New Delhi, Sept. 27 -- Inside her sprawling bungalow in Mumbai, Geeta Khandelwal displays her latest creations. There's a deep-green angrakha in mashru silk, interlinked with cotton wool and hand-quilted with fine stitches; an ivory jama with gold jamdani butis and a 32-panel skirt; a sherwani made from a floral woollen shawl; a brown baghalbandi jacket in jute; a farji jacket in printed shot silk (dhupchav). These are all miniature dresses, ranging from 25cm to 35cm in size.

More than 20 of Khandelwal's miniature costumes, inspired by what she calls the ceremonial and everyday dress of maharajas from the 18th to 20th centuries, are currently on display at London's School of Historical Dress, in an exhibition, Indian Miniature Costumes: ...