Man made Gold

The Golden Jaggery of Kolhapur gets GI rights!

I have been fortunate during my childhood for having been served this golden jaggery directly from Kolhapur through my maternal grand father. And my mom still get her share of stock every year.

Can you imagine maharashtrian brahmin cuisine without the use of jaggery/gul? I cannot!
It is one of the ingredient without which my kitchen is incomplete. Gul poli, til gul, puran poli, modak, ghavachi kheer, amti, vangyachi rassa bhaji... name it and life is more live-able!

Kolhapuri Chappals

Kolhapur is my grand-parents place and I have been there 101 times. Since childhood I've enjoyed wearing the well known handmade Kolhapuri leather chappals. Many times I have shot these chappals, but I always shot them in the evening and hence the pictures were never good to post. But this time I went to the market of Chambar Galli during the day time and got some unshaken and focused pictures which make this post.

Natural palette

I like the natural palette these chappals make. Inspired from the color and design patterns made on the chappals, a superb collection of home textiles can come up! (my next inspiration ;)
Over the years, Kolhapuri chappals have taken various turns in terms of design and look. But I always have loved the very basic and traditional looking chappals and especially I love the red pom-pom (gonda in marathi). Now-a-days the chappals are made without the gonda, but whenever I buy, I insist to put a gonda for me! It looks more authentic :)

The traditional chappal with the gonda (pom-pom)

Fancy and modern Kolhapuri

Kolhapurai chappals are available in Mumbai and other places, but a very few of them are authentic. Regular chappals are also sold as Kolhapuri.. so one who doesn't know how and what they are might buy something else but Kolhapuri!

Jaya Jaitley has written a beautiful chapter on Kolhapuri chappals and its craft-persons in her book 'Vishwakarma's Childern'. A must read book for those who keep interest in Indian crafts.

crocheting..

I was in Kolhapur/Belgaum for last four days for a family get-together! A lot many interesting things I came across which are going to make few awesome posts... plus, I also did some work!
Regular design work + some reading + some fun work like like winding some fancy colored cord and crocheting it into a funky lace...
I spent all the time on my way to Kolhapur winding this colorful cord. It was in a hank form when I purchased and it really got all messed up in process!! But yea finally I could get three balls with no knots :)

PS: The lovely lace is coming up in the next post.

Rural Decor

I sourced this colorful tie-up in local markets of Kolhapur. Kolhapur is a more agricultural city than Solapur. Farmers there are dedicated towards cultivating and thus more of the rural handmade culture can be seen. These tie ups are made by local women for the animals they breed. Made of cotton rope and acrylic pom-poms with adjustable knots... these things look really pretty on animals.

But I am going to use them in a different way...
Thinking of how it can be used as a nice hanging on one of the doors of my new house I'm working on!

Celebrations

Celebrating 100th post!!

I was waiting and waiting for some nice subject for the 100th post... and nothing can be more better than celebrating parents wedding anniversary and my 100th post at the same time.

On the occasion of parents 30th wedding anniversary, we went to Panhala, a small hill station near Kolhapur. It was a long weekend and full fun with family!! Here are some pictures taken from the Panhalgad hill...

Happy Anniversary!! Aai-Pappa!!