International Museum Expo, New Delhi, 18 – 20 May, 2023

I was honoured to be invited by the Ministry of Culture as a speaker on International Museum Day to talk about the oral history documentation project called ‘The Museum Memories Project’ – it was found at the beginning of the Covid global lockdown that  to bring the world closer through sharing of personal memories from museums visited by anyone in any corner of the globe. It is a free digital archive and resource platform of histories, heritage, cultures of all people, making them accessible and inclusive to everyone 🙂

Happy Women’s Day!

This 2023 Women's Day post is dedicated to the most awesome Priyanka Tolia and her Design Studio Chitku – a design and craft collaborative established in 2009. Wishing you, your team and this little girl the very best wishes for a peaceful life, full of love and safe women's day, every day!

The story of the dazzling ‘Gota’ embroidery: its past, present and future

Amidst all the glitter, glamour and glitz of yesteryear the shimmer and shine of Gota stands out! It has captured in its weave the fantasy of the times. Travelling from the markets of the Western Indian cities of Surat, Ajmer where they were manufactured, Gota came to be the ubiquitous accessory of every royal garment. Let us know of the history of the exquisite Gota embroidery based on original fieldwork.

Albert Hall, Jaipur

The Rajasthan State government run Central Museum in Jaipur is still popularly known as the Albert Hall. It was designed by architect Sir Swinton Jacob inspired by the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, in the Indo – Sarcenic style and opened as a Museum in 1887. It was built to commemorate the visit of Albert,...

Early Indian photography history at Jaipur

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9x_ht9eQas Dr Asok Kumar Das is an Art Historian, Author, Former Director, City Palace Museum, Jaipur. He is an expert with 40 years of experience in the field of museums, museology and curation. This interview reveals the history of early Indian photography through the work of Sawai Ram Singh II, the ruler of Jaipur in...

Adieu, Karni

Adieu, Karni With heart wrenching pain, I write this tribute for one of India's greatest and youngest museum directors, Karni Singh Jasol 💔 s I write this, Karni was spearheading one of the most exciting projects transforming Mehrangarh into one of the super best museums in the world, and we were waiting with bated breath for its unveiling. He had already co curated some of the world’s most amazing exhibitions in the US, based on the Mehrangarh museum’s collection, he was on a spree to take Jodhpur to the world and winning.

Part 5: Rajmata’s legacy ❤️

Part 5: Rajmata’s legacy Rajmata started the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Vidyalaya, in memory of her departed husband in 1984... A true warrior, lover of freedom, Rajmata Gayatri Devi has empowered generations of women, men, society, state and a country like India. The links to all the 5 parts are given at the end of this post. Please comment on the blog posts. Thank you for reading 🙂

‘Our’ Rajmata Gayatri Devi: a 5 part tribute to a visionary leader ❤️

Rajmata

The word sends a shiver and thrill down every MGDian! For us, there is only one person who has earned this reaction. She is Rajmata Gayatri Deviji Sahiba, Queen Mother of the erstwhile royal state of Jaipur, the present capital of Rajasthan. Though she left us in 2009 she will continue to live in every breath we take, for generations …

This series of five posts is a tribute to Rajmata, written to share with the world who she really was and what she represented for little girls from Rajasthan, a western desert of India, recognised for its valour, colour and cultural heritage. It is also a state that, today, even nearly 75 years after India’s independence has one of the highest crime rates against women, an alarming number of child marriages and dowry deaths, and continues to practice the heinous crime of female foeticide (the killing of the girl child in the womb or immediately on birth, before they even take their first breath).

Beyond the Palace: creating new approaches, empowering artisans design a new paradigm

Through 'Beyond the Palace: creating new approaches' series, VarnikaDesigns is immensely honoured to bring to you a set of 5 video interviews with 6 amazing women entrepreneurs from the erstwhile royal families of India. We asked them how they are empowering artisans design a new paradigm, their future plans, how they extend their family’s royal legacy and preserve heritage through social media and how they are making their family’s and India’s culture accessible and inclusive. Follow us on the VarnikaDesigns Instagram profile from November 26 - 29, 2021 for their stories.This series is to help promote the unique fundraiser auction 'India for Artisans' by 200 M Artisans, CD and StoryLtd to raise money for India's artisans to be held online on 30th November, 2021, 8AM - 8PM IST for which VarnikaDesigns is a Cause partner

1st Birthday of ‘The Museum Memories Project’

https://videopress.com/v/1PmZwtxU?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&posterUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fvarnikadesigns.files.wordpress.com%2F2020%2F06%2F2-1.png&preloadContent=metadata Yeaaahhh, we are one 🙂  ‘The Museum Memories Project’ - an oral history documentation digital platform - was launched on April 15, 2020. For the first time, museum visitors were invited to delve deep and freely express their memories. They could share their favourite artefacts, spaces and moments in museums that they loved. This...