The Yellowed Pages

Studio photographs taken at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in the 30s. My grandmother features in both the photos, accompanied with her sister.

Studio photographs taken at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in the 30s. My grandmother features in both the photos accompanied by her sister.

Closer Look

Three: Flower Tray

Two: Brass Pitcher

The Way It Is

How Beautiful

From Srovonti's Family Collection

A very neglected scooter and a bicycle parked under my building. They seemed to lean on each other whispering about the good old days! 'Humara Bajaj' forever! This photo is specially for the romance of Indian tv commercial jingles.

This tussore saree from my grandmother's wardrobe is more than fifty years old. The print here was very popular in the 60s, although I am yet to find out where it originated from. The fall and softness of the fabric are still as good as new. My very own slice of the sixties -  the most stylish decade! 

― Tahir Shah, The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca

The very dependable aluminium dabba or canister (if you please!). It adorns the store room shelf of most Indian families who buy their grocery in bulk. Can store almost twenty kilos of staples. This brilliantly shiny dabba is more than forty years old and as good as new!

Grandma's bangle box. Crafted from solid wood. It contained dozens beautiful glass and lac bangles from Gujarat and Rajasthan. I remember my excitement when she gave away this box to me! Needless to say, in my over enthusiasm of playing dress-up, I broke the remaining bangles in few months time! But this box will always be very close to my heart. 

This tin box belonged to my grandfather. Most probably bought for his good old black Ambassador. I found this red tin beauty in my grandmothers drawer; she used it to store old photographs. The box and its contents remain intact with me. Simple treasures.

This album was carefully done up by my father, who loved clicking his then girlfriend, my mother. The feeling of holding a big black hardbound golden-spiraled album is indescribable! The little photo holding corners and experiments with colour are fascinating. The photographs are all from the swinging seventies.  

The good old lunch box a.k.a. the dabba or tiffin carrier. Every Indian home owns at least one of these utilitarian beauties.