Shimla Gallimaufry: How does the earth sing?

Why this blog is called "Gallimaufry".

gal-uh-MAW-free\, noun.

Originally meaning "a hash of various kinds of meats," "gallimaufry" comes from French galimafrée; in Old French, from the word galer, "to rejoice, to make merry"; in old English: gala + mafrer: "to eat much," and from Medieval Dutch maffelen: "to open one's mouth wide."

It's also a dish made by hashing up odds and ends of food; a heterogeneous mixture; a hodge-podge; a ragout; a confused jumble; a ridiculous medley; a promiscuous (!) assemblage of persons.

Those of you who know me, will, I’m sure, understand how well some of these phrases (barring the "promiscuous" bit!) fit me.

More importantly, this blog is an ode to my love for Shimla. I hope to show you this little town through my eyes. If you don't see too many people in it, forgive me, because I'm a little chary of turning this into a human zoo.

Stop by for a spell, look at my pictures, ask me questions about Shimla, if you wish. I shall try and answer them as best as I can. Let's be friends for a while....

13 November 2008

How does the earth sing?

Andretta is located not far from Palampur. The village nestles sleepily in the manner of a dog at its master's feet in the foothills of Dhauladhar range. This is the home to the Andretta Pottery & Crafts Society. Set up by Sir Sobha Singh and Norah Richards, the Society today conducts workshops and trains artisans as well as artistes. I am told that it occasionally also hosts artistic retreats for well-known and struggling artistes, where they all gather and create beautiful art in each other's company.