Desert Greens
The grandeur and style of Shekawati’s havelis have fascinated many. The words commending their beauty are profuse and yet more words in their praise on this blog entry would be unnecessary. Replacing words are pictures that try and capture some details from a variety of buildings around Shekawati. They were taken, as most pictures on this blog are, for colour references to be used later for work.
On my last trip to the region, in early October this year, amid the red and yellow ochres, the white and creams, the lampblacks, gold, silver, indigo, ultramarines, pinks and vermilion, I took special note of the profusion of greens. Painted in synthetic and natural pigments, the shades of this evocative colour beckoned in the dry heat of the desert. From bright aquamarines to the cooler verdigris, chalky sage greens and more serious army and moss greens, the range is extraordinary. The picture here and on the Instagram story come from mansions and modest dwellings, each moving and artistic in their own way.
Words and pictures-Shivani Dogra
A soft blueish-green aged door I spotted at noon on a drive from Delhi to Jaipur. This was a private residence and I loved how inviting this colour was in the heat of the day.
Details from the right side of an entryway to a haveli. I ‘m particularly inspired by the perfect balance between colours on the arch and the simplicity of the tile pattern below
This is a longer shot of left side of the arched entry. You can see the another well matched shade of green on the ceiling of the Verandah
Aqua blue-green pillars offer a bright contrast to the softer tone of green on walls of this haveli spotted on my last day in Shekawati
And what is Rajasthan without the Mahindra Thar? It makes a perfect accessory to the haveli pictured., I noticed that this Thar hadn’t moved since my last visit, which was a year ago
I took this picture for the exquisite tone of the background–a delicately faded moss green
Years of wear and tear make the greens of this verandah even more interesting
Spotted on the way to a market, I like the way this this shade of light cyan surrounds a door of sage blue-green
Floral motifs in verdigris and a pale green surround a painted picture of a family ancestor
