Editor's Picks

The ample pleats alone would make this a statement addition to your wardrobe or even trousseau. Ample brocade-work graces its gorgeous length, filled in with a definitive variety of motifs - gold tendrils with paisleys against the dark blue of the foundation, an infusion of petals in gorgeous bridal pinks and oranges, and panels of lilies and lotuses in matching colours all the way down to the hem. The choli has similar gold motifs in matching dark blue. The signature pink dupatta complements the base colour of the lehenga. It is so long it reaches the hem of the skirt, while the translucent silk it is made from is dyed a colour no woman or bride could go wrong with.

The Devi is waited upon by two handmaidens who rival each other in terms of personal beauty and devotion to Her. Dressed in elegant silken skirts and seductive translucent dupattas, one of these ladies offers a namaskaram to Bhagavati while the other waves over Her head a chauri, which is an arati implement fit for royals. Their shringar does justice to the resplendent, enthroned entity painted betwixt them. Note how this composition has similarities with Mughal imperial portraiture, which serve to convey the power implicit in Her iconography and attributes.

The beauty of Ramayan's brightest character has been captured in this sculpture with great skill. The handsome face of the Lord is framed by a semi-circular halo, the glamour of which has been conveyed with multiple tiers of engraving. Broad shoulders and muscular arms give way to a well-defined torso followed by limbs of divine strength. Pearly shringar and a dhoti of silk, the pleats of which are spread on the pedestal right beneath where He is seated, grace His form. The three-tiered pedestal is the most unusual aspect of this composition. The topmost tier is engraved with lotus petals; the middle tier has inverted lotus petals superimposed with His signature weapon, the goad; and the third tier has a flower in full bloom at the centre.

Amongst the Nataraja and the tandava pieces abound, the Daskhinamurti portrayal reveals a rare side of Lord Shiva. On one of His Himalayan wanderings, Shiva was stopped by a group of wandering ascetics and beseeched to be their guru Himself. The kind and merciful Shiva agreed and sat upon a mountaintop facing southwards. His newfound shishyas gathered round His feet with their hands in the namaskaram mudra, expressive of the deepest veneration. Thus emerged the Dakshinamurti roopa of the Lord, as could be seen on this page.

While this pendant may be too quirky in terms of style to be worn on an everyday basis, it is just the thing to don at devotional gatherings and conventions. We understand that devotional jewellery would hold a special place in our buyers' jewellery box, so we curate the most expressive ones to go into our collection. Not only are our pieces unique - they will start conversations everywhere - they also meet a very high aesthetic standard and are handpicked from the finest of local artisans. Wearing some of our devotional jewellery is like carrying an essence of your chosen lord around on your person.

Rural Gujarat is known for the quirky textiles it produces and its love for vibrant colours. Local artisans make it a habit to infuse the pastels one sees in the countryside into their fabrics, of which this bedspread is proof. The motif of the richly adorned elephant with its trunk raised has been arranged in repetitive panels across the field, which are interspersed with kantha embroidery. The elephants have been appliqued onto the base fabric, which gives away the degree of creative skill and labour that has gone into this bedspread. The dominant colour variations include black and red, from which you are welcome to choose depending on the tone you want to set your bedroom to.

The elephant had seen it in the form of a substantial little bush when he was a baby; the monkey remembered it from his childhood as a mere shrub; the rabbit had seen the same tree as a leafless sapling; while the partridge had carried its very seed in its body and planted it there. Hence, the partridge came to be honoured most among the brothers. The way the four creatures are arranged in this thangka symbolise the harmony, stability, and mutual respect that now defines them. In the gorgeous shade of the luxuriant banyan tree the brothers stand one on top of the other according to age, while ducks and lotuses abound in the pond in the foreground and numerous verdant hills dot the landscape in the background.

Lord Soorya is revered as the prime source of life and nourishment by the peoples of the subcontinent. His many names include Vivasvat (Sanskrit word for 'brilliant'), Savitra ('nourisher'), and Lokachakshu ('eye of the realm'). Lore has it that He rides a chariot as brilliant as He is, drawn by no less than seven horses, across the skies each day in His bid to overpower the demons of darkness. He is one of the highest-order deities of Hinduism, and a lesser-known deity in Buddhism.

It is a fine example of Nepalese handiwork. While the paintings and sculptures produced in the region are coveted by spiritual art patrons across the world, its jewellery is no less. This pendant boasts of a sterling silver foundation, overlaid with dense gold filligree and gemstone embellishments. The delicate tracery as well as the pastel blue and red gems, each more exquisitely shaped than the other, are both characteristic of regional workmanship. The quadrilateral motif that dominates the foreground (and surrounds the central red, gold-rimmed gemstone) is the all-important Buddhist mandala.

There is an interesting legend behind the origin of Tripura-sundari. We are told that once upon a time Shiva referred to Kali by her name in front of some heavenly damsels who had come to visit, calling her "Kali, Kali" ("Blackie, Blackie"), which she took to be a slur against her dark complexion. She left Shiva and resolved to rid herself of her dark complexion, through asceticism. Later, the sage Narada visited Kailasha and, seeing Shiva alone, asked where his wife was. Shiva complained that she had abandoned him and vanished. With his yogic powers Narada discovered Kali living north of Mount Sumeru and went there to see if he could convince her to return to Shiva. He told her that Shiva was thinking of marrying another goddess and that she should return at once to prevent this. By now Kali had rid herself of her dark complexion but did not yet realize it. Arriving in the presence of Shiva, she saw a reflection of herself with a light complexion in Shiva's heart. Thinking, that this was another goddess, she became jealous and angry. Shiva advised her to look more carefully, with the eye of knowledge, telling her that what she saw in his heart was herself. The story ends with Shiva saying to the transformed Kali: "As you have assumed a very beautiful form, beautiful in the three worlds, your name will be Tripura- sundari. You shall always remain sixteen years old and be called by the name Shodashi.

Tripura-sundari is described in great detail as extremely attractive, beautiful, and erotically inclined. The Lalita-sahasranama details her charms from head to foot, and the majority of the Saundaryalahari is similarly occupied with her attractive appearance. She is often said to give desire and to suffuse the creation with desire. The Saundaryalahari also states that that a worn-out old man, ugly and sluggish in the arts of love, can be restored to physical attractiveness and vigor by her glance.