Designer Nitin Bal Chahuan’s latest collection Chamunda - A Tale of Chamba unveiled today at FDCI India Men’s Weekend reinterprets medieval armour into contemporary silhouette. An eclectic streetwear collection, Chamunda is inspired by the murals of the Devi Kothi Temple in Chamba, the designer’s hometown.

One of India’s oldest wooden mural temples, Devi Kothi is dedicated to Goddess Chamunda and has been hailed by some historians and art critics as the Sistine Chapel of India. In Hindu mythology, Goddess Durga manifests as Chamunda—a fierce and formidable form—when she annihilates the Asuras (demons). 

Beyond its mythological essence, this tale holds a profound symbolic meaning: it represents resilience, the power to overcome adversity, and the indomitable strength within. The Asuras symbolise life’s obstacles, while Chamunda embodies the inner force that enables us to triumph over them. No matter how insurmountable a challenge may seem, or how vulnerable one might feel in its presence, there is always an infinite well of strength within to rise above it.

The designer feels that this philosophy aligns seamlessly with streetwear, a genre rooted in rebellion, defiance, and perseverance. The collection reinterprets medieval armour into contemporary silhouettes with intricate construction. The miniature paintings of the Devi Kothi temple have been hand-painted onto garments using Air Ink—an ink made from collecting vehicular carbon emissions in Delhi and NCR. It is a medium the designer has been experimenting with for a long time now.