January 3, 2021
The Material World: Ikat Cotton
Ikat cotton is immediately identifiable by how the edges of the patterns softly blur and how the colours in the fabric smoothly blend into each other. The fabric has its origins in many different parts of the world — South East Asia, Central Asia, South America and West Africa. The weaving of Ikat cotton has been practiced in the regions of India, Japan, Indonesia and other South East Asian countries for millenia. In India, Ikat
July 20, 2020
What’s in The Clothes: Tulasi Beads
Credit: Sri Sankara TV It is well-established that certain beads, certain substances that are considered sacred in Indic society are also said to have myriad benefits and contribute to the welfare and well being of those who use them. Tulasi beads are a definite example of this. Tulasi itself is believed to be the most sacred plant for a plethora of reasons — the plant is said to be the earthly manifestation of the deity,
June 17, 2020
How To Choose The Right Mask?
In a world slowly emerging from the pandemic that has swept it, the practice of wearing masks has become a constant in our lives — and for good reason. An appropriate, well-fitted mask has many benefits. We wanted to take a minute to write up a guide to all things mask related, and help you figure out which mask if for you, be that Ayurvedic masks, a simple cloth mask or others! Why Do Wearing
May 25, 2020
Sustainability and AdiValka
In many ways, we have built our brand on the age-old maxim that for a product, for a business to last, it has to be inherently sustainable — the very essence and core innately in harmony with context and environment. We have worked to build that foundation not only with every step of our production process, but also with respect to the values we carry ourselves forward with. Our campaign, Sustainability Sutras has in large
March 25, 2020
Taking Care in These Times — Sustainable Health Habits
Times of pandemics often cause widespread panic and worry (and understandably so). As a team, we collectively wanted to not only check in with the adifam — global as we are — but also take a minute to reiterate a few ways we can all take care and keep safe during this time. While these periods are a bit worrisome, they are also good times to build in sustainable health habits and practices that improve
March 11, 2020
Sustainability in Indic Fashion
As a brand, our consistent inspiration is the rich Indic heritage that forms the cultural bed of the traditions we live our lives by today — be that the intricate history of textiles and fabrics, yoga, classical dance, Ayurveda or sustainability. Sustainable living has been a part of the fabric of Indic tradition since it’s dawn, and it continues to inspirit life today — when our grandmothers save the starchy water from cooked rice to
February 21, 2020
Adiyogi & AdiValka — The Significance of Mahashivarathri
Featuring dancers Bhaskari & Rachna This February, at AdiValka we celebrated and honoured a day that holds incredible importance to yogis — Mahashivarathri. This day holds utmost important to Shiva, the Adiyogi — the source from which all yoga originated. Shivarathri itself is a monthly occurrence. The darkest day of the month, it happens on the 14th day of the lunar calendar, the day before the new moon. Mahashivarathri, that happens between Feb and March,
January 31, 2020
What’s in The Clothes: Sandalwood Beads
Credit: Rudraksha Ratna Considered one of the purest substances, #sandalwood, one of the most sacred herbs of #Ayurveda, has long been used for its medicinal properties. It’s known in Sanskrit as Chandana, and is primarily indigenous to #India and Asia. Sandalwood is used medicinally in oil form to treat a variety of ailments — from the common cold, to digestive problems, and even mental disorders. The scent of Sandalwood is also particularly aromatic, and is
January 15, 2020
What’s in The Clothes: AdiValka’s Tassels
AdiValka’s mission from day one has been to create fashion with a purpose, while bringing Indic styles and traditions into the contemporary idiom of fashion. Every aspect of the garments we produce is aimed towards this goal — be it the fabrics we use, the cuts of our clothes — every detail (none too small) have been carefully crafted. So with our tassels on our dhoti pants. The quintessential accessory in a piece of clothing
November 1, 2019
Kalakrama — A Deeper Look
AdiValka’s collections always stem from a moment of deep inspiration. With our first ever collection, the ikat collection, we were enamoured with the Indian tradition of weaving and so used that to create the mini-collection. With Embracing Ogha, our first true collection, we decided to honour the concept that inspired our brand itself, uninterrupted Indic traditions. And with Kalakrama, we take the next step in our journey. AdiValka honours the generational knowledge, connection and effort
October 16, 2019
Uninterrupted Traditions — The Inspiration Behind AdiValka
The presence of mind, intention, and commitment that is brought to any and all endeavours is one of the key defining characteristics of Indic culture. This is especially the case with the development of kalaripayattu, yoga and traditional dance forms from the region. While each of these art forms and practices are different from each other, they still maintain the common thread of movement with intention. The lessons we learn from these practices form the
September 30, 2019
Yoga & AdiValka: Freedom From All That Confines
ˇyoga citta vritti nirodhah While yoga as a discipline has overtaken and changed the world with it’s grounding nature, simplicity of purpose, and versatility of form, in our story yoga is one of, if not the primary reason AdiValka came into being. AdiValka was born of the void Manisha Naidu, designer and CEO, felt of comfortable, functional clothes that would allow yogis (as well as dancers, martial art practitioners & students of these disciplines alike)
September 29, 2019
CUSTOMIZING YOUR DHOTI PANTS & KURTIS
At AdiValka, our first priority is you, our customer! We’re so happy to offer the option to customize your kurtis & dhoti pants for a nominal charge! At Rs. 100/- per customization, we offer the option to have your AdiValka product be truly tailor made for you!
August 23, 2019
AdiValka’s Signature Dhotipants — The Best of Many Worlds
Our brand, AdiValka, has a deep connection with, and roots within, Indian apparel and designs and is grounded in the Indic philosophies of versatility and adaptability. When we began, our desire to create contemporary products inspired by the history of Indian textiles, art and culture, ayurveda, yoga and Indic traditions was a driving force. Through our journey, we now find ourselves well on our way to creating our own version of Indian haute couture. AdiValka’s
Comfort, protection, adaptability are AdiValka’s main priorities — as with our pants, thus with our logo. By Indic tradition, knowledge served a larger purpose than being restricted to books meant only for a select few to be privy to — many ancient practices were steeped in scientific reasoning, and the rangavallis are no exception. Traditionally, the rangavalli was drawn by women outside their houses to create a welcoming and calming effect on a visitor who
June 21, 2019
AdiValka’s Beginnings
adi [Sanskrit] — the first in time, beginning ; valka [Sanskrit] — covering, the bark of a tree AdiValka — the first protective covering India’s textiles have been renowned the world over for millennia for their quality, color, styles, designs, and most importantly their appropriateness and adaptability. AdiValka was born from the desire to create a product that had a deep connection with, and roots within, Indian apparel. Our vision from the start was threefold: