Nila Tamaraa: SHOP: THE ORANGE BICYCLE, BANGALORE

Photo: The Orange Bicycle FB page

When I asked people to point me to one-must-visit quaint shop in Bangalore that tells Indian stories, there was one name that popped up again and again — The Orange Bicycle. (TOB) Quaint, it definitely is.

Photo: The Orange Bicycle FB page

Situated in a posh residential locality in upscale Indiranagar, TOB is a house-converted-into-a-boutique. The entire family of rainbow colour welcomes you when you step into the shop. The store is filled with colourful, unique, eclectic mix of art, bags, pottery, home décor items, bags, shoes, jewelry, garments…you get the drift. QUIRKY is what they all are. And they plaster a smile on your face — from the moment you enter the shop till you leave with a bag of products, which you might not need, but end up buying because you ‘must-absolutely-have-them’; because you might not find the same anywhere else and because it is oh-so-cute-and-charming. You just don’t want to miss the chance of having an old-traditional-milk cans that's used in rural South India, painted and turned into an art-décor piece, which would fit right in that corner of your living room; or a one-foot pink bucket-candle or the yellow leather handbag dotted with autos, the ubiquitous Indian vehicle that’s actually a killing machine let loose on the road —it is a miracle how those things ply on Indian roads.

Pink leather passport hold. I had to have this :)

Back to TOB — there are just two staff members and one sits at the counter, making it a wonderful experience to browse and shop without having sales people breathing down your neck, which is one thing that I find annoyingly common in this beautiful city of Bangalore. I was told by the friendly sale girl that TOB opened four years ago and it was started by two friends, Gunjan Khaitan and Leena Raizada, along with two other partners. They have around 90 vendors across India who supply them with exceptionally creative one-of-a-kind products. The vendors include homemakers, artisans and even brands that produce quirky distinctive products. That’s why no two products are the same; it is kitschy, trendy, edgy and would definitely attract eyeballs wherever you go. They even have small rocks which you might find in your garden, painted with beautiful butterflies and turned into paperweights or just a piece of art. Given that the products are unique one shouldn’t expect them to be cheap. However, I did find them to be reasonably priced.

That's a palm-sized paint bucket. How cute is that!

Oh yeah, I did pick up a beautiful pink leather passport holder with dancing girls, a brightly coloured mouse pad with a motif of an Indian woman with a big bindi and nose ring, cute-paint buckets in horizontal stripes that is currently sitting on my table as a flower-vase, tomorrow I think I shall turn it into a pen-holder and day-after-tomorrw…well, who knows! J

I was disappointed with the clothes available though. Not with the design or print or style. They are trendy, alright. But with the sizes. Forget about XXL, it would be hard to find even a proper L. I would still rate the other products available in the shop higher than the garment selection.

And outside the door, in the portico is another shop called Garden essence from where you can pick up anything garden-related — from bonsais to painted buckets. On my table now I have a bonsai too, sitting pretty. If you are in the vicinity, try TOB. If not to buy, at least to browse. It will make you smile.

The Orange Bicycle

House No. 3353, 5th Cross,

12th A Main, HAL II Stage, Bangalore, India 560038

PH: 080 4125 5242

TO REACH: From 100 feet road indiranagar, enter 12th Main from the Sony Centre/Body shop side. Keep looking for Au bon Pain on your Left. Take the lane right next to it.