Mallika Sarabhai's Country Retreat.

When I saw this on the cover of <em>Inside Outside Magazine</em> few years back I just wanted to be there on the swing...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQZH4z6NBmRzRGdLvaIgzoW5UK12poA8etnF037dRqEq9YeTa7mcYBihzAf0hmLeiik50VFyHvYBEMR8ax5WMeiunCcNVgW7K5b_HidR_c5uSa-kh3y6nNXupdKUEC225FbfvRWedZ2FL/s1600-h/ms1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076214533095853026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQZH4z6NBmRzRGdLvaIgzoW5UK12poA8etnF037dRqEq9YeTa7mcYBihzAf0hmLeiik50VFyHvYBEMR8ax5WMeiunCcNVgW7K5b_HidR_c5uSa-kh3y6nNXupdKUEC225FbfvRWedZ2FL/s400/ms1.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a></div><div>This country retreat is designed by Nimesh Patel & Parul Zaveri of <a href="http://www.abhikram.com/Home.html"><strong>Abhikram</strong></a>, for their friend <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallika_Sarabhai"><strong>Mallika Sarabhai</strong></a> a famous Indian dancer, activist & environmentalist.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRbCtpsP5FtRK_XZA1K_gf6A9f3YtztAnvvo21lVuddpk_QWsyimpgB_9XyEaq9z0JIlMmJxg3HBR_Wof5C9tNS1-2DwB6t9jaR8z3IuThMDAMUg5HcucpmzSyxgXKypZuwIqT3hVxorQ/s1600-h/ms2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076214533095853042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRbCtpsP5FtRK_XZA1K_gf6A9f3YtztAnvvo21lVuddpk_QWsyimpgB_9XyEaq9z0JIlMmJxg3HBR_Wof5C9tNS1-2DwB6t9jaR8z3IuThMDAMUg5HcucpmzSyxgXKypZuwIqT3hVxorQ/s400/ms2.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a>This is a traditional Gujrati <em>Hitchkar</em> (swing) which can be moved either way to face inwards or outwards.</div><div></div><div>A place in a natural setting where one can rejuvenate and escape from the stressful city life.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcB1-pOxoDvTIQLX18Wot2wL4CQnkN55PgJ5F_rMFVmASvXtFau-oUMzgDxAnsRFj9qno5Kt-NcMe8IqOxudJIkKbjVxO8CqmnnA0GN-tFFHgMvOZFpDo2O4dKk696kFFllOisPjHh9wF/s1600-h/ms3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076214537390820354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcB1-pOxoDvTIQLX18Wot2wL4CQnkN55PgJ5F_rMFVmASvXtFau-oUMzgDxAnsRFj9qno5Kt-NcMe8IqOxudJIkKbjVxO8CqmnnA0GN-tFFHgMvOZFpDo2O4dKk696kFFllOisPjHh9wF/s400/ms3.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> A series of wood sculptures of birds & serpents are scattered around the place.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89O-fWfP68vA-WaLQJNQuOohio1k-lstq9vjEtWUJNoLKgcJoIs5-hQh3neyvk_9mNVTlyEQTUSwk2Gw1NAvn8XtkKxh5sB6yOlOKCsXdDbD1gC0jmYgLWPumV8NyU5N0yRTHbpZN-ami/s1600-h/ms4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076214537390820370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89O-fWfP68vA-WaLQJNQuOohio1k-lstq9vjEtWUJNoLKgcJoIs5-hQh3neyvk_9mNVTlyEQTUSwk2Gw1NAvn8XtkKxh5sB6yOlOKCsXdDbD1gC0jmYgLWPumV8NyU5N0yRTHbpZN-ami/s400/ms4.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> The walls of the house are plastered with mud to provide natural insulation against heat. The wall has mud patterns with small mirrors fixed on them. ( Lovely!)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN61Qv0SA0JdJjusNjcogE2DhSS8J2hrqot8fQKItS1oGgr1n_3OKHAOoAthagoW84wF1rbjYI140sp4q-MNJ4QDa-q9F0P6QteaW7I5vSmQzscKY0kF5vgEHaheI8vWnQXEUCpZdHi4r/s1600-h/ms6.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076214537390820386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN61Qv0SA0JdJjusNjcogE2DhSS8J2hrqot8fQKItS1oGgr1n_3OKHAOoAthagoW84wF1rbjYI140sp4q-MNJ4QDa-q9F0P6QteaW7I5vSmQzscKY0kF5vgEHaheI8vWnQXEUCpZdHi4r/s400/ms6.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> Her living space reflects her beliefs of conserving natural resources & importance of indigenous traditions. The sofas are made of natural materials like cane, jute & handloom.<br /><br /><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076214885283171378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujxtVoJHqM2SvOk4PZnEiOM5QlJBcwej8StNCTsp9EeCj5eCcQyFnyS7TtmKKbyTEJtLktc1NTFvPJXghJaF3jwMYkHu9F6BssRX8bX9dBx7cWpzCAWolGuX7ybEO1TwXiPoY3_xGx1Te/s400/ms7.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div></div><br /><p>Mallika's love for traditional crafts of Kutch can be seen in the hand embroidered covers and quilted bedcovers in her rooms.</p><p><em>( images from Inside Outside Magazine, June 2003 issue)</em></p>

Mallika Sarabhai's Country Retreat.

When I saw this on the cover of Inside Outside Magazine few years back I just wanted to be there on the swing... This country retreat is de...

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