Modern Muse Diwali Festival Season

Although Dhanteras has become associated with wealth and people buy gold or silver jewellery and utensils on this day, there is no association of either wealth or gold with Dhanvantari, who is a provider of good health rather than wealth. 

Shopping on Dhanteras is a very essential part of all Hindu's as per tradition. On this day of Dhanteras all women get busy shopping on the street jewelry or silver shops to buy their choice of Silver article. But due to very busy schedules and work many women do not have the liberty of time to shop for their own favorite item. So for them the option of our advance technology of online shopping comes handy to cater their need.

Do you know why we celebratedhanteras?

The legend associated with Dhanteras is about the sixteen-year- old son of King Hama who according to his horoscope, was doomed to die on the fourth day after his marriage by snakebite. On that day, his anxious young bride lit many lamps all over the place and did not allow her husband to sleep. She took out all her gold and precious gemmed ornaments, gold and silver coins and piled them in a heap at the entrance of her husband’s room. She told stories and sang songs throughout the night.

The next day, when Yama, the god of Death, arrived at the prince’s doorstep in the guise of a Serpent, his eyes were dazzled and blinded by the brilliance of the lamps and the jewelry. Yam could not enter the Prince’s chamber, so he climbed on top of the heap of gold coins and sat there the entire night listening to the stories and songs. In the morning, he silently went away. Thus, the young prince was saved from the clutches of death by the intelligence of his new bride, and the day came to be celebrated as Dhanteras. And the following days came to be called NarakaChaturdashi (‘Naraka’ means hell and Chaturdashi means 14th). It is also know as ‘Yamadeepdaan’ as the ladies of the house light earthen lamps or ‘deep’ and these are kept burning throughout the night glorifying Yama, the god of Death.

Tomorrow is NarakChaudus, the day when Lord Krishna killed Narakasur. In the same way, you are given a chance to destroy the false illusion of identity that covers your Swathisthana chakra ruled by Krishna. Lamps are lit all around your environment to facilitate this Banishment.

Therefore, when one thinks of festival season, new clothes and jewelry automatically comes to mind. If there is one festival that absolutely, without any doubt calls for a shopping time, it is Dhanteras. Considered an auspicious day to buy everybody’s favorite things, people wait for this day to get their hand on large amount of clothes and gold.

Happy Dhanteras!! Keep shopping.

Rajasthani Pagari

Turbans worn in Rajasthan are reffered to as pagaris. They vary in style ,color and shape.They indicate a wearer's social class,caste,region and the occasion it being worn for.The rajasthani turbans also has many pratical functions like exhausted travellers use it as pillow,a blanket or a towel.It can be used to strain muddy water.

Do You know a conventional pagari is usually 82 inches long and 8 inches wide.

However turbans of one or more colors may be worn by the elite or during special occasion such as WEDDING or FESTIVALS etc. Rajasthani turbans are prominent tourist attraction. Tourist coming to rajasthan are often encouraged to participate in turban tying competition.

Modern Muse Happy Dussehra

Dussehra

Dussehra it is known in Mysore, is one of the most auspicious and widely-celebrated festivals in India. Mysuru Dasara is the official state festival of Karnataka

What is Dussehra?

After nine days of Navratri celebration, the 10th and final day is called Vijay Dashami, the day of victory or Dussehra. This is the day when one feels empowered after the nine days of attaining various powers. When one feels relieved one did not get entangled in the quest for success and power, instead participated in them with due reverence and is out of it. This is the day when people show gratitude to everything they have got and also thank nature for the success and power achieved.

And so the Festive season is here and along with it the invites for many Dussehra parties. Chances are you’ve been invited to an office party with your colleagues and maybe even the higher-ups. Unsure of what to wear? Here are some Indian menswear options for you to consider:

1.Kurta pajama

This basic ensemble of classic fashion can suit any party with an Indian theme.Depending on the scale of the party, you can decide how fancy or stylish your kurta should be. You can go for an embroidered one, or even just a plain one in a bright colour.

2. Nehru Jacket:

Nehru jacket is once again a fashion trend and donning it over your Kurta-Pyjama gives a bit of formal look to your outfit. You can go for this ensemble if it’s a big event where you want to make an impression. Especially if you are senior in age or designation, a Nehru jacket will help give a slightly more mature look.

3. Kurta-Jeans:

Now if it’s just a small, casual party thrown by a couple of colleagues, then you don’t have to stress about your outfit and can just keep it simple. A Kurta thrown over a pair of denims has always been one of the most common fashion styles as it looks cool and casual. It will fit the prerequisites of the party dress code very well.

4. Dhoti:

A Dhoti-Kurta combination is for the slightly more adventurous. If you’re bored of the usual combinations then you can amp up your style with a dhoti and make a statement. A plain white or off-white dhoti works with a bright kurta. You can even take your style quotient a notch above by adding a Nehru jacket or coat or Indo western.

5. Indo-Western Jacket:

If this Dussehra party is a big, formal affair with all levels of employees attending, then you need to make a strong impression. For this, just a kurta-pyajama orkurta-denims won’t work. You need to appear a little formal also. You therefore need to team up your attire with a smart Indo-Western jacket. It is the latest men jacket style which will make you look stylish, yet a little formal.

Significance of colours in Navratri

The auspicious Hindu festival of Navratri is dedicated to the mother goddess who is worshipped in each of her nine forms. As with most pan-Indian festivals, Navratri is celebrated differently in different parts of the country with rituals varying from state to state. One of the customs, practiced predominantly in Maharashtra and Gujarat, is that of wearing a different color on each day of Navratri. The nine-days celebration is one has much singing and dancing.

Do you know that each colour signifies something during the 9 days of the festival? The blog highlights the significance of the nine hues in Navratri by Modern Muse, continue reading to know about it.

1. First Day (Red Colour) The 1st day of Navratri is called - "Pratipada". On this day, Goddess Durga is revered to as Shailputri, which means "Daughter of the Mountains". This is the very form in which Devi Durga is regarded and worshipped as the companion of Lord Shiva. The red colour for the Pratipada day portrays vigour and action. This energetic colour brings warmth and is a perfect way to prep up for Navratri.

2. Second Day (Royal Blue) The goddess assumes the form of Brahmacharini on the second day of Navratri. In this form, she grants happiness and prosperity with spiritual grace. The blue of the peacock feather is the colour of this day. It is synonymous with with a calm yet powerful energy.

3. Third Day (Yellow) On the third day (or Tritiya), Devi Durga is worshipped in the Chandraghanta form. In this form, Durga boasts a half moon on her forehead, which depicts bravery and beauty. Chandraghanta stands for vigour to battle against the demons. Yellow is the colour of the third day, which is a vivacious colour and can pep up everyone's mood.

4. Fourth Day (Green) On the fourth day or Chathurthi, Devi Durga takes the Kushmanda form. The colour of this day is green. According to Hindu mythology, the goddess assumes the form of Kushmanda on this day. It is believed that Kushmanda created the universe through a bout of laughter and made it verdant with vegetation, hence the green colour.

5. Fifth Day (Grey) On the fifth day (or Panchami) of Navratri, Devi Durga assumes the "Skand Maata" avatar. On this day, the Goddess appears with baby Karthik (Lord) in her mighty arms. The grey colour represents a vulnerable mother who can become a storm cloud whenever it is needed to safeguard her baby from any kind of danger. 

6. Sixth Day (Orange) On the 6th day or Shasthi, The goddess represents the form of Katyayani on the sixth day. As the story in the scriptures go, a sage named Kata performed a penance as he wished to have the goddess in the form of his own daughter. The goddess, moved by his devotion, granted him his boon. She was born as Kata, dressed in orange exhibiting immense courage.

7. Seventh Day (White) The 7th day or Saptami of Navratri is dedicated to the "Kalratri" form of Devi Durga. This is supposed to be the most violent form of the Goddess. On Saptami, the Goddess appears in a white colour attire with a lot of rage in her fiery eyes. The white colour portrays prayer and peace, and ensures the devotees that the Goddess will protect them from harm.

8. Eighth Day (Pink) An epitome of beauty and grace, the goddess is dressed in pink on the eighth day of the festival. She is said to destroy all the sins of time. The colour pink denotes hope and a fresh start.

9. Ninth Day (Light Blue) On Navami, or the 9th day of Navratri, Devi Durga assumes the "Siddhidatri" form. She dresses up in sky blue colour on this day. The Siddhidatri form is believed to have supernatural curing powers. The light blue colour portrays an admiration towards the nature's beauty.

Modern muse offers you such colors of happiness that you don’t want to miss it.So get decked up for the day to spread happiness and love.

Modern Muse Have a Happy Navratri!

The nine nights of fun, frolic, festivities and FASHION are around the corner, and we are sure you have at least started to make mental notes of what kind of ethnics you want to flaunt this joyous time of the year. Now while shopping for vibrant clothes is a festive routine for most, what is maddening to the limit is varaities you get in navratras, but do not worry modern museis here to fulfill your wishes

Navratri means ‘nine nights’ and these nights are filled with holiness, garba, dandia, unlimited calories, festive fashion and unending fun.

So this season, give the crazy job of picking out 9 sets of traditional dresses, and invest in versatile ones that will boost the visual appeal of your personality, and in no way, will dull you out!Let’s pronounce this season of Navratri stylishly, each colour giving us a whole new option and a styled look!

Navratras are not just about  Dandia nights. For the handsome mundas, it’s another occasion to decked up with a whole new fashion week! This Navratri is all about hues of happiness with a glint of style! Let’s play dress up for these nine nights of infinite joy and light that are the best days to play with fashion and style.If you wish to pick up more shades and add ons for your next OOTD’s. Here is a quick look at some basic style add ons illustrated by Modern Muse in the above shared link.

Have a Happy Navratri!!

Modern Muse Block Printing Works

Sanganer is famous for its Cotton printed bed covers, quilts and saris. In Cotton printing, the outlines are first printed, and then the color is filled in. Bold patterns and colors are popular. They are printed repeatedly in diagonal rows. Screen printing is also famous here. Screen printing first appeared in a recognizable form in China during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD).Screen printing, also known as serigraphy, is a method of creating an image on paper, fabric or some other object by pressing ink through a screen with areas blocked off by a stencil..

Modern Muse Block Printing Coloring a Fabric Using Wooden Blocks

Block printing is a form of dying and coloring a fabric using wooden blocks. India is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of block printed fabric in the world. Block printing craftsmen use wooden or metal blocks to create beautiful designs.The printing process begins by pre-washing the fabrics in order to reduce water consumption. The fabric is then dyed, laid flat on a table and fixed firmly to the table with pins. Four to five basic natural colors are used that are then mixed together to form a multitude of colors. The block is then dipped in the dye and stamped firmly by hand onto the fabric. Finally, the fabric is rinsed in the water and hung to dry in the sun, minimizing energy consumption.

From Gujarat, the art of block printing spread to Rajasthan. Here colorful prints of birds, animals, human figures, gods and goddesses are popular. The important centers for this form of hand printing are Jaipur, Bangru, Sanganer, Pali and Barmer.