A Quest to Master the Art of Henna.
Shoba Narayan sets out to hone her mehendi craft

freelance journalist/author based in India writing on travel, food, culture, identity, women, art, and luxury.
A Quest to Master the Art of Henna.
Shoba Narayan sets out to hone her mehendi craft
The NGMA Delhi has this retrospective. Would be great to visit if you are in Delhi. Arts & Culture Art Subodh Gupta the Damien Hirst of New Delhi Shoba Narayan February 1, 2014 Updated: February 2, 2014 11:46:00 Famously dubbed the “Damien Hirst of New Delhi” by The Guardian, Subodh Gupta is arguably the subcontinent’s…
Read MoreI’ve been visiting a lot of museums lately. And getting irritated by them. We charge so little as entrance fee. I would happily pay 300 Rupees for the Raja Ravi Varma museum in Trivandrum housed in an old mansion; or for the NGMA in Bangalore. But I don’t need to. When I go in, there…
Read MoreLike most journalists, I get lots of requests for meetings from people who have ideas to parlay, products to push, locations to publicize, and so on. Like most journalists, I am also prickly about such meetings because I don’t want to be played, as it were. The assumption is: hey, I know you have an…
Read MoreThank you, Malathi-aunty. Navras’ in an ikebana arrangement The ladies behind this ancient art Shoba Narayan First Published: Thu, Nov 15 2012. 08 07 PM IST Veena Dass, one of the foremost exponents of the art in India, will be a speaker at the ikebana conference in Delhi. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint RELATED Muhammad said…
Read MoreI loved writing this piece because I love clay and pots and ceramic arts It’s never too late to get your hands on wet clay Working with your hands in wet clay is a sensual experience Shoba Narayan First Published: Fri, Sep 14 2012. 07 14 PM IST An artist at Pottery Town, where 45…
Read MoreWhat after you have seen 1,000 moons? Life for many of us is not about artistic genius or business impact. It is about small pleasures, rich relationships and the ability to make peace with your soul The Good Life | Shoba Narayan Posted: Fri, Aug 17 2012. 8:32 PM IST In the last six months,…
Read MoreA piece in FT here
Read MoreColumns Posted: Thu, Feb 2 2012. 7:45 PM IST Walking the art talk with the Kallats Jitish and Reena are charming and polite—to me and to each other. They don’t interrupt and listen intently to each other as they describe their 18-year-old relationship, seven-year-old son and the trappings of fame and wealth that have come…
Read MoreHere is the piece in Mint Columns Posted: Fri, Jan 27 2012. 9:51 PM IST Why art needs to speak a simpler tongue The India Art Fair is in full swing; and Delhi feels like it is at the centre of the universe. This is the trick that geography plays. When you are part of…
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