An idli is a round savoury cake popular throughout India and neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, and is a traditional breakfast in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Made by steaming fermented lentil and rice batter, these days in metal trays, but in days gone by in a stone tray just like the […]
The summer went so fast, it’s hard to believe it’s already September, but the kids are back at school, and the seasons are definitely changing. Everything seems early this year. The blackberries are almost over, conkers are falling, and my heating is starting to go on at home… We might all be hoping for an […]
At the beginning of the twentieth century it would have been quite normal to see people sharing the road in India’s cities with bicycles, ancient tractors serving as taxis, and goat carts. Goats have been used as harness animals since antiquity. A goat cart was used for pleasure, but more importantly, under the direction of […]
In a traditional Indian home where everyone sits on a stone floor cross-legged, the women of the house rolls out some chapati dough on one of these boards, before cooking the chapatis over the fire. Carved from one piece of wood, they make great cheese boards, as well as interesting decorative items for a table […]
Anyone who’s ever been on a train in India will agree that it’s an experience. The journeys are hours and hours long, and from gorgeous countrysides to dirty garbage dumps, you get to see it all out of the window. Not to mention, the variety of interesting and wonderful people to watch. Indian railways weave […]
A large part of rural India is dependent on hand pumps for their drinking water. It’s often the job of the women and girls to fetch the water, on average walking over 2.5km every day to fetch 100 litres of water, with consequent dangers along the way. As India modernises and installs diesel and solar […]
India’s love affair with motorbikes started at the beginning of the 20th century when British officers started selling their old Nortons, BSAs and Triumphs to move up to advanced models back home. Today, in a culture where nothing goes to waste, India’s uber-creative makers and designers have upcycled old motorcycle fuel tanks into quirky ducks. […]
India’s streets and railway stations are full of chai wallahs, usually old men with big pots of sweet milky tea flavoured with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and many other spices depending on the region. Drinking chai is an integral part of the rhythm of life in India, and these vintage iron chai ladles […]
We love Indian lorries. They compete with each other to be the loudest and brashest on the road, with the most gravity defying loads. Driving a truck is the second largest source of employment in India, the drivers drive long distances and can be paid a bonus for bringing the goods in on time, which […]
Originally used by Indian women to get the mud off their feet when bathing in the river, these iron foot scrubbers have serrated bases and make a tinkling noise when you shake them, to warn passers-by that there are women washing in the vicinity and to please move along! They make great paperweights. £4 each […]
