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CHAPTER 4

ARTISTIC INTERACTIONS: THE REALMS OF

ARCHITECTURE, DANCE AND PHTOJOURNALISM

Introduction:

The principal objective of this chapter is to explore the select realms of arts

such as Architecture, Dance and Photo-Journalism where the French

influence is seen at its maximum level.Since these genres are ostensibly the

major beneficiary of Guj-Franco cultural rapport, they have been explored

here. Gujarat’s architectural tryst with France commenced way back in early

twentieth century when the erstwhile royalties invited French architects and

town planners. Thus were executed the cities like Dhoraji and the palaces

like Rajmahel of Wadhwan city. This architectural rapport continued well

into the mid- twentieth century when the rich textile tycoons of the city of

Ahmedabad, invited the internationally acclaimed French architect Le

Corbusier to design several buildings in Ahmedabad. He gifted four

architectural gems, namely Ahmedabad Textile Mill Owners Association,

Sanskara Kendra, Shodhan Villa and Sarabhai Villa. His invaluable

contribution along with that of Shri B.V. Doshi has been explored here.

In addition to the contribution made by the above mentioned architects, an

effort has also been made to evaluate the endeavours made by renowed

architects like Bernard Kohn, and Pierre Cadot Sarah-Keller towards the

restoration and the conservation of the Pols and Havelies in the walled city

of Ahmedabad. The substantial contribution towards the Guj-Franco

cultural linkages made by the internationally acclaimed classical danseuse

from Gujarat Mrinalini Sarabhai and her equally illustrious daughter,

Mallika Sarabhai, has also been explored here. A very non-conventional

type of art genre, i.e.Photo–Journalism, which was introduced in Gujarat by

the legendary photographer Parmanand Dalwadi has also been studied and

profiled here.

4.1 Architecture: Mixture of Medievalism with Modernity

Architecture is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and

constructing buildings and other physicsl structures. Architectural works, in

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the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and

as works of art.

Historical civilizations are often identified with their surviving

architectural achievements. (Wikipedia)

French architecture, consisting of Roman, Pre- Romanesque, Romanesque,

Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism and Modernist,

ranks high among that country’s many accomplishments.

As noted earlier the French art and aesthetics significantly influenced some

of the architectural styles, especially town planning and the building of

castles and palaces in colonial India. It is imperative to understand the

French colonial context in order to understand the architectural influences

during the eighteenth century onwards. The French who had arrived in India

in seventeenth century and had established their first trading center at Surat

were immediately out played by the powerful English in the colonial game

of supremacy. The ousted French were compelled to drift towards the

southern part of the country where they eventually established their business

centers. Thus was developed Pondicherry which, with its strategic location,

became the cultural citadel for the French.

The town of Pondicherry has been witness to the rise and fall of French

power in India. Though the French developed few other trading centers, this

city emerged as the major center of French art, culture and architecture. It

wouldn’t be in excess to state that the story of Pondicherry is the story of

French in India. This city was often built and re-built by the French as it had

been subjected to various territorial conflicts. It today boasts of possessing

massive colonial buildings and statues, systematic town planning and

zoning. French styled the town as per their own expectations and aesthetics.

It must be said that various architects and town planners from France

continued to impress the various architectural conceptions of the country.

These influences appear direct when the executioners are the French but they

become implicit when they influence the indigenous architects who create a

sort of fusion. These influences are also perceptible in the inclusion of

various French symbols and motifs with the local patterns. It must be

remembered that in those days majority of royals had a direct rapport with

the English and therefore, only those royals turned to France who were

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connoisseurs of French art and aesthetics. The state of Gujarat, one of the

earliest hosts to the French at Surat in the colonial days, always maintained

a special rapport with France, which exerted a considerable influence on the

Gujarati art and aesthetics. Some of the early French influences on the

architecture of Gujarat are found in the built up form, especially in the small

principalities of Saurashtra. The French architects and town planners were

specially invited by some rulers of the state. Sometimes select French

structural concepts were incorporated into the main design which was based

either on the Oriental styles such as Indo-Persian or the Occidental styles

such as Gothic, Baroque and Rococo.Some kings on the other hand turned

to the French for some kind of sophistication and architectural exclusivity.

This aspect has been explored in the ensuing pages.

The Town of Dhoraji

As noted earlier, the grand and gorgeous French architecture has

considerably influenced the planning and execution of palaces, castles and

some elite residencies of Gujarat. It is to be mentioned here that some of the

early French influences on the architecture of Gujarat are found in the cities

and palaces of the small principalities of Saurashtra. Thus, Dhoraji, a small

town on the banks of a rivulet Suffora, a branch of the river Bhadar, came

into existence. The fort and the general town planning of this eighteenth

century Saurastra illustrates a considerable French influence. It is to be noted

that the French influence in the overall structural conception, the

architectural motifs, symbols and execution of the town earned for it an

enviable and coveted sobriquet the ‘Paris of the state.’

This town has been part of the eastwhile Gondal State which had acquired it

from the State of Junagadh. Sir Bhagwatsinhji, the progressive ruler of

Gondal State, who had established a town planning department and had

introduced town planning principals to regularize and monitor the growth of

the fortified town of Gondal, Dhoaji and Patanvav, was born at Dhoraji

Darbargadh. The fort and the general town paining of this eighteenth century

city of Kathiawad illustrate a considerable French influence. The massive

fort wall has several bastions, four main gates along with the three smaller

gates known as Boris. The multi-storeyed Dabargadh of the town is located

at the highest point. The façade is ornamented with sculptures of musicians,

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complex geometric pattern, images of lions in different postures on long

cause, profusely cared pillars, horizontal friezes, decorative kangaroos and

windows framing the skyline.

It is designed like a jewel box-in the same architectural style of

Navaho places at Gondal. (en.m.wikipedia.org)

The town underwent transformation in the twentieth century as its ruler

Bhawgatsinhji sought to bring about a Parisian character to his town. This

was carried out under the influence of the town planning of Paris by Baron

Haussman. Dhoraji thus can be considered one of the greatest architectural

linkages of Guj–Franco relationship.

The Raj Mahal Palace of Wadhavan City

The French influence on the built form in Gujarat can also be traced back

to the unique conception and execution of the Rajmahal in the city of

Wadhavan. This unique palace, a French symbol where the architecture

borrows heavily from the French Baroque and Rococo styles, was built by

H.H. BalSinhji Jhala in nineteenth century after his return from France. It

was exclusively executed by artisans from France. Built in the rococo style

of architecture, this structure has a lot of decoration, especially in the shape

of curls. Since it illustrates a very strong French architectural influence, it

has been recognized as a major symbol of Guj-Franco cultural interactions.

This royal residence, also known as Balvilas Palace is located in a sprawling

space of 13-14 acres. It accommodates a park like ground with tennis courts,

lily ponds, fountains, out houses and cricket pitches.

The centerpiece is a beautiful pillared courtyard with marble statues.

There is a marvelously appointed Darbarhall with painted ceilings,

king–sized portraits and a throne. There are beautifully restored

vintage cars and a library of automobile books.

(www.gujarattourism.com)

Interestingly, the palace was built by the king after his return from France.

He appointed a French architect and nearly fifty French artisans, as a result

of which,

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The palace bears the rational control and proportion of the Baroque

style and the use of florid patterns, gold and pastel colors of the

Rococo style. (Pereira, TOI).

Along with these French architects who were invited by the Maharajas of

erstwhile principalities, a slew of French architects continued to have

dialogue with the town planners and city designers of Gujarat. Some of these

iconic architects who had rapport with Gujarat have been profiled in the

subsequent pages.

Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris (Le Corbusier) (1887-1965)

Le Corbusier- The Soneteer of Stones

Source: 42ndblackwatch1881.wordpress.com Retrieved on 18 October,

2014

Le Corbusier, a Swiss architect and city planner, whose designs combine the

functionalism of the modern movement with a bold sculptural

expressionism, shared a very special rapport with India in general and the

city of Ahmedabad in particular. This internationally acclaimed modernist

architect, Charles Edouard Jeanneret-Gris was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds,

a small Swiss village in a watch maker’s family in 1887. He adopted the

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pseudonym ‘Le Corbusier’, meaning ‘the crow’. The greatness of his works

is reflected in the rare honour given to him on the ten franc currency note of

Switzerland. He eventually made France his home.

The iconic architect from Gujarat, Balkrishna. V. Doshi who worked under

the French legend was moulded and shaped by the infuences of his French

guru. He joined Corbusier’s studio at the peak of his career in 1951. It was

a period of rethinking for Le Corbusier, especially after the Second World

War and the troubles he had gone through. The commission to design

Chandigarh kind of revitalized him. Planning for Chandigarh was obviously

the most unexpected but a much welcome opportunity to express his new

thinking. Added to this was the challenge for working in an alien

environment.

Working in India with her large population, full of paradoxes but with

a great cultural history, and the new aspirations following the

Independence, must have been for him a very unusual proposal as

compared to his earlier solution for Algiers etc. (Doshi 4)

Le Corbusier had a very special rapport with the city of Ahmedabad which

provided a free ground for him to realize to the fullest potential many of his

architectural theories in real buildings. He had so many qualities and one of

the most important was that he had a free mind, bound by no rules, not even

by his own idea but orchestrated many ideas, each the seed of different tree

and each enriching the other. He moved constantly in different apparently

contradictory directions.

He was not concerned with consistency. And he was constantly

improvising. (9)

It must be mentioned here that he was always curious and open to challenge

and was ever willing to try and experiment, and therefore, all the buildings

by him in Ahmedabad are remarkably different in their spatial experiences

and even approach. They are an open book on architecture and demonstrate

many different ways of resolving issues of climate, construction and culture.

Ahmedabad can boast of four creations of this modern master, representing

of two architectural prototypes–the private residencies and public

institutions. The following pages shall try to elaborate the four architectural

gems created by this French icon.

The Villa de Madame Manorama Sarabhai, Ahmedabad, 1951.

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One of the residences belonged to Manoramaben Sarabhai, a widow then,

and was designed as a ground-hugging quiet recluse amid natural tree grove.

The Villa de Madame Manorama Sarabhai, also known as the Sarabhai

House is a unique architectural piece, reflecting French architectural

sophistication in the Indian context. It is a quiet low and meandering recluse

amidst nature, a relevant setting for the widow and her two sons. The house

is situated according to the prevailing winds (in order to be traversed by

currents of air), and its facades are furnished with brises-soleil (Sun

breaker). This structure exhibits unique Catalonian vaults; cradle vaults of

flat tiles, set up in plaster without form work and a row of bricks cast roughly

in cement. These half–cylinders are carried to the walls by the intermediary

of a rough concrete lintel.

The composition serves to create openings in these walls, ail parallel,

playing solids against voids-but playing intensely the architectural

game. (www.fondationcorbusier.fr/../)

A lot of research has gone into this house. One of the most brilliant solutions

to deal with the heat and light is that of the roof. The ground floor is of

Madras stone with an unobtrusive black bonding. The noble and

fundamental material of architecture that is the brick has been used in rough

concrete form. The Catalonian vaults offer a tranquility of their own. The

ventilators supply regular light and air flow to these vaults. It may be

recalled here that this French genius was invited to the city of Ahmedabad

by Gira Sarabhai, once a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, about the

possibility of designing a house for her sister-in-law Manorama Sarabhai in

Ahmedabad. The renowned architect Charles Correa characterized the

humility and spatial fluidity of this house.

A masterwork as complex, amorphous, and as open- ended as banyan

tree, as an Indian joint family. (www.splankin.com.lecorbusier.html)

The Surottam Hutheesing House: (1951-4)

Originally this residence was designed for Surrotam Hutheesing, the then

president of the Millowners’ Association, but it was then sold at the planning

stage to Shyamubhai Shodhan and transferred to another site. Hence the

nomenclature The Villa Shodhan. It is believed to have descended in the

long run from the Maison Citrohan. The building’s cubic form was carved

out with dramatic concrete brises-soleil and overhangs to create a textured,

dynamic composition, an ascending route and a habitation traversed by

breezes.The house with its over-whelming volumes and cascading terraces

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under a large and high parasol overlooking the large swimming pool

conjures images from the Indian miniature paintings. The House also

reminds the image of Dom-ino. A Simlar device had been used in the Maison

Baizeau near Carthage of 1928. However, here it was restated in a more

rugged form. Le Corbusier had realised that this should be one of the central

elements of any new Indian architecture as variations of parasol ideas could

be found in several phases of the history of Indian architecture.

Sanskaar Kendra

Source: www.panoramio.com Retrieved on 19 October, 2014

Sanskaar Kendra is one of the two pubic building commissions Le Corbusier

got to realize in the city of Ahmedabad. He made a paradigmatic shift in

terms of concept, theme and execution from the previous two structures

which were private residences.He was well aware of the fact that this new

building was going to be a venue for public, he kept in mind the places of

public with the aesthetics based on Indian ethos and values.

The Sanskaar Kendra being the place of display creates neutral

backdrops of walls and the interoverted spaces become a solid square

box in brick with a central court. (13)

It must be said here that the city of Ahmedabad has been an extremely

fortunate to have a prolonged philanthropic tradition (Mahajans) sustained

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by the textile tycoons like the Sarabhai family, the Chinubhai Sheth family

and the Lalbhai family.They were not only keen on making the textile capital

of Gujarat into another Manchester, but they were extremly aware about the

necessity of aesthetically designed public places in the city. The then mayor

of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the late Chinubahi Sheth, asked

Corbusier to design the cultural centre in Ahmedabad. For Corbusier too, it

was both an opportunity and challenge to actualize the theory of spiral,

which he had been advocating through his articles for quite sometimes now.

It was Le Corbusier patent to incorporate the local cultural milieu and motifs

into his designs in order to make them more people-friendly. This could be

one of the reasons why Corbusier incorporated the chowks into the basic

design of the building. Though Corbusier was and eternal experimenter, he

did not wish to deviate from the basic canons of traditional Gujarati

architecture. The fundamental rationale behind his designs can be perceived

from his desire to contextualise his works in the local milieu.Moving

amongst the people, population for whom he had to design, he felt the

intense relationship between people, flora and fauna at spiritual and material

levels in daily life.

The Sanskar Kendra structure bears the stamp of this French wizard. This

built prism in the exposed brick surface is lifted above the ground through a

grid of columns in exposed concrete. It plays with juxtaposed dualities of

peripheral mass and hollow centre. The austere look of the façade was meant

to be relived by the creepers to be grown in the exposed concrete channel

wrapping around the building as the green ribbon. The free form curvilinear

water body and the free standing sculptural outcrop of concrete as the

refreshment counter at the ground floor also offer the counter points to the

straight edge geometry of the built mass.

Sanskaar Kendra is the truest translation of the Domino- house

concept of Corbusier, with concept frame and stairs. It is simply a

grammar of wall planes as infill around the concrete column as the

structure. This organization while containing the voluminous space

inside the museum relieves the mass through lighter column structure

so that eye travels further and sense of volume and scale is

comprehensible always. (Pandya, 13)

The mezzanine floors inserted in four quarters, along with the window

apertures drawing light, punctuate these nodes visually and subtly dividing

the contigous space into four sub spaces.The internal space is otherwise lit

dimly through indirect skylights to avoid heat and glare and bring in diffused

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light just appropriate for the display function without damaging the exhibits

from ultraviolet rays and direct sun. The upper floor remains accessible

through its trademark element- the ramp which provides not only for

leisurely stroll overlooking the water body in the court but also remains

accessible path for all. The peripheral walls are built as cavity walls

providing much needed insulation in hot dry climate. The insertion of the

service floor between the museum floor and the terrace also shelters the main

floor from the radiation and heat from the roof. Moreover the roof was

designed with water troughs to further insulate spaces below.

The freedom of program brief and the iconic status of the building as

cultural centre inspired Corbusier to explore few ideas beyond the

architecture. (ibid)

Corbusier, consistent to his thoughts on putting roofs to productive

purposes, provided for the water channels where hydroponics were meant to

be grown. No wonder in his architecture volumes, Corbusier enthusiastically

writes more about the aqua-culture possibilities in his structures. The

original sketch for the museum shows four extended arms on four sides

where permanent display about Museum of Man, Museum of Popular

Tradition and Museum of Scientific Research were to be housed along with

the amphitheatre. However, these have not been realized in the initial phase

so far The Sanskar Kendra building became the precursor to the museum

building in Chandigadh as well as museum of Modern Arts in Tokyo.

It is important that a word is stated about the purpose of this cultural center

(Sanskar Kendra). As a city museum it depicts history, art, culture and

architecture of Ahmedabad. Originally designed in the Modernist style with

the name Museum of Knowledge, it was actually a part of a large complex

of Cultural Centre of Ahmedabad which had separate pavilions and areas for

different subjects like anthropology, natural history, archaeology,

monument sculptures, workshops and depots, folklores in open air. It also

included a pavilion for theatre called Miracle Box. But out of whole planned

cultural centre, only Museum was built. Its foundation stone was laid on 9

April 1954.

Ahmedabad Textile Mills Association (ATMA) Building.

Although built around the same time, in the same city, and in the same

climate zone, the buildings built by the French legend display an incredible

level of diversity and contrast. Le Corbusier, the creator of the private

residences is completely different from the creator of public places. For him,

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the transition from one project to another was little awkward. While

designing the public places for the city, he was faced with the challenge to

express the constraints of Indian economy, technology, climate and the

aspiration of a historical city. However, the French legend could deliver

thanks to the faith and freedom the patrons extended to their visiting guest.

It must be noted that thematically there is a fundamental difference between

the Sanskar Kendra and the ATMA building. The architectural syntax of the

first relies on climate mitigation on its introverted courtyard like square

doughnut configuration along with the service floor and cavity walls for

external insulation. ATMA, on the other hand is largely an extroverted

platform, using the parasol and the Brises Soleil, a roof that would let the

light in yet provide shade against the sun.

One aspect, unique to Corbusier’s architecture and one that commonly

manifests in all his projects in Ahmedabad, has been the resource value

ascribed to the roofs.

Corbusier assigned additional value to the roofs of buildings in

Ahmedabad; not treating them as leftover surfaces. He always

emphasized on the incorporation of the natural light into the basic

structure of the building let people get fresh air and a view of the moon

light. (Doshi 8)

Le Corbusier was very well aware of the utilitarian expectations of the

ATMA sponsors. He was asked to build some facility which could

accommodate 60 to 80 persons for association’s meeting. It was meant to be

an office building which had one conference room and a large hall for

Associations assembly and meetings. He could understand the Indian reality

and created a gem of structure in the city of Ahmedabad. The visionary

architect from Gujarat, Balkrishna Doshi, who was also associated with the

most Corbusier projects in Ahmedabad believes that the French genius was

always guided by his inner force. He could create new architectural marvels

as:

He was constantly observing, searching, interpreting and

transforming natural phenomenon, objects, plants, and what not.

Anything he saw, he adopted and transformed as if for his own

pleasure. (9)

Le Corbusier was commissioned a total of five buildings in Ahmedabad, two

public institutions and three private residences, of which one was not built.

The ATMA building was the first commission to be completed in 1954. The

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building is located on the famous Ashram road, in the upcoming western

part of the city. It is a unique structure which has mesmerizingly

incorporated the aspirations of the people and the genius of a visionary. A

ceremonial ramp makes for a grand approach into a triple height entrance

hall, open to the wind. Arrival is on the first floor, where (as per the original

design) the executives’ offices and board room are located. He wanted the

road and the river to be physically and visually linked. Moreover, he was

well aware of the local expectations. He always knew that some people

always peck, sit for a chat and then go away, and therefore he could

understand both, the utility and the aesthetics. The ground floor of the

ATMA building houses the work-spaces of the clerks and a separate, single

– story canteen at the rear. On the third floor is a high, top – lit auditorium

with a roof canopy and a curved, enclosing wall, in addition to a generous

lobby. The east and west facades are in the form of sun breakers or Brises-

Soleil, one of his many formal inventions, which, while avoiding harsh sun,

permit visual connection and air movement.

The Brises-Soleil act as free facades made of rough shuttered

concrete, the north and south sides, built in rough brick work, are

almost unbroken. (www.atmaahd.com)

It is to be stated that post independence India was in search of modernist

identity in the realm of public and private architecture. The medieval-

colonial buildings did not suit the recently ‘freed’ Indian spirit which was

very keen to have modernist but aesthetically designed public buildings. Le

Corbusier who was one of the torchbearers of the Modern Movement in

Europe was invited to India by the then prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru in

1951. His concepts of an international style of architecture responsive to

local climate and culture, and the honest expression of materials, were most

subtly expressed in his India projects. While in Gujarat, he talked the way

local inhabitants use their scarce resources, and he tried his most to be as

approximate to Indian reality as possible.

I too follow the custom of using only one bucket full of water and a

tumbler for bath or eat the same way food is served or even study the

multiple ways of Indians use their clothing fabric. (Doshi 9)

In the buildings the French legend created in Ahmedabad there is an

indelible stamp of his genius. In these works, Corbusier’s need for the

resolution of opposites found its expression in the juxtaposition of diverse

and often seemingly contradictory architectural elements.How dexterously

he handled spaces is well illustrated in the foyer design of ATMA structure.

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On the second floor of the Mill Owner’s Building, the lobby is treated

as an open space defined by harsh, angular forms and the auditorium

as an enclosed space delineated by soft, curvilinear forms… two

contradictory elements that both need the other in order to exist.

(www.atmaahd.com)

The ATMA building involved a very special usage of brick-walls. Here his

box is enveloped with totally opposite types of sun breakers to suit the

western and eastern facades and the north and the south walls are solid brick

walls. He intersperses the spaces with free standing concrete sheer walls and

rounded volumes which are light and moving. The structural grid of RC

columns in this building is broken by the sheer walls the lift shaft and solid

brick end. They not only firmly enclose the box, but also emphasize

directional link between the street and the river

.

The double storied upper floor with its bean shaped hall and its

crescent shaped room connects its palatial hall to the roof, expressing

his message to celebrate life through interconnectedness at all levels.

(Doshi 15)

Corbusier expressed the institution’s dual character-the public and the

private-through his concept of the house as a palace (Une maison Un palais).

Villa Cook, designed by him in 1926 and based on this same concept, is

considered to be the closest antecedent of the ATMA Building.According to

him, the expression of monumentality was one of modern architecture‘s

important tasks. The aim of this monumentality was to express the power of

humans acting together and to celebrate the essential nobility of man. It was

the textile industry which gave Ahmedabad its economic, and consequently,

political importance and in housing the business activities of the captains of

the textile industry, the architecture of the Mill Owners’ Association

Building is a tribute to the nation. Corbusier acknowleged the vision and

aesthetic enlightenment of his clients, the mill owners of the city. It took

courage and insight to engage the architect and his radical ideas, but in doing

so, the mill owners demonstrated that modern architecture is a means to

express a city’s aspiration. How majestically the French icon reciprocated

his indebtedness to the city.

With a full hand I have received with a full hand I give. (ibid)

Le Corbusier vehemently spoke about the cascading terraces with or without

attached balconies or verandah and how this he found them represented in

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the traditional Indian miniature paintings. He appreciated the existence of

such an intimate relationship Indians have with art and real, life. The roof of

the ‘ATMA’ building echo his reinterpretation of Gujarati traditions. The

Ahmedabad Textile Industries Research Association (ATIRA) building also

has his inspirational imprint on its face.The city has also been a source of

inspiration for him.

The form, the light and air through power station on the banks of

Sabarmati captured his imagination and he translated this industrial

element into the most dignified roof of the Assembly Building at

Chandigadh. (Pandya 13)

His inclined slicing of the roof of the cooling tower and adorning its with

elements in order to catch the cardinal sun rays on a particular day in a years

speaks volumes about his ability to convert highly developed industrial

products into a sacred object of architecture. Here one sees how he fused

the engineer and the artist in him. At micro level, he could, like wise devise

new methods to save energy and cost. Le Corbusier had studied miniatures

to understand the subtle nuances of shaded, private terraces and balconies.

Curious and open to challenge, he was ever willing to try. For him ‘chance’

meant opportunity. New issue a challenge meant virtue. That is why all the

buildings by him in Ahmedabad are remarkably different in their spatial

experiences and even approach. They are an open book on Architecture.

They demonstrate many different ways of resolving issues of climate,

construction culture.

It must be stated that the Corbusier projects in Ahmedabad have

exclusivity of their own. These projects are more of Corbusier metaphors

and symbols than being mere structures of bricks and cements.

These four examples are not merely projects. It was a laboratory of

ideas. A demonstration of his theories. A dream comes true. These

four examples are, his theories of thirties reinvented. The idea of

growing spiraling museum, the remakes of espirit nouveau pavilion,

roof gardens and so on. (Doshi 18)

Le Corbusier’s arrival in India at the invitation of the first Prime Minister of

India. Jawaharlal Nehru, inked a new chapter in the bilateral alliance

between France and India. His sojourn in Ahmedabad transformed the face

of the city as the four buildings he constructed had far reaching

reverberations across the country.Perhaps, it was here in India, that he saw

greater value in counterpoints or apparent paradoxes. Spiritual meanings,

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the deeper essence of life is what he saw in India. He admired most

profoundly the quality of activities around the huge water tank enclosed by

the Sarkhej Mosque and tomb complex built in the seventeenth century. The

fact that he was hugely impressed by the art and aesthetics of India could be

measured from the words that he spoke to his disciple and his fellow

architect Balkrishna Doshi.

Doshi you did not need to go to Acropolis, you have it all that we seek

from architecture. (19)

It is needless to repeat that Le Corbusier elevated the Guj-Franco rapport

to a new altitude. The four symbols he chiselled in Ahmedabad emerged as

centres of attraction for aesthetes and institute builders and gave rise to a

new wave of architectural movment in the country. It also signalled revival

and resurgence for establishing new institutions. His legacy was, to some

extent, was carried forward by another French architect of international

repute. The following profile estimates his contribution towards the

sustenance of Corbusier’s legacy.

Bernard Kohn (1931-)

The Guj-Franco architectural bond which was shaped by the legendry

French architect Le Corbusier and his equally illustrious disciple from

Gujarat Balkrishna Doshi, is furthered by a horde of renowned architects

from across the globe including the internationally acclaimed master

Bernard Kohn. He was the one who inspired the most ambitious riparian

Riverfront Project on the Sabarmati.

Source: www.narendramodi.in Retrieved on 19 October, 2014

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He is also one of the founders of Ahmedabad School of Architecture. He

was inspired by the famous Scottish town planner Patrick Geddes who

showed lot of respect for nature, democracy and traditional crafts as a

foundation of city. Many of his students have reshaped the city’s skyline in

the past few decades. It may be recalled here that it was Kohn who had

proposed the riverfront plan to the then Union Finance Minister Morarji

Desai in 1961. Ahmedabad was, after Chandigadh, a magnet for word-class

architects such as Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, B.V. Doshi, Anant Raje and

Charles Correa. Presumably, Kohn hoped to gain Morarji Desai’s sympathy

as he was from Gujarat. Morarji Desai wrote back.

It was necessary to initiate thinking and stimulate general interest in

the solution of the problem. (Frontline)

Bernard Kohn, like his legendry French contemporary Le Corbusier, was

also instrumental in designing private and public buildings in Ahmedabad.

These buildings may not have received the expected attention yet if one

looks at the conception and execution of them, one certainly comes across

the stamp of a genius.One such exclusive structure is The House of Curios:

Amit, Raksa Ambalal. The focus of this house is on the front room, which

has a Garuda from Southern India, Moghal - Period chests and pieces of

furniture that were part of the family’s collection. Natural light streams is

from a skylight. The house is called Sumeru or hills because

It takes inspirations from a mounting, with two wings rising from the

ground and meeting at a central point, which is the lounge. The house

has been designed in a way that more rooms or wings can be added

when required. (India Today)

This house, a product of Bernard Kohn’s post modern concept was built

almost entirely from architectural fragments of the first floor of a haveli that

once stood in Ahmedabad’s lanes called pols designed by the family

carpenter, including beautifully carved, rich dark wood pillars, railings,

doors and windows, with the addition of doors from the Jaali of an

Ahmedabad mosque. It is an amalgamation of Guj-Franco aesthetics. The

industrialist – turned artist has developed a very special studio with a

wooden façade, brick structure and a tiled roof. It is reminiscent of a haveli

or courtyard house with large, covered verandahs and a raised sitting area

with windows making up the façade. An ornate entrance on the side leads to

an open court, which has the workshop across.

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Post-independence, the city of Ahmedabad had emerged as a confluence for

experimentation and explorations for so many internationally acclaimed

architects. Enterprising entrepreneurs with their avant garde outlook

brought into the city world legends in the field of architecture. Not only were

these icons invited to the city but they were also entrusted with full creative

freedom to realize their chosen visions. The generous patronage extended

by the textile tycoons of the city of Ahmedabad soon made the historical

town into a citadel of art and aesthetics. No wonder this ambience was

recognized and reciprocated by the city designers and public place planners’

from across the globe. Precisely it is the reason why the city has unique and

most profound collection of edifices by international masters.

The city had became a canvas for modern masters to come, experience

and create their three dimensional art. (DNA)

Meanwhile the city continued to host a phalanx of internationally acclaimed

architects such as the British architect Claude Batley, who was instrumental

in the execution of iconic structures such as Tagore Hall, MJ Library and

Vijalighar. Charles Eames was the other town designer who was invited by

Gautam and Gira Sarabhai to help set up the design school- National

Institute of Design, conceptualize its teaching ideology and design the

curriculum accordingly. Similarly, the iconic showroom of Calico Mills was

themetically inspired by the German engineering wizard, Buck Minster

Fuller. And Calico Mills’ administrative building was originally

commissioned to the legendry American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Le

Corbusier and Louis Kahn chiseled sonnets in stones and ballads in bricks

and imparted legitimacy to bear aesthetics of exposed brick construction,

hitherto alien to the place and people.

Even after Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn, international architects chanced

their arms over this open canvas. French architect Bernard Kohn and

American teacher Christopher Beninger had made the city their home for a

decade or so and have to their credit numerous buildings in their

impressionist years. Bernard Kohn championed the cause of Riverfront for

the river Sabarmati half a century ago, and Christopher Beninger helped

draft the course curriculum for the School of Planning. From the national

scene, even with no lineage to the city till fifties, Pune born architect

Balkrishna Doshi, apprenticed with Le Corbusier in Paris for four years,

made Ahmedabad his karmabhumi. Noted legends of contemporary India,

Achyut Kanvinde from Delhi, trained in the USA in Bauhaus tradition, and

Charles Correa from Goa-Mumbai, also trained in the USA, have numerous

trend setting buildings to their credit. Ahmedabad Textile Industrial

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Research Association (ATIRA), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL),

Stadium, Gandhi Ashram to name two each respectively.

Thus, Ahmedabad became the laboratory of architectural innovation,

research and thinking. It not only has imprints of the modern masters for

posterity but has continued to breed new generations of architects with

lessons n puritan and thoughtful architecture through institutional set-up

B.V.Doshi: (1927-)

Source: en.wikipedia.org Retrieved on 19 October, 2014

Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi is an iconic architect and considered an

extremely important figure of South Asian architecture. He is noted for his

contributions to the evolution of architectural discourse in India. After initial

study at the J.J. School of architecture, Bombey, he worked for four years

with Le Corbusier as Senier Designer in Paris and four more years in India

to supervise his projects in Ahmedabad and Chandigadh. Over the years

Doshi has created architecture that relies on a sensitive adoption and

refinement of modern architecture within an Indian context. The relavency

of his environmental and urban concerns make him unique as both a thinker

and a teacher.

Architectural scale and massing, as well as a clear sense of space

and community mark most of his work. Doshi’s architecture

provides one of the most important models for modern Indian

architecture (Sharp 45)

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He stumbled into studying architecture at the suggestion of a school teacher.

Later he travelled to London in 1951 to find himself participating in the

activities of the Congres International d’Architecture Moderne (CIAM).

There he was offered his first job with Le Corbusier in Paris, who was

designing Chandigarh at the time. It was a phase of rethinking for Le

Corbusier, especially after the Second World War and the troubles he had

gone through. The commison to design Chandigadh kind of revitalized him.

India with her multiple complexities posed a kind of challenge to the French

genius. Doshi, without much background of the contemporary architecture

joined the great master. Language too was a barrier. Luckily, the guru took

on the role of a mentor and tought him the basics of architecture through

sketches and drawings. His logical and ever fresh mind inculcated a sense

of decipline and design in Doshi’s mind. It was Corbusier who tought him

that there was an intence relationship between people, flora and fona at

spiritual and material levels in daily life.

Corbusier could capture the essence of ancient as well as medieval

Indian architecture and mingle it with his modern concepts. To him,

the presence of the etenal Himalayas was, perhaps, sacred. He belived

that nature’s laws are above everything. On the starry nights, he would

talk about the moon, the stars and the cosmic forces that connected

the Hindu mythology (Doshi 9)

As an architect he rapidly evolved as an incredible amalgamation of Parisian

principles and Indian ethos. In him one finds a captivating blend of

Corbusier cannons and Indian ambience. The last century can be credited

with giving birth to many ideas, visions, ways of living and working. He had

tremendous faith in technology as the panacea of all problems of mankind

and a means to human progress. Arising from the faith in technology are the

principles of modern city planning and architectural theory and practice

which dominated the twentieth century. According to him, city planning and

architectural theory need to be perceived from a holistic perspective. This

perspective is a result of the new understanding that one develops towards

the relationship that exists between man and nature. The man made system

and the natural systems are increasingly viewed from the aspect of

environmental and ecological balance. One is concerned about the

relationship of the man and earth itself, the biosphere. He is of the opinion

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that conservation or regeneration of environment should be prioritized over

any other developmental considerations. Since ancient days the Indian

civilization had had a close connect with forest, agriculture and industry.

All the crafts, and all those artifacts that one finds in the museums

indicate a harmonious relationship between the place, the place of

work, the place of living and also the place of activity. But as the years

went by, the wholesome life of the community was broken up. The

man’s relationship with nature and land came to an end. (Doshi 5)

India became a part of the process of industrialization under the British rule

itself, however, it could not choose the path of development and progress it

desired. The universe of an architect or a townplanner is dominated by

multiple factors

The ferocious pace of urbanization

The religious attitude of the masses

The struggle of modern India to co-exist with mythological

India

The schism between tradition and modernity

The climatic diversity of the country

The ethnic diversity of the nation

The divergent socio-cultural fabric of the society

Though Doshi was born in Pune, he shared a special bond with Gujarat,

especially with the city of Ahmedabad. After having worked with Le

Corbusier in Paris, he returned to Ahmedabad to supervise Le Corbusier’s

projects. It is in Ahmedabad that he established his studio Vastu-Shilp

(environmental design). He worked closely with Louis Kahn and Anantraje,

when Kahn designed the campus of the Indian Institute of Management,

Ahmedabad. Though he worked with different masters at international level,

his relations with master French architect Le Corbusier remained very

special.

I learned from Le Corbusier to observe and react to climate, to

tradition, to function, to structure, to economy, and to the landscape.

To an extent, I also understand how to build buildings and

createspaces and fonts. (Doshi 236).

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It was from the French icon he understood the delicate relationship between

man and his environment. Years after he realized that the bulidings he had

designed were some what foreign and out of Indian milieu. They do not

appear to have their roots in the soil

With experience of my work over the years and my own observation,

I am trying to understand a little about my people, their traditions, and

social customs, and their philosophy of life. (236)

He has closely observed the changing face of the city of Ahmedabad. An old

city has traditions of its own and the new uptown has developed culture of

its own. The uniqueness of the city lies in not just the brick and mortar

monuments but the traditions and life-styles that made it unique.

When you look at the old city, when you walk through it, couple of

things become very apparent- one is that you never feel, that you are

walking on a road or a transport network, but walking in a living

room- a public community living space! It is very vibrant, because

while you are walking there, you imagine people sitting in the

verandah, talking to one another, to the neighbours as well as across

the road. (Shah)

He has made an immense contribution to contemporary architectural

practice and polemic in India. Corbusier had rendered a profound impact on

him but he has always sought to interprete Corbusier’s modernism through

local conditions of site, climate and available technology. In recognition of

his invaluable contribution in the field of architecture and education, he has

been conferred upon various recognitions from across the globe. He has

been the first founder Director of School of Architecture, Ahmedabad, first

founder Driector of School of Planning, first founder Dean of Centre for

Environmental Planning and Technology, founder member of Visual arts

centre, Ahmedabad and first founder Director of Kanoria Centre for Arts,

Ahmedabad. He has been instrumental in establishing the nationally and

internationally known research institute Vastu-Shilp foundation for Studies

and Research in Environmental Design.

As an academician, Dr. Doshi has been visiting the U.S.A. and Europe since

1958 and has held important chairs in American universities. In recognition

of his distinguished contribution as a professional and as an academician, he

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has received several international and national awards and honours. These

include:

Honorary Fellow, American Institute of Architects.

Fellow, Indian Institute of Architects.

Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects

Padma shri.

Pan Pacific Architectural citation, American Institute of

Architects, Hawaii

Paul Phillipe Cret Professor of Architecture, University of

Pennsylvania

Great Gold Medal for Architecture, Academy of

Architecture, Paris.

Hon. Doctorate, University of Pennsylvania.

Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

Prime Minister’s National Award for Excellence in Urban

Planning and Design.

As an acknowledgement of his unique contributions in the realms of

architecture, academics and town planning, the government of France

has conferred upon him several awards and honors which includes Ordre

des Arts et des Letters, its highest honors for arts.The French award is

equivalent to Padm Bhushan award in India. He was earlier awarded a

gold medal from the French Academy and a lifetime achievement for

global sustainability by the French government.

It may be noted that the French architects not only interacted with their

counterparts from Gujarat at individual level, but they also partnered

with the establishment at institutional level. It is a well-known fact that

France evinced keen interest in the conservation of heritage structures in

the city of Ahmedabad. This phenomenon has been elaborated in the

ensuing pages.

French Conservation of Pols and Havelis

The Guj-Franco bilateral ties were reinforced when the Ahmedabad

Municipal Corporation (AMC) inked a project memorandum with the

French Government between 2000 and 2005. This Guj-Franco joint venture

aimed at the conservation of some of the ‘Pols’ and ‘Havelis’ of the walled-

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city, Ahmedabad. The project responsibilities were to be shared by both the

partners. As part of the project, the team led by the renowed French architect

Pierre Cadot stayed in the old city and documented its unique heritage of

life. He was assisted by another French architect Sarah Keller who is

associated with the MS University, Baroda. MS. Keller was part of a ten

member team which was assigned the task of restoring the old town. It must

be noted here that the city of Ahmedabad has an enviable history of more

than six hundred years. In its heydays it was bigger than even London and

Paris of the same era. This city which was founded by Ahmed Shah has four

km length and three km width. The conservationist team led by the French

architects minutely observed the hues and colours of Pol life, and in order

to have a real feel some of the team members chose to stay with the people

of Pols. It must be said that this professional commitment was virtually

devotional as the team worked tirelessly, studied and restored around thirty

private structures including some Havelis in those five years.

The restoration of Pol houses which capture the essence of community

living, was more significant in the sense that the walled city had ceded its

unique identity to the newly emerged affluent uptown in the Western part of

the city across the river Sabarmati. Chabutras (bird-feeders) of the old city

had a unique identity of their own and they were an integral part of

community living in the Pol milieu in the past. Unlike many other glorious

cities across the globe that have lost their relevance and distinct character,

Ahmedabad has kept its past alive and looks forward to a promising future.

Many other Indian cities have taken lessons from Ahmedabad on

conservation of heritage. In the year 2000, the French signed a memorandum

with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to conserve heritage. The

conservation initiative would incur huge expenses, however, HUDCO

(Housing Urban Development Corporation) revised its existing financial

laws to include loan for restoration of ancient buildings. Majority of town

planners and architects, heritage conservationists and archeologists

unanimously consent upon the fact that Ahmeddabad is a living heritage

city. The planning system of the walled-city is based on the ancient Indian

tradition of Vastu principles.

The sharing of community spaces and resources such as water and

building structure, techniques and materials offer social security and self

sufficiency to the Pol inhabitants. (TOI)

On 14th January 2000, the AMC signed a memorandum with the

Government of France for a scientific study of the walled -city. This was

initially for one year and was later extended and finally a tripartite

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memorandum was signed among the Government of France, AMC and

HUDCO for the implementation of conservation programme. In the next

stage an agreement between Government of France and Ahmedabad

Municipal Corporation was signed for the establishment of the Ahmedabad

Heritage Centre. The Government of France renewed thus the Guj-Franco

relationship in the form of financial assistance and technical expertise which

it so willingly extended to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for

Ahmedabad Heritage Conservation Project.

The French government bestowed a million Euros (approximately Rs 4

crore) grant to AMC for the heritage conservation project of Ahmedabad.

The money to be used to part-finance preservation of the walled city.

(TOI)

It warrants to be mentioned here that the concept of conservation was

seriously deliberated in the nineties by the townplanners, architects, and

conservationists. The city hosted a series of seminars titled as Sambhav in

which a host of internationally acclaimed architects from India as well as

abroad participated. The broader theme of the Sambhav seminars, held at

iconic places like National Institute of Design and Centre for Environmental

Planning and Technology, was the exigency of conservation of the walled-

city structures. Architects from France particularly evinced keen interest in

the preservation of the old city. It was during the third edition of the

‘Sambhav’ in Ahmedabad that the Government of France made the

announcement of financial aid to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

The Sambhav seminar was specifically convened for the purpose of

conservation and revitalization of urban heritage of Ahmedabad. The

programme was the first ever Indo-French heritage exercise in the country.

The city of Ahmedabad which holds an enviable lineage of 600 years was

ready to essay a new chapter in the history of Guj-Franco relationship.

There prevailed this general perception that the antiquity of Ahmedabad and

its reach genealogy would earn a place in the list of heritage cities of

UNESCO. It wouldn’t be in excess to note that the conservation drive

undertaken in the old city took this initiative an inch closer to the realization

of that coveted honour.

The French architects like Fredric Auclair as a trainee under the team leader

Pierre Cadot and a formidable team of architect were roped in for perhaps

the most ambitious conservation project. The team’s efforts of restoration

and revitalization of the old structure in the walled-city was duly supported

by the visionary architect Debashish Nayar of the Heritage Cell of AMC. It

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is to be noted here that the conservation project had to deal with a series of

social, legal and financial issues which recurrently thwarted the progression

of the project. The privately owned buildings, especially the Havelis in the

Pols, were almost deserted and dilapidated and therefore, the conservation

to be made was not only in terms of physical structures but also in terms of

restoration of the entire socio-cultural fabric of the yore.

The city of Ahmedabad, as noted earlier, enjoyed a very special rapport with

France as a number of artists exchanged artistic ideas with each other. The

city of Ahmedabad was specifically chosen by the French government as it

possessed a unique combination of historic urban architecture coupled with

most interesting contemporary structures. Significantly, the iconic architects

from France such as Le Corbusier and Bernard Kohn had made Ahmedabad

almost as their second home. However, the genesis of the conservation

initiatives had its roots in Sambhav I and Sambhav II which were held in the

city in 1998 and 1999 respectively. During this period, the French architects

and experts had pulled their expertise and experience with their Indian

counterparts, namely the Heritage Cell of the AMC and Intac. As part of

procedure, an MOU between the Government of France and the AMC

followed. The efforts put in the earlier editions of the Sambhavs finally

yielded results as the third edition of the seminar finally prepared the list and

sites to be preserved. HUDCO financially partnered the Guj-Franco joint

venture by offering aid at much lower market rate.

The French architects and their team were given a special premises in

Tankshalni Pol from where they launched one of the most ambitious and

prestigious conservation programmes of the old city. Pierre Cadot was

particularly extremly enthusiastic about the entire venture as he stayed in the

old city in order to experience the life at microcosmic level. The first Haveli

to be conserved by the French team was Jagdip Mehta’s house which was

located in Mota Sutharno Vado, Khadia. For the restoration process, help

and succour came from unexpected quarters. The 150 year old restored

structure is an interesting blend of Indo-European architectural patterns

which seem to have resulted from trade transactions that occurred in the later

part of the eighteenth century.It is an exquisite structure. The central chowk

of the Pol leads you to a courtyard with minimalist spots of greenery and the

ubiquitous jhula.

Once inside there is a small comfortable chowk that opens into the sky

resting on the bowels of a tank housing 15,000 litres of water that is

a part of an elaborate rain harvesting system common to all pol structures.

(Lakhia)

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The Haveli is a surprising blend of architectural elements, Italian tiles glaze

over floorings bordered by mosaic designs in shattered whites, blues and

reds. Arrays of Belgian glass focusing stained colours and hues defusing the

yellow rays of the sun. Within this the family has created beautifully private

places for the house guests to live and experience life within a Pol. This

Haveli has now become a symbol of heritage restoration undertaken by Guj-

Franco architects. It has also emerged as a seat of cultural meets and a

meeting place for local residents and the foreign tourists who come to

experience the milieu of yesteryears of Ahmedabad. It also hosts visitor and

artists who have deep interest in heritage and culture.

The Guj-Franco architects under the guidance of Pierre Cadot also restored

a Haveli located in the Dhalni Pol, Astodia in the walled-city which is now

managed by Anupa Mehta and is known as ‘Arts Reverie’. It also has

emerged as a centre for the research and development of contemporary craft

in collaboration with makers and partners in the city and its region.This

place has evolved as a much sought after residency for artists and creative

people from all across the disciplines. It also engages in multi-level

partnerships with various institutes and agencies nationally as well as

internationally.It has engaged with more than ninety five international artists

over the past five years and partnered in the various International Research

Fellowships.

This center of Arts has also earned support from various international

councils like British Council, Japan Foundation, Arts Council

England, Arts Council Northern Ireland and Australian Council for

its art projects.The Design Camp, supported by Arts Council of

Northern Ireland and Manchester Metropolitan University and the

House of Mangladas Girdhardas have also actively engaged with this

center. (www.artsreverie.com)

The restoration efforts initiated under the supervision of renowned French

architects, the Government of France, the AMC and the HUDCO yielded

expected response particularly from the heritage lovers.It is to be borne in

mind that the restoration per se was a mammoth task and it involved various

stake holders such as the Governments of France and Gujarat, the private

property owners, the financial agencies and the developers. The initial

efforts were greeted with all co-operation, however, some clash of interests

of these stake holders mysteriously retarded the progression of the

project.The French architects who worked with the AMC when they came

to know about this negative development, shifted to the Sanskar Kendra,

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Paldi, a venue which was designed by none other than the iconic French

architect Le Corbusier.

The Guj-Franco restoration rapport, however, started developing cracks as

some uncalled for legal issues interrupted the hitherto smooth execution of

the entire project. Moreover, the French architects who were not very

comfortable with routine beurocratic hurdles, legal entanglements and red-

tapism got disillusioned soon. This atmosphere of indifference discouraged

the French participation. The other factor which may have impeded the

overall execution process of the project was probably the lackadaisical

response shown by the real estate developers who were not very keen on

restoring the heritage structures of the walled city. In a way they were not

completely wrong as developments beyond the boundries of the walled-city,

especially on the periphery of the city, proved extremely lucrative.

Along with architect, dance is the other genre of art which has also witnessed

a considerable level of Guj-Franco exchange. This phenomenon is not as

expansive as the genre explored in the preceding pages. However, it

certainly warrants for an investigation. The following is the profile of one

of the greatest classical dancing duo of Gujarat.

4.2 Dance: Mrinalini Sarabhai and Mallika Sarabhai (1954- ) Danseuses

Supreme:

Dance is a type of art that generally involves movement of the body, often

rhythmic and to music. It is performed in many cultures as a form of

emotional expression, social interaction, or exercise. It is also used to

express ideas or tell a story. There are as many forms and styles of dance as

are the dancers. There are myriad vareities of dance ranging from folk to

classical in almost all human civilizations. Indian classical dance is an

umbrella term for various codified art forms routed in Natya and sacred

Hindu musical theatre styles whose theory can be traced back to the

Natyashastra of Bharat Muni. Classical dance performances ususally feature

a story about good and evil.

The term ‘classical’ denotes the Sanskrit term ‘Shastriya’ for the various

dance styles based on the cannons of Natyashastra. Interestingly, Bharat

Muni doesn’t mention the names of any of classical dance forms recognized

today, but he lists the four Pravrittis as Dakshinatya, Audramagadhi, Avanti,

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and Panchali. Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniyattam evolved from

the Pravritti form called Dakshinatya. Mallika Sarabhai, the daughter of a

classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and the renowned space scientist,

Vikram Sarabhai, is an accomplished Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer.

It maybe noted here that any account of the bilateral relationship between

France and Gujarat is inadequate without the mention of the invaluable

contribution made by classical dancer duo- Mrinalini Sarabhai and Mallika

Sarabhai.

Mrinalini Sarabhai

Before one assesses the contribution made by Mallika Sarabhai in the realm

of classical dance, it is imperative to evaluate the huge contribution in the

field of dance that was made by Mrinalini Sarabhai aka Amma. The state of

Gujarat, it maybe noted here, doesn’t have its own classical school of dance.

Mrinalini brought Bharatnatyam and Kathakali to the shores of Sabarmati,

soon after the independence. She married the Ahmedabad physicist Vikram

Sarabhai and later she founded Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in

Ahmedabad. This school has been imparting training in dance, drama, music

and puppetry for well over six decades now. Now the question that arises is:

In what way did Mrinalini Sarabhai contribute towards the cultural

interactions between France and Gujarat? And how did Gujarat benefit from

her artistic interactions with France?

It maybe noted that she is one of the very early artists who introduced the

art circuit of Ahmedabad to the artistic world of France. In the year 1949,

she performed at Theatre National de Chaillot in Paris where she received

a lot of critical acclaim. She is the first Indian to receive the medal and

diploma of the French Archives Internationales de la Danse. She brought

home her reach experience from France and enriched the genre she was

dealing in. Alongwith the French honours, this illustrious danseuse was

honoured with the Degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris cousa (Litt D) by

the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. She was also nominated to the

Executive Committee of the International Dance Council, Paris in 1990.

Considering her immense contribution in the field of art, the Government of

Mexico also conferred upon her a gold medal for her choreography for the

Ballet- Folklorico of Mexico.

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It must be mentioned here that she is also one of the founding members of

Alliance Francaise d’ Ahmedabad. She has been actively engaged in all the

cultural activities carried out by this centre since its foundation. For

Alliance, she has been an incredibly loving and caring patron. The

investigator feels humbled while noting the priceless contribution this living

legend has made in the realm of art and aesthetics.

Mallika Sarabhai

The legacy of Guj- Franco bilateralism, especially in the field of dance and

drama is carried forward by Mrinalini Sarabhai’s most illustrious daughter,

Mallika Sarabhai. Under here care and concern, the artistic relationship

between France and Gujarat has gone from strength to strength. She has been

representing India in the various fora of art and culture at international level

and has also brought numerous laurels for the nation. The state of Gujarat is

particularly proud of the fact that she has won some of the most coveted

prizes and awards in France. The investigator also wants to highlight and

profile the humanitarian activities the danseus has been caring out all along

her career commitment. She has not, however, confined her commitment to

dance only as she has been a champion of marginalized millions who are

driven to the fringe of the society.

Mallika has had an enviable childhood as she was born into one of the most

famous families of India. She started to learn dancing when she was young,

and started her film career in parallel cinema, when she was in her teens.

She completed her MBA from Indian Institute of Management –Ahmadabad

and later she earned her Doctorate from Gujarat University. Her illustrious

academic career would have made her a top level academician in the

country. However, her artistic inclination which she inherited from her great

mother Amma naturally introduced her to the world of art. She followed the

footsteps of Amma and attained glory in the classical dance, Bharatnatyam,

she subsequently tuned to the world of theatre. It was this genre of art which

provided her wider audience and greater platform. She didn’t confine her

selection of subject to the topics extracted from the epics and mythologies,

she dwelt more on the burning issues of the society, especially the issues of

marginalized millions. In 1989 she performed hard–hitting solo theatrical

work, Shakti: The Power of Women.After that she directed and acted in

numerous productions reflecting current issues and awareness among

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people. She also wrote the script for the play Unsuni based on Harsh

Mander’s book Unheard Voices. Arvind Gaur later directed it as a play, with

the same name.

The role of Draupadi in Peter Brook’s play The Mahabharata, earned her a

lot of critical acclaim across the world of theatre. Brook’s innovative

interpretation of the ancient Indian epic was a path setting experiment in

cross-cultural theatre. This role changed her perceptions as she became more

concerned about thw women issues

My whole experience of being Draupadi cemented that, because for

me, she has been a powerful feminine/feminist icon. Wherever we

played, be it in Paris, US or Australia, I noticed how she got across

the women. […] I realized that if one role in one show can make

women respond the way they are responding, then if I am not using

the art to talk about what I want to, it is wasting a language.

(www.telegraph.com)

In 2009, she acted in Bertolt Brecht’s Indian adaptation of The Good Person

of Szechwan (Ahmedabad ki Aurat Bholi Ramkali) which was directed by

Arvind Gaur in 34th Vikram Sarabhai International Art Festival. In the year

2012, Mallika co-directed Women with Broken Wings, an international

production with film-maker Yadavan Chandran and Swiss pianist Elizabeth

Sombert.

It is an ode to the millions of women who have been the victims of

violence.(en.wikipedia)

She has been a regular invitee at almost all Indo-French cultural programs.

In the year 2008, she was invited by the French ambassador Jerome

Bonnafont to celebrate the creative synergy between Indian and French

theatre. French actor-director Astrid Bas directed a play, wherein the cast

included Indian artists. It was a unique experience for the Frenchman who

was working with Indian artists for the first time.

This is the first time I’ve directed a play with Indian artistes as its

characters. Though I don’t understand Hindi, I could emote with the

artistes. I understood what scene was on only by looking at the

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expression of the actors. This gave me a strange kinda confidence.

(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Mallika was very appreciative of such collaborative theatrical effort. She

said that she liked the coming together of Indo-French theatre artistes and

that she quiet enjoyed the play.

Doing the play was interesting but slightly difficult, as we

couldn’t use our bodies the way we do in dance. (ibid)

She has been passionately participating in the Indo-French cultural festival

Bonjour. In the year 2010, she presented a dance tableau against thre

backdrop of adivasi arts at the Musee du Quai Branly. She has won a number

of awards and honors during her illustrious career as a danseus and as an

activist. The first award that she was conferred upon was the film critic

award for the best actress for Mutthibhar Chawal. Since then she has been

recipient of numerous coveted prizes and awards that had come to her from

across the globe. The impressive roll of honors includes some of the most

coveted awards:

Best Film Actress Award for ‘Mena Gujari’, a Gujarati film.

Film Critics’s Award for best supporting actress, ‘Sheesha’

Sangeet Natak Academy award for ‘Creative Dance.’

Woman of the Year, Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC).

Kala Shiromani Purashkar, Institute of Economic studies.

Indian for Collective Actions Honor Award.

Nominated as one among, 1000 women for Nobel Peace Prize.

Theatre Pasta Theatre Awards.

Crystal Awards by World Economic Forum.

Padma Bhushan.

She has been the cultural ambassador of India in general and of Gujarat in

particular for the last four decades.As an acknowledgement of the diverse

contribution she made towards the Guj-Franco bilateralism, the

government of France has conferred upon her two of its greatest awards

Chevalier des Palmes Academiques in 1999 and Chevalier de L’ordre des

Arts et des Lettres in 2002. It requires to be mentioned here that she is the

only person from Gujarat who has been generously awarded by the people

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of France for her invaluable contribution in the realm of arts.She has

undoubtedly strengthened the Guj–Franco cultural linkages in various ways.

Along with architecture and dance, Parmanand Dalwadi’s photojournalism,

largely a French import, played a very important role in cultural exchange

between France and Gujarat. This phenomenon has been elaborated in the

following pages.

4.3 Photojournalism: Parmanand Dalwadi (1940-) Le Pionnier

Photographe

The second half of twentieth century was witness to a phalanx of cultural

interactions between France and Gujarat, and it was during this period that

the photo-jounalism as an art was introduced in Gujarat. It is a particular

form of journalism which involves collection, edition, and presentation of

news material. It employs images and photographs to tell a news story. It is

now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases, the

term also refers to video used in telecast journalism. It is also distinguished

from other close branches of photography

By complying with a rigid ethical framework which demands that the

work is both honest and impartial whilst telling the story in strictly

journalistic terms. (wikipedia)

The origins of this art can be traced back to war photography, however, the

mid twentieth century is considered to be the golden age of this art. The

advent of technology, especially smaller, lighter cameras greatly enhanced

the role of the photojournalists. This genre owes a great deal to the

invaluable contribution made by Bresson, who not only adopted this art of

photography but also took it to the nook and corner of the continents. Before

we assess the contribution made by Bresson’s deciple Dalwadi to the field

of photojournalism, it is imperative to profile the pioneer of this genre.

Henri-Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004)

This French photographer’s interest in modern art was combined with an

admiration for the works of the Renaissance artistes, however, he confronted

the problemes of artistic form and composition in pohotography. The

photographic realism of twenties introduced him to the surrealist movement

which brought about a paradigmatic shift in his creative perception. He

departed from painting and turned to photography seriously. This

technology aided art impressed him immensely

207

Photography is not like painting. There is a creative fraction of

a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a

composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must

know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the

photographer is creative. The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone

forever. (Bernstein)

He who was considered an icon and an institute in the realm of

photojournalism was influenced by Andre Lhote and by his Alma Mater

Lycee Condorcet, Paris. Soon Bresson rose to the position of being

acknowledged as the ‘father of modern photojournalism’ in the world.It was

he who revolutionized the realm of real photography through his technical

innovations and thematic deviations. This master of candid photography was

an early adopter of 35 mm format which helped him develop the ‘street

photography’ or ‘life reportage’ style. His non-conventional methodology

has influenced generations of photographers across the world including

Parmanand Dalwadi.

Father of Photojournalism: Henri Cartier-Bresson

Source: totallyhistory.com Retrieved on 18 October, 2014

208

As stated earlier Parmanand Dalwadi introduced this art in Gujarat around

sixties.This is the decade when Gujarat as a state was born and it was in

seach of its own identity. Many artists were invited to the city of Ahmedabad

and it was one of such occasions when Bresson met Dalwadi at NID.

Dalwadi wanted to be a painter and became a photographer. It all happened

during his National Institute of Design days where he spent about sixteen

years. He later took photography as his principal profession which remained

so till today. No wonder today he is being unanimously hailed as ‘the father

of photojournalism in Gujarat.’ With scholarship from Ford Foundations, he

visited Europe in 1969 for a year and half and had the privilege to work

under the legendry photographer Henri Cartier Bresson and other prominent

personalities like Wolfgang Siol, Pierre Gassman, Rene Groebli and Bob

Gill. His works, it must be said, are the result of Bresson’s blessings and

encouragement. Travelling extensively covering India twenty times by road

for different assignment was immensely enriching experience and gave him

the fodder to evolve as a photographer as well as to develop and master his

art. He taught, and is still teaching, photography at different renowed

institutions such as Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology,

National Institute of Design, NIFT, IIT-IDC-Mumbai, IIT-IDC-Guwahati,

Symbiosis Pune, DJAD Coimbatore and EMRC Gujarat university.

He was extremely fortunate to work with Henri Cartier Bresson for several

months in his laboratory. This was the most vital formative phase in the life

of a young photographer from Gujarat who was literally awestruck by the

artistic world of Paris. He also met Bresson’s family, particularly his wife,

who influenced him a lot in understanding French language, art and

aesthetics. Bresson’s interest in modern art was combined with an

admiration for the works of the Renaissance. He considered the works of

Renaissance as the photographs without the camera. Parmanand Dalwadi

immediately began to be influenced by Bresson’s approach to art. His

surrealism also made a lasting impression on the young photographer from

Gujarat matured artistically and photographically under his inspiration.

He now understood that a photograph could fix eternity in an instant. His

camera which became almost an extension of his eyes would accompany

him for many years. He envisioned new possibilities in the sphere of

photography. By god’s grace, Dalwadi had the ability to capture the world

in its actual state of movement and transformation. In the beginning he did

capture different moments of life much in the Bressonian way. However,

with the passage of time, he evolved a style of his own in the field of

photography. It must be recalled here that Parmanand Dalwadi was also

influenced by Georges Braque (1882-1963), a renowed versatile French

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artist who had created waves in the realms of painting, drawing, sculpture

and print-making through his cubism and fauvism art. Along with Pablo

Picasso, he developed the art style known as cubism. His earliest works were

impressionistic, but after seeing the work exhibited by the artistic group

known as the ‘Fauver’ (Beasts) in 1905, Braque adopted a fauvist style.He

used brilliant colors to represent emotional responses. The young Dalwadi

was in eternal awe of Braque whom he so passionately wanted to emulate in

his photographs.

It was precisely during his sojourn in France that the young and amateur

photo-artist from Gujarat came under the influence of the Ulm School of

Design. A visiting German professor of photography at this school rendered

an indelible impression on him. He was more than keen to imbibe the

intricacies and nuances of the art of photography. Dalwadi who was pretty

much impressed by the versatile works of various European photographers

had this enviable privilege to work under the great German photographer

Wolfgang Sior. It was during his European tour in the late seventies that he

came under the influence of Pierre Gassman, another renowed French

photographer. He visualized that photography as a genre was a sure way of

engaging with the world. Like his mentor Bresson, he rarely used a light

meter or checked his aperture setting; and he seldom took more than a few

shots of a single subject. With the instinct of a hunter, he knew when to click

the shutter.

It must be mentioned that Dalwadi had taken an early fancy of the works of

Groebli Rene, a renowed photographer from Zurich, Switzerland. This well

respected swiss photographer rendered indelible imprints on his mind.He

was particularly impressed by the innovative styles and themes of the swiss

genius.During his teneure at NIO, he received rigorous training with Prof.

Christine Staub, a professor of the famous Ulm School of Design, Germany.

The Ulm School of Design (Hochschule for Gestaltung Ulm) was founded

by Inge Aicher-Scholl, Otl Aicher and Max Bill in 1953. Along with the

Bauhaus, it was the most influential school of design. He got trained under

the designers of these international schools and imbibed new approaches to

the process of designing. His association with the Departments of Product

Design, Visual Communication, Information and Film-making massively

influenced his photography. Armed with Ulm model and Bauhaus

influences, he brought a sea change in the conservative realm of

photography in Gujarat.

For Dalwadi, photography was not a mechanical process as it wasn’t merely

a cut paste business for a photographer. According to him, when a

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photograph is suffused with emotions, it becomes art. The word

‘photography’ etymologically means light writing which has descended

from the compounds ‘photo’ (light) and ‘graphy’ (writing). Like any other

art, photography also is a technical skill and has some skillful combination

of subjects like physics and chemistry. When emotions are blended with

skill, the photographic art is born. The practioners of conventional art genres

like painters, sculptures, graphic artists, writers and musicians have been

expressing their ideas, emotions, thoughts and skills through their respective

arts for millennia. However, the art of photography which has gained

recognition as a creative art quite late is relatively a new genre and has been

in vogue for just over one hundred and seventy five years. It was only with

the technological advancements, particularly the manufacture of different

components that the world of camera is revolutionized. Thus, her

imagination, her creativity, her camera, her lenses, filters, lighting sources,

the frame choices, the perspective, field selection and photo-papers-all came

under the influence of technology.

He is of the firm belief that technology has interfered with aesthetic

perceptions of mankind. The advent of digital technology has revolutionized

the world of photography. Today, there are myriad possibilities even for an

amateur photography, save the professionals. Digital graphics, photoshops

and technical ‘touching’ have added a new dimension to the conventional

world of photography.

At this point on of time, one can say with conviction the only

limitations to a photographer’s ability are inside the photographer.

(pmdalwadi.com)

Born and brought up in Gujarat, he always yearned to do something for his

people and for the state of Gujarat. Having been trained under the art legends

of France and Germany, it was little discomforting for him to create the same

aesthetic ambience of Europe back home in Gujarat. Moreover, it was

equally difficult for him to acclimatize with the prevalent photography

scenario in Gujarat which was almost unaware about the world of

photojournalism, a new art form that was creating ripples in the West in the

post-war Europe. The Gujarati newspapers, magazines and periodicals of

the times thrived upon pathetic photo feature which were a product more of

mechanical process rather than an artistic expression. It was in mid sixties

that he started working with National Institute of Design.

The establishment of National Institute of Design was a result of several

forces, both global and local. The late 1950’s saw a confluence of these

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forces, and this time would be a significant one for Indian culture and

education. This was a time of reappraisal and reconstruction in a newly

independent India. A young nation was confronted with the mammoth task

of nation building, of balancing age old traditions with modern technologies

and ideas. The modern movement, the philosophy of the machine aesthetics,

and revolutionary experimentation in the arts, architecture and design were

all taking place at the same time. There was a search for the Indian identity

across all spheres of life. In 1961, the government of India with the

assistance of the Ford Foundation and the Sarabhai family established the

National Institute of Design. The Sarabhai family provided not only a much

needed patronage to a nascent institute but they also revived the philosophy

of the Bauhaus design movement which was learning by doing. Parmanand

Dalwadi becomes part of the National Institute of Design when it was

evolving as an institute of an international repute.

In the 1960’s, the idea of design and its education was yet to evolve.

Parmanand Dalwadi joined National Institute of Design in April 1963 on the

insistence of the famous Gujarati painter Hakubhai Shah who happened to

be his senior at the Fine Arts faculty at Baroda. He rapidly got involved in

the affairs of the institute which did not have a conservatively structured

curriculum then. He would assist foreigners and other visitors and learn from

them whatever they were experts in. It was during this time that he had this

privilege of working with the legendry architect Luis Kahn. Moreover, the

historic visit of the National Institute of Design by the legendry French

photographer Henri-Cartierr Bresson changed the course of his life as he

was one of the few lucky ones to be selected to go to Magmum Photo Lab

in Paris to study print making. With an immense sense of gratitude, he

acknowledged his indebtedness to the French legend Bresson.

I get red carpet treatment in other countries even now because of

this connection. The link gives me a thrill even today I was born and

brought up at National Institute of Design. (Ahmedabad Mirror)

For Dalwadi, National Institute of Design became not only an institute to

work with but it became a kind of vibrant studio for him. It was the ambience

of National Institute of Design which catapulted him to the centre of Parisian

art.

One may note that the liberal and artistic atmosphere coupled with an

incredible level of creative ambience of French society shaped the early

artistic sensibilities of him. It was during his sojourn in Paris, he realized

that there existed a sort of interconnect among all arts. Music and dance

212

artistically complement each other and so do painting and poetry of all the

genres. Painting, particularly rendered a huge and everlasting impression on

his mind. The structural and thematic technicalities and nuances that go into

the making of a perfect painting particularly impressed the young

connoisseur the most. He realized that there was a close link between

painting and photography because both aim at the same result, i.e. the perfect

portrait. He realized that some knowledge and training in painting should be

imparted to all the young and amateur photographers. The knowledge of the

technical aspects of painting such as color, balance, composition can be put

to good use, he believed, in photography which also involves color

composition and subject selection, spacing and sizing with utmost care.

It may be recalled here that around sixties, Gujarat had some of the

celebrated photographers such as Kishore Parekh, Ashwin Kacha, Ashwin

Mehta, Balwant Bhatt and Pranlal Patel. Of these, Kishore Parekh (1930–

1982) was born in Bhavnagar. He was a versatile genius and had studied

Film making and documentary photography which later brought laurels for

him. As the chief photographer of The Hindustan Times, he had extensively

covered both the Sino-Indian war and the Indo-Pak conflict.His coverages

on femine in Bihar and on the Bangladesh liberation war made him an iconic

photographer of India. When Parmanand Dalwadi came back in Gujarat he

along with Ashwin Mehta had already prepared the ground for the evolution

of Photojournalism. Ashwin Mehta is his most distinguished contemporaries

in the realm of photography.The wizard of camera, the living and clicking

photographic legend Pranlal Patel renders an indelibie impression on the

lace of photojournalism during this period. Even among the true photo-

artists, Pranlal Patel is the rarest of the rare. He firmly believes that

The real art of photography does not reside in gadgets, whether a flash

light or the modern day digital cameras. It does not rely solely on

composition, light and shade, but on the eyes and fingers. There must

be a perfect co-ordination between the eyes and the fingers. In turn

the eyes and fingers must harmonize with the camera in such a way

that they know simultaneously what unusual feature is there in the

subject, compose in a say that highlights that feature and decide in

unison when to press the shutter. They must become one with each

other and the subject being clicked.

(tusharbhattsgujarat.blogspot.com)

Dalwadi was also enamoured of the photo features published by the iconic

National Geographic Magazine which had set supreme standards in its

genre. He realized that

213

To be a successful photographer, a regular reading of National

Geographic Magazine is mandatory. The art of looking at the

photograph aesthetically involved a special faculty and, therefore, an

emphasis should be on the reading of the photograph rather than on

looking at it. (Conversasion with the Investigator)

Painting and filmmaking, in his opinion, shared immense commonalities

with the world of photography. He was deeply influenced by Francois

Truffaut, the well-known French film director, screen-writer and Film

producer whose art of film-making greatly impressed him. This new wave

director was one of the most continuosly surprising and accomplished

directors of his date, had admirably portrayed children, obsessed men, and

women driven by strong passions. His interest in the extremities of romantic

agony profoundly influenced him.

As a young and amateur photographer, Dalwadi was greatly impressed by

the Rembrandt lighting, the technical nuances of which involved the shading

and lighting. A word on Rembrandt lighting shall put things in proper

perspective.It is a lighting technique that is used in studio portrayed

photography. It can be achieved by using one light and a reflector, or two

lights, and a reflector. It is popular because it is capable of producing images

which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment. It

is characterized by illuminated triangle under the eye of the subject, on the

less illuminated side of the face. It is named for the Dutch painter

Rembrandt, who often used this type of lighting in his own portraits.

Source: mbasic.facebook.com Retrieved on 19 October, 2014

214

However, the modern photographers had a distinct advantage over the

painters in the sense that their art is aided by machines and technology. A

photographer, he believes, could select his subject and then fill as many

colors as he wished in his snap with the help of digital techniques. It is

clearly the advantage photographer today as even when the photograph is

poorly selected or executed subject, it could be altered digitally. His

association with Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology

inaugurates a new chapter in the cultural life of the city of Ahmedabad.He

has been working on developing the Department of Photography in Centre

for Environmental Planning and Technology. His photography exhibition

‘Then and Now’, a great visual oddesey through his lens, covered the various

and ever changing facets of the city of Ahmedabad from 1862 to the present

day. Captured in both sepia and color avatars, ten significant locations in the

city were chosen by him.

Summing UP

Thus, it may be concluded that the grand and gorgeous French architecture

has considerably influenced the planning and execution of castles, palaces

and private residencies in Gujarat. The French created a beautiful fusion of

styles drawn from both the occidental and oriental architectural schools. The

French interest in conservation of old structures in the city of Ahmedabad

has given new direction to the Guj-Franco partnership.

Mallika Sarabhai has been virtually a cultural ambassador of India in France.

Her French Honours and Awards have promoted the Guj-Franco

engagement to a new level. It is due to her towering presence, especially, in

the art circuits of the west that people have widely come to know about

Gujarat and its arts.

The father of photojournalism in Gujarat, Parmanand Dalwadi, is rightly

credited to have commenced the school of candid photography under the

inspiration of his French master, Henri Cartier Bresson. He is one of the

artists who has been instrumental in bringing Alliance Francaise

d’Ahmedabad, the role of which shall be explored in the next chapter.

215

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