Venice

An impromptu trip to Venice, in lieu of the Architecture Biennale was just the apt thing to do after my stay in Kochi,India which is also known as Venice of the east. This trip had various agendas, the foremost being the Biennale, followed by comparisons to its so called Indian counterpart and reliving memories from a childhood visit to Venice, more than a decade ago. However, the city hasnt changed, not in the last 15 years and probably not even in the last century. The only change is in the numer of tourists, which has gone up to over 20 million a year.

 

Boarding the Vaporetto / Water Taxi, i made my way through a choppy sea all huddled up and landed at Venice Port, with just a faint image of the clock tower in the distance. As I walked on the cobbled street leading up to the magnificent St Marks Square, the fog started to clear out and the historical facade started to give subtle glimpses. The magical mist and the prefect setting coaxed me into sitting down for dinner and Italian coffee, before I headed to my hotel.

After a good nights sleep, I walked out into a clear morning. Light peeking in from the narrow openings at the end of the lanes, heavy movements of tour groups along the port and gondola riders pleading you to take a ride, was just the flavor of Venice I was looking for. This was to be my morning walk route for the next 4 days as I made way to the Biennale sites and pavilions.

The biennale was an eye opener of sorts and a must visit for every person even remotely interested in Architecture. However, its scale and detail calls for a separate post and so getting back to Venice for now, the canals, streets and bridges created the most intriguing urban network. This fascinating fabric called me to surrender myself and allow it to take me wanderlusting through the streets for more. The ancient docks were a treat to the eyes as they represented Venezian skill and importance in the medieval times.

The last morning, once again turned misty and surreal as Venice seemed to literally be sandwiched between the clouds and the sea. Felling privileged to have experienced this  heavenly atmostphere, i spent half the day meandering through the labyrinth aimlessly and drifted towards the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. A tiny Venetian Villa, with the most endearing character was home to some of the most notable works of Contemporary Art of the last century. A world of modernity housed within an mid century villa, amidst an ancient city was quite an experience.

The sights of the moonlit Rialto Bridge, the old Venetian palaces and the masquerade costumes hanging in the shops were reminding me of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and lessons at school. My mind started imaging the characters playing their parts on that very ground and re-assured me that I was an attentive student at school. The last night at Venice was spent consoling myself about the fact that I had to leave, but with the promise that I would try and attend more such Biennales and in turn visit Venice.

Copyright Abhimanyu Prakash

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Bilbao

A peaceful Basque town, once home to classical orders stands rejuvenated today under the influence of one of the worlds’ most modern architectural statements – the Guggenheim. Welcoming visitors into the city are sweeping shiny walls and a bright red gateway, built with a vision to give Bilbao a facelift, inspire its people and bring a spring in their step. Successfully this city has become a must visit destination for all those coming to Spain.

Enveloping all the contemporary juxtapositions is the quaint countryside, home to brick mansions overlooking gorgeous sunsets, highways leading to the french borders of St. Sebastian, fog laden foot hills and pristine beaches. Even the landscapes, like the architecture, showcase a seamless blend of varieties and contrasts.

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow was an experience where one saw time and people literally reflect themselves in the Architecture and unlike most places, these were not restricted to a single monument but large areas characteristic to a certain era. The nawabs displayed their regal splendor in ‘masjids’ / mosques and ‘imambaras’ situated in the old city. Followed by the British rule, the city witnessed colonial styled buildings as part of the Residency and the famous Hazratganj market. Even today the old city and the market place is home to many and probably the most commercial districts buzzing during the day.

Post independence the city took to the trans-Yamuna side with large housing colonies coming up. Gomti Nagar, the most populated amidst these saw the ‘free’ people going crazy with their freedom. This area plays host to some of the most eclectic and some times grotesque houses also, with the people taking influences from all the styles that can be seen in context. Lastly and lately Lucknow is witnessing a style personal to a political head, Kumari Mayawati. This chief minister of the state is making her presence felt by of a megalomania taking over the city. In the name of architecture for the minorities, these projects worth millions are stone covered parks, superstructures and statues of her.

A short trip to Ayodhya intervened the explorations through Lucknow’s legacy. This temple town, considered to be the birth town of Lord Ram, has seen its holiness being overpowered by hostility. Communal issues over religious structures has somewhere snatched away the aura which I imagined a town like this would possess. However, the ghats by the Saryu river, colorful houses and the simple images which the people portrayed showed their ignorance to these issues triggered by political powers.

Back to Lucknow !! A horse cart ride and culinary journey through the old city was a great experience and quite like a friend said” Lucknow the  land of the erstwhile Nawabs and delectable Kebabs.” A seamless blend of persian, islamic and indian architecture adorned the mosques. These royal structures had mazes and secret passages all accompanied by historical reasons and mythical stories.

Moving onto the British part of town, the Residency remained only in shambles with gun fire holes all over the remains. But some structures of French influence stood tall and glorious. The La Martiniere School a fine example of French architecture is still the growing grounds for many students . This palatial complex with sprawling laws is so enticing that even i was tempted to go back to school if it looked like this.

The trip ended with still a few places left to be seen, a few delicacies yet to be tried and a culture still to be explored. Lucknow and its surroundings are a true melting pot of mainly hindu ideologies, islamic structures,  socio-religious political powers and other minorities characteristic to a mini-India

Copyright Abhimanyu Prakash

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Kolkata_Durga Puja, West Bengal

The most awaited time of the year for every Calcuttan / Kolkatan was here and once again I was all geared up to tread the narrow streets of the city, all adorned to the hilt to welcome the goddess Durga. Yet, even this year the festivities were different and unique, and especially for me in many ways. This time round it was a study ground for me, being the case study for my dissertation on the spatial stratagems adopted for  the Durga Puja Pandals, and to top it off I had a great set of friends in town, some gladly and some reluctantly helping me through my research.

The festivities take the city by storm and literally transform almost every nook and corner, combing the city with temporary temples / pandals housing elaborate representations of the deity. These pandals are themed spaces, very often extending beyond the main structure, generally designed to create a fantasy land, housing the idol, food stalls, performance areas and activity zones. Big and small, all pandas have a unique design and a similarly styled idol, sometimes aping an indian craft, or describing a global phenomena and at times just an installation out of a certain material or object.

2011, was a special Durga Puja as i was not only exploring new facets myself, but was also guiding my friends through this cultural extravaganza. Starting with the most talked about puja adorned with aluminum utensils, we streamed through massive crowds and along we saw others which had terra-cotta pots, mirrors and at times streamlined shapes as the major highlights. Stepping out in the evening, we got back home only before sunrise. This went on for the entire 5 days of the festivities with all the eating and resting taking place in the open grounds and food courts around the pandals.

The creative geniuses of Kolkata had decked up the streets in strings of colorful lights and massive gateway type structures. All of these added to the ambience and directed movement to the idols. Idols of varied shapes and sizes , and representative of national and international themes. The most notable off these was a ‘green’ Durga riding over a junk art bull, a 52 feet megalomania unable to fit within a pandal, an idol designed by Sanatan Dinda and the atypical traditional idol at Maddox Square.

After very many contemporary Durga Puja Pandal visits over sleepless nights, many cups of coffee at any and every coffee shop on the way, walking through sweaty yet enthused crowds and tiresome traffic journeys, we visited the oldest celebrations at the house of the medieval land lords of the region. The earliest celebrations can be traced back to the 1600′s when it was an event commemorated only by the rich and influential, the zamindars / landlords. Even today the palatial courtyard of the De family hosts a massive celebration, open to all to worship a copy of their centuries old family idol.

And, then it was time to head back. After experiencing all possible types of puja, maybe just 5% of those to be seen, it was the end of this season and a call for various return journeys. The visitors were returning home, my friends were going back to Delhi and the goddess was on her way back to heaven. To mark her departure the idols are immersed in the holy water of the Ganges after a long and pompous procession through the very streets that housed those idols. Thanks to my friends and the improved traffic management, i was motivated to drive into the immersion grounds and witness the immersion amidst loud drum beating and shouting worshippers, beckoning the deity to return again as she bids farewell saying “Aami Aaschi” (i am returning soon).

Kolkata does this to anyone who steps foot on its grounds. It leaves the traveller wanting more and coaxes the visitor to say “Aami Aaschi”.

 

Copyright Abhimanyu Prakash

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Nawalgarh, Rajasthan

It was a journey back to my roots, from where my ancestors hailed, my community belonged, a journey to Nawalgarh, Rajasthan. It was meant to be a religious trip for my friends, while for me it was primarily a weekend getaway. However, what a getaway that takes me away from architecture (college work), to see more architecture. Architecture that still holds itself high amidst all thats springing up around it. It was a discovery of the once ancestral ‘HAVELIS’ of the marwaris, now living in contemporary houses in Kolkata, Delhi and Bombay.

The vocabulary spoke of arches, celebrated doorways, sprawling rooms and intricate detailing. Built on the lines of the traditional courtyard house typology, they varied in scales and ornamentation. Classical simplicity was seen in the Junjhunwala Haveli, while the Seksaria residence oozed grandeur and lavishness. The Poddar haveli and museum was a star attraction with every square inch of its walls covered in miniature art. The most beautiful of all marwari havelis made feel proud to be a ‘Nawalgarhia’.

Every door, every passage and each gateway seemed to grab my attention as we walked across the streets and the sprawling mansions. Irresistible as they were to my camera, so were the ‘kachoris’ and ‘pakoris’ to me. For me the trip was of immense satisfaction with a feast to my eyes and the foodie within. The rural aura combed with a constant bustle and a smell of deep fried goodies kept us active and constantly on the move.

A visit still incomplete, to be done with my parents in order to locate my ancestral home, now supposedly a home for the travelers. Many more houses and streets are yet to be explored and street corner delicacies to be savored.

Copyright Abhimanyu Prakash

 

 

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Aachen

This cosmopolitan university town shouts out its multifarious character with not only people from across the world but also appears as a milieu of architectural snippets from across the the european continent. The cobble streets as that of Rome, house cafes which spillover onto these streets reminiscent of Paris and all of them serving German Beer. Above and all is a sense of warmth and vibrancy infused with the colorful house lined lanes all across.

 

Some of the most intriguing spaces are those which are told to have been built recently, over the ruins of the World War, yet seamlessly merging into the context. The spurts of contemporary architecture can be seen in the newer wings and schools of the university, providing for the constant expansion of the academic programs. A buzz of activity is omnipresent in this town at all hours of the day thanks to the 60,000 students and the recreational spaces catering to them.

 

This pedestrian friendly town was not only a great platform for architectural knowledge, but further excited me to someday go back to Aachen for learning, not only architecture but a way of life. A way of life so individual to the germans, yet so global and human in nature that there is something to learn from it, for each one of us.

 

 

Copyright Abhimanyu Prakash

 

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Wuppertal

A short drive from Dusseldorf, the city of Wuppertal was all what i could manage to catch a glimpse of, in half a free day i had. And I’m glad i did it. Stretching across a length of 20 kms the city is plugged onto a spine, a meandering metal snake actually. This is the Schwebeban ( the floating train), running across the length and activating the city at all hours. It was this 1901 architectural marvel that drew me to Wuppertal, to experience a historical engineering breakthrough, make contemporary comparisons and see the town through a birds eye view, seated in this hanging train.

Like most of Germany, even this town was loaded with greenery but what made this place distinct was the inflow of towns and meadows into the city core. And to add to it was this co-existence of this steel running along the stream and the parallel green covers. Pleased as an architect, I was to see the ease of just walking out of your house and into a meadow, this was the charm of the place. An industrial town at heart, Wuppertal still manages to strike a balance between its tradition, the contemporary scenario and its rootedness to nature, making it a must drive past the next time you are in the souther part of Germany.

 

Copyright Abhimanyu Prakash

 

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