic schedules and lives, one can only imagine to do so. You sure would love to have those antique pieces of art from all the nooks and corners of the world and can only access them once you travel to these places. The rich Kutch embroidery from Saurashtra, the ceramics from Rajasthan, the terracotta pots, Warli painting decorative artefacts and Madhubani painting creations from Bihar. How about getting all of that on one single platform? Sounds exciting right? Unravel India  turns your dreams into reality and  is the answer to all these questions.


Unravel India is a beautiful amalgamation of the most unique crafts across India. Started in 2011 by my very close childhood friend , it has been taken to another level. I am proud to say as an initial co-founder of this platform, i feel immense pleasure to be once associated with it.  The show is run by Deepali Pandey who handles the marketing and Pawan Joshi who takes care of the finance division.  It is soon going to start its operations in Australia and The Untied states of America to reach the NRI clients starving  from their culture and arts. It has huge plans of entering the European and UK market also. An initial start with 300 products have now diversified into 1400 products from artisans across India. The array of products on the site are ethically sourced directly from the artisans keeping in mind a very high quality standard. I always get mesmerised browsing through this site and equally confused about what to add to my bucket and would recommend some must buys for you guys if you are looking to add that touch of culture and heritage to your living rooms. The most exciting thing about Unravel india is the regional tadka it has and thats the spice and essence of this initiative.

Lets start with the wall decor. The walls of our living rooms are the first to be noticed when a guest enters our house and therefore should make a huge impact. Also how we decorate our homes defines and reflects our personality, lifestyle and choices. Here are some beautiful ones that you must have up there on your wall.


12 Terracotta Warli Hand painted Pots with Rustic Wooden Frame From MAHARASHTRA

Brighten up your living room with this beautiful sheesham rustic wooden pigeonhole frame with assorted warli hand painted pots.  Sheesham wood, also known as Indian Rosewood or Dalbergia sisso, is a deciduous tree, native to the Indian Subcontinent. It is the most beautiful wood in the world. The wood grain is a subtle profusion of colours from mid to dark browns through chestnut to sable. The wood has a beautiful irregular grain structure which is very distinctive in appearance and can be polished to a fine finish.

An interesting fact!
Aside from being used for furniture, Sheesham wood is often used to make Khartals – the hand-held percussion instrument used by traditional Rajasthani folk musicians.

The warli painting is a beautiful folk art paintings from North Sahyadri range in India. It is done by the tribal women there. Though it is painted white on red walls,  UI brings an interesting twist in this art with these colourful pots. Bright, vibrant colours adding a contrast look to the rustic wooden wall frame. The frame and pots can also be put to multiple use, you can replace these pots with some nice diyas and tea lights during Diwali or decorate it with various other artefacts which will keep changing the mood and theme on your wall based on your likes or the festivals at that time. The multicolour pots could be used as stands or a flower vase or decorated in your small balcony gardens with some plants. You can achieve various permutations and combinations to this unique piece of decor and customise it as you like.

Also recommended-8 Terracotta Warli Handpainted Pots With Sheesham Wooden Frame


Madhubani painted Wooden Wall Shelf from BIHAR
If you love decorating the old fashioned way, this will definitely add some retro look to your home.

Madhubani paintings also called mithila paintings are from a place called Mithila in Bihar. They are folk paintings from northern India practised by the women there. They use fingers or twigs to paint with natural pigments and dyes. The eye catching paintings are for every occasion and festivals. Most of the Madhubani paintings depict men and its association with nature, and scenes & deity from ancient epics. Natural objects, plants, social events are also represented in Madhubani paintings, which are loved by art fanatics. Madhubani, which literally translates into "forests of honey" refers to a rural art form.

The beautiful combination of colours in this madhubani painted wall shelf can be mixed and matched with some small miniatures you would have collected from one of your trips. You can put your small souvenirs at display too or it could be used to put nice pretty candles giving it a lamp stand look.

Achieve the drama of this major art piece inexpensively by displaying this at your entrance.

Also recommended: Mahavir Mural Wall Hanging


Mosaic Wall Candle Holder from MORADABAD

Ever imagined a mosaic wall decor?? Unravel India brings you this intricately assembled mosaic candle stand. Mosaic is the art of forming different images with small pieces of colourful stones, glass or other material. The lit candle gives these small pieces of colourful glasses a different dimension and they reflect the  light of  their beautiful palette of colours spreading out a subtle beam on the wall. The fragile pieces of mosaic stones are encrusted in such a artistic way giving it a antique and bedazzled look. You can decorate this with some nice scented or designer candles close to your bathtub whenever you plan to indulge in those relaxing aroma salts after a tiring week. The candle stand can also be bought in twins and hung on both sides of a huge painting on your wall.

Also recommended:Mosaic design Wall Candle Holder
Patachitra painting from ORRISA



If you love traditions and want to go bold with red, this beautiful Patachitra painting on a bright red base framed with cane borders is your go to. Always remember, decoration is all about what you like and is a part of your persona.

Inject personality into your living space with energetic hues and saturations in different art forms.
A home adorned with vintage products exudes a sense of comfort and charm. If you are an avid art fan, you must possess one of these paintings as a wall decor. Patachitra is amongst the most eclectic and iconic form of painting from Orissa.

This includes the wall paintings, manuscript painting, palm-leaf etching, and painting on cloth, both cotton and silk. Chitrakar painters in and around Puri practice this living art form. You will find some nice lamp shades also with these paintings in Puri. The village of Raghurajpur is where many chitrakars live in an area dedicated to them called Chitrakar Sahe. This art of painting on cloth can be traced back to the establishment of the shrine of Lord Jagannath at Puri in Orissa.


Also recommended: Ganesha Wooden Inlay Wall Painting


Leather Puppetry Hand painted Blue Clock from ANDHRA PRADESH



Update your wall clock with the turquoise and beige touch made from Leather Puppetry. Absolutely unique wall clock, rare to find and gives your living room an artistic touch. The formal living room shows off pops of  beige and blue in graphic designs to make a statement that is cohesive, but far from boring.
If you're too nervous to stray far from a neutral, choose just one shade you love (and keep the walls a calming beige) to dip a toe into the pool of colour possibilities.
Unravel India is the only platform so far that has tapped this art and bridged the gap between the suppliers and artisans & the buyers and customers. This art had not reached the masses before it got introduced through  UI. 

Here is also an interesting slide on how the artisans in Andhra Pradesh practise the art of Leather Puppetry

Also recommended:Vintage Style Station Brass Clock (Double Side Clock) 
Wooden Buffing Multicoloured Blocks Lamp from SAHARANPUR
The art of wood in India is so widely spread in different forms and shapes. There are beautiful pieces carved out from the best of woods like Sheesham, sandalwood and Kadamb in places like Karnataka, Rajasthan and others. 
This magnificently carved lamp with delicate cascading buffed wood pieces throwing those glimpses of light is a must buy for your living room. It has the ideal size for both a floor or table lamp. 
The most interesting and noticeable fact about this lamp is the way the light plays a hide and seek from those small grooves. The wood is buffed and varnished in a way that it reflects a different colour of light at each part therefore giving it a multi dimensional look. 


 Terracotta
a hand painted hanging T-light




Want to experiment with your outdoor space??
These Terracotta hand painted hanging tea lights 
are just what you have been missing.  These could be decorated with some small flowers and candles. These come straight from some local Delhi artists who inject their talent through these small miniatures to make a living. The contrasting  colour story, the fine details of these paintings are at par with excellence and flawlessness. The bright hanging tea lights act as accents against the  lush green backdrop of your nurtured outdoor gardens or balconies.



Terracotta is an earthen art made from clay and all
these pots can be achieved in different shapes and sizes. These are completely porous and organic to keep inside your house too.    

Also recommended: Metallic Tea Light Holder              
Terracotta hand painted Aroma Diffuser








Scent is one of the most deep-rooted senses, proven to influence our mood and generate an overall sense of wellbeing. To reinvigorate these senses and naturally restore balance to a busy and hectic lifestyle.

Infuse your house with this terracotta hand painted aroma diffuser. Imagine waking up steeped in your favourite fragrance by soft mood lighting. Reinvigorate, rejuvenate your senses and enliven your home with your favourite aroma, fragrance, colour and light. They promote healing and bestow inner peace.

There are many ways to use the Aroma Diffuser in your everyday life; for relaxation during reading, as an ambient decoration before a dinner party, or even to stimulate the senses during work or study.








Applique, also known as patch work  is one of my personal favourite and i never ever thought it could be so well incorporated in a serving tray. When i visualise appliqué, my imagination always runs into those precise cut designs covered with coloured rugs of clothes and stitched with multicolour threads and finally getting made into a vintage jacket. There is no end to how much you can experiment with applique, using end number of fabrics, layers, buttons, trims and threads. It is one of the finest crafts from Gujarat and is prevalent in Kutch. 
Appliqué work in India can be traced as back as the times when the women folk of the native communities of north Gujarat made it by hand.
Serving in these traditional trays definitely will add a
vibrance hosting your guests. 

Also have a look at some very beautiful Dhokra and Warli Hand painted Wooden Silk Tray from BHAGALPUR, the city of silk stories. These trays 


Bone china is known for its whiteness and translucency made from ceramic. Get the eclectic touch in your crockery with the colour harmony of blue and white with warm touches of gold bringing a sense of contemporary warmth to it.

It has a serene polished look which is very classy.

Bone China is a hybrid hard-paste porcelain containing bone ash.

Bone china is extremely hard, intensely white and will allow light to pass through it.

The intricate artwork adds a tinge of royal feel to it. Apt for serving guests on special occasions.

Also recommended: Earthen Ceramic Kulhad(Set of 6)


India is a diverse country with the most exquisite forms of art and culture appreciated across the globe. Lets take a step forward and give some contribution in our own possible way to promote and help these artisans grow with India, for India and above all for themselves. Lets appreciate them, acknowledge their art and make them feel proud and paid for the endless toiling they do and create magical art with their hands. Unravel India is also venturing into Furniture from the product portfolio perspective, they have recently introduced exclusive Furniture and apparels and would focus on strengthening these 2 categories.

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