The Rooms
The Making of Le Sutra Sutra in Sanskrit is a 'rope or thread that holds things together'.
We gave ourselves a brief to take a small hotel nestled in one of the most vibrant streets in Mumbai and make it as significant as any other in the world – truly a pipe dream.
Fired by the concept, several artists, designers, curators, philosophers and visualizers were inspired to take on the challenge and create Le Sutra – the world's first Indian Art Hotel.
Taking from a palette of philosophy, myth, art form, and historic pride, it turned out to be quite a journey as we delved across time in our search of the illusive Indian-ness.
At Le Sutra we've tried to weave thousands of years of Indian ethos and narrate it through contemporary Indian Art.
Come, join us in our discovery …
Concept Direction - the Gunas
The Gunas in Indian philosophy are tendencies and attributes that exist within people, nature and things so essential to the evolution of consciousness. It is also a way of qualifying an artifact or a being. There are 3 Gunas:
Tamas Colourful, Opulent, Intricate, Erotic
Tamas is usually associated with excessiveness. Here the person or object is immersed, attached and drowned in self-indulgence & gratification.
Rajas Vibrant, Action, Passion, Vivacious, Stylish
Rajas leads one to action. It is the force that creates desires for acquiring new things which leads one to activity and expansiveness.
Sattva Minimalist, Celestial, Ethereal, Aesthetic
Sattva means balance, order, purity. This typically implies that a person with more of Sattva has a positive and orderly state of mind. Such a person is psychologically kind, calm, alert and thoughtful and aspires for higher realms.
Stories to tellThe 16 rooms at Le Sutra are based on 'characters' (Ravana, Karna, Buddha) or 'characteristics' (sensuality, love, purification) inspired by Indian mythos.
Every room is a virtual canvas where the story forms the guest experience. It is subtly composed through art - paintings, artifacts, chairs, inlays and sculptures; narrating their part, showcasing diverse themes and philosophies.
Kundalini
The reception is based on the concept of the 'kundalini'.
The kundalini shakti is a potential power or cosmic energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine, subtler than the physical body, coiled around the root chakra. The awakening of this energy is an essential part of all spiritual advancement and realization. The power of this energy helps the individual rise through all the chakras and all the gunas eventually reaching the Sahasra chakra. The journey of kundalini awakening is an inner experience, going from gross to subtle, to subtler, and the subtle most, to ones own center of consciousness. The kundalini shakti is the feminine principle and it rises through the body to meet the male principle that lies at the back of the head.
Chakras
The lift is based on the 'chakras'.
The word chakra means wheel or vortex. The chakras are energy centres that lie at the vertical axis of the subtle body which co-relates to the spinal cord of the physical body. They are not physical but are aspects of consciousness. They form the ladder leading up to the apex of spiritual awakening. Each chakra has a specific function and a specific colour and governs a specific organ in the body. The chakras are considered to be focal points of reception and transmission of energy. In an ordinary man the chakras are small circles and the colour is very dull. In an awakened man they are seen as blazing whirpools of colour and energy. There seven chakras in our body.
The first chakra is the Muladhara Chakra or Base Chakra:
It is placed in the region between the anus and the genital organs at the base of the spine. It reperesents the earth element and is symbolized by a four-petal lotus and its colour is red. Physically, Muladhara governs sexuality, mentally it governs stability, emotionally it governs sensuality, and spiritually it governs a sense of security.
The second chakra is the Swadhistana Chakra or Sacral Chakra:
It is place in the sacrum and corresponds to the sexual organs. It represents the water element. It is symbolized by a six petal lotus and its colour is orange. Physically, Svadisthana governs reproduction, mentally it governs creativity, emotionally it governs joy, and spiritually it governs enthusiasm.
The third chakra is the Manipura Chakra or the Solar Plexus Chakra.
It is placed in the solar plexus and is also known as the power chakra. It is symbolized by a ten petal lotus and its colour is yellow. Physically, Manipura governs digestion, mentally it governs personal power, emotionally it governs expansiveness, and spiritually, all matters of growth.
The fourth chakra is the Anahata Chakra or the Heart Chakra:
It is located in the chest and it represents the air element. It is symbolized by a 12 petal lotus and its colour is green or pink. Physically Anahata governs circulation, emotionally it governs unconditional love for the self and others, mentally it governs passion, and spiritually it governs devotion.
The fifth chakra is Vishuddha Chakra or Throat Chakra:
This chakra is located in the throat and is thus related to communication. It is symbolized by a sixteen petal lotus and its colour is pale blue. Physically, Vishuddha governs communication, emotionally it governs independence, mentally it governs fluent thought, and spiritually, it governs a sense of security.
The sixth chakra is the Ajna Chakra or the Brow Chakra:
Located at the centre of the head it represents the third eye. It is symbolized by a two-petal lotus and the colour is white, indigo or deep blue. Mentally, Ajna deals with visual consciousness. Emotionally, Ajna deals with clarity on an intuitive level.
The seventh chakra is the Sahasra Chakra or the Crown Chakra:
The sahasra chakra is located at the back of the head and is known as the chakra of pure consciousness. Its symbolized by a thousand petal chakra and the colour is violet. Sahasrara's inner aspect deals with the release of karma, physical action with meditation, mental action with universal consciousness and unity, and emotional action with "beingness"
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