Vastu Gyan: Entryway/Foyer or Main Door Vastu

Entryway/Foyer and main door are the first thing anybody will going to see while entering your house. The visual beauty of the main door is of supreme importance in Vastu. Decorating and painting the door with bright colors can inspire positive emotions upon entering the home. Main door in east or north-east is considered to be auspicious as it brings sunlight (Flow of energy/prana)  into your home. There should be no door exactly opposite the main door. There should be no obstruction in front of the main door. The shutters of the door should always open up inside of the house. Main entrance door should be the largest door of the house.

Vastu recommends clean, free of extraneous material and uncluttered entryway. Keep entrance of your house always welcoming, well maintained and decorated to welcome divine. Keeping pot of healthy plants either side of the main door is a good practice. You can keep potpourri, good pictures, fresh flowers, candles/lamps, plants and urns in your foyer to welcome your guest and to bring in lot of positiveness. 
So entrance of your house is like mouth, keep it clean, brushed and flossed in the same manner.


P.S : In case you have missed earlier posts of 'Vastu Gyan' series click here to read.

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Indian Art: Gond Art (Madhya Pradesh)

Starting today a very new and interesting series of different forms of art from India and around the world. I have always been fascinated by various art forms. I chose to start with Madhya Pradesh's art beacause this state is known as  'Heart of India' and the fact that I hails from this very state and I truely love everything about MP. Today I am showcasing Gond Art of MP.

Image Source: Click Here

Image Source: Click Here

Gond Tribal Painting is done by Gondi people who live in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh & Orissa. However, majority of the artists who paint in this style come from a village called Patangarh in the Mandla District of Madhya Pradesh. Patangarh is a place where a seventeen years old boy Jangarh Singh Shyam used to decorate his hut's wall using dots, lines and bold colours. Late painter J.Swaminathan introduced this young artist to the world. More on Gond Tribal Art you can find here and here

Image Source: Click Here

Image Source: Click Here

Gond paintings are usually done on mud walls. Artist uses colors derived from charcoal, soil, plant sap, leaves and even cow dung.......interesting isn't it and this painting can lasts upto 15-20 years. Theme of Gond  

painting depicts day-to-day life.Gond tribal paintings are not just mere decorations, but also the expressions of their religious sentiments, devotions and their perception of life.

I found this form of art very very interesting and going to give it a try soon. What do you think about this art and artists....leave me a sweet note I would love to hear from you.

    

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Manjal, M.Rm.Rm Cultural Foundation. Chennai

We were in Chennai for a couple of days and despite our hectic schedule, one place that I needed to visit was the M.Rm.Rm Cultural Foundation.

M.Rm.Rm Cultural Foundation is a non-profit organization run by Ms. Visalakshi Ramaswamy, that supports and undertakes documentations of, and works towards the revival of rural crafts, textiles and architecture that are fast disappearing today.

I reached Manjal, their craft store one hot afternoon and as I pushed the glass door into the cool room I was welcomed by blocks of vibrant colours! 

Square niches' in the wall saturated with colourful woven baskets, bags and boxes in various shades. 

The crafts supported by the Foundation include the Chettinad Kottan which is the traditional palm leaf basket, handmade tiles made in the village of Athangudi, the Kandanghi sari both in cotton and silk, the Chettinad lime-egg plaster and plastic baskets.

The colours tantalized the eyes while woven baskets transported me to a bygone-era where in the Sourthern India, the grandmothers in their leisure hours would weave the plastic wires into bags.

"The traditional Palmyra basketry of Chettinad, 'Kottans' were once woven by the women or ‘Aachis’ of affluent families and found a place in every Chettinad activity, from ritual and ceremony to daily use. Over the passing of time, kottans, often decorated with beadwork and crochet work, slowly stopped being made. The Foundation has revived the craft in its’ original colours and patterns by teaching it to a group of village women from Keelayapatti"~ M.Rm.Rm Cultural Foundation

Beautiful designs and patterns on Kottan baskets

"Plastic baskets are the latest innovation that the Foundation has undertaken. The baskets are woven by some of the women from the Kottan project who have difficulty working with palm leaf and who depend on these baskets for their livelihood."

"These brightly coloured baskets are washable and very durable, and being reusable, do their bit towards the environment. Available in different sizes, these multi-purpose baskets may be put to a variety of uses from gift packaging to home accessories like laundry baskets, plant holders, waste-paper baskets, beach bags and market baskets."

~ M.Rm.Rm. Cultural Foundation

I completely fell in love with these mini-coin purses!

Must confess, I was a bit of a kid in a colourful candy store;-) I did pick up a few beautiful products for my home and for friends.

A tiny little plastic basket that seems to have many uses:-)

Some gorgeous Kottan basket boxes for my beads and bangles...

...and a huge woven plastic bag that will always remind me of my grandmom and to carry my own vibrant shopping bag!

I must thank the very gracious people at Manjal for allowing me to take photographs of their lovely store and share them with readers of Rang Decor.

Great admiration for Ms. Visalakshi Ramaswamy for an initiative like M.Rm.Rm. Cultural Foundation that is dedicated to reviving rich art & crafts of our country and for helping sustain the talented artisans by providing a livelihood. Kudos!

So do drop by at their store if you are in Chennai or visit them on Facebook~

M.Rm.Rm Cultural Foundation

(Images by Arch)

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Sunset

This was an amazing view from my terrace. Yesterday evening's sunset was mesmerizing. I couldn't resist and clicked picture every second. I just wanted to capture the every moment when Sun was trying  to hide itself behind the hill.

Sun is crawling down......

& down............

& down!!!

Here's a poem on sunset that I really love.........

                                                                I wonder why when you say goodbye 

beautiful colours paint the sky. 

Shades of orange, yellow and pink too 

all come out because of you. 

And although I hate to see you go, 

I really do enjoy the show. 

I've seen you leave so many times 

and still it's a favourite sight of mine. 

There'll be no sadness, be no sorrow 

because my sun, you'll come out tomorrow. 

I won't feel hurt, I'll feel no pain 

because on your way down, your colours will reign. 

Beautiful, serene and I was lost............!!

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Monday Blues: Here's A Thought For You

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My little piece of nature!

traditional porch design by new york architect Crisp ArchitectsHave you ever noticed all the ANTLERS in room decor these days? There is a wonderful website with a wealth of beautiful homes called, houzz.com, and you can search photos with anything you are looking for. Since I have seen tons of antlers in room decorating, I decided to do a search and see the UNexpected and expected. See if you can

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Bright Living Room

What else can I do other than dreaming about this bright and beautiful Living Room this summer. Try to do something like this to make your space ready for summers.

Image Source: Click Here

Hope you spent your week well and wishing you a very happy weekend ahead.......Stay creative friends!!!

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