Maximum India! | Part 3

More from Maximum India!

Here's even more of the gorgeously crafted jewelry from Jaipur Gem Palace. 

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Do check out the rest of my Maximum India experiences here!

Enjoy!

A huge necklace with uncut emeralds and diamonds. The back of it features enamel work so the necklace can be worn backwards as well!

Boxes and cuffs inlaid with precious stones. I love the little bird with the emerald hanging from its beak!

This huge necklace was exquisite! It was inlaid with kundan work - a conglomerate of uncut stones. On the back, it was inlaid with minakari (enamel) work, so the necklace could be worn on either side.

 

 I like to call this the turban bling-i-fier - with emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, it's the headgear of a king!

Opals and emeralds - the perfect combo.

*All photos copyright Undercover Diva (Tania C)

Maximum India! | Part 2

More from Maximum India!

This time, some of the gorgeous, drool-worthy jewelry displayed from Jaipur Gem Palace. 

The Gem Palace was established in 1852 by the erstwhile Kasliwal family of Jaipur. Jewellers for over eight generations, the Kasliwals even have the distinction of being court jewellers to Moghul emperors. Situated in the heart of the royal city of Jaipur, The Gem Palace is a must-visit for connossieurs of fine jewellery. From antique jewels from the coffers of Maharajas to contemporary designs studded with the precious gemstones, the shop has it all.  

{From the Jaipur Gem Palace website}

Take a look! 

 A ridiculously opulent necklace and headpiece - made of hundreds and hundreds of pearls and studded with diamonds and other precious gems! It was stunning to look at - the photo doesn't do it justice! 

 A diamond brooch and tassel necklace.

A beautiful minakari (enamel-inlaid) box, enamel earrings, and carved bird ring with rubies and emeralds. 

 Ruby and emerald necklace. 

Like I said, absolutely drool-worthy, and most certainly fit for a queen.  
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More to come soon! 

*All photos copyright Undercover Diva (Tania C)

Maximum India!

Last night, I went one last time to Maximum India -- a amazing celebration of Indian culture at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. I'm on spring break so I was totally relaxed and I took a ton of pictures. Check out some of the cool stuff below!

 Gandhi's last speech written out in porcelain letters shaped eerily like bones.

Spice art in the Kennedy Center Cafe! 

The very cute Hi! I am India exhibit featured floors covered with facts and cartoons about India, colorful Mohra chairs to sit on, children's storybooks, Indian cartoons and a whole lot of fun!

I loved all the beautiful art inside the storybooks! 

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Stay tuned for more from the Kennedy Center!! 

*All photos copyright Undercover Diva (Tania C)

Maximum India!

The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, has a gem for the month of March - an awesome showcase called Maximum India. From March 1st to 20th, the Kennedy Center will showcase India's jewelry, crafts, food, dance, music, movies, theatre, and tons more.
I'm super duper excited to be living super close to DC! This weekend, I am going to see a free performance by Kailash Kher, one of my favorite Indian singers.Tomorrow night, there is a performance by Madhavi Mudgal and Alarmel Valli that will features two Indian classical dance forms - Odissi and Bharatanatyam. 

Other stuff that I'm really excited about:

• Food tasting sessions by the area's best Indian chefs
• A literature panel on letters exchanged between Mahatman Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore
• Indian culinary demos by chef Hemant Oberoi 
• Panels about the portrayal of women in Bollywood films with Nandita Das, the Last Mughal, and Bollywood (also with Nandita Das)

Exhibitions:  

Bharti Kher: I've Got Eyes at the Back of My Head (awesome bindi art!)

• Kaleidoscope: Mapping India's Crafts (traditional crafts from the sub-continent)

• Treasures of the Gem Palace (gorgeously crafted jewelry)

• SARI (a display of different types of Indian saris)  

• Craft Demonstrations: J. Niranjan, Satya Narayan Lal Karn, & Moti Karn (Craft demonstrations)

Check out the gorgeous brochure for the showcase here. ENJOY!

(Note: all images are from the official Kennedy Center website)

Diwali Magic :)

Happy Diwali!!

I had an awesome Diwali filled with lots of light and delicious food. 
Hope you had an amazing Diwali too!
:)

{Durga Puja}

Festival season is officially here! I'm totally excited. Today is Mahalaya, which marks the first day of the official beginning of the 10 days of Durga Puja, or the worshipping of Goddess Durga. Legend has it that Durga, the warrior avatar of Goddess Parvati, was created by the energy and aura of all the other Hindu Gods when the demon Mahisasura was hell-bent on destroying both the earth and the heavens. She was able to do what no other God or man could do - defeat Mahisasura and free the earth and heavens from his terrible clutches. Thus, she is worshipped for 10 days all over India, most notably in the Eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

I'm studying in my dorm room with the Mahalaya -- an ancient recording that describes Goddess Durga's courageous feat in song, prose, poetry, and prayer - on repeat. When I was growing up in India, we travelled to Varanasi, my ancestral home in Northern India, every September/October for Durga Puja. My whole family used to gather there -- it was a great big mish mosh part full of cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, grandparents, neighbors, and so many other people. I loved the time when my Dad, every year around September, would write a letter to my school asking me to be excused for about two weeks so that we could travel to Varanasi for Durga Puja.

It's been nine years since I've been home to Varanasi for Durga Puja. I've kept in touch by going to Durga Pujas in the area. Here, my friends, aunties and uncles have become my second family, but it isn't the same. Durga Puja in the States is crammed into one weekend - two and a half days in place of 10 days of constant fun and family. I miss it dearly!

I'm sharing some images of what Durga Puja means to me -- enjoy!

 

Sindoor Khela - at the end of Durga Puja.

 

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Smokey smokey...this is what Durga Puja looks like in India. Smoke, hundreds of lamps, the heady smell of incense and sandalwood, flowers, priests, chanting and prayer.

  

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Dhunuchi Naach!

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I love the sound of dhaak drums - they are so Bengali and every time I hear them I think of puja.

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{I started writing this post last Thursday and didn't finish until now...hence the start of Mahalaya reference)