Every Saturday morning I have a cup of chai with my friend, Gargi. She's our studio neighbor, and I meander over when I get a free moment. The greeting is always the same: chai pioge? (you'll have chai?). As we chit chat, catching up on the days since our last meeting, our frustrations, our dreams, she starts selecting spices from her shelf of glass jars and bottles. A piece of cinnamon bark and a couple kernels of black pepper? Definitely. Cloves? Toss in a few. Cardamom? Let's skip it today. It's always different; catered to the mood, the energy levels and the weather. I might slide over and start crushing the spices as she fills up the pot with an estimated mix of milk and water. The process is continuously interrupted with laughter or racing across the room to get a book with an inspiring paragraph. By the time the tea is boiled and stirred, stirred and boiled, our hearts are both unburdened and full. We finally sit down, maybe with a millet cookie or a parantha with homemade acchar, taking in the combination of sweet and spice. Just a cup of tea, but also so much more.
These are the cups of chai I was thinking about when I started sketching designs for this collection. From long conversations with friends to quick sips in the middle of a shopping trip, it's hard to imagine life in Udaipur without chai. And as we create textiles that reflect life here it felt important to include this tangible element. It's so very ordinary and yet quite extraordinary at the same time.
-Analise
Leave a comment