How Far

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“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
(T.S. Eliot – American born English Editor, Playwright, Poet and Critic, 1888-1965)

Anand is wearing a kantha silk scarf made with a hand embroidery.
This artcraft is done by ladies involved in several workshops that we have settled with GURIA, a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Each scarf is unique and made in sarees provided by women in Benaras who take this opportunity to get rid of pieces that they brought in order to celebrate happy moments, festivals or parties.
Those accessories carry traces of happiness in their yarns…
Our model shows his body for the purpose of this brotherhood and happiness chain as this is a way to catch the attention on this fight for Human Rights and human dignity.
(Scarf style “Kingdom” – 100% silk – Collection RED HALO)

RED HALO is a collection of household linen based in Benaras (Varanasi – India) providing work to people who were living with difficulties and education to children.
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The Bank of Karma

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“The paths to liberation are numerous, but the bank along the way is always the same, the Bank of Karma, where the liberation account of each of us is credited or debited depending on our actions.”
(From “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel)

After taking a bath in the holy waters of the Ganges, this young man was drying under the winter rising sun.
It was in front of the little akhara which stands at Panda ghat in Varanasi (Benaras) where he came to exercise before sunrise.

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The Road Toward Freedom

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“I am interested in anything about revolt, disorder, chaos-especially activity that seems to have no meaning.
It seems to me to be the road toward freedom…
Rather than starting inside, I start outside and reach the mental through the physical.”
(Jim Morrison – American singer & poet, 1943-1971)

This man was bathing before sunset in the holy waters of the Ganges at Shivala ghat in Varanasi (Benaras).
He smiled and laughed at my joke regarding his untied langot…

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A Certain Instinct

“There is in the human body a certain instinct for what is beneficial to us, as there is in the heart for what is our moral duty, an instinct which no authorisation by a doctor of medecine or divinity can replace.
We know that cold baths are bad for us, but we like them: we can always find a doctor to recommend them, not to prevent them from doing us harm.”
(from “The Captive” by Marcel Proust – French novelist, 1871-1922)

This man was stepping into the cold holy waters of the Ganges at Lal ghat in Varanasi (Benaras)…
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“Il y a dans notre corps un certain instinct de ce qui nous est salutaire, comme dans le cœur de ce qui est le devoir moral, et qu’aucune autorisation du docteur en médecine ou en théologie ne peut suppléer.
Nous savons que les bains froids nous font mal, nous les aimons, nous trouverons toujours un médecin pour nous les conseiller, non pour empêcher qu’ils ne nous fassent mal.”
(“La Prisonnière” de Marcel Proust – Ecrivain français 1871-1922)

Cet homme pénétrait dans les eaux glacées et sacrées du Ganges en bas de Lal ghat à Benares…
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Compassion For All Life

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“What could have saved Indian society from the ponderous burden of omnifarious ritualistic ceremonialism, with its animal and other sacrifices, which all but crushed the very life of it, except the Jain revolution, which took its strong stand exclusively on chaste morals and philosophical truths?
Jains were the first great ascetics and they did some great work.
“Don’t injure any and do good to all that you can, and that is all the morality and ethics, and that is all the work there is, and the rest is all nonsense.”
And then they went to work and elaborated this one principle all through, and it is a most wonderful ideal: how all that we call ethics they simply bring out from that one great principle of non-injury and doing good.”
(Swami Vivekananda – The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 3, Buddhistic India – Lecture delivered at the Shakespeare Club, Pasadena, California, on February 2, 1900)

Jainism is one of the oldest religion, it prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings, its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation with compassion for all life, human and non-human.

Digambara monks and nuns practice strict asceticism and strive to make their current birth their last, thus ending their cycle of transmigration.
They wear no clothes, following the practice of Mahavira, they do not consider themselves to be nude.
Rather, they are wearing the environment, that is the quintessential, akasha or space.
Digambaras believe that this practice represents a refusal to give in to the demands of the body for comfort and private property.
Digambara ascetics have only two possessions: a peacock feather broom and a water gourd, they walk barefoot and sweep the ground in front of them to avoid killing insects or other tiny beings.
They practice non-attachment to the body and hence, wear no clothes, travel on foot and do not use mechanical transport.

This picture was shot along a road located in the center of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh where several devotees were waiting for those monks.
Some were walking with them for a while, others were seeking for their blessings and spreading a devotional atmosphere everywhere.

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Sharing the Same Values

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“We may have different religions, different languages,different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.
We all share the same basic values.”
(Kofi Annan – Ghanaian diplomat, seventh Secretary-General of the UN, 1938)

This picture was shot on the upper terrace which is on the top of our office in Varanasi (Benaras).
Those fashion photographies are not as simple as they pretend to be, each is dwelling with a real social work.
Among the many people involved there, Anand who is modeling for our catalogue since the begining of the company is escaping for a while his tough condition of boatman on the ganges and, using his dark colour skin complexion breaks a social taboo in India.
The fabric of this item involves handloom weavers, fabric dyers and embroiderers of Varanasi struggling with their workshops or with their lives.
Other items of the collection supply shelter and independance to a few ladies who are manufacturing them.
It is a happy chain reaction gathering people from several cultures, religions and social backgrounds and showing that we all share the same values of brotherhood.

Anand shows his body knowing that each picture is decent and that this is a way to catch the attention on this fight for Human Rights and human dignity.
Since the biggining most of the viewers of those pictures leave great comments which are a real support to this campaign.
However I get a few messages and comments from some people who are intentionally backward, lacking of any insight, correct action and respect to human rights.
I want to answer them with those words by American writer and activist James Baldwin,
“Remember, to hate, to be violent, is demeaning.It means you’re afraid of the other side of the coin-to love and be loved.”

(Scarf style “Dil Se” – 100% wool – Collection RED HALO)
RED HALO is a collection of household linen based in Benaras (Varanasi – India) providing work to people who were living with difficulties and education to children.
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No Doubt

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“There is neither this world nor the world beyond nor happiness for the one who doubts”.
(Bhagavad Gita)

This man was standing at Lal ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
He stood still for a long time as if he was between this world and the world beyond…
In Hindi “lal” means “red” however the whole place was painted with a Turkish blue but in fact it is a corruption of Lala.
This ghat was erected by a rich merchant in c. 1800 after whose name it is now known.
The red langot (Indian underwear) is a nod to the color.
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“Il n’y a ni ce monde, ni le monde de l’au-delà, ni de bonheur pour celui qui doute”.
(Bhagavad Gita)

Cet homme se trouvait à Lal ghat le long du Gange à Varanasi (Benaras).
Il s’est arrêté pendant un long moment comme s’il se trouvait entre ce monde et celui de l’au-delà…
En hindi “lal” signifie “rouge” et pourtant cet endroit est entièrement peint en turquoise, en fait il s’agit d’une altération de Lala.
Ce ghat tient son nom d’un riche négociant qui l’a fait ériger aux alentours de1800.
Le langot rouge (sous-vêtement indien) est un clin d’œil à cette couleur.

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Escape Into Sleep

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“Anyone can escape into sleep, we are all geniuses when we dream, the butcher’s the poet’s equal there.”
(Emile M. Cioran – French philosopher, b.1911)

 

This man was sleeping along the holy waters of the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
It was at 6:30 in the morning when the sun was still bearable.
He was laying on the top of the stairs leading to the entrance of the palace wich stands at Chet Singh Ghat.

 

 

Swirl and Swing

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“I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.”
(James A. Michener – U.S. novelist and short-story writer, 1907-1997)

Anand is posing with a throw and a cushion in linen with aari embroidery fom the Red Halo collection.
This was shot with natural light at the upper terrace of our office.
RED HALO is a collection of household linen based in Benaras (Varanasi – India) providing work to people who were living with difficulties and education to children.
(Cushion and throw style “Swirls” – 100% silk – Collection RED HALO)

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Polka Dots and Moonbeams

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“Suddenly I saw polka dots and moonbeams
All around a pug-nosed dream…”
(From “Polka Dots And Moonbeams” lyrics by Johnny Burke)

“Polka Dots and Moonbeams” is a popular song with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke, published in 1940.
It was Frank Sinatra’s first hit recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.
The song is one of the top 100 most-frequently recorded jazz standards with arrangements by Gil Evans and others and notable recordings by Wes Montgomery, Lester Young, Sarah Vaughn and many others.
Listen to Ella Fitzgerald: youtu.be/LmSvcABOqYM

RED HALO is a collection of household linen based in Benaras (Varanasi – India) providing work to people who were living with difficulties and education to children.
Anand, our icon model since our first catalogue, is wearing a woolen scarf made with Polka Dots in an aari embroidery which involves weavers and embroiderers who were struggling with their workshops.

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