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A little
away from Fatehsagar ring road, close to the Village
Havala, 3 Kms. away from Udaipur lies Shilp Gram
(literally means A Village of Craftsmen), a Village
conceived as a living ethnographic Museum. Shilp Gram
depicts the life style of the Folks of not only Mewar but
the whole Western India. It also includes the Tribal
folks.
Traditional Huts have bee constructed here featuring
Household Articles of everyday use like Terracotta,
Textiles, Wooden, metal & decorative objects etc. with
appropriate signals and explanatory details. It provides
an opportunity to the Visitors to observe and learn about
the rich traditional and ethnic Crafts and Arts, the
various facets of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa, and Maharastra.
The Village generates a better appreciation of the
extra-ordinary diversity of designs and ethnic sense of
the rural Craftsman. A huge open air amphitheatre is the
venue of major Festivals.
There is a Museum representing the 4 member States West
Zone, which has Turbans, Household Items, Toys, Musical
Instruments, Decorative etc. used in the Village areas of
these member States.
In the Month of December, West Zone culture Society
arranges a 10 days Craftsmen Fare called 'Shilpgram
Mahautsav'. It is witnessed by the Craftsmen from around
the India. Each Day of the Fare is dominated by the guest
Craftsmen of different Region. Several Stalls and Counters
are put for the sale and exhibition of beautiful
Handicrafts made by these Craftsmen
The Rural Arts and Crafts Complex - Shilpgram - would also
provide an opportunity to rural and urban artists to come
together and interact through the process of camps and
workshops. It is hoped that through intimate observation
of different styles and experiences, urban and rural
artists would learn from one another and enrich their
skills and art forms. The Centre promotes contemporary
urban ceramists, potters, designers, visual artists etc.
to work with their traditional counterparts in creating
works of everyday art which would then be put up for
exhibition and sale for visitors.
The Center developed two Museums in the Shilpgram where
simple objects of day-to-day use, that represent the sense
of wonder and aesthetics in rural and tribal life are put
on display. In addition, a Crafts Bazar in the fashion of
a traditional 'haat' was made where visitors could buy
traditional crafts from the Zone. Craftsman were invited
periodically to demonstrate their skills and sell the
crafts to the visitors at the Shilpgram.
An attraction no less of the Rural Arts and Crafts Complex
is the open air Amphitheatre with a seating capacity of
approximately 8000. Besides the major theatre festivals
which the Centre hold here, it is hoped that this facility
would motivate the local community as well as outside
visitors to take a keener interest in theatre and the
traditional folk performing arts.
Shilpdarshan is a continuing activity at Shilpgram in
which traditional performing artists and craftsmen are
used to draw from the interior villages of the member
states. They are regularly invited to exhibit their skill
and to demonstrate their crafts, and sell their
masterpieces in order to have direct access to the buyers.
This programme has encouraged the rural craftsmen and
performers in a big way. The Shilpgram has become an
important landmark in India and Government of India has
decided to replicate them in all the Federal States of
India. |