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If you're looking for a modern day Aladdin's cave, take this detour on Pashan Road. A little outhouse houses 'Arnav' which for lack of better description is a one-stop gift shop. It's an onslaught on the senses when you enter. A riot of colors, material and interesting artifacts vie for attention. Once you focus though, different shapes emerge - studded jewelry boxes, coin boxes, pillboxes, an amber handle silver seal and a bronze dancing-girl bottle.

Everything in the quaint shop has been handpicked by Geeta Bhojwani. A teacher by profession, Arnav happened by chance. " I had held an exhibition of silk paintings a few years ago," says Geeta, " and we received a contract of paintings worth a lakh rupees (1,00,000)". Arnav was started as a store at the Pride Hotel over four years ago, and moved to Geeta Bhojwani's house only six months ago. The silver haired lady's taste is evident in the bric-a-brac placed artistically around the shop. " Most of the things are from North India, especially from the state of Rajasthan," says Geeta. "Many unusual things can be found at trade fairs." If you are looking for curious collectors items, Arnav is a good place to start. There are regal silver elephants embedded with turquoise, antiquated bronze compass key chains, silk paintings and semi precious stone studded paintings in marble. " We also keep pashmina and angora shawls" says Geeta, indicating a pretty white angora and wool blend shawl with pale blue flowers embroidered all over.

Our attention was caught, and held, by the silver jewelry, Om pendants, jhumkas(long ear rings), garnets, aquamarine and amethysts embedded in funky designs. " Most of our clientele are foreigners or people traveling abroad," says Geeta. It's not surprising, considering that most of the things have a traditional appeal and there are lots of elephant motifs dotting the shop-scape. Amongst these are miniature Ganpatis carved from semi precious stones, accompanies with a written background on the back of the idol.

Apart from aesthetic objects, what makes the shop most inviting is the relaxed home ambience, tempting one to browse through at leisure. The prices too are reasonable - silk paintings start at 175 rupees and the ethnic handbooks are 60 rupees. And finally, there is an element of mystery to add that extra spice.

With Arnav's range of esoteric articles, you never know what you might pick up!!

Meghana Prasad megahanaprasad@indiatimes.com