India simply simmers with color. Journey through this stunning visual landscape, where bazaars offer vibrant surprises at every turn, women in lively saris and men in striking turbans turn crowded streets into dazzling rainbows, and shimmering palace pools arise from the desert. With its 300 photographs and insightful text, IndiaColour reveals the traditions, imagination, and creativity that make India a land like nowhere else.

This monumental reference work--long awaited by collectors and scholars--fills an important gap in the available literature on oriental rugs. Lavishly illustrated with over 1000 photographs and drawings, it offers clear and precise definitions for the rug and textile terms in use across a broad swath of the globe--from Morocco to Turkey, Persia, the Caucasus region, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China. Covering priceless museum-quality rug traditions as well as modern centers of production, Oriental Rugs: An Illustrated Lexicon of Motifs, Materials, and Origins draws on classical scholarship as well as current terminology in use among producers and traders in these areas today. It focuses primarily on the rich hand-knotting and hand-weaving traditions of the Near East and Central Asia, but also includes some examples of Scandinavian and Native American weavings. Oriental rugs are receiving ever-increasing attention and recognition in the field of art history. Tribal weavings especially have become a focus for new research, and Oriental Rugs provides a new understanding of many distinctive traditions that were previously understudied, such as the weavings of southwest Persia, Baluchistan and Kurdistan. This concise oriental rug reference book is a must-have for scholars and anyone serious about collecting rugs, selling rugs or the rug trade in general. Additional reference information also includes: Foreign terms Place names The Oriental Rug lexicon Museums with notable rug collections Oriental rug internet sites

The Indian way of life celebrates products made with the help of simple, indigenous tools by craftspeople with a strong fabric of tradition, aesthetic and artistry. The range of Indian handicrafts is as rich and varied as the country's cultural diversity.

"Exploring the Heart of India: The Artistic Legacy of Madhya Pradesh" is a captivating journey into the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Madhya Pradesh, often referred to as the 'Heart of Bharat'. This book delves deep into the state's vibrant tapestry of language, literature, music, dance, drama, and handicrafts, painting a vivid picture of a land where ancient traditions and modern creativity intertwine seamlessly. Madhya Pradesh, with its diverse influences from the Aryans, Buddhists, and indigenous tribes like the Bhils and Gonds, presents a unique cultural mosaic. The book highlights how these influences have shaped the state's multifaceted culture, making it a repository of varied art forms. Readers will be enthralled by detailed accounts of Madhya Pradesh's famous handlooms and handicrafts. The state's textile wonders, such as Chanderi and Maheshwari sarees, and the unique crafts like Gwalior carpets, Batik prints, and Gond paintings, are explored in depth. Each chapter dedicated to these crafts not only describes their beauty but also tells the stories of the skilled artisans behind them. Moreover, the book provides an insightful look into the Geographical Indication (GI) tags assigned to several of Madhya Pradesh's handicrafts and handlooms, underscoring their uniqueness and cultural significance. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian culture, traditional arts, and the vibrant legacy of one of India's most culturally rich states.