Inspired by a mythological Indian story about Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism, this gold, silver and malachite teapot is decorated with a large cobra studded with vivid yellow diamonds that forms the handle and coils itself around to create the base. A similarly decorated smaller cobra forms the lid and finial. As a tea taster by trade, Nirmal Sethia, the founder of Newby Teas, is passionate about creating the finest teas and reviving the art of tea making and drinking. Through collecting and preserving the finest historic teawares in the Chitra Collection, it is also his hope that respect for tea and its traditions can be rekindled. To support this mission, Nirmal Sethia has designed and commissioned a series of 21st century teapots, such as this example, in celebration of tea’s extraordinary history.
