A Little Slice of Heaven Among the Concrete

"It is said that this world is like an eternal Banyan tree. Its roots are up in the heavens, its branches are spread downward. Its leaves are hymns. One who knows this tree is well versed in the knowledge. 

Its branches, nourished by the triple attributes of Nature, are spread upward and downward. Its tender leaves are sense objects. Its roots, which fetter the soul according to one's deeds, are also spread above and below in all directions."

Marisa, Melanie, and I at the Sanskriti Foundation. This banyan tree is just 24 years old and still has plenty of room to grow.

The above words are located on the front page of the Sanskriti Foundation's website.

The girls and I received notice from HR that we had been invited to see the Sanskriti Foundation on July 4th by Varun, the Director of  Policy and Regulatory Affairs for Honeywell India. He had seen the press release mentioning the three of us attending the India-US Higher Education Dialogue and extended the generous offer to show us the foundation his grandfather created. Varun's grandfather noticed the encroaching western influence on the rich culture India has had for thousands of years. He wanted to make a place where this culture could not only be preserved, but a place where culture could be created by the young artisans of India and the world. From this idea the Sanskriti Foundation sprouted in 1978. Today Sanskriti is comprised of three museums, Indian Terracotta, Everyday Art, and Indian Textiles; Kendra (a cultural center offering workshops for children and workshops in basketry, offeranda, rafoogari, jewelery, ceramics, and bookaroo); an ampitheatre; 12 studios for those participating in the residency program; library; exhibition halls and galleries; and so much more! The foundation extends approximately 8 acres all of which is filled with peace, calm, and creative energy. 

It was amazing for Varun to share this with us! First we saw the terracotta. It was so interesting to see how different states of India utilized and interpreted the same mediums and form of creation to create pieces that were so distinctly and uniquely different. The art speaks for itself in these photos. 

Planting the Banyan tree when it was a baby! =)

The grounds were so beautiful!

Everything that had an elephant was my favorite =)

The coolest finger painting I've ever seen! All the white designs
were made with the artist's thumb!

Can you even believe these colors?! Amazing!

This was a design that would typically be given to a newly wed couple. It could appear on their walls or on their blankets. The various symbols mean different things. For example, the parrot is a sex or fertility symbol.

Making the tiny pots we made at Kingdom of Dreams was challenging. I can't even imagine making a pot this large!

So many pots!

These pictures from the Rajasthan state are so cool! This type of art was traditionally done on scrolls. The scrolls would be rolled out and someone would tell the story pictured on the scroll. From left to right and top to bottom the story would unfold. This was an old form of entertainment. The story pictured here was recreated on a wall.

I loved all the colors!

So many stories!

Old Toys - so much vision and incredible craftsmanship!
They don't make them like this anymore.

A bird house (more like mansion) in a style classic to
Ahemdabad (where Shivam lives!) I'll have to be
on the lookout for these when we visit there.

Photography wasn't allowed in the the Everyday Art or the Textiles Museums. I really enjoyed the Everyday Art museum. It was interesting to see how much work went into items used on a daily basis. Different things that I found particularly interesting in this museum included a HUGE leather bound accounting book, toys, hair pins for women that doubled as protection (women could pull out the pins and stab their attackers), kitchen equipment (there was a bench that reminded me of a bench press that was used to make noodles), and the old fans (a servant used to tie their leg or arm to the fan so even while they were in another room or resting they could still move their foot and provide comfort in the other room). These are just handful of the fascinating things this museum had to offer. I also can't say enough about the textiles museum. When you walk in, there are various textiles and colors displayed. The dyes are displayed as well as the origin of the textile (cotton, silk, etc), so you can see how these things are made and what they are constructed from. It's amazing to think these gorgeous works of art started as living plants! What really struck me the most in this museum was the incredible intricacy and detailing done on the various clothing items, rugs, blankets, etc that we saw. The time and skill that went into making these pieces is absolutely incredible.

After seeing the museums, we ate a lovely vegetarian lunch, had some good conversation, and continued on with the tour. This time Varun let us look in the studios, ceramics shop, and other parts of the grounds. I fell in love with their amphitheater! I would love to perform there! I started missing my theatre days immensely once I looked at it. The middle section was once part of an old building (in Rajasthan I believe). Varun's grandfather collected it and incorporated it into the amphitheater. It looks like it has never belonged anywhere else.

Sanskriti has a residency program where you can stay in one of their studios to work on projects for a minimum of 20 days and up to 6 months. There is an application process, so for more information visit: http://www.sanskritifoundation.org/creative-residencies.htm

Fellowships are also available for Indian residents between the age of 25-35.  For more information visit:

http://www.sanskritifoundation.org/fellowships.htm

Picture from the balcony of one of the studios. The downstairs portion of the studio is the work space while the top lofts contain a bed, washroom, and balcony.

How could you not fall in love with this place?

We just had to get more shots of this tree. It was so awesome. I want to come back and visit it 24 years down the road to see just how magnificent it gets. 

If you are ever in the area I would highly suggest visiting this sanctuary! The museums are open to the public every day except Monday, and entry is free. For more information visit: http://www.sanskritifoundation.org/ 

Group photo of everyone on the tour. It was so great to meet
these awesome people, and I'm so thankful to have seen
this amazing facility!

Love,

Sequoia