"Chhatra Sagar",Nimaj,an Eco friendly Tent Camp

Who doesnt love being Ecofriendly?

Ecofriendly ways and Ecofriendly manners are loved by all of us.Come enjoy with me to the vast land of ecofriendly tents ,the mini mobile palaces...

Chhatra Sagar, an eco-friendly tent camp in Rajasthan, India, summons to mind the motto of Hoshi Ryokan, a Japanese inn located outside Osaka, Japan, first opened in 718 and today run by the 46th generation of founding family: 

‘Take care of fire. Learn from water. Cooperate with nature.’ 

In many ways Chhatra Sagar is a living illustration of that quality of enlightenment. The camp lies a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the city of Jaipur. It’s a lifetime project of the Rathore family, direct descendents of the Maharajah of Jodhpur, owners of this land for 17 generations. 

   Originally in 1890, great-grandfather Thakur Chhatra Singh decided to dam a seasonal stream flowing through his estate and changed the face of the valley, turning arid scrub into lush farmland.  His vision was to create a water reservoir which would harvest the monsoon rains. It was an ambitious project and a great drain on his resources but Thakur Chhatra Singh remained true to his vision. The reservoir was named Chhatra Sagar in his memory.

By early twentieth century Chhatra Sagar had developed into a lush green oasis. With its wide open spaces and enchanting views, it became the entertainment venue of choice. To capture the outdoor “big sky” feel of the place, permanent construction was deliberately kept to a minimum. A fresh luxury tented camp was created for each party. For many dignitaries visiting Nimaj, “Camp Chhatra Sagar” was the highlight. Legendary sporting parties with high tea and exotic dinners became a regular feature. 

Over the years irresponsible farming, well-drilling and animal grazing damaged the water table. In 2001 the family decided to give the land back to nature, and established this eco-resort of 11 camp-style tents overlooking 365 protected acres on the east side of the dam, which fills with water from October to March. 

The famed “Camp Chhatra Sagar” has been recreated by the great grand children of Thakur Chhatra Singh.

Luxury tents have always been an important part of Rajput lifestyle. Constant campaigns in far flung lands meant long stays in tents under inhospitable conditions. Tents were the only luxury available and soon these “homes away from home” evolved into mobile, mini-palaces.Chhatra Sagar captures the essence of this romance.

Following their conservation effort, over 200 varieties of wildlife have returned, egret, heron, kingfishers, antelope, wild boar, small jungle cats, all easily observed from the ramparts of the dam or on nature walks into the habitat. The sustainability quotient is optimal—the camp serves all locally sourced food, has intense community involvement, and is furnished by indigenous craft. The property employs 30 local families from the nearby village of Kheda Deogarh, sponsors teachers, provides medicine, classroom furniture and brings specialized educators who address subjects ranging from family planning to recycling to soil conservation. 

The Rathore family deeply love the land, and view water-harvesting as an ancestral responsibility. Stewards and guardians of a unique place, their personal involvement and constant presence reinforce the commitment. They bring to the equation a natural grace and elegance, making the experience an altogether authentic one. They have created utterly comfortable lodging, and the ‘one price-everything included’ policy makes for an even-more attractive offering. By far the most romantic beds are found in ‘the tents on the hill’, with their 360-degree view, to the east the Aravali Hills, to other directions the rolling contours of rural Rajasthan. Come for the silence, the bird-watching, the isolation, the bats who fly over the dinner tables at dusk, the fresh pomegranate juice on the terrace, the tangible humanity of this singular place.

 

All tents face east overlooking the lake and have private sit outs offering panoramic views. Each tent is carefully hand stitched with interiors block printed in traditional floral motifs. They are spacious, comfortably furnished with locally crafted furniture, and have well appointed private facilities. Two of the tents are set atop a hill providing complete privacy and a breathtaking 360 degree view. 

The camp has 11 guest tents on the dam and two on the hill.

The descendants of the people invited here by Thakur Chhatra Singh still live in settlements around Chhatra Sagar. Predominantly farmers and shepherds, they live a self-contained and harmonious life which has changed little in the last century. Chhatra Sagar continues to recharge their wells and provide water for their livestock. 

The camp organises farm & village visits and conducts bird watching tours.  

Image and Information courtesy:Chattra sagar ,Nimaj,Rajasthan

Amarya Haveli,A Bed and Breakfast Place

Amarya Haveli ,a bed and breakfast place in Delhi is acheerful blend of ethnic motifs and European comfort. An eclectic array of Indian antique furnishings intersperses contemporary décor, creating a cozy ambience that infuses this charming home, from the warm silken lounge and individually styled suites to the magical starlit terrace… 

As Frequent visitors to Delhi the French owners of Amarya Haveli,Alex and Mathieu,understood the challenges of staying somewhere comfortably.They found atwo storeyed home in the medieval village of Hauz khas ad decorated it with the artefacts handpicked from Rajasthan.6 comfortable stylised rooms ,comfortable and themed,named after the Indian cities,JAipur for the pink room with a mirror,Jodhpur for the blue with a serene buddha sturcture,Mumbai with blue and red with a neon bolly wood sign.Vintage posters of mother India and beautiful flowers welcome you ...

Image courtesy:Amarya Haveli

* Indian Artists*--"Vallery Puri" The Artist and her Art

There are a bunch of artists in India whom I love a lot and admire a lot and could even spend hours looking at their paintings and also do secretly desire to have one of their paintings in a corner of our home. This is a New Feature on "Indian Artists" in "Celebrations Decor", where I would feature "Indian Artists". A platform for all my readers to get to know and to admire the different artists throughout India, whether big or small...

The first post is on "Vallery Puri" and her Art and Passion. An artist who is destined to become an artist will definitely become one. Having graduated from Lady Shriram College in Delhi and having done a foundation course from the JJ college of arts in Mumbai, and worked as flight attendant in an airlines, she travelled far and wide in search of art galleries, amazing is the passion.. She resumed painting in 1996 and from then there was no looking back. She has had her paintings exhibited in many solo painting shows and group shows also. What i loved the most is her unusual name, which i forgot to ask the meaning of and then her usage of bright colors and interpretation of the images. Absolutely beautiful is the word for it..

When asked about to feature on the post, she readily agreed and sent me all information I wanted. This is what she had to say:

"If someone were to ask me what art is, I would say there is no ‘right' or ‘real’ answer to that query and one cannot truly or completely answer that question. Is it something that appeals to one’s soul?

As an artist, whilst I paint, I feel connected to our Universe. There is this all round feeling of oneness, of being and yet not. This feeling of lightness of being……..

I have been painting from the time I can remember, and before that, as my parents remind me. Serious goal oriented painting with exhibitions in mind began on the morning of 8th Jan 1996 and has pretty much continued since. It was a dream on the night of 7th Jan that guided me and literally told me what to do. Fortunately, I actually listened and followed those instructions. My styles have evolved and matured over the years and continue to do so. It has been an interesting and colourful journey so far.

I am strongly influenced by the powers of nature and how it in turn controls us. The way we think, the way we are and feel. These emotions spill out on my canvases in a way that is figurative, descriptive and busy at times and otherwise simple and straight. It communicates the state of mind one is in ---- the busy ness or the bland blankness. These colours, compositions, and combinations are simply a form of communicating the varied emotions one feels as life unfolds with all its twists and turns. Sometimes I use opposing colours to the way I feel----- bright ones when I actually am in a dark space and so on.

Every painting has its own story to tell and a different one for each of the viewers who relate in their own personal way to what they see. Most of my paintings have titles like-------- Hukka, Chandini, Zevar, Darwaza, Khaali, Udasini, Mazaak, and so on.

I started with black ink on cartridge paper. As the weeks passed, several colours were added and gradually I moved on to canvas boards and black ink was replaced by a thick texturised (relief) look. I have used knives, brushes, back tips of brushes, croquil pens, pencils, twigs and several other everyday tools to achieve a fine intricate look in some of my work.

These group of works are titled "Where have all the forests gone?"

Blossoms
dance of love
forest fantasy 4ftx4ft
exuberant audience 3ftx3ft
birds and bunders on branches3ftx3ft

beneath the banyan,60x60,oil on canvas

Most of my paintings are primarily figurative. Having been a caricaturist right through school and college, it was but natural to pursue the curves of the body, mind, and soul. I use most mediums to explore my thoughts---- acrylic, oils, inks or pastels. Artists who have inspired me are Madhav Satwalekar, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Rousseau and Amrita Shergil amongst others."

When I am not painting, she says she creates jewelry. Its fun and she actually walks around wearing a piece that was created moments ago!! There is always something new to look forward to and experiment with and of course learn from and she thanks our universe wholeheartedly for this.

Vallery Puri is settled in Delhi, married to Dileep Puri and has two sons, Prahlad and Arjun.

Hope you all enjoyed the artist and her works. This is from her recent works and a show to be hosted in Delhi. The details of the show will be put up later in another post. Her works are displayed in Art Experience, Gurgaon.

Image courtesy:Vallery Puri, Puja Gupta

Terracotta love at home

Simple ways in which we could bring terracotta art into our homes.Terracotta items definitely bring a cheer and a way different from the usual.A keen sense of aesthetics will help you incorporate these items in your daily life.

Some of those that brought warmth to our home...

Plumerias floating in a terracotta uruli brought smile on everyones face and fragrance in the air.,

Terracotta hanging lamp and small uruli ,a horse and a lantern with some dry arrangement ,home down south

Pink Bougainvilleas and pink watermelon juice,a time to put your feet high and indulge in reading

who doesnt love drinking chai from a desi cup?

some horses and a dry arrangement on a centre table,home down south

Can you all see the ganeshjis hiding under the leaves,they are there right down..

terracotta tiles on the courtyard,at home

a collection of shells and flowers in the corner of a room,float some flowers along the shells...

some cranes in the garden,painted ones ..and the tall jug,home down south

chimes on the grills,home down south

The warmth of the clay items and the burnt smell of the baked items have been definitely passed over to your homes from mine.I hope you all will start incorporating these small items in your decor and nurture the art..Simple things and great decor ...

If you all loved these ,do write to me ...

All images and Ideas by Lakshmi Arvind

Pl dont copy images,,

Terracotta Art

Staying in Delhi and my upteen number of visits to the Potters Village,Saket,Delhi pushed me to write this post.All must be wondering about how the" terracotta work" is called an "art".Yes and to be very factual it is a form of Art.

The word "Terracotta" is etymologically Italian, and means ‘baked earth’ or ‘fired earth’. A clay-based unglazed ceramic art, terracotta art is an antique practice and bears testimony of man’s civilization through various ages.

*It would be wrong to say that it is entirely an Indian art phenomenon. 

*In fact, the art revolutionized the concept of European creativity and was elevated to an indomitable status by Italian craftsman, during the 15th century. 

*Some other countries that made use of terracotta were China, England, France, America and West Africa.

 *The Terracotta Army of China (the terra cotta soldiers), The Abduction of Hippodameia (Scene from a Greek mythology, where Hippodameia is abducted by a centaur), and The Town Buildings of Victoria, Birmingham are notable examples of the use of the art around the world.

From times immemorial; this art has been a pulsating life-force for the people of India. The excavations of the Harrappa and Mohenjodaro civilizations validate the fact.Can be traced back to the Indus valley civilization 3500BC From daily bric-a-bracs to revered idols; Indians mastered this art to cater to their every necessity. In fact, terracotta art was considered as mystical in India, as it incorporates the five vital elements - Air, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. 

Refined clay is first dried partially (not completely). Following this, it is cast, molded, or hand worked in such a way that it gets the desired shape. Thereafter, it is allowed to dry some more and then fired, by placing in a kiln or on top of a combustible material in a pit. Finally, it is allowed to cool, either by covering it with sand (in case of pit firing) or cooling down the kiln (in case of kiln firing). 

The art of terracotta varies from region to region in India and different states in India is specialised in its own unique style of terracotta sculptures and even clay colour of different region varies from region to region.

*West Bengal is famed for the terracotta objects produced in the Bankura District. The Bankura horse is very famous. For centuries the craftsmen of this district have been making figurines having ritualistic connotations.

 *Tamil Nadu is famous for the huge terracotta figures of the Aiyanar Deity. They are found standing guard at the entrances of villages protecting the insiders from evil spirits.

*Orissa and Madhya Pradesh have a charming tradition of decorative roof top tiles, made partly by hand moulding and partly on the wheel. These tiles, shaped like half tubes, have perched on top of them figures of elephants, monkeys, bears, reptiles, gods and goddesses and are considered a status symbol among the rural people.

*Terracotta panels and storage jars painted white and decorated with tiny mirrors are common in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

*Horses of Darbhanga in Bihar which are painted in bright rainbow colors once they are made.

*The terracotta pottery of Madhya Pradesh is simply remarkable, especially that practiced by the tribals of Bastar.

The terracotta art works definitely multiplies the look of the contemporary and traditional home decor. 

My  visits to potters village defnitely helped me in capturing the essence of the potters village,saket.All these images shown were taken during the days of GAnesh chaturthi and so most of these are the figurines of different types of elephant god,the obstacle remover the great God Ganesha .Will definitely feature the other items available in potters village in a different post.

Text courtesy:lifestyle.iloveindia.com,indiasite.com,indianetzone.com,india9.com