India... A Happy Pattern Retrospective

It is easy when traveling in India to get a bit blaze over their almost obsessive use of pattern. You see it everywhere and after a while even the most enthusiastic of design junkies becomes a little immune to the sheer beauty that is displayed on almost every available surface.  Flicking through my photos earlier I was overcome with how incredible they are - perhaps it is only upon reflection that one can really appreciate the wonder of a culture that has held the decorative arts in such high esteem for centuries.

Photos taken by me  in Udaipur, India

Travel Trinkets

Seeing as though I spent nearly all my money just getting to India, I didn't have much left over for shop shop (much to the disappointment and disbelief of nearly every shopkeeper I met)... Thankfully I'm discerning by nature so I was happy to come away with only a few, small yet perfectly formed reminders of my trip.  Here are my finds (which I love!):

Worry dolls purchased from the Anjuna Markets in Goa - a little Tibetan perhaps but their crazy, manic expressions appealed to me as I stood in 38 degree heat bargaining my heart out.

Cow bell - I found this (with ribbon already attached) in a little shop in Baga.  I like to think it was once around the neck of a lovely, docile holy cow rather than a boring old ox.

Somehow (by sheer good luck) I stumbled across the wholesale manufacturer of Hermes scarves in Jodhpur... to say I was a little excited by this discovery is an understatement of grand proportions!  For an hour and a half I died and went to heaven.

Bangles - the tiny little bangle shops (that are really just a hole in the wall) are like an Aladdin's cave of beauty.  They are lined with boxes and boxes of glass bangles in every conceivable colour imaginable.  The hardest part is choosing which to buy.

I unearthed this camel bone inlaid box in the same shop that I found the cow bell - it feels incredibly cool and smooth to touch and is the perfect size for precious jewels.

The Blue Room

I fell in love with this room, which is inside the city palace in Udaipur.  I took literally hundreds of photos of Indian design while I was there, but this room remains one of my favourites.  I'm sure it has a lot to do with the colour scheme but I also adore the intricacy of the designs and the fact that it looks like something straight out of a fairytale.

Love Carriage

These opulent and gaudy silver carriages line the Colaba streets on dusk in the hope of catching the eye (and wallet) of strolling lovebirds.  I just adored the intricacy of the metal-work and the chaotic colour of the flowers - the combination is so Indian!

India!

While I promise not to become too obsessed with my upcoming Indian trip, today I became so excited that I rushed home and began looking at some gorgeous images to fuel the flitting butterflies!  These are just interior shots too.... my real love is Indian architectural detail so be prepared to be inundated with lots and lots of close-up photos post trip!

This entry fresco is my favourite - henna for walls!