jawahar kala kendra

JAWAHAR  KALA  KENDRA   LOCATION : Jawaharlal Marg, JAIPUR Completion : 1991 TYPE : Arts and crafts center Architect : Architect Charles Correa PLOT AREA : 9.5 acres BUILT-UP AREA : 8100 sq.m. Introduction Jawahar Kala Kendra also known as nine-square house of culture, Jawahar Kala Kendra is an arts and crafts centre located in the city of Jaipur. the centre is important not because of the nomenclature but its close association with the city of Jaipur itself. The centre was built in the year 1986 and the construction completed in 1991. The centre was launched by the state government to provide space to the cultural and spiritual values of India and display the rich craft heritage. The centre is dedicated to the late prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru.

Loca%on   It  is  located  in  the  prime  loca%on  of  south  Jaipur.  The  centre  is  situated  on  Jawaharlal  marg   opposite  to  Rajasthan  Commerce  College.  It  is  located  on  a  parcel  of  land  having  an  area    of  9.5   acres  and  the  building  is  surrounded  by  lush  green  landscaped  garden.  On  one  side  it  has  a   Shilp  Gram  made  in  a  replica  of  cluster  of  village  huts.  The  center  was  opened  to  public  an  April   1983.  the  built-­‐  up  is  around  8100  sq.m.      

Connectivity Railway station – 7 kms Airport – 6 kms

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Entrance

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PLAN     BLD NO.

PARTICULARS

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Aministration block

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Madhyavarti open theatre

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Alankar museum curator

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Library Audio visual reading

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Sudarshan art gallery Surekh art gallery Chaturdic art gallery

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Sphatic art gallery/ Music and dance Sphatic art gallery

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Satkar cafeteria Guest house / dormet

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Parijat I Parijat II Srajan workshops Srajan photo workshops

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Rangayan Krishnayan Director theatre

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Concept The centre is an analogue of the original city pIan of Jaipur drawn up by the Maharaja, a scholar, mathematician and astronomer, Jai Singh the Second, in the mid-17th century. His city plan, guided by the Shipla Shastras, was based on the ancient Vedic madala of nine squares or houses which represent the nine planets (including two imaginary ones Ketu and Rahu). Due to the presence of a hill one of the squares was transposed to the east and two of the squares were amalgamated to house the palace. Correa's plan for the Kendra invokes directly the original navagraha or nine house rnandala. One of the squares is pivoted to recall the original city plan and also to create the entrance. The plan of Jaipur city based on the nine square Yantra in which one square is displaced and two central squares combined. the squares is defined by 8m high wall, symbolic of the fortification wall along the Jaipur old city

Jaipur city was not only planned but its execution was also coordinated by Sawai Jai Singh II, in such a manner that a substantial part of the city developed within seven years of its foundation. His reign was probably the most glorious phase in the growth of the city.

PLAN OF JAIPUR CITTY

ACTIVITIES The centre has been made in eight blocks housing •  museums, •  theatres, •  library, •  arts display room, •  cafeteria, •  Hostel,studio The centre is frequently occupied with artists and arts loving people. Many exhibitions and performances by local artists are displayed at the centre. The annual festivals of classical dance and music are held in the centre. The centre hosts many workshops of dance and music.

Layout Each of the nine planet is represented by a square, 30m x 30m, defined by red sandstone walls, 8m high. The programme of the Arts Centre is disaggregated into nine separate groupings, each corresponding to the myths of a particular planet; for instance the planet Guru ( which symbolises Learning) houses the Liberary. The traditional symbol of each planet is expressed in marble and stone inlay in the stone walls that surround it. The central square, as specified in the ancient Vedic shastras, is a void: representing the Nothing – which is the true Source of all Energy.

Interiors of the Kendra •  The first planet is Mangal. Since this planet represents Power, it was to house the Director and his administrative offices here. This planet becomes the entry point to the whole complex – so along the walls of the Mangal Mahal is an explanation of the Navgraha, and on the ceiling under the dome is painted a Jain cosmograph depicting all the rivers, mountains, animals, and vegetation of the manifest world around us. •  The permanent ethnographical art gallery called The Alankar Museum potentially depicts the tangible and intangible heritage of Rajasthan, through a vast range of artifacts exhibited here. •  Another six exhibition galleries presently work as art exhibition spaces and many artists of international status have enjoyed showing their creations here. For them, this art center has been buoying as a civic playground for developing and presenting new and challenging work across the arts. They have taken the institution as an innovative and a convenient way of thinking about India art and culture. •  The well endowed documentation section (library and audio-visual division) contains latest and a vast range of publications on theatre, fine arts and music attracting scholars and art connoisseurs. •  Adjoining the main building of the JKK is Shilpgram- a rural complex with six huts symbolizing the rural ambience of various regions of Rajasthan. These are - Marwar, Braj, Shekhawati, Tribal, Desert land and Hadoti. Apart from routine based art-culture oriented activities a mega annual festival named ”

The dome in Mangal Bhawan

Jain cosmograph depicting the menifest world

The imaginary planet Rahu, symbolising the solar eclipse. Hence the white and black interlocking circles – and in the centre : the Axis of the Universe

Alankar museum depicting rajasthani heritage

Hastkar yantra – based on a medieval rajasthani painting

Surya Kund • The Surya Kund is a very important area and is at the central part of the nine grahas. • On every wall of the kund, traditional symbol of planets is expressed in white marble. • Steps of sandstone are constructed on all the four sides of the court. • A play of levels with central stage invites various activities to be performed at the court and thus the court also acts as an open amphitheatre. • The walls of the kund are cladded in red Agra sandstone topped by a coping of beige Dholpur stone – the same materials used for the Jantar Mantar Observatory, in the Agra Fort, in Fatehpur Sikri.

Construction Techniques and Materials • From   the   plan   of   the   building   to   the   interior   of   the   rooms,   Charles   Correa   has   concentrated  en%rely  on  tradi%on  and  its  revival  –  and  the  focus  is  one  image  of  the   building  rather  than  loca%on  and  its  construc%on.   • The   exterior   of   each   walls   are   covered   in   red   sandstone,   which   replicates   the   peculiar  architecture  of  Jaipur  planned  by  Jai  Singh.   • The   interiors   are   painted   in   the   auspicious   colours,   emo%ons,   and   mythic   imagery   associated  with  that  planet.   • Landscape  elements  such  as  shrubs  and  green  patches  in  an  organic  form  with  water   bodies  are  punctured  between  the  various  ac%vi%es  which  act  as  refreshing  elements.   • The  colour  combina%on  of  green  and  red  sandstone  gives  a  very  vernacular  feel  in  an   contemporary  structure.   • The   simplicity   in   regional   character   of   this   ins%tu%on   finds   expression   in   the   red   Rajasthan  sandstone  with  which  it  is  faced,  topped  by  copings  in  Dholpur  stone.    

Play of Light and Shadow One of the most significant feature which is adopted, particularly in the square Sandharb i.e library, is the play of Light and Shadow. It is partially open to sky and the particular side had full height glazing in it. The partial open roof is treated with the Pargolas. It is designed so as the corridor always remains in shade and pond in the corner, reduces the effect of harsh sun in the library.