My magic carpet

It is not often that a shopping expedition can transport you away.

You usually come crashing to the ground when you hear the price but this morning was a beautiful exception as we were lead into the den of carpets that is the kingdom of the now world famous Mr A Saboor. “Saboor” to his friends and Justine Hardy is among them, while Hillary Clinton was also a guest, is the most engaging carpet seller in the whole of Delhi, perhaps the world.

Hillarys letter of thanksSaboors wall of fame

He looks at you with a glint in his eye, while adjusting his white cap on his head and says stroking his beard thoughtfully:

“Three things have to be the best in life

Your partner

Your house

Your carpets

Because you don’t want to have to go changing any of them do you?”

He showed us the difference between silk on silk and silk on rayon. He burnt threads and held them under our noses. He had the ability to make all of us adopt the most compromising positions as we counted the knots per square inch on these exquisite carpets and then showed us the difference between one of 24 knots compared to the world record of 87 knots per square inch.

He unfurled silk on silk and silk on cotton, wool on cotton and wool alone and we sat there transported to distant kingdoms and magic lands where they are painstakingly produced with the most exquisite colours and patterns, drinking Kashmiri tea which was like manna from heaven complete with petals, cardamons and almonds. Heavenly !

So were we brought back down to earth with a resounding thud I hear you ask?

Well frankly no we were all allowed to float and hover and hum and ha and work out the rupee, dollar, euro equivalent of it all and in all honesty I felt the man was able to make many a girl happy on this day. Need a little warmth and luxury underfoot? Visit Saboor, it is quite the way to start the week.

By appointment only saboor@ncerugs.com