सभी का स्वागत
All Welcome
All Welcome
We held a proper Holi party at Village Underground in Shoreditch on Sunday 24th March 2013.
It was a glorious, exuberant, colourful, joy-filled mess. Everyone from the tiniest little children to the most elderly aunty-jis had a fantastic time.
Over 300 of you showed up to our (sold-out!) party to see our master storyteller Vayu Naidu weave her magic. She told us how Holi breaks down barriers and brings people together, regardless of background, religion or social status. At its heart, this lovely, barmy festival is a chance to forgive past transgressions and extend the hand of peace.
Then the moment arrived – and we released almost 70kg of gulal (coloured powder) into the waiting crowd.
It went a little wild. We danced, and threw powder, and burst balloons full of gulal over each others’ heads, and chuckled at how barmy we all looked. It was magical.
Watch the video, and see for yourself. And if you like the look of our Holi party – do come and celebrate with us in 2014.
The origins of chintz can be firmly – and humbly – traced back to 16th century India. The word ‘chintz’ is derived from the Hindi word ‘chint’, meaning spotted or splattered. These intricate designs and endless patterns were traditionally hand-printed using wooden blocks - kalamkari - and brilliantly coloured natural dyes.
We often find it too easy to hurtle through the days, in an attempt to outpace the bustling city – be it London or Bombay – which always seems to be running away like a steam-engine train on a rickety track. Occasionally, it does us good to pause for thought, to disembark the carriage and sit on the platform awhile.
How does one create a space where people can truly connect over food? How can a host make their guests feel relaxed, at ease, and suitably cared for? Since launching our all-new Dishoom Crockery, we have been pondering the answers to these questions even more than usual. We recently discussed them with Creative Director - and frequent dinner party hostess - Kirthanaa Naidu when we invited her to create a first-class tablescape in our Canary Wharf café.
Each year, the spring equinox – when day and night are equal length – marks a transition in earth’s relationship with the sun. This event, sacred to many cultures throughout history, today thrives as a new year celebration for hundreds of millions.
In Bombay, London, and throughout the South Asian diaspora, you’ll find many folks of the Zoroastrian faith (amongst others) celebrating this new year, or Navroz as we like to call it.