

Let’s look into the legends of three animals frequently found on old Indian coins.
In April 2023, Sarmaya collaborated with Sanctuary Asia for the global design challenge #36DaysOfType. Together, we embarked on an A-Z safari of India’s magnificent natural diversity, pairing objects from our collection with stunning photographs from Sanctuary Asia’s archives. This creative fusion resulted in the captivating series #IntoTheWild. On July 15, we hosted a pop-up exhibition of… Read more »
Between November 1878 and October 1880, the British army in India fought a series of battles for geo-political control over Afghanistan. One photographer followed along
From minting money to printing books, and from taking photographs to making art, technology has dictated the evolution of many a human endeavour
For the 37th issue of Spotlight, we’re taking a look at disruptive technologies that made history. These include innovations in the field of photography, coin-making, art and publishing that didn’t simply change the game, they threw out the rulebook and gave the players superpowers!
“Ilkal sarees are the most affordable staple wear of the women of North Karnataka and Southern Maharashtra. This heritage weave is now on its way to being recognised nationally.” – Vrunda Sekhar for Sarmaya Talks. Vrunda Sekhar is a handloom specialist from Karnataka. She has been working with weavers in the research, revival and marketing… Read more »
“Through this illustrated talk we will cover the reasons for the deleterious decline of hand-block printing traditions in the 18th Century and their revival and regeneration in the India of today.” – Dr. Ritu Sethi for Sarmaya Talks. Dr Ritu Sethi is the editor of Global InCH, the online international journal of intangible cultural heritage,… Read more »
How albumen, a sticky substance found in egg whites, took the elite European hobby of photography and turned into a global phenomenon
Test your knowledge about the earliest days of Indian railways and some milestone train journeys
For this special edition of Sarmaya Talks, our founder Paul Abraham was in conversation with two of the three authors of A New History of India – From Its Origins To The Twenty-First Century, Prof. Rudrangshu Mukherjee and conservationist Toby Sinclair. Art historian Dr Shobita Punja lent her brilliant insights to A New History…:… Read more »
Let’s tackle some FAQs to better appreciate this fascinating, historical mode of travel and the people who made it possible.
By ship, by yacht, by elephant and by camel. We follow the heir to Queen Victoria on an elaborate tour of India in 1875
Thomas Herbert’s best-selling 17th-century travelogue details an enchanting encounter with a dodo, only years before the bird went extinct
Painted on cotton cloths, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Painted on cotton and imbued with piety, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
In ancient India, cave complexes sheltered travellers and traders too besides priests and monks. Take our quiz to learn about these rock-cut rest-stops
Over six years spent travelling around India, Louis Rousselet learned photography and captured some of the most beautiful scenes of the Subcontinent, from the Himalayas to the Nilgiris and from coast to coast
Odisha’s Pattachitra paintings are rooted in the culture of the seaside town of Puri and, more specifically, in its legendary Jagannath temple
The Ganga is one of the largest contributors to plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. But this wasn’t always the case