Karmasuthra - Celebrating the Modern Indian Woman!

At Aalayam, we showcase everyday inspirations on design, décor, cuisine, and the cornucopia of cultural eclectics. As you know, Deepa and I are constantly on the look out for brands that can be a great showcase of everything we love about all these wonderful muses. 

We recently rediscovered a jewelry brand that we wanted to showcase on Aalayam because it had the visual and cerebral appeal of a "thinking woman's" brand. In the bargain, we chanced upon a warm rendezvous with the self-made entrepreneur who is lovingly nurturing the brand like a living force and scored a glorious peek into her home, her heart and her joie de vivre!

So, presenting to you "Karmasuthra" and it's catalyst creator - Divya Thomas!

Divya Thomas - Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

Riveting, sensual, enigmatic and global in appeal, Karmasuthra Jewelry is a perfect homage to the modern Indian woman. We here at Aalayam, strongly espouse non-conformist style sensibilities, and this two part brand spotlight and artiste feature (yes - including a grand home tour) is not only a befitting ode to this new-age personal style statement, but is a veritable feast for the heart and the mind! 

Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

I meet Divya Thomas on a gorgeous Saturday morning. She welcomes me into her home for breakfast, coffee and willing perspectives on all my questions. Clad in a crisp white chikan kurta, and almost no jewelry, Divya's kohl lined eyes and ingenuous features add to her enigmatic personality.  Divya is waiting for me at the door of her home. And instantly we connect. There is no reserve or reticence..just warmth and welcome. I will wax eloquent about her home, and my sensory revelations during the home tour in the next post, but now, lets talk about her brain child - Karmasuthra.

Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

The burning question in my mind was the reason behind the name Karmasuthra. I had to get that question out of the way, so I asked Divya. Why the name Karmasuthra? Was it a bold and evocative play on words? Or did it actually speak to the essence of the brand?

To which, Divya had a straight and simple response. "The name "Karmasuthra" has a sensual appeal.. it sounds just right for the brand."

Here's how: "Karma" is the Sanskrit word for "Fate". And an allusion to "What goes around comes around". What started as a germ of an idea to launch a jewelry brand with the name "Karma", evolved into "Karmasuthra" with the inclusion of the suffix "Suthra". "Suthra" is the bind that holds things together. "Karma + Suthra, it just sounded right". 

I agree. Propitiously named, the jewelry line is indeed a confluence of the colors, textures, artifacts and curiosities, all held together with the providence of hand-crafted patterns.

Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

Then we traversed through Divya's creative process of the nurturing Karmasuthra's eye-catching product line. The bottom-line was simple: 

Loads of inspiration + Loads of Coffee, spark the conception of these one-of-a-kind pieces, born as a labor of love in Divya's workshop (workshop picture sneak peek, at the bottom of this article).

Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

Divya says "I dream up my daily dose of inspiration. There are days I wake up with a thought, an idea, and run down to the kitchen to make coffee. Then I play, with the colors, shapes, designs and textures...I have fun with the process, I feel the energy and I create!"...

This utterly joyful "reach into the soul and create" process shows! It shows in the fluid detail and nuances of Karmasuthra designs. "Whether it is the front of a necklace or the back, I want the piece to look beautiful, like it has a life of its own, a personality to remember it by" Divya elucidates.

Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

For Divya, there are no rules, no playbook, no conformist guidelines, when it comes to her passion of Karmasuthra design. She mixes and matches textures, media and material:  silver, lapiz, porcelain, beads, rightfully sourced cuspids and pincers in a glorious orgy of earthy unanimity. (Animals are not harmed for the sourcing, Karmasuthra does not obtain material sourced from endangered species, or via contraband medium)

The designs come from the creative recesses of her mind, her heart and fills her and her customers with a whole new level of confidence..to embrace their sensuality and rule the world!

The much in demand nose-pin, and the aquiline, evocative beauties, whose lives Karmasuthra has touched!

The whole process of designing the line is therapeutic for Divya. I can relate. Creating a thing of beauty can be an everyday joy. To see her customers aglow with a Karmasuthra necklace or a "jhumka" or an anklet, invigorates Divya to spread the positive energy she always derives from, and associates with, her work. 

Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

Karmasuthra jewelry is primarily handcrafted by Divya. The material is sourced from all over the world. Bold and vibrant Turkish accessories, beads from traditional African markets or Native American rosaries that come "blessed" with spiritual energy are refashioned with love and finesse in the creative zen workshop. 

Divya can most often be found immersed in her work, accompanied by soulful music (click here to listen to what Divya's currently listening to) and a glass of wine to rev up the creative process. 

Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

I asked Divya about how she communicates with her demographic (buyers and aspiring buyers), how she translates their needs into a Karmasuthra style statement. Divya has got the mix of "push" and "pull" marketing right. She says "I style individual, statement pieces for my customers, but most of the time, its the jhumka or the necklace or the anklet that is calling out..to be loved, cherished and owned". 

Divya Thomas - The creator and the nurturing force behind Karmasuthra
Picture Courtesy and Copyrights - Karmasuthra Jewelry (c).

Karmasuthra started as an avocation for Divya, and it turned into a passion that is currently dominating her creative world. So I asked Divya if she had anything to share with the DIY jewelry enthusiasts and beaders. To which Divya replied:

"Have no second thoughts, no second guesses. If you fall, dust yourself and move on. At least you tried."

Divya's workshop/hidey hole/creative space. Where the magic happens!

Look out for the evocative "Kamagni - Inspired by Fire, Lust, Love and Desire" - Karmasuthra's latest line that imbues passion in every hand crafted bead. And, watch this space for an exclusive home tour (you don't want to miss this) and a heart-to-heart with Divya Thomas..for together Divya and Karmasuthra symbolize:

A true celebration of the Modern Indian Woman.

A warm THANK YOU to Divya for letting us into her home, and sharing her refreshing and energizing perspectives with the Aalayam family!

On popular demand, Karmasuthra jewelry can be ordered via the Facebook Page of the brand.

Love,
Supriya

Spotlight on Kanjeevaram

Welcome to our feature on Kanjeevaram sarees!

2013. Feliz Ano Nuevo! 

Hope you enjoyed the holiday season as much as we did. Aalayam has an interesting line-up of posts for the New Year and we are excited to have you back!
And today, we will kick-off  of our 2013 series with a post from Incredible India. We are a few days away from Sankranthi, India's harvest festival and Supriya and I want to enable our readers to  transition from Christmas to Sankranthi smoothly. Let's talk attire, food and festivities!

 

India is known for its fabulous fabrics and undoubtedly, the finest of them all is the Kanjeevaram pattu (pure silk). I love Kanjeevaram saris! The sheen, the richness, the texture, the grandeur, the motifs and the luscious colors – really, what’s not to like about it? 

The slate grey kanchi saree makes a beautiful backdrop for the  scattered letters!

The kanjeevaram sari is a piece of art and I have remained a diehard Kanjeevaram loyalist till date. Every South Indian girl holds the Kanchi pattu close to her heart. After all, it is a part of her bridal trousseau! And for me, the kanjeevaram sari has been de rigueur at every other celebration as well! My fondness for the sari is well known!

A gorgeous aubergine kanchi pattu as I pay obeisance!

  Rightly so, the Kanjeevaram sari is referred to as the  “Queen of silks.” It’s timeless distinction makes it an attractive buy even in this day and age where the sartorial elegance of the sari has seen a paradigm shift thanks to the fashion industry. The kanchi pattu is unparalleled in traditional splendor with the gold zari borders and the exquisite brocaded pallus . A product of skilled craftsmanship, the kanjeevaram sari is a masterpiece of hand-woven heritage! And the silken grace the sari lends truly makes you feel like a queen!

Lustrous appeal of the kanjeevaram saree is to die for!

The fashion possibilities are endless too! I can ingeniously dress it up to suit the need of the hour. A piece of statement jewelry, a kundan accented blouse or a bejeweled potli/batua are easy ways to add to the ceremonial look.  Don’t you love how yesteryear divas like Rekha, Hema Malini and Kirron Kher (she deserves a post of her own) wear their kanchi saris with panache? These ladies have stayed loyal to the Kanjeevaram sari for years. It is a safe yet striking choice! 

Dress it up!

OR

Tone it down with metal bangles for folksy affability!

 There was an article in the Hindu a few months ago highlighting the issues surrounding the weaving industry in Kanchipuram. 

Here is an excerpt from the article on the Korvai weaving technique and the history of the saris

“A korvai sari’s border and pallu are the same color, he says. They are in bright contrast to the “body” which is in a single or a family (shades) of colors with tonal contrasts. Weavers use the ancient craft of three-shuttle weaving and interlocking weft to get this effect. The sari is ornamented with pure gold zari. The motifs are from temple sculptures — religion, architecture or nature-based. The Petni technique changes colors, extracted from leaves, barks and seeds. The sari weighs 500g to1kg, 2/3-ply threads help increase the weight. Weaving a “Kanjeevaram” is tedious but korvai stamps it with splendor and durability.

“These were being woven during the time of Pallava kings,” Panneerselvam says, touching the sari’s history. “Artisans from Tamil Nadu, Saurashtra and Karnataka, possibly invited by the king, congregated here to pursue their art.” The pattu-nool (thread) came from Karnataka, zari from Surat. Families wove together, as several hands were needed to wind the thread in the beam. Temples bought saris to drape goddesses, and kings for the boudoir. Temple tourists bought them as blessed memento. The saris later went to Madras, the wealthy trading centre close by. Production and marketing combined seamlessly.”

A fiery maroon! Art work by my friend Sahana.

  So, there you go… that explains the sense of aristocracy that the kanjeevaram sari brings with it. Next time you want to add some regal chic to your appearance effortlessly  - grab a kanjeevaram sari and let it work for you! And if you already own a pattu sari or two – pat yourself on the back for your chic sari fashion sense!

Aqua blue paired with a malli mottu (jasmine bud haaram) - wedding chic!

 

Hope you enjoyed this set of pictures and our feature on the kanjeevaram sari?

As you put away those holiday dresses and ponder over your atttire for Sankranthi - I hope you have your answer!

Cheers!

Deepa

 All images for this post were taken by my husband and as always, our images are copyrighted!