ARASTAN

Celebrating the Silk Route is this new store that has recently been opened by Bangalore- based avid traveller, Nisha Misra. After spending many years pursuing a corporate career, the savvy business woman decided to translate her passion and curiosity into a career. With turquoise as a central colour scheme she has transformed the old property in Bangalore into a kind of museum to resurrect lost, forgotten and lesser known art and craft, primarily from Uzbekistan. The store stocks fine carpets from destinations as varied as Afghanistan and Iran. There are etchings for sale by a Thai artist and works by a young Uzbek artist whose paintings have an interesting play of light and portray the travails of daily life in his country. The store houses framed watercolour paintings of ornate Arabic script ( as it appears on the Bibi Khanym Mosque in Samarkand), killims, handmade brass lamps and giant Bukhara platters.

500 for a silver jewellery piece to Rs 20,000 each for Bukhara platters

23 Nandidurga Road, ( opposite Airtel), Jayamahal Extension, Bangalore

9900026956; arastan. com