Wanderlust hits again! For the Himalayas this time..

Alrighty. My checklist:

Intentions in all the right places √

Mittens and woolens ready √

Trekking shoes ready √

Camera and other misc stuff ready √

Accompanying books and music ready √

Traveling Partner (aka Mr. Shaking Head) ready - Ah..umm..well. #$%^&!!

My revised checklist..

Persuade/cajole/threaten my best half to be my road-warrior-partner again √

Also find out how much would a stay in this piece of heaven cost! √

Let me walk you through the architectural and design marvel that is 360 Leti. The fact that it is situated in the pristine Kumaon region of the Himalayas, makes it immensely (and uncontrollably) attractive to city weary dwellers like moi.

360 Leti, a vision of Shakti, was made real by Bijoy Jain and his team from Studio Mumbai Architects. This exclusive (I am very tempted to say reclusive!) resort has been designed and constructed such that it is in complete harmony with nature and takes full advantage of the expansive 360 view of the Himalayas. The resort opened last year, and has already won more than a couple international design awards for the architects.

Ready for a virtual tour of this remote piece of heaven? √

I can not express in words how much I want to be in this room Right Now. As in asap!

I adore natural stone on floor and walls. And bare minimum number of walls.

Needless to say, you might add add some weight since you would also be 'taking in' all that view along with your food!

Metal (most likely beaten brass) bathroom fixtures. Irresistible combination of stone, gravel and wood

Ok.

Sorry, I can't speak anymore. Look at the above pics! I just want to be there. At 360 Leti. I hope that Mr. Shaking Head is listening (and reading).

[Will keep you posted on how my revised-checklist-item-no.1 works out...]

P.S: Shakti also organizes some amazing village walks in Kumaon, Sikkim and Ladakh. I am too stuck by 360 Leti to wax eloquent about those. Please read up yourself. They are so worth it!

Tibet on my mind..

Tibet. The land of Buddha. The land of peace. Embroiled now in a strife, that we all hope ends. Ends with the hope of Tibet regaining its freedom. Not just freedom of state, but also freedom of thought, freedom of expression and the freedom to nurture its ancient culture and heritage.

One exquisite, but rare artifact from Tibet is its furniture. The average Tibetan household never had much furniture, and whatever furniture was crafted, was crafted for the monasteries and the royalty. A lot of original pieces were destroyed during the cultural revolution, but you can find original antiques through some genuine dealers. It's a question of debate whether these dealers are profiteering from Tibetan heritage or in a way actually helping preserve Tibetan heritage that would otherwise have been lost. Reproductions can of course be found more commonly in the market these days

Tibetan furniture typically had only a few utility items. You will find Buddhist altar tables, storage cabinets, Choyon trunks, Chosom stands and scripture boxes. All of these items are used by lamas (monks) in the monasteries

As I appreciate the beauty of these hand painted pieces of art, I also say a silent prayer in support of Tibet and its people..

[Images from Baronet 4 Tibet]

Other Online resources:

Kachalinta

Out of Asia

An Indian Artist in London..

Caroline Jariwala, the artist of these intense paintings, is inspired by her Indian heritage and portrays the themes of culture, ritual and custom through a celebration of female form. Her paintings describe a fusion of visual imagery drawn from Indian Gujarati traditional arts with Hindu and Christian iconography.

Caroline along with being a painter, also leads art projects in schools, galleries and community venues as a teacher and an community artist.

I specially liked Caroline's portraiture of Indian women in brightly colored sarees, performing traditional household chores. It is also interesting to see her artistic journey through the different forms of paintings and iconography over the last some years...

Why do you build me up...

Build me up Buttercup, baby

Just to let me down (let me down) and mess me around

And then worst of all (worst of all) you never call, baby

When you say you will (say you will)

but I love you still I need you (I need you) more than anyone, darlin'

You know that I have from the start

So build me up (build me up) Buttercup, don't break my heart

[The Foundations]

This song has absolutely nothing to do with today's post. It's just that I have been humming this song since morning and I HAD to get it out of my system by singing it aloud to you! Phew! Feel better already!

And now for the actual post. Today's post is all about:

Living Rooms from South East Asia!

If you have always wanted to have a living room or a sitting area that reflects the rhythm, serenity, vibrancy and ambiance of South East Asia, look no further. I mean do look further...as in look below, for some awesome inspiration that you can easily adapt for your home. And once you are done, let me know...I'll send over some coconut water or maybe a cuppa chai to go with your new decor!

Wicker furniture is one of the specialties from South East Asia

Use of stone to bring in a touch of 'raw' to an otherwise contemporary straight line room

Fuchsia dominates, with a modern oriental work of art

The simplest of furniture in front of a beautifully panelled wall


Very zen. And very contemporary. Subtle touches like the reclining Buddha, lamps and tropical foliage add to the look

Traditional furniture restored. I think the piece on the left is known as the Java bed..

Comfortable planter lounge chairs, intricate screen/room divider, and a traditional roof

Notice the different forms of Ikat in the pillow covers design

The sitting area is towards the left of these gorgeous stairs

I can feel the warmth of the room, and hear the laughter of friends and family in this room..

Another traditional form of furniture in a more straight line design. You climb up and sit cross legged on the floor cushions

Old benches restored for modern use

Great inspiration on how to transform one wall or a corner of a room for that South East Asian look and feel

All these images are from different villas of Bali (Indonesia).

Who needs walls...

...when you can have a tent!

Specially tents as luxurious as these!

Be the queen (or a king) on a summer evening

Relaxing, wining and dining in exotic tents

That are inspired by the grandeur and opulence of Indian royalty

[And don't forget to invite me!]

Available at RajTentClub and WhiteCanvasTents