Surat nu jamaan – Gujarat’s food capital
If you’ve eaten in Surat, you’ve tasted salvation. And it’s all thanks to centuries of migration, trade and a happy collision of world cultures
Gujarat
Gujarat, land of surprises
Like the beloved Gujarati breakfast of jalebi-fafda, the contrasting flavours of this region give its cultures an irresistible piquancy. Here are some surprising facts to pique your curiosity about Gujarat
Shatrunjaya pata
Painted on cotton cloths, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Maps of devotion – The Jain art of Shatrunjaya pata
Painted on cotton and imbued with piety, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Quiz: How well do you know the ancient caves of India?
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
India’s African History – The Siddis of the Deccan
The Siddis are unique among the multicultural communities of the Deccan. Many arrived in India as East African slaves but their lives collided with the volatile politics of the region in ways that would birth new identities
A Return to The Land – A history of Warli paintings
How did the art of a people from the Sahyadri mountains of western India capture the imagination of the nation and the world? The evolution of Warli paintings from Jivya Soma Mashe to the Vayeda Brothers
Mata Ni Pachedi, Vahanvati Mata
Goddess Vahanvati is also known as Sikotar Mata. The Goddess is closely associated with the sea, commerce, and traders. She is revered by seafarers and is frequently depicted sitting on a boat with outstretched sails. In this Pachedi, the six-armed Goddess is illustrated on a boat-like structure. Worshippers and deities from the Hindu epics decorate… Read more »
Gateways to India
The sea is witness to much that defines India and our port cities are the sentinels of change. Let’s travel to some old and new ports through the Sarmaya collection of maps and engravings and imagine them at the peak of their power
River of Faith
Through the veins of a centuries-old textile art tradition flow the waters of a once-mighty river. Follow the journey of a Mata-ni-Pachedi painting as it takes birth on the banks of the Sabarmati
Thakore Sahib of Morvi with Mahendrasingh, Prince of Morvi
This is a studio portrait of Thakur Sahib Maharaja Lakhdirji Waghji and the young Mahendrasingh of Morvi. They represent two generations of the Jadeja Rajputs who ruled the state of Morvi on the Kathiawar peninsula. In 1807, the East India Company declared the state of Morvi a British protectorate, a system by which local rulers… Read more »
Meladi Mata no Chandarvo
This textile celebrates and reveres the folk goddess Meladi Mata, depicted at the centre seated on a black goat. According to legend, Goddess Parvati created Meladi from the dirt on her body and bestowed her divine shakti or strength and a black male goat as her mount. Mata-ni-Pachedi or Chandarvo is a textile painting that… Read more »
Nagara, Dravidian, Vesara: Temple Styles of India
The architecture, iconography and divine design of Hindu temple architecture through the lens of its royal patrons
The Asoka Rock, Junagadh
Pictured here is the Girnar Rock Edicts in Junagadh, Gujarat, photographed by D. H Sykes in 1869. Located on the foothills of the Mount Girnar in Gujarat, the Girnar Rock Edicts, also known as the Junagadh Rock Inscriptions, are collections of 14 significant Prakrit edicts or inscriptions credited to Ashoka, the 3rd century Mauryan King.… Read more »
Age of the Empires
The thrill of serendipity, the awakening of the imagination, the inevitability of being devoured heart and soul by a world you didn’t even know existed until this moment. In a way, being a student of history is like being an astronomer. Especially if the subject of study is an ancient or forgotten kingdom. Click to… Read more »
Brick by Brick: The Built Legacies of the Gujarat Sultanate
The Sultans of Gujarat built a lasting cultural legacy that lives on through the incredible mosques, tombs, palaces and shrines they left behind in Ahmedabad, Cambay, Patan and Champaner. Let’s go on a tour of the Sultanate through rare photographs from the Sarmaya collection
Old Temple from the North West, Gop
Pictured here are the ruins of an old temple in Gop, Gujarat, estimated to date to the 6th century, Maitraka period. Located in Jamnagar district, Gop was one of several historic sites in Kathiawar and Kutch examined by British archaeologist James Burgess between 1874-75. The shrine, standing about 23 feet high, may be the oldest… Read more »
Patang Mata ni Pachedi
This work illustrates the entire process of making the Mata ni Pachedi and the city of Ahmedabad by young artist Sumit Chitara (b.2004), son of National award winner Sanjay Chitara (b.1978). Mata-ni-pachedi is an artistic tradition practised by the Vaghris of Gujarat. It was a drought that brought the community to Khanpur in Ahmedabad… Read more »
Baroche on the banks of Nerbudda in Guzerat
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, company officials and professional artists played an important role in collecting and disseminating knowledge about India – an activity central to British imperialism. The discovery and definition of vegetation and fauna helped the Company’s mission of exploiting lucrative raw materials and furthering scientific research. Sketching was a quick and… Read more »
Surat on the Banks of the Tappee
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, company officials and professional artists played an important role in collecting and disseminating knowledge about India – an activity central to British imperialism. The discovery and definition of vegetation and fauna helped the Company’s mission of exploiting lucrative raw materials and furthering scientific research. Sketching was a quick and… Read more »