Ravindra Manch was the venue for an art event & exhibition in Jaipur, Jaipur Art Summit. It is one of the new-age contemporary art festivals in Jaipur. Jaipur Art Summit provides a strong boost to the art and culture in Jaipur; the city has a buzzing and active art community. Ravindra Manch was once a popular venue in Jaipur for theater and drama, but it fell out over the years because of various reasons. The authorities are revamping the entire place with renovation repair work along with the new investment. The facade of the Ravindra Manch reminds us of the building designs prevalent during the late sixties and seventies hinting towards the Soviet influence. Here is a photo of Ravindra Manch in Jaipur

Jaipur Art Summit at Ravindra Manch

Everything you want to know about Ravindra Manch in Jaipur

Ravindra Manch in Jaipur took birth in 1963 by the Rajasthan state government to promote dance, music, & theatre. Until November 1985, the Rajasthan state government managed its operations; thereafter, its operation and management were handed over to Ravindra Manch Society. The funds were provided by the state government. Over the last few years, Ravindra Manch was neglected. The music, dance, and theatre community shifted to Jawahar Kala Kendra. The open-air amphitheater was still popular but the rest of the premises were not. The recent renovations are a step in the right direction but only time will tell whether these are effective or not. 

Jaipur Art Summit

You can check up on the last year’s Jaipur Art Summit here in this post, Jaipur Art Summit/Art lovers congregate in Pink City. The moment one entered the venue, the Kathputli, or puppet installation under the tree grabbed attention.

Puppetry Of Rajasthan

Puppets are a popular souvenir the tourist carries from Rajasthan. This installation by Vrinda Haldia and Umakant Meena conveys the message of women’s empowerment.

This puppet with an iPhone is a felicitation of women and Rajasthani Art & culture. The large size of the puppets symbolizes the generosity, dedication, independence, confidence, and sacrificing nature of women. As for an iPhone, it conveys the message that if given a chance, women can outperform everywhere, be it at home or the workplace.

The smaller puppets symbolize the advancements made by women in various fields like sports, workspace, art and culture, and so on. All these puppets have been named after the famous women who have made their marks in various fields be it politics, armed forces, or space.

Art Installations

In one of the sections, there was a painting and artifact exhibition. It included interesting stuff and art installation too.

I found the installation “Fly away pollen, Spread the Beauty” by the famous artist Mr. Gopal Namjoshi very interesting. It was made using scrap and items from daily life like spark plugs, ball bearing, acrylic, and locks. It draws attention to the various types of insects on the planet Earth, which form a  very important part of our ecosystem.

Blue Pottery

In another section, many artists from abroad were performing a live demonstration of art from their country. There were artists from Iran, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Afghanistan, China, and so on.

Wood Block Art

Kolhapuri Chappal Installation

Among the important art installations were two installations from Ms. Kanika Bawa, who holds the Limca Book of Record under Made In India platform. The first one was the largest Kolhapuri Chappals and included 10’6″ and 8’6″ installations.

She tries to draw attention to this otherwise fading industry of the handmade Kolhapuri Chappals.

Kathakali Chair

The second installation was the largest Kathakali chair, dedicated to the ancient dance of India, Kathakali. This Kathakali chair was 10’6″ tall. Here is a picture of this chair with a backdrop of Ravindra Manch.

thang ta dance

The day wound up with an impressive performance of Than-Ta which is a cultural war art from the state of Manipur, India. The traditional name of Thang-Ta is Huyel Langlon, the martial art of Manipur. It is part of Huiyen Lallong performed in Manipur.

I’m posting two videos that depict the heritage martial art of Thang-Ta or Huiyen Lalong in a better way than the pictures. Do watch both of these videos.

Pictures from Ravindra Manch – Jaipur Art Summit.

Even the effect of the recent Demonetization of high-value Indian currency notes was visible at Jaipur Art Summit. Artists Take on the Demonetization in India. This was placed right next to the entrance of Ravindra Manch building.

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