Monthly Archives: November 2011

OWC Bazaar, Ahaan and Baale Mane

Orissa Hand-carved Stone Decoration

Serves me right for being upset with the dew in Delhi! It was raining when we woke up on the OWC Bazaar day and I had that sinking feeling that I had made no provision for waterproof covering (again!) However my mother, or rather her penchant for keeping what she calls ‘useful things’, saved the day. I had used plastic sheeting to put on the wet tables and clear plastic packaging to cover everything with, and managed to get set up and over the soggy mess we were met with. A good day, with lots of old faces – our first ever exhibition was the OWC Bazaar last year and it was nice to be back. The animal Christmas decorations were a big hit with kids and adults alike.

The next day could not have been more different. We were invited out by Yasmeen and Richard from

Posted in Creating Arastan | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas is Coming…

Zardozi Christmas Bird

Doing a Christmas mela in Delhi proved an interesting experience. For security reasons we had to be in by 6:20am so there we were a bit cold and not quite awake and then had to wait till the dew dried up on our roof covering before setting up! The AWA team were great though and produced just about everything one had forgotten or not anticipated. The day went well although not as fantastic for us as the guy next door: his papier-mâché Christmas baubles were flying off the shelves, with his exaggeration on age/workmanship increasing as the day progressed.

Our own Indian Christmas decorations have arrived and we’ve been busy photographing and tagging them. Here is a sneak preview!

Each one is hand-embroidered, all done by an NGO that has managed to keep producing consistently high quality – a win-win for everyone. I love the

Posted in India | Tagged , , , , | 2 Responses

RainTree, Thailand and Karthik

© Jaipur Rugs

The exhibition went very well. I am an eternal optimist but it went better than even I predicted. In part the success was thanks to the Arastan ‘champions’ who spread the word, part to the work Anisha Chacko did on the exhibition collateral and to the fact that people who came liked what they saw enough to buy it. And we got some excellent learning not just of the exhibition but also on purchasing patterns. All noted and incorporated into our plans.

In my wanderings, I have come across many interesting businesses and people. One such company is Jaipur Rugs Company and we sell their contemporary carpets alongside the tribal ones. Jaipur has just received the India Pride award for social change in India. Well deserved as I think they do what they do very well. The Jaipur carpets

Posted in Creating Arastan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Responses
  • Welcome to Arastan

    An online store that curates rare and handpicked treasures from exotic bazaars along the ancient silk route.

    From gorgeous handmade carpets to striking objets d'art and fascinating tribal jewellery, each piece is a collectible with a story.

    So, come share in our journey and, perhaps, begin one of your own with Arastan…

  • To hear more about Arastan, our events and our products, please share your email address with us:
    Please enter your email address
    The Arastan Journey

  • Browse all our articles

  • Browse our archives

  • Visit Us

    As well as our online store we have more products on show at the new Arastan Studio in Bangalore. Opening hours and location details.