Dilli (or Delhi as it is officially named) is no less than the 'dil' (heart) of India...it being the capital & all...
My recent trip to Delhi was one I made after more than 6 years! And surprisingly, the city which I didn't care for much during my quick visits in all these years, really impressed me this time round! I warmed up to the sights & sounds of Hauz Khas Village....drank in the ethnic revelry of Dilli Haat....shopped like crazy at Janpath & Sarojini Nagar market....indulged in some retail therapy at Zara & Forever21 (and prayed, prayed, prayed that both these brands open their outlets soon in my city!)....met blogger friends for the first time in real life (and absolutely didn't feel like it was our first meeting)....and lost myself in the abundance of artistic excellence at India Art Fair! <3
My visit to the capital was primarily planned around the famed India Art Fair that was a three-day affair held at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in Okhla Industrial Estate. This was the 6th edition of the leading art fair that showcases all kinds of artworks from all over the world. The various galleries taking part, the knowledge-enhancing curated walks, the interesting Speaker's Forums and the sheer energy of the numerous artists you see & get to interact with makes it an experience that I'll strongly cherish!
What's more! I registered at the media desk and entered as a blogger for both the days I visited the Fair, thus saving myself 600 bucks for spending on accessories from Janpath! ;)
There were a lot of paintings & light installations strewn across the Fair. I could only feel awed when I stood staring at original artworks of Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Andy Warhol (whose Campbell's Soup Can screen print pop art you can see above), Roy Lichenstein, MF Hussain & Jamini Roy among others! Giving you a glimpse of some of my favorites....but there were a whole lot more which I loved!
My recent trip to Delhi was one I made after more than 6 years! And surprisingly, the city which I didn't care for much during my quick visits in all these years, really impressed me this time round! I warmed up to the sights & sounds of Hauz Khas Village....drank in the ethnic revelry of Dilli Haat....shopped like crazy at Janpath & Sarojini Nagar market....indulged in some retail therapy at Zara & Forever21 (and prayed, prayed, prayed that both these brands open their outlets soon in my city!)....met blogger friends for the first time in real life (and absolutely didn't feel like it was our first meeting)....and lost myself in the abundance of artistic excellence at India Art Fair! <3
My visit to the capital was primarily planned around the famed India Art Fair that was a three-day affair held at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in Okhla Industrial Estate. This was the 6th edition of the leading art fair that showcases all kinds of artworks from all over the world. The various galleries taking part, the knowledge-enhancing curated walks, the interesting Speaker's Forums and the sheer energy of the numerous artists you see & get to interact with makes it an experience that I'll strongly cherish!
What's more! I registered at the media desk and entered as a blogger for both the days I visited the Fair, thus saving myself 600 bucks for spending on accessories from Janpath! ;)
There were a lot of paintings & light installations strewn across the Fair. I could only feel awed when I stood staring at original artworks of Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Andy Warhol (whose Campbell's Soup Can screen print pop art you can see above), Roy Lichenstein, MF Hussain & Jamini Roy among others! Giving you a glimpse of some of my favorites....but there were a whole lot more which I loved!
Sculptures, wall art, 3D installations consisted of some of the most impressive artworks at the Fair. One could possibly not avoid getting amazed by the interesting use of unconventional materials giving shape to beautiful forms! Various contemporary artists presented concepts & ideas that were mind-blowingly creative!! Here are a few picks from a huge list of favorites! ^_^
I spent many a fun afternoon in Delhi shopping & gossiping with fellow bloggers and many a lovely evening laughing it out with old friends! And in between all this, I went places, had great food, saw some interesting things & captured a few fun moments! Here are a few random snapshots from my trip to the capital! :)
My dear blogger pal Surbhi took me to this super-cool cafe Imperfecto at Hauz Khas Village for lunch the day we met. And the décor of the place, as you can see from the couple of examples above, is mind-blowing to say the least! By the time we left (after hogging on some yum Italian cuisine), I was madly in love with the joint! Of course, the terrace seating, with a view of the whole of Hauz Khas Village and the lake, helped!!! <3
After lunch, me & Surbhi took a stroll through the straight-out-of-Pinterest boutiques of Hauz Khas Village and ended up wandering into Sultan Firuz Shah's Tomb that borders the village at one end. The tomb includes old ruins of forts, a lake & a deer park in its grounds. I loved the place to bits - what with a great view over the lake, loads of crumbling ruins to spend leisurely afternoons with friends or lovers at, groups of youngsters making merry music in the dark rooms of the dilapidated pieces of history, and great locations to take pictures all around!
Sigh! If only we had one of these in Kolkata! :(
Sigh! If only we had one of these in Kolkata! :(
Spotted this kitschy miniature truck outside the 1469 - Pure Panjabi store at Janpath. This brand presents the age-old characteristics of the North Indian land of Punjab in whole-heartedly quirky ways through a range of tees, bags, accessories & gift items. Must-buys, in my opinion!
Surbhi was also kind enough to take me to a blogger meet in Delhi!
Yes! I did attend a blogger event and met a few lovely girls from the blogging & entrepreneurial world of Delhi. The event was in one of the malls at the Select City Walk complex in Saket and you couldn't ignore this humongous installation dominating the centre of the mall atrium!
This installation, titled LOC, is a typical stainless steel work of art by artist Subodh Gupta. Amazing beyond words, no?
Yes! I did attend a blogger event and met a few lovely girls from the blogging & entrepreneurial world of Delhi. The event was in one of the malls at the Select City Walk complex in Saket and you couldn't ignore this humongous installation dominating the centre of the mall atrium!
This installation, titled LOC, is a typical stainless steel work of art by artist Subodh Gupta. Amazing beyond words, no?
And of course, what's a blogger meet without a haul of freebies? :P
The event was held by Hastens Beds in collaboration with Blossom Kochhar Aromatherapy and Bud White tea. Needless to say, we left the event armed with Hastens brochures & catalogues; Blossom Kochhar's aromatherapy oils, body lotions, face washes & face packs and a whole bunch of Bud White's flavored tea satchets!
As you can see, it's been one awesome trip! :D
Outfits & more pictures to follow in the next post!
Till then, keep smiling!
Update (July 2021): 7 years down the line, I'm still a sucker for art and I have been dabbling in various forms of it all these this time. Here's my YouTube video on some quick DIY artsy bookmarks that are unique, craftsy & make for great gifts! Hope you like watching it....do like, comment, share & subscribe to my channel if you can!
Ta-da!
Anupriya DG
Anupriya DG