The Arvind Indigo Museum in Ahmedabad, India

arvind indigo museum

arvind indigo museum

 

If you visit Gujarat, you are likely to pass through/visit Ahmedabad the largest city and former capital of Gujarat. The Old city of Ahmedabad was the first in India to be declared as UNESCO World Heritage City in 2017. The historic city is also known for its textiles industry and it is home to one of the best textiles museums in the world: The Calico Museum of Textiles. Founded in 1949 by the industrialist Gautam Sarabhai and his sister Gira Sarabhai, the museum has a stunning array of Indian textiles dating back to the Mughal period, as well as collections of sacred bronzes, Jaina manuscripts, sculptures, and Indian miniature paintings etc. Visits to the museum must be booked well in advanced as there is only one guided tour per day (except Wed), and no photography is allowed. The 2.5 hour long tour is guided by a knowledgable but rather stern lady, and I found it hard to listen to her and take in all the history and information. Despite the fascinating collection, it was hard to enjoy the tour when being rushed around and forbidden to linger.

 

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

 

Luckily, there is a new museum in the city that is less formal and more relaxing, and it is dedicated to indigo. The new Arvind Indigo Museum is located at the former Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum, hence it is a bit confusing if you are trying to look for its website. When we visited, the museum had just opened (partially), hence there were no other tourists and no prior booking was needed. Set among tall trees and lush gardens, the Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum complex consists of two buildings restored by renowned architect Rahul Mehrotra. The colonial structure was built in 1905, but it was closed during our visit. The new indigo collection is called “Alchemy” and it is displayed in the adjacent building, the Claude Batley house built in the 1930s, which showcases indigo-dyed textiles, art and objects created by renowned contemporary artists from Indian and around the world.

 

Arvind indigo museum aboubakar fofana

Amit Ambalal's "Birds Of A Feather Flock Together"  Amit Ambalal's "Birds Of A Feather Flock Together"

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

First and last rows: Aboubakar Fofana; Second row: Amit Ambalal’s “Birds Of A Feather Flock Together”

 

Natural and indigo dyeing has made a huge comeback in recent years due to the issue of sustainability in the fashion and textiles industry. Therefore the opening of this museum is a timely one. Indigo is an indigenuous dye and it comes from a native plant called Indigofera tinctoria, grown mostly in Tamil Nadu nowadays.

The chairman and managing director of the 88-year-old textile and denim company Arvind Ltd, Sanjay Lalbhai wanted to pay homage to this magical dye that is closely related to his company and Indian’s heritage, so a 20,000 sqft museum dedicated to the artistic manifestations of indigo was born.

 

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

Artisan Kirit Chitara’s rendition of ‘Mata ni Pachedi’.

Arvind indigo museum hansika sharma

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum Bhagyashree Suthar

Arvind indigo museum  Arvind indigo museum

manish nai 95 Natural Indigo Sticks installations

2nd row: Kirit Chitara’s rendition of ‘Mata ni Pachedi’; 3rd row: Hansikar Sharma; 5th row: Bhagyashree Suthar; 6th right and last row: Manish Nai indigo-dyed aluminium and 95 Natural Indigo Sticks installations

 

The exhibition is ambitious and fascinating because it goes way beyond textiles… there are sculptures, paintings, paper art, and even furniture. You can expect the unexpected here, and I think the curation is top-notch. Whilst the exhibition features many local artists, there are also works by artists from other parts of the world like Malian arist/designer, Aboubakar Fofana, whose beautiful indigo-dyed textile works can be seen hanging at the entrance area and in the courtyard of the new building.

 

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum shola carletti

based upon's indigo fragmented crack

Arvind indigo museum Manisha Parekh

Arvind indigo museum Manisha Parekh Annie Morris  Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum Nibha Sikander

Arvind indigo museum Nibha Sikander

Nibha Sikander  Arvind indigo museum Sachin Tekade

Arvind indigo museum Sachin Tekade

3rd row: Shola Carletti‘s “essence”; 4th row: British duo Based Upon‘s “indigo Fragmented Crack”; 6th: Manisha Parekh’s paintings and British artist Annie Morris‘s sculpture made with indigo-dyed concrete, plaster, sand and steel; 7th, 8th and bottom left: Nibha Sikander; 8th right and bottom right: Sachin Tekade

 

The exhibition shows how diverse the indigo dye can be, and it is not just restricted to textiles. After the intense guided tour at the Calico Museum, it was pleasant to spend the afternoon here in a more relaxing setting surrounded by beautiful artworks. The museum is due to fully open in 2020, and I look forward to returning here again in the future to see more indigo art works.

 

Arvind indigo museum Alwar Balasubramanium

Arvind indigo museum Alwar Balasubramanium

Arvind indigo museum Tanya Goel

Arvind indigo museum

  Arvind indigo museum ‘Container’ by Kavin MehtaArvind indigo museum Shihoko Fukumoto

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum

Arvind indigo museum Aboubakar Fofana’s denim installation

1st & 2nd rows: Alwar Balasubramaniam’s indigo landscapes; 3rd row: Tanya Goel; 5th left: Kavin Mehta’s ‘Container’; 5th right: Shihoko Fukumoto’s ‘Time Space’, made with indigo-dyed linen; 7th & 8th rows: Vipul Mahadevia’s “Kimono, the fabric of life”. Bottom row: Aboubakar Fofana’s Indian denim installation

 

 

Sidhpur: splendid architecture in a neglected town

Sidhpur

 

After a visit to the ghost village Durgapur (see earlier post here) near Mandvi, we visited another sleepy town called Sidhpur in Patan. Both places have exquiste haveli architecture but barely any occupants. What on earth happened to these places? I can’t fathom why these home owners abandoned their beautiful homes. It makes me wonder if Gujarat is full of these demise towns and villages.

Situated on the left bank of the River Saraswati, Sidhpur is in fact a scared town within Patan, one of the early medieval capitals of Gujarat. Named after the great Solanki ruler of Gujarat – Siddhraj Jaisinh, the name literally means ‘a pious place’. It was a prominent town in the 10th century under the Solanki rulers, and home to the desecrated 10th-12th century Rudra Mahalaya Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva (now it is a ruin and protected national monument). The town was full of temples, kunds, ashrams and other sacred places that drew pilgrims from everywhere.

Yet our guide did not take us to the archaeological sites, instead he brought us to another part of town where there are rows of abandoned/demolished havelis with few pedestrians and cars. As soon as we saw the architecture, it was another “Wow” moment for all of us. From afar, it reminded me of Cuba; although I have never visited Cuba, these havelis resemble the Cuban architecture I have seen in photograhs/video footage. Perhaps it is due to the European influences and neoclassical features, as well as the colourful facades.

 

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur  Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

 

Welcome to the Dawoodi Bohras neighbourhood. The Dawoodi Bohras is a Shia-Muslim trading community, flourished in Sidhpur from the 1820s to the 1930s. These havelis were built by the prosperous Shia-Muslim traders, and they are all highly ornamented. Every house’s façade has an intricate monogram with the initials of the owners, and unqiue decorations that differentiate itself from other houses. The architecture style here is quite eclectic, where you can see influences from Europe, Persia and India, thus it is really a big ‘melting pot’.

 

Sidhpur  Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur  Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

 

The sad thing is that these havelis are mostly neglected, while some are being demolished. Like Durgapur in Mandvi, I doubt these houses are being preserved by the local authority, hence they may all crumble one day and just become piles of dust. I don’t know much about India’s architectural conservation guidelines, but it appears that the authorities tend to focus more on monuments than residential houses that also desreve preserving. If we look at SIngapore, their govenment has made immense effort into architectural conservation of heritage buildings, and have succeeded in conserving iconic monuments and residential buildings (despite that some may think that these buildings look too new and polished). If the local authority has the foresight, they could revive this neighbourhood and make it prosperous again.

 

Sidhpur

 

After we left the residential area, we saw more activities on the main road, and here the mansions look even grander. I felt like I have travelled from Cuba to Southern Europe within minutes. The facades remind me of the Renaissance architecture in Spain and Italy – amazing!

Since I am unable to do much to save these buildings, I can only write and post these photographs in the hope that more locals would become aware of their existence and persuade the government to protect these invaluable heritage buildings.

 

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

Sidhpur

 

Ancient stepwells in Gujarat: Modhera Sun temple & Rani ki Vav

sun temple modhera

 

I think most people who visit India for the first time would head to The Golden Triange for Rajasthan and Agra, whereas Gujarat seems less popular with first-time visitors. I have no question about the beauty and splendidness of Jaipur and Taj Mahal, but I also think that Gujarat is vastly underrated and hasn’t been promoted enough to foreign visitors. Before my trip, I knew nothing about this state and had never heard of the archaeological sites in the region, hence I was very pleasantly surprised during my visit.

There are many impressive archaeological treasures in this region, including stepwells, which are common in West India and parts of Pakistan. Basically, stepwells are wells or water tank in which the water is collected and reachable by descending a set of steps to the water level.

Surya Kund stepwell is an ancient stepwell at Modhera Sun Temple. Built on the bank of Pushpavati river, the Modhera Sun Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the solar deity Surya built in the 11th century by King Bhima I of the Chaulukya dynasty. The temple complex is divided into different parts; the first one is the Surya Kund stepwell, the others are Garbhagriha (main shrine) located inside Gudhamandapa (shrine hall) and Sabhamandapa (assembly hall).

 

sun temple modhera

Surya Kund Stepwell

sun temple modhera

Surya Kund Stepwell

Surya Kund Stepwell

 

Besides water storage, Surya Kund Stepwell was also used for religious ablutions before praying to the Sun God. The stepwell has 108 miniature shrines carved inside, since the number ‘108 has long been considered a sacred number in Hinduism and yoga.

Both the shrine hall and assembly hall are beautifully decorated from the exteriors to interiors. The Sabhamandap is open from all sides and it is supported by 52 intricately carved pillars which denote the 52 weeks in a year. The carvings show various episodes about the life and times of Lord Krishna. Although I am not very familiar with all the gods and goddesses in Hinduism, I was quite blown away by the craftsmanship here.

 

sun temple modhera

sun temple modhera

sun temple modhera

sun temple modhera

 

The Garbhagriha was designed so that the first rays of sunlight would shine onto the image of the Lord Surya at the equinoxes which happen twice a year – around 20 March and 23 September. This light would then bounce off the walls to illuminate the entire sanctum sanctorum. And on summer solstice day (June 20-21), the sun would shine directly above the temple at noon casting no shadow. What surprised me is the ingenuity of the engineers who were able to calculate and built this temple so precisely over 1000 years ago. It reminds me of the ancient temples that I visited in Egypt, and causes me to wonder if our advanced technology is actually helping us or making us more stupid!?

Interestly, the temple is also famous for its erotic sculptures, which seems odd in modern day India. But before the 13th century, India was very liberal and open about sex. Sex was considered a holistic act and was taught as a formal subject. Kama (sexual desire) was considered to be part of the four human goals of life. The other three goals were: Dharma (moral life), Artha (material gains and means of life), and Moksha (the release from the cycle of life and rebirths). Again, are we regressing or advancing? It is quite debatable.

 

sun temple modhera

sun temple modhera

sun temple modhera  sun temple modhera

sun temple modhera

 

Besides the Modhera Sun Temple, there is another stunning archaeological site constructed around the same time in the nearby Patan. It is the Rani ki Vav stepwell, built in memory of Bhima I by his widowed queen Udayamati. Construction started around 1063 and took 20 years to complete; its architecture and sculptures are similar to the Sun temple.

Rani ki vav is considered as the finest and one of the largest example of stepwell architecture in Gujarat. It was built in the Maru-Gurjara architecture style, and it reflects the mastery craftsmanship of that period. In 2014, the stepwell was added to the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, but for some reason, the Modhera Sun Temple has yet to be listed.

Flooded by the nearby Saraswati river and silted over, the stepwell was buried underground for centuries until the 1940s. Aftre a major excavation by carried out by the Baroda State, the restoration of the stepwell took place from 1981 to 1987.

 

Rani ki Vav

Rani ki Vav

Rani ki Vav

Rani ki Vav

Rani ki Vav

 

It is hard not to be overwhelmed by the scale and beauty of this stepwell. There are four levels and measures approximately 65 metres (213 ft) long, 20 metres (66 ft) wide and 28 metres (92 ft) deep. The stepwell is designed as an underground shrine or inverted temple, and it is highly ornamented. There are 212 pillars in the stepwell and more than 500 intricately carved sculptures depicting Hindu gods and goddesses; the Buddha; men and women; monks, priests and laity; animals, fishes and birds including real and mythical ones; as well as plants and trees, Here, the Buddha is depicted as Avatar of Lord Vishnu, alongside with some erotic maidens, which demonstrates the liberal attitude of that period.

It saddens me to think that our world today is in such a depressing state. We are destroying our planet day by day in the name of technology and economy. Maybe ancient wisdom and culture can help us to find our way out of our global crisis. History will always repeat itself, not because of our stupidity, but because we never learn from our mistakes.

 

Rani ki Vav

Rani ki Vav

Rani ki Vav

 

Kutch textiles: Kala Raksha centre for embroiders

Kala Raksha

 

When I was doing my workshop at Somaiya Kala Vidya, the founder Judy Frater mentioned that she had co-founded and ran another Trust before moving to Somaiya Kala Vidya, and she said that the centre is located in a beautiful and tranquil environment just outside of Bhuj. Luckily, we did pay a visit to the Kala Raksha Center in Sumrasar Sheikh village, which was designed by Ahmedabad architect R. J. Vasavada. The Kala Raksha Trust was co-founded and operated by Judy, where she also established the Kala Raksha Textile Museum, and founded Kala Raksha Vidhyalaya, the first design school for traditional artisans in 2005. Although Judy no longer works for the organisation, the Trust and institution are still in operation, and visitors can learn about the Trust’s work in preservating Kutch’s traditional arts at its centre.

When we arrived at the centre, we were all captivated by the round buildings and the surrounding environment. The buildings are based on the traditional round bhungas, though using contemporary materials and technology. Like the traditional structure of artisans’ villages, the centre is modular, comprising separate bhungo units arranged with local landscaping to create an inviting atmosphere. The units include office, workshop, resource center, museum, shop and guest house, and they are all fully electrified with photovoltaic solar power.

 

Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha  Kala Raksha

 

Like I mentioned in the previous posts, many of the Kutch textiles originate from Sindh (now Pakistan), and their traditions and techniques were brought over to West India due to the migration of nomadic tribes. There are numerous styles and techniques practised by different tribes, but one of the most prominent technique is embroidery. Embroidery can be seen on marriage costumes, wall hangings, quilts, and cradle cloths etc.

Kutch is particularly renowned for its mirrored embroideries. Most of these were traditionally stitched by village women, for themselves and their families, to create festivity, honour deities, or generate wealth. Embroidery also communicates self-expression and status. Differences in style create and maintain distinctions that identify community, sub-community, and social status within the community. At Kala Raksha, they work with six distinct hand embroidery styles: the Sindh/Kutch regional styles of suf, khaarek, and paako, and the ethnic styles of Rabari, Garasia Jat, and Mutava.

 

Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha

 

Today, the organisation work with about 1,000 artisans/female embroiders from seven communities in 25 villages of the desert district of Kutch. Artisans are brought to the center, and under the guidance of trained coordinators, work is distributed to insure fairness, while prices are set by the artisans themselves. The final products are sold through the shop at the center, some selected shops and at exhibitions held outside Kutch. We love the high quality products sold at the centre esp. the embroidered chess and snake and ladder sets, and it gave us an opportunity/excuse to go on another shopping spree as a way of supporting the Trust and the artisans.

After the shopping, we visited the artisans’ residence where we saw two female (possibly mother and daughter) doing some hand embroidery at home. This is a far cry from the sweat shop environment that you normally see on the news! I think India, Pakistan and Bangladesh need to have more NGOs like this to not only preserve the traditions but also help artisans to support themselves and not be exploited by the greedy employers and unethical fashion companies from the West.

 

Kala Raksha  Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha  Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha  Kala Raksha

Kala Raksha

 

Kutch textiles: Ajrakh & blockprinting in Ajrakhpur

Ajrakhpur

Ajrakhpur

Ajrakhpur – the land of Ajrakh

 

Before my trip to India, my knowledge on Indian textiles was minimal, yet the textiles workshop at Somaiya Kala Vidya (see my earlier post) completely opened my eyes. I did not realise that block printing is such a complex and time-consuming process, especially when only natural dyes are used. The ajrakh printing techique is an ancient craft with a history of over 4000 years, and it is believed to be originated from Sindh along the Indus River (now Pakistan). Since it uses natural dyes only, the process would require weeks of work which includes multiple times of dyeing and washing. Sadly, the introduction of chemical dyes from the West led to the decline of this ancient craft at the end of the nineteenth century.

In recent years, the revival of ajrakh printing has been credited to a 10th generation master craftsman, Dr. Ismail Mohammed Khatri. Originally from Dhamadka (about 50 km east of Bhuj), a famous ajrakh village where artisans of the Khatri community resided, Dr. Ismail Khatri and many of the artisans had to leave their ancestral homes and relocate to Ajrakhpur, 15 km SE of Bhuj. The reason for this migration was due to the the drying up of the river caused by the earthquake in 2001 (since water is an essential element of this craft).

With the help of the Maiwa Foundation from Canada, and orders from India’s most renowned ethnic collection studio, Fab India, Dr. Ismail Khatri‘s workshop started to thrive after the resettlement. Not only he was awarded an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University in Leicester in 2003, he also won the UNESCO Award Seal of Excellence for handicrafts in 2008 and 2012 for his dedication to this craft. Now he still runs the studio with his two sons, Sufiyan and Juned.

 

Ajrakh studio  Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio  Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

 

Now the Ajrakh Studio has become a popular destination for foreigners who are interested in ajrakh and Kutch textiles. The new spacious studio, designed by Indigo Architects, opened in 2017 and has a retail shop and a hall where visitors can view a film on the ajrakh craft.

We met Juned and he led us to the printing workshop and explained the process involved in ajrakh printing. The un-dyed fabric is first cut into 9 meter lengths, then washed to remove starches, wax and impurities, followed by dyeing it with myrobalan. A wooden block hand-carved with traditional designs is seleced, coated in lime and Acacia gum (as a resist) and pressed onto the cloth at regular intervals. The artisans continue the process with different blocks and coating them in dyes, aligning them with previous prints, then pressing them onto the fabric. After each colour of print, artisans have to rinse and sun-dry the cloth. This process would be repeated with each layer of colour, hence it is extremely arduous and time-consuming.

 

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh   Ajrakh

Ajrakh studio

 

Ajrakh is traditionally worn by the pastoral Maldhari (meaning herdsman in English) community. Apart from pagdis and lungis, it is also used as bed covers and wedding costumes etc. Traditionally, the colours and motifs symbolise nature with symmetrical designs. Indigo blue (from the indigo leaves) and crimson red (from alizarin found in the roots of madder) are the two most predominate colours for ajrakh.

 

Ajrakh studio

Ajrakh studio

indigo dyeing

indigo  Ajrakh studio

 

Before visiting Ajrakhpur, I told Judy Frater about our itinerary, and she suggested that I pay a visit to the studio of my ajrakh instructor Khalid as he is also located within the village. With limited time, I dashed off from the Ajrakh studio and headed towards Khalid‘s studio (his big signage was useful), which turns out to be only 5 minutes away.

Although Khalid‘s studio is much smaller than the Ajrakh studio, there were still at least 5 employees (including his son) printing and dyeing during my visit. I also met a friendly young textiles student who is working with Khalid on her graduation pieces.

Khalid spent 10 years learning his printing skills from his father, and he only went to study at Somaiya Kala Vidya after his son had done a course there. The course helped him to break away from the traditions and explore new ideas and techniques. Since I learned the basics of ajrakh printing from Khalid at the workshop, I know how talented he is and I wanted to support him somehow. The result was a shopping spree at his studio/shop, where I bought a few scarves and shawls for myself and my family. One of them is a combination of ajrakh print and bandhani (done by his wife), which I particularly like. He also offered to customise the fringes/tassels for me, and the finished scarves were delivered to my hotel by the kind textiles student 2 days later. The prices of his scarves are not only reasonable, they are also unqiue and more contemporary. You can check out his instagram account @ashk_by_khalid to see more of his works.

 

khalid usman Khatri

khalid usman Khatri

khalid usman Khatri

khalid usman Khatri

khalid usman Khatri  khalid usman Khatri

khalid usman Khatri

Khalid Usman Khatri’s studio

 

After we left Ajrakhpur, we headed to the nearby Living and learning design centre, a textiles and craft museum run by the Shrujan Trust that aims to preserve, revitalise and promote the craft heritage of Kutch. Upon arrival, I was very pleasantly surprised by the beautiful and Mexican/Pueblo Revival style contemporary architecture and lush gardens. Opened in 2016, the complex took about 5 years to build and comprises a museum with three galleries, an auditorium, a library, an outdoor cafe, a shop and three crafts studios for practitioners. Again, the architects behind this project was Indigo architects, whose chief architect Mausami had received her MA in architecture from University of New Mexico, hence both the Ajrakh studio and LLDC have a strong Mexican/Santa Fe influence.

 

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre  LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre  LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre 

 

Strangely, the vast complex was very quiet during our visit and we hardly saw any other visitors. If this museum was situated in London or New York, it would be jam-packed with tourists. And I think this museum deserves to be visited by more tourists because of its excellent contents. You really need a few hours to go through the exhibits as they cover all the textiles styles, techniques and fashion from different tribes within Kutch; you can even find out how to tie a turban in different ways. If you want to learn more about Kutch textiles, then this place is a good starting point. Photography is forbidden inside the upper galleries, but it is allowed in the lower gallery where there are paintings and textiles on display.

 

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre  LLDC, Living and Learning Design Centre

 

 

Bhuj: 18 years after the earthquake

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

 

For my first trip to India, I skipped the popular Rajasthan and opted for a 16-day textiles tour around the less touristy Gujarat, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I joined the group in Bhuj after my 5-day textiles workshop, where we spent a few days visiting the city’s sights and textiles studios.

Founded by Rao Hamir in 1510, Bhuj was made the capital of Kutch by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. In 2001, a massive earthquake killed around 25,000 in the region, and the city of Bhuj was almost completely destroyed. Although the city was swiftly rebuilt after the disaster, many parts of Bhuj were demolished including some important heritage buildings. And even today, the aftermath of the earthquake is still visible in the city.

 

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

 

One of the most popular sights in Bhuj is the Aina Mahal Palace built in 1752 commissioned by Rao Lakhpatji. It is part of the Darbargadh palace complex, but sadly lost its top storey in the earthquake. The chief architect/designer of the palace, Ram Singh Malam, spent 18 years in Europe, hence the interiors are highly influenced by European styles. The main attraction here is the Hall of Mirrors because of the numerous mirrors and glass featured inside.

 

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

aina mahal

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

 

Now a museum which houses the royal possessions, weapons, paintings and artifacts is open to the public. Wandering around, you can find blue and white Delft-style tiles, Venetian glass chandeliers, European furniture, and of course many mirrors! Apparently, Malem established a glass factory in the nearby Mandvi, forged cannons in an iron foundry, and manufactured china tiles in a factory in Bhuj, so local craftsmanship was a crucial feature of this palace. It is a shame that the museum does not seem very well-maintained, and I think a bit of polishing wouldn’t hurt either.

 

aina mahal

Aina Mahal

Aina Mahal

aina mahal

Aina Mahal

 

Next to Aina Mahal is the 19th-century Prag Mahal, the largest of the three palaces within the Darbargadh walled complex. Commissioned by Rao Pragmalji II in 1865. It was designed by Colonel Henry Saint Wilkins in a Venetian/Gothic/Indo-Saracenic style similar to two government buildings in Bombay also designed by him at around the same time. The palace is made of Italian marble and sandstone from Rajasthan, and was completed in 1879, four years after Pragmalji‘s death. The palace’s main attraction is its 150 feet high clock tower where visitors can ascend and enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

Aside from the earthquake damage, the palace was also burgled by thieves, leaving it in a rather forlorn state. After filming at the palace in 2010, the famous Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan suggested a restoration proposal with the Gujarat state tourism secretary, hence the palace was restored and opened to the public.

 

Prag Mahal

Prag Mahal

Prag Mahal   Prag Mahal

Prag Mahal

  Prag Mahal   Prag Mahal

prag mahal

 

Inside the palace, you can see some eerie taxidermy from the Maharajah’s collection and odd bits and bobs that resembles a quirky vintage shop rather than treasures of a palace. The most impressive room here is the exuberant Durbar Hall, where you can admire the vast chandeliers, statues and pillars that have clearly been restored. Personally, I find the palace quite uncanny and would dread to stay here overnight.

 

prag mahal

prag mahal

prag mahal  Prag Mahal  

Prag Mahal

prag mahal

Prag Mahal

prag mahal

Prag Mahal

 

After our visit to the two palaces, we spent some time walking down the streets near the Old Vegetable market in the old town. The Old Vegetable market or Saraf Bazaar is housed in an old British garrison, a colonial structure that dates back to 1883. The building was partly rebuilt after the earthquake, and now it still functions as a vegetable market selling vegetables, fruits, spices, pickles and snacks. We missed the trading market, but it was still fascinating to check out the architecture and see some interesting fruits and vegetables that are on sale here.

 

bhuj

bhuj market

old vegetable market

bhuj market

bhuj market

The Old vegetable market

 

While many cities around the world are becoming more homogenised, it was refreshing to walk around the old parts of Bhuj where you can find different types of shops selling local crafts and services catered to the locals. There are tailors, shoe makers, barbers, grocery stores, pharmacies and stationery shops etc; it is a buzzling place that attracts not only people but cows, too. For the first time in my life, I witnessed a cow stealing a shirt from the shop and the shop owner had to run out to chase it – what a hilarious and bizarre sight!

 

bhuj

bhuj

bhuj

bhuj

bhuj

bhuj   bhuj

bhuj

bhuj   bhuj

bhuj market

bhuj

bhuj   bhuj

bhuj

bhuj

 

Although we didn’t stay at the heritage homestay, The Bhuj House (such a shame), but we had a wonderful lunch there. Built in 1894 by an Parsi, Pestonji Sorabji Bhujwala, in Camp – an area located beyond the walled city of Bhuj and directly beneath the fortified Bhujia hill. Though the Parsi house survived the 2001 earthquake, the house was restored in 2012 and opened in 2015. The house features a beautiful Parsi courtyard, and a rooftop terrace with a view of the nearby Mosque.

 

The bhuj house

The bhuj house

The bhuj house  The bhuj house

The bhuj house

The bhuj house  The bhuj house

The bhuj house

The bhuj house  The bhuj house

The bhuj house

The bhuj house  The bhuj house

The bhuj house

The bhuj house lunch  The bhuj house lunch

 

We had a very relaxing and enjoyable Parsi food in the dinning area that overlooks the couryard. The staff also gave us a tour around the homestay after the meal, and it was not to fall in love with this heritage house that is filled with memorabilia and vintage furniture. I would love to stay here if I return to Bhuj again in the future.