By Shilpi Madan
Photography: Courtesy the museum
Read Time: 2 mins
toe-rings| ruby hastphool at the back of the tiny hand at the end of the silver back scratcher, with concealed daggers within at each end - probably a queen's vanity essential| hairpin |
Unseen tribal jewellery and heirlooms in silver and gold from across India pirouette proudly at the recently opened Amrapali Museum in Jaipur…
Attention: Jewellery connoisseurs and lovers of antiquated ornaments - the 6500 sq. ft. Amrapali Museum in the Pink City opens a treasure trove of antediluvian tribal jewellery and stunning heirlooms in fine silver and gold-smithery.
Parsi necklace and ornamental hasli from Karnataka (choker) |
kaanphools (earrings) |
So, we behold a
rather lyrical unfolding of pieces: a lavish mirrorwork necklace in emerald
green and white, dating back to the 19th century, when mirror
was yet to come to India; an ornate silver sehra (forehead ornament for the bridegroom in Himachal Pradesh), finely crafted hairpins, mathapattis (head ornaments), kaanphools (earrings), hastphools (hand jewellery), pair phools (foot jewellery), araipatta (waistband), bichwa (toe rings), naths (nose rings), kadas (bracelets), the traditional Rajasthani head ornament, borla and umpteen others from the interiors of Kutch, Rajasthan, Awadh and yonder.
In the Gold Room here, yellow metal rules in chiselled haslis (chokers) with ornamental clasps from Karnataka, treasured bajubands (armlets) with rose-cut-diamonds from Hyderabad; breath-taking jadai nagam (hair ornaments) in rubies, emeralds, white sapphires...from Tamil Nadu and a gleaming Parsi necklace laced with diamond inlay and words from Avestan credo.
Customised in-lit drawers open soundlessly to unveil carefully displayed artefacts. The hooks on which the pieces are suspended are concealed, spotlighting the craftsmanship as strategically placed magnifying glasses treat the visitors to the fine artistry at the rear of the pieces. Concealed lighting highlights the intricacies of the displayed ornaments and curios, against the muted pebble grey fabric background. 3D backlit close ups in black and white, or detailed carvings on some of the pieces make for a riveting visual mosaic.
From Portuguese styled
filigiree and golden thewa of Pratapgarh to the, colonial silver from Kutch and
ateliers of Awadh, the grandoise of Hyderabad courts to the treasured swatches
of splendid Indian bolts of silks and zaris, the space is a pure treat for fine art aficionados. Heirloom stretches of gold and silver
celebrated in fabrics through the kalamkari artistry, across the walls. A rare tiger claw necklace, a fossilised shaligram making up a delicate silver belt, gold jooties (footwear) studded with precious stones, silver khadau simply dazzle. Then there are the miniscule gold earrings retrieved from the river beds of Ganga and Yamuna.
The Museum is a breath-taking celebration of Indian heritage in unseen forms. A must-visit for every art connoisseur.
Amrapali Museum, K 14/B Ashok Marg, C Scheme, Ashok Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Timing: 11 am – 6pm. Last entry at 5 pm
Open from Monday to Sunday
Ticket: Rs 600/- per person
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