DRONAH FOUNDATION

Development and Research Organisation for Nature, Arts and Heritage or DRONAH shares the vision for a better quality of life without foregoing the links from the past.

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World Tourism Day Celebrations: A Heritage Walk at Ghat Ki Guni, Jaipur

DRONAH Foundation will be celebrating the World Tourism Day, 27th September, 2014 by launching a Heritage Walk at Ghat Ki Guni, Jaipur.

Join us for a walk through the built environment comprising of terraced gardens, temples and havelis, amidst the natural setting of the Aravalis, in the Ghat Ki Guni. 

Competitions to be held throughout the day - Poster Making for School Children, Photography Competition, Sketching and Reinterpretation of Architectural Motifs in Contemporary Design for students of Architecture.

In collaboration with Department of Archaeology and Museums and Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, INTACH Rajasthan Chapter, Indian Heritage Network Foundation (IHCN-F), and Jaipur Virasat Foundation (JVF). 

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Nalanda: From Mound to Monument - Google Cultural Institute

Nalanda, one of the greatest centres of education in ancient medieval India, which once attracted students from all over the world, reopens its doors after almost 800 years.The resurrection of the ancient university brings to fruition an idea proposed by the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2006. Sharing with you a series of photographs contributed by Archaelogical Survey of India to the Google Cultural Institute traces the transformation of Nalanda from mere mounds to the monument. 

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CHENNAI ON STAMPS

Chennai city is celebrating its 375th birthday. Here are some Indian stamps of well known landmarks in Chennai. Some of the popular landmarks of Chennai city like the Central Railway Station, Madras General Post Office, Connemara Public Library, Madras High Court, Madras Christian College and the second oldest museum in India belonging to the 18th century have been displayed on the Stamps. 

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HAPPY 375 YEARS: MADRAS

Call it Chennai, call it Madras, chances are that you'll fall in love with this city almost without realising you have and thats the magic of Madras which is now celebrating its 375th birthday. There is no clash between the new and the old in Madras; the modern is simply allowed to exist merrily in the lap of the gloriously traditional. 

We see Marina and Kovalam beaches, we see the compound of the lovely Kapaleeswarar Temple, we see Parry's Corner and the ever crowed Tnagar, the shopping hub of chennai and almost feel the scorching heat and smell the filter coffee. Devoid of all structures modern, and all people famous (except in cardboard cutout form), this video pays tribute to the city itself. A city that seems to become ever larger than life with each passing year. Chennai is beautiful, but Madras even more so. 

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Old Delhi from The 19th Century

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Delhi that includes the Indian capital New Delhi, stands on the Yamuna River in northern India.In AD 1639, the Mughal emperor Shahjahan built a new walled city in Delhi which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 until the Rebellion of 1857. The British captured Delhi in 1857 and the city replaced Kolkata as the seat of British government in India in 1911. A new capital city, New Delhi, was built to the south of the old city during the 1920s. When the British left India in 1947, New Delhi became the national capital and seat of government. 

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Terracotta Crafts, Jaipur

Source: DRONAH 

The small community of Kumbhars, traditional potters at Jaipur create a wide range of decorative figurines, paperweights and plaques of animals and deities in addition to the usual array of pots. The mitti, clay taken from the banks of the nearby rivers is cleaned thoroughly so as to remove all unwanted elements such as straws and stones. The clay is then stored and used as and when required.

An approximated quantity of prepared mud is placed on the wheels and turned until the desired shape in achieved. The form is cut using a length of ordinary thread, manually shaped and polished until smooth. The object is dried in the sun for two hours, in the shade for another two and finally fired. 

Over the years, many crafts persons from other regions in Rajasthan have migrated to Jaipur purely because it offers good facilities, transportation and a better market for finished products. 

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Thatera (Beaten Metal Work), Jaipur

Source : DRONAH 

Thathera is the process of shaping metal, especially brass by beating it into fine sheets and moulding it by hand. The community that practices it have come to be known as Thathera - a Hindu community found mainly in North India who are involved in the production of household utensils made from various kinds of metal alloys. 

In Jaipur, this craft form flourished under the royal patronage of Sawai Jai Singh II. The main raw materials is brass, though occasionally copper, silver and gold vessels may also be produced. This is procured in the form of flat sheets after which the vessel is moulded into its desired form by placing it into Kharavar an apparatus that keeps it in place while it is hammered and folded using aavan a specialised metal hammer. 

The making of Thatera is a tedious process and does not pay well, so has been languishing over the past few decades. Most of the craftsmen sell their goods to shopkeepers in Tripoliya bazaar of Jaipur and do not have direct contact with the client/ buyers. This craft has substantial potential for development. Some concerted efforts are being made within Jaipur to adapt this craft form to suit contemporary needs and respond to an evolving market, 

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The Water Harvesting Practices in India 

The Ancient Ingenuity of Water Harvesting System

Context: Vol IX, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2012

Source: Anupum Mishra 

In the arid desert State of Rajasthan where water is an invaluable resource, most of the water is harassed by traditional methods as opposed to government interventions or international engineering solutions. These methods include the construction of tankas or kunds (reserviors) and baolis (step- wells), harvesting water through rooftops and courtyards in individual houses as well as harvesting ground water through deep wells. 

Economic Aspects of Traditional Water Harvesting

Context: Vol IX, Issue 2, Autumn/winter 2012

Although traditional water harvesting is in a state of decline in India, there has been substantial discourse on the subject in the last few decades. Infact, traditional rain water harvesting is witnessing a push for revival in India.

Some of the places in India where one can find traditional rain water harvesting techniques in use are use the Kolar district in Karnataka with Persian Wheels and also the Hamir Sar Lake in Bhuj, Gujarat.

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The Sunderbans

Context: Vol IV, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2007

Source: AITCE R&D Project on Sunderbans, Department of Architecture, Jadavpur University

The Sunderbans are the single largest mangrove forest in the world, located at the estuarine phase of the Ganga- Brahmaputra system in South Bengal. 

The region has acquired International status as the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve as well as World Heritage Site (UNESCO & IUCN, 1989). It has also been declared a Ramsar Site in 2003. 

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Celebrating 175 years of Photography, on this World Photography Day, DRONAH presents a visual archive of photographs.

Chosen from the past issues of our Journal, ‘Context: Built, Living and Natural’, we bring together an assortment of images featuring Places, Museums, Crafts and...

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Chamba: Enchanting Heritage in the Hills

Context: Vol III, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2006

Source: Cheena Kanwal

Chamba lying in the state of Himachal Pradesh, became a part of the Union of India after 1947. The town of Chamba is divided into 24 localities, each having its own historical, cultural and religious backgrounds. 

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The Crafts of India Album

Context: Vol II,Issue 1, Spring,Summer 2005;  Vol III, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2006; Vol VII, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2010

These photographs show artistic traditions across the states of India from Mata Ni Pachedi in Gujarat, Crafts of Karnataka to Tonk calligraphy in Rajasthan.     

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World Living Heritage Festival, Udaipur, 13th to 16th March, 2014

A four day long festival, the World Living Heritage Festival celebrates the many colours of life, the various shades of cultural diversity, which the Mewar region has to offer. The festival begins with Rang, celebrating the living heritage in the traditional, rediscovered and adapted art and craft forms of Mewar. Guests get a fun-filled opportunity to participate in the festivities and learn local art from the artists themselves.

Workshops are organized and visits planned to meet craftspeople practicing traditional art and craft forms along with music and dance performances through the days of the festivals.

Holika Dahan marked the grand finale to the World Living Heritage Festival 2014. Holi is the festival of colours and Holika Dahan is celebrated the evening before the festival. 

DRONAH is involved in the 'Setting Up, Promotion and Strengthening of Regional and Local Museums', where it has proposed the setting up of new galleries and enhancing interpretation and presentation of existing ones.

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Restoration Work at Ghat Ki Guni, Jaipur by DRONAH

Ghat kI Guni with its unique building types, 52 protected gardens and temples forms a cultural heritage zone of utmost importance to Jaipur city 

DRONAH prepared a detailed Project Report including economic/ financial viability analysis, environmental and social impact assessment, Planning and design of the area, preparation of development plan, among others. DRONAH was awarded a Commendation Prize by the Housing and Urban Development Cooperation Limited (HUDCO) in 2013 for 'Conservation of Heritage'.

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The Museums Album

Context: Vol VIII, Issue 2, Autumn /Winter 2011

From the Special Issue on Museums, here are photographs of a few unique and representative museums across India. 

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Narnaul: Where Lions Roamed

Context: Volume VI, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2009

Source: Neeraj Singh

75 kilometers southwest of Delhi, Narnaul lies in the Mahendragarh district of Haryana. Its history is traced to the Mahabharata when it was known as a 'Nar Rashtra' or 'The land where lions roamed'. Most monuments in Narnaul belong to the medieval period and the site has been a prized possession for ambitious chieftains through history.

It reached the zenith of its prosperity during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Unfortunately, today, some of the structures lie dilapidated and forlorn, emphasising the need for preservation and restoration.  

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Group of Monuments at Hampi 

Context: Vol I, Issue 1, September 2004

Source: Suchandra Bardhan

The incredibly wonderful site of Hampi, lying in the State of Karnataka, was the capital of the great Hindu kingdom of Vijyanagara and rose to glory between the 14th and 16th century AD. Spread across an area of 26 sq. km., the site houses important monuments displaying splendid craftsmanship and building skill, comprising various temples and royal palaces.