user-photo
Team Runway Square

Hello! The Runway Square team is excited that you're here and we would love to hear what you have to say about this story. Leave a comment below or holler at us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram :*.

Travel Postcard // It’s Time For Africa!

Madhuvanthi Senthil Kumar, Design Director – Taxi Fabric, writes a beautiful love letter to Africa.

Share this story, share the love.
 
   
All photos: Madhuvanti Senthil Kumar

A Sea of Emerald. Sprinkled with a barren tree here and there. Skies becoming one with the Savannahs. And just like that, a lioness perched atop a rock, soaking in the glory of being the Queen of the jungle.

Madhuvanti Senthil Kumar

And my eyes? My eyes are trying, trying to soak in every minute detail of what’s around but instead just swims and stays and moves itself through the gradients of what could very well be the Pantone Shade Card of the year 2017.

And that is how Kenya will stun you. In the simplicity of who she is. Completely stripped of First World pretentious additions and alterations, she will welcome you straight into her beautiful heart.

The Kenyans, apart from loving their coffee and taking it slow in life – Pole Pole- also know their Savannahs like how one would know their mother’s silhouette. Much like Rajasthan, they love brightening up their everyday living by adding a myriad of colour to their clothing and accessories. It’s strikingly similar to how our very own Rajasthanis dress- multiple layers of jewellery, big chunky bangles- except, the Masais love theirs beaded and not in metal, and about ten different colours all merged into one attire.

 

It’s incredible how they just embrace Colour as Colour and not as a pattern and they do romanticise it as much as their safaris. Their energy, completely in sync with the vibrancy of the colours, is contagious, and you can’t help but dance with them to their lovely, raw tunes.

 

After twelve days of indulging in their roasted coffee, beaded accessories, warm hugs and 34 lionesses later, I realised a tiny piece of my heart is now somewhere there- either hidden in the attractive stripes of zebras, or the mane of the Lion who walked right past me, or in the eyes of the Giraffe who tried putting her head into our vehicle. Or maybe, in the palms of the Masaai who called himself, Kumongish (meaning, many cattles) and shook my hand when we entered his village.

And until I return to that beautiful land, I will just close my eyes every time I wish to experience that warmth and vibrancy.

Kenya, here’s to you.

With love, Madhu.

Written by Madhuvanthi Senthil Kumar, Design Director at Taxi Fabric.

Share this story, share the love.