Achievers
Books
Business
Calendar
Community
Controversy
Cuisine
Eateries
Education
Enterprise
Faith
Good Samaritans
Health
Infotech
Media
Memories
Movies
News Archives
Opinion
Specials
The Arts

PassionforIndia.com relaunched

Nitish S Rele

At last, a Web site that aims to provide a contemporary look to traditional Indian designs has taken off, where a silk sari becomes a table runner, a zari embroidery work, generally used as a decorative border on wedding garments, becomes a sumptuous bedspread, and tiny beaded bags are transmuted into fabulous curtains.

PassionforIndia.com, re-launched in early July, is the work of Margaret Manning, who has been a frequent visitor to India.

A native of England, Manning settled in the United States about seven years ago. "I always had an interest in India and travelled everywhere there," she says. "There was this passion, this connection I felt with the country."

PassionforIndia.com is a three-year-old Web site, which began as a fun and information site and a way for Manning to explore Indian culture. "I love the fact that every village has an identity whose craftsmen have unique styles," she says.

"When I was in India a year ago, I met a woman who's that city's only female tour guide. She sent me a bedspread after I came back and it fascinated me so much that I opened a retail store 'Passion for India' on Capitol Hill here in Seattle."

Manning sells Indian fabrics, textiles, cotton, block printed bedspreads, cushion covers and home accessories at her Seattle store and also the Web site. "We have some artifacts too," she says. "I don't import a lot. I prefer to go back to India and handpick."

According to Manning, PassionforIndia.com is committed to making infrastructure investments for its artisans. "By supplying our Indian buyers with computers and the means to utilise them, we are assisting these professionals to improve their ability to communicate with the rest of the world," she explains.

"They can communicate design ideas to the artisans, who often work without electricity or access to information on new design trends, enabling them to produce products re-energizing their craft for global markets."

In turn, PassionforIndia.com can then establish direct communication with the craftspeople, eliminating the traditionally slow process of vendor communication and strengthening relationships.

"We are attempting to improve the lifestyles of these artisans by helping them develop their own products," she says. "As a result, we have a fusion of the old and the new, the exotic and the mundane. The mysterious sensuality of Indian culture and craft blended with the elegance of Western style."

Needless to say, Manning is off to India again in October, this time to visit New Delhi.

Check out PassionforIndia.com

Previous: Manoj Shyamalan strikes record $5 million deal with Disney

Tell us what you think of this report