Starting with jewellery and home décor artifacts, The Big Door in Mumbai knows how to pay respect to Indian heritage! Bring the opulence into your home too.
To every fortress, there is The Big Door. And behind every Big Door, is a story, or two.
Launched on October 18, 2013, a distinctive store aptly named ‘The Big Door’, intends on infusing Mumbai with the best of Indian jewellery, handcrafted home decor and heritage collectibles. At first glance, you may classify it as a jewellery store and then an antique furniture or collectibles store, but if you linger just a little bit longer, the store offers much more than what meets the eye.
Presented by Vivek and Sunita Gupta, a couple with a love for Indian heritage products, the store is located at the foot of Pali Hill and is an effort to make art and grandeur a part of your life. Spread across an area of 7,500 sq. ft, each piece is created exclusively and can be customised, and that’s where it hits the nail on the head because I’m sure you can’t possibly squeeze a grand four poster bed made of silver into any of Mumbai’s space starved rooms. But when you offer a miniature version of the same without compromising on the grandeur and style, I know they have caught your attention. And while their jewellery and interiors transport you to a rich Indian past, the creations so passionately spoken about lend a lasting statement of style. Is Mumbai ready for a concept like this? We think so.
Style and smiles
The Big Door, so called because of literally a larger than life door that will powerfully invite you into its warm and quaint chambers, is said to house Mughal, Nizam and Rajput inspired jewellery from Ravi Jewels, Jaipur. Named after Ravi Ajmera, who hails from a family that has over three generations of experience in the craft of fine jewellery, the brand offers limited and one of its kind statement pieces. Ajmera is said to have met the royal families of Rajasthan as well as their court jewellers to understand original designs and techniques. I can feel you getting tempted, so go ahead and pay a visit to the store at least once.
Ranging from precious and semi-precious jewellery, set in gold, silver and silver-gold plated metal, to Victorian, polki and jadau pieces, each of the mesmerising creations is unique, design oriented and exhibit fine workmanship, tradition and exclusiveness. And if this diverse range was not enough, you can also custom design your jewellery at The Big Door.
Moving to styling up your humble abode, take a walk to the interiors section of The Big Door. Each creation is a conversation piece sourced from all across the country and is a product of the aesthetic sensibility of Hemant Periwal who established Mayur Arts in Udaipur. Every home will have a story to tell when adorned with pure silver furniture inspired from the Raj period or marble fountains and jalis, traditional pichwai from Rajasthan, bronze work from South India, Persian calligraphic fauna, antiques or even intricate woodwork. The options are endless! At The Big Door, you can have anything that your heart desires. Even the ceiling with mirror work and miniatures can be yours! While walking around the store, two prominent products caught my eye, which I would want in my house! One is a four poster Queens bed made from 75 per cent silver on teak wood and is inspired from the French renaissance period with floral motifs.
Another eye catcher is a necklace – a Victorian design – made with diamonds and emeralds set on silver. Inspired from old ethnic jewellery using grey diamonds in a close setting, this one is a must-add to your collection.
A traditional effort
Talking about The Big Door, Mr Gupta, Partner, comments, "It’s an effort to bring back the value of our traditions with original genuine art pieces, showcased on an apt platform and reviving the past. It’s our passion for genuine art that inspired this project. It’s very close to our hearts and we shall make sure our customers have a memorable experience.”
The significance of The Big Door harks back to the idea of an auspicious passage into a fortress, in this case a fortress of beauty. The logo for The Big Door is a blend of Indian motifs, and is called The Conchflower, inspired by the first greeting or welcome in any Indian household – the rangoli. Within its curves are the auspicious conch and a swastika.
The collectors’ items at The Big Door weave hidden tales, just like the logo. Let the designs do the talking as you indulge in some opulence. You will be spoilt for choices but when you do finally make up your mind, you are promising to take home not just an artifact or a jewel, but an aspect of our generous Indian heritage, a legacy in fact.
All in all, the duo’s chief challenge is to present Mumbai with a distinctive store that saves the secrets of Indian artistry and makes you feel at home. Look out for this brand new store in Khar and experience the mystic Indian heritage right at your doorstep!
