The royal celebration

Royal Fables, a heritage platform that promotes regal, royal India in all its glory celebrated its arrival into Hyderabad with an inaugural evening hosted in association with two brands embedded in the heritage of Hyderabad: Kishandas & Co and Kalakriti.

The evening hosted at and by Club Botanika, presented the kitchen cultures of royal Mewar and Himachal Pradesh. Guests were also treated to a display of the inimitable heritage jewelry collection of Krishan Das, maps and art of Prashant Lahoti and costumes borrowed from royal families and textile collectors.

Royal Fables narrated the romantic fairy-tale of a life lived in a palace by putting together the vintage float that presents rare and beautiful costumes including a vintage a hand-painted and pure embroidered sari from Pratapgarh, a vintage Ghagra Choli from Bela Shanghvi, an heirloom Mekhla Chadar by Ravita Mayorr, a beautiful revival piece by Devnagri, achkans worn by erstwhile nobles and the absolutely stunning pichwai by Princess Vaishnavi amongst others.

Bela Shanghvi spoke during a panel discussion and spoke about the importance of acknowledging the work of the artisans and understand the art of handloom. Cynthia Fredrick, author and historian moderated the discussion, and participants included Maharani Radhika Raje Gaekwad from Baroda, Princess Vaishnavi Kumari of Kishangarh and Sanya Shir who founded the brand Diva'ni.

"The Kalakriti Archives were founded to collect, preserve and document the visual artifacts that relate to the history, culture, and politics of South Asia.It contains a large body of rare maps and photographs.

What we are showcasing here is part of the strong collection of the Royal portrait photographs and maps of princely states of India." shares Prashant Lahotia, founder of Kalakriti Art Gallery and Artcafe, who was on the panel.

Kitchen of the Kings, a revivalist project of Royal Fables that engages royal kitchens from across the nation presented royal cuisine of Mewar rustled up by Hemendra Singh of Bhainsorgarh and Dham cuisine cooled by the chefs under the custodianship of Urvashi Singh Khimsar. Over 40 dishes were curated by them in an effort to keep their cultural heritage alive.

"Kitchen of the Kings were venues, where grandeur and excess were celebrated and savored in equal measure. With this project, we are trying to revive the kitchen cultures of Princely India as practiced by present-day scions who are chefs at heart.

Besides the cuisine, the evening also celebrates the role as a custodian of his or her craft. I am more than ever indebted by Kishandas& Co. and Kalakriti for participating in this vintage float," says Anshu Khanna, Founder Royal Fables and recipient of Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018.