13 March,2009 11:28 AM IST | | Aanchal Kurmi
WHAT's ON checked out a new store that stocks artefacts from Tibet and Ladakh, and loved the items on offer
Ensconced in a corner of the German Bakery lane is a blink-and-miss store. Neither the name nor the outward appearance is an indicator of what lies inside. Venture inside and you will come across an intriguing world of art and craft from Ladakh and Tibet. The collection speaks of quality as well as versatility.
Range:u00a0 As you step in, you feel as if you have entered a gypsy's caravan full of knick-knacks. The whole store is strewn with Buddhist items that are used for meditation. Shelves are dedicated to silver jewellery, colourful ringlets, handicrafts and neck pieces in bright kitsch colours. You can also buy cute papier mache items as well as bronze and copper statues. Apart from items from Ladakh and Tibet, the store has got a range of elegant Pashmina embroidered shawls from Kashmir on display. Look up and you will spot a number of interesting artefacts hanging from the ceiling. Go with plenty of time on your hands, and be prepared to rummage through the store. It is well-worth the hunt, we say.
We liked: A metal artefact, which the store manager calls "an ancient astrological globe", was priced at Rs 5,600. It was made up of five metals with symbols etched out on the entire outer ring. A pair of glossy papier mache flower vases from Kashmir (Rs 15,000) deserves mention. The entire Moghul history is painted over it in rich colours. The Tibetan Dorje (Rs 550 and Rs 1,400) is used by Tibetan lamas during prayers to attain enlightenment and is often called as "Thunderbolt Mandala". The Singing Bowls (Rs 450 and Rs 790) are made of bronze and copper, and are used in Tibetan monasteries. Their speciality lies in the fact that they are used to produce a vibrating sound to create a calm effect.
At: Building 5, German Bakery Lane, Zeenat Society, 292, Koregaon Park. Call: 26136522. Open on all days, from 9.30 am to 10 pm.
