Journal
From the Museum
Stories from our Museum, guides for choosing and hanging, and news from the workshop.
What is a jaali, and why does it still look so modern?
Stone screens that cool a room, soften the light and keep it private. And why they suit a 2BHK wall.
Parchin Kari: The Stone Flowers of the Taj Mahal
How Mughal craftsmen cut coloured stone so finely that the joins disappear, and why the flowers of the Taj Mahal still inspire designers today.
4,500-Year-Old Patterns: What the Indus Valley Painted on Its Pots
Pipal leaves, fish scales and intersecting circles. Some of the oldest patterns in India were painted on Harappan pots, and they still look good…
The Torana: Why Indian Doorways Have Always Been Decorated
From the carved gateways of Sanchi to mango-leaf torans and the morning kolam, the Indian threshold has always been a place of welcome.
The Hamsa and the Lotus: Two Symbols Carved Across Indian History
A goose that stands for wisdom and a flower that rises clean from mud. Why the hamsa and the lotus appear everywhere in Indian…
The Konark Wheel: How a 13th-Century Chariot Became an Icon
The Sun Temple at Konark was built as a stone chariot on 24 carved wheels. Here is how to read one of India's most…
Nettipattam: The Golden Ornament of Kerala’s Temple Elephants
The gleaming ornament worn by Kerala's temple elephants at Thrissur Pooram, how it is made, and why it now hangs in so many Malayali…
Kolam: The Morning Art at Every Tamil Doorstep
The rice-flour patterns drawn at Tamil doorsteps every morning: their history, the main types, the maths inside them, and how they inspire decor.
Nilavilakku: Kerala’s Brass Lamp and the Light at Dusk
Kerala's traditional brass floor lamp, lit at dusk in homes and at the start of every function. What it means, how it is lit…
Athangudi Tiles: The Hand-Made Floors of Chettinad
Hand-made in a small Chettinad village without a kiln, Athangudi tiles cover the floors of Tamil Nadu's grand mansions. Here is how they are…