Introducing ‘Everyday India Aesthetic’by Sayali Goyal
Sayali Goyal, a cultural curator, visual artist, and the founder of Cocoa and Jasmine magazine and agency, recently released her new book, ‘Everyday Indian Aesthetic.’The book is a collection of her travels across India over eight years, showcasing everyday design elements that reflect Indian sensibilities in materials, colors, architecture, interiors, typography, and traditional attire.
Expect to see a variety of colors, textures, patterns, furniture, and objects made of materials like metal, stones, fiber, wood, and clay. The book also features retail displays from small shops in bazaars and inspiration for home interiors. With over 400 curated images, the book highlights key themes open to interpretation.
Read our interview below!
To start, congratulations on the launch of this book. Can you tell readers about the inspiration behind creating it and why you decided to make this beautiful book?
The book is an anthology of my ethnographic travels across India covered over 8 years, featuring elements of everyday aesthetics that reflect the true Indian design sensibilities seen in many materials, colors, architecture, interiors, typography, and also the way people dress. As a global travel and design editor, I realized that the India that was documented and reported was a certain interpretation and maybe a colonial gaze on the romantic India of the Maharajas and Mughals ( while they played a significant role in the aesthetic of the country) or a Hollywood take on India. Also, certain parts of India have received more limelight than others. This book celebrates the country's diversity and brings these regions together with a common aesthetic. The archiving was done mindfully to bring the key themes to the forefront and cover the diversity of aesthetics India offers, shedding light on many multigenerational objects, regional identities, symbolism, and vernacular designs. The book also serves as an anthropological archive on how people live and express themselves through design. When I envisioned it, I thought of the Oxford dictionary as the reference, as I see it as a visual dictionary enriched with timeless vocabulary.
What can those who want to "peek inside " expect to read and discover in this book?
Expect colors, textures, patterns, furniture, objects made of materials like metal, stones, fiber, wood, clay. Expect retail displays from little shops in bazaars, to inspiration for home the largest architecture and interior section. The book has over 400 images curated to bring forward key themes open to subjective interpretations.
For example, on a trip to Kutch, in an artisan’s home, it was interesting to see how they had so many combs, maybe for each family member, practically organized by color. The homes were pretty small, so I liked how they used the space and wondered if they connected to each member's color and how we express ourselves through our little design choices. Also, the braided stands the artisan made to display these show the functionality of their craft, but ironically, to display a very mass-produced everyday object.
In the Shekhawati region, Mandawa, to be precise, I loved the warm colors in the room and the bold use of maximalist patterns to complement these colors. The Shekhawati region is known for its frescos; however, this was somebody’s bedroom, and I wondered how one sleeps with such an overload of visuals.
In Johri Bazar Jaipur, I have a favorite shop in the bazaar that belongs to money lenders who take long siestas in the afternoon and only open after 11 a.m. The shop focuses on the laid-back profession. The use of green in the paint on the little window doors leading to a hidden room, the bold use of green and red terrazzo, and the many objects and photos of ancestors create this ambiance that one would find in many old bazaars of India.
What do you want readers to walk away with after reading your book?
Hopefully, it will provide a new perspective on what Indian Design stands for. Inspiration to travel to lesser-known parts of India. An understanding of how there is beauty in mundane and sometimes chaos. An understanding of how design can connect people because of the similarities across cultures. I hope to open people’s minds to the beautiful chaos surrounding us, on our reality, and celebrate it. I hope to decolonize the global gaze on Indian design and acknowledge our vast contribution beyond just a few acknowledged design movements. I hope people connect to the nostalgic elements of the book and find comfort through these visuals that hold the past. I hope people use this abundant inspiration and make new design decisions rooted in Indianness.
Is there anything else you would like to add? For those who love to travel and travel, where is Sayali off to next? :)
I am exploring Punjab in depth in India, visiting the little villages and artisan’s homes. Culturally, it’s super rich, having had many silk route settlers. In aesthetics, it shares similarities with Pakistan, ancient Persia, and Central Asia. Africa is calling me, and I hope to travel there in 2025.
Fave lesser-known travel destinations in India regarding artisan work, craft, and design?
Oh, so many! But the NorthEast is lovely with Nagaland for its weaves, Meghalaya for pottery and woodcrafts and then Ladakh for wool and metal crafts, Punjab for khes (handwoven throw), Chettinad for handmade tiles, Chanapatna for wooden toys from the South.
Sayali’s website - https://www.cocoaandjasmine.com/
Sayali’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cocoaandjasmine/