I was at the Maximum Store last week, to check out an exhibition of paintings by Kavita Dikshit .Her collection titled " From the Beaten Track" was minitaure meets kitsch. Very colourful, lot of interesting detailing and a very pop-art theme.She uses crayons in layers, peeling sections off to reveal what lies beneath.Perhaps, a true testament to the reality that is India---understood in layers, revealing as much as it hides.Seamless but not neutral...Colourful yet serene. Where there is movement in inertia and a silence that is much louder than the chaos.

But my adventure that afternoon into the winding lanes of Shahpur Jat was to be much more than an exploration of art. It also gave me the opportunity to meet Anita, Sairee and Preeti and catch up with the latest that has been happening with them. Looks like they have been quite busy !! Mridula Sahay has put together an amazing amalgamation of creative enterprise in a retail format.

I absolutely loved the products that were on display at the store and ended up doing a fair bit of shopping myself. Maximum unlocks the bohemian soul trapped inside our neutral minimalist sensibilities and sets our imagination on fire.

If the accessories don't appeal, the animals will. I took a liking to a pair of giraffes and intend to go back next week and bring them home :) Perhaps the lovely mirror in a distressed finish as well !!

That is not all the the store is about, though. Apart from the colourful maternity line, home accessories, art and jewellery the store adds an unusual element to its signature. It is also a hub where seminars are regularly held on various issues like wealth mangement and health, book readings engage your mind and the creative arts are given a new lease of life.