A rajbari or bonedi bari puja has a charm of its own that is very different from the barowari pujas. It is all about the regal grandeur as well as the homely vibe of a bonedi bari. It is also about getting to witness a lot of traditional rituals. Right ahead of Puja, team t2 drove down to The Rajbari Bawali to create a Puja-special fashion lookbook showcasing looks for the contemporary woman attending a rajbari puja. Right from creating looks apt for a morning ritual and the adda sessions to the Ashtami evening Sandhi Puja look and the Navami day look with a hint of experimentation. Styling and hair, make-up duo Rajat and Kaushik worked on each look balancing the traditional and contemporary choices in fashion to create fresh looks associated with such traditional Pujas.
For this Saptami adda look at the Rajbari, Richa draped a dark green tussore silk sari designed with golden zari motifs and traditional Benarasi design all over. Rajat chose a traditional atpoure drape for this look. The broad-border sari is paired with a traditional design blouse with pleats adorning the neckline. Gold jewellery, light make-up with liner and pink lipstick highlights, and bougainvillea tucked in the lazy bun complete the look.
For the Ashtami evening Sandhi Puja look, Richa posed on the Rajbari dalan (courtyard) in the bright red handwoven matka silk sari designed with golden zari polka dot woven on a sheer muslin silk palla. The contemporarily-draped sari look is enhanced with a tone-on-tone full-sleeve red blouse with zari detailing, statement gold jewellery used as earrings, neckpiece and hand accessories and a neat bun wrapped in a mogra garland. The red bindi on the forehead completes this elegant Ashtami look exuding royal charm.
Richa’s Navami look in bright blue was all about experimenting with the atpoure drape in a dhoti style. The handwoven matka silk sari with gold zari geometric weave on a sheer muslin silk palla is paired with a traditional lace-adorned blouse. Statement neckpiece and bangles complete the accessorisation of the look. The hair is tied into a plait and innovatively bedecked with the white Burflower blooms (locally called kadam flowers)made of shola, an essential element of the chandmala used in worshipping the Goddess.
Hair, Make-up and Styling Notes:
“For this shoot, we tried to create looks for people willing to take part in rajbari or bonedi pujas. During the day, the members of the house engage in a lot of work as well, so we draped the saris in experimental yet easy-to-do drapes. People usually use flowers to accessorise their looks. To make it look a little more experimental, we created a hair look with the shola balls. We kept the make-up very simple, with looks that people can easily do on themselves. We have used minimal base, eyeshadow, cheek tint and light-coloured lipstick. We have used kajal for a few looks to give a more natural feel. We chose handloom weaves mostly, keeping in mind the comfort of the wearer. When it comes to a rajbari puja, people always think of gold jewellery first. But for the first look, which is a day look, we showed how to style it with silver. We have used different drapes for each look So, if anyone is attending a rajbari puja, they can attempt these looks as these have a mix and match of traditional and contemporary styles that are easy to emulate,” said Kaushik and Rajat, hair, make-up and styling duo.
Hair, make-up and styling: Kaushik and Rajat;
Saris: Balaram Saha
Jewellery: Avama Jewellers;
Location: The Rajbari Bawali