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Kalahasti

GOI-UNDP Endogenous Tourism Program a design report


June 2007

Kiran Keswani
Bangalore, India

kiranmkeswani@gmail.com

ACTION POINTS for the hardware component of the Srikalahasti project are :

1. To finalise the master plan for the Common Facility Centre at the site of the recently constructed Punnami Complex. 2. To acquire traditional houses or buildings from owners who are willing to contribute to the Rural Tourism program, for adaptive re-use as interpretation centre, little kalamkari outlets and kalamkari memorabalia shops, cafetaria, toilets and homestays on Bazaar street and Jayaram Rao street. 3. To create a local implementation team that can restore a traditional structure or build a new one using traditional building materials and skills. This team to comprise of an Engineer with a concern for tradition, a Senior mason, a Carpenter with traditional skills and local enterprising young people who have a passion for promoting and restoring the heritage of their town. 4. To begin upgrading of infrastructure facilities of Bazaar street and Jayaram Rao street in terms of water supply, electricity, garbage disposal, drainage and sewerage systems. This is important since these streets are the main shopping spine for all the tourists & pilgrims who visit the Sadashiva temple at Kalahasti which is situated at the beginning of the Bazaar street.

Kalamkari the craft in Kalahasti

Tourists who will come to Kalahasti would be keen on visiting the Kalamkari artists at their workplaces. It will be of interest for tourists to see the artists in their actual home and work surroundings. ACTION plan : It is essential that in addition to the showroom at the new site on theTirupathi-Kalahasti road, the streets abutting the well-known Sadashiva temple also be developed, both as learning centres for kalamkari craft and as zones for tourists to shop for crafts and household commodities generated from kalamkari work as being promoted by DRDA, the Karuna group and the Dwaraka Trust.
Sri Ramaiah, Kalamkari artist & Retd. school teacher at work at Sri Rama Mandir

Srikalahasti a temple town ( the Existing tourist & pilgrim traffic )


The numbers of people who visit the temple every day and especially during certain times of the year can be very large. This already existing tourist pilgrim traffic will also want to take an interest in the making of kalamkari Even though the products may not be affordable to the common man, a few small items must be designed that can cater to this large pilgrim visitorship.

Srikalahasti is one of the most famous Saivite Kshethrams of South India and is also called Dakshanakasi.

The Spider (sri), the Elephants Twin Tusks (hasthi) and a fiveheaded Sarpa (kala) and an eye which was offered by Kannappa, the Lords devotee are manifested on the Lingam here and therefore the name Sri-kala-hasti.

Bazaar street & Jayarama Rao street


The streets that emanate from and lead to the Temple will need to be designed and restored to some of their past glory. ACTION plan : 1. It is recommended that, a budget be allocated, if possible, for taking underground electricity cables. 2. The streets require footpaths, which may not necessarily be very wide. Alternatively, small parts of the portions on either side of the vehicular road be paved with interlocking blocks so that the street begins to function more effectively and would also be a cleaner path for tourists and local people to travel on.

a temple where a few kalamkari artists work


For a few artists in Kalahasti, this small temple Sri Rama mandir in the Agraharam is their workplace. It has murals on the walls that reflect the living traditions of Kalahasti. This place may be included within the tour that is offered to visitors. It allows them to see the sanctity that lies within the art and craft of Kalamkari and within the lives of the craftsmen.

nodal points on the kalahasti tour


Rickshaws & the bazaar
There are some very interesting parts of the town that may seem very ordinary, everyday places to those who live here. But, for tourists, both indian and foreign, some of these places can be charming to visit and to be a part of as they come to Kalahasti to explore the crafts of rural india.

Choultries on the way to main temple Gangamma gudi (temple)

Including Traditional houses into the Tourism program

Even today, there are several houses in Kalahasti that are more than 50 years old. These houses have exquisite woodwork fascia boards and ornate railings. Their roofs are often sloping and covered in clay country tile or mangalore tile. Here are a sample of a few of such houses that must be acquired and made a part of the overall infrastructure for the Endogenous Tourism Program at Kalahasti. Kalahasti has a rich architectural and cultural heritage which must be preserved for the tourists who will come here from all over India and from abroad.

a traditional house for HOMESTAY


in Jayaram Rao street

This house is located on Jayaram Rao street as one walks from the Sadashiva temple towards the main Bus stand. Apart from its many traditional architectural elements, it has a nice open space enveloped by the wings of the house & shaded by tree cover. ACTION plan : Small open spaces like these can become also open-to-sky cafetarias for tourists and would be a good source of income for the local people.

a window that can be re-used in the Common Facility Centre

This house on Jayarama Rao street is being demolished. ACTION plan : The window, if salvaged in its entirety can be reused at the Common Facility Centre being proposed by DRDA at the new site on the Tirupathi-Kalahasti road. This house is opposite the hotel C.B.Residency.

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Traditional door designs at Kalahasti


ACTION plan : 1. For new constructions that take place in Kalahasti, a set of architectural heritage guidelines needs to be outlined. 2. For instance, the door designs must follow any of the patterns or technique shown below. Each of these doors has a lower or higher level of workmanship which can determine the pricing. A door for any level of affordability is feasible in the traditional design idiom. All the doors shown here are from houses in Kalahasti. 3. Today, many houses are continually being demolished as they are either in a dilapidated condition or the house owners now opt for a modern house. It is learnt from a local carpenter in Kalahasti that many such old doors and windows from traditional houses in andhra pradesh are sold at the markets in Nellore. It may be useful to acquire some of these for use in this rural tourism project.

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a building that can be used as Kalamkari Natural Dyes Research Centre


Most of the heritage houses that appear in this report were visited jointly by the architect and the local project team comprising of Mr.Munirattnam, Asst.Proj.Officer, DRDA, Mr.Nagaraj, Kalamkari artist & President, Karuna Group and Mr.N.Ramana Prasad, Dwaraka Trust. This building is presently being used as a hostel. ACTION plan : It can be restored and used as a unit for Natural Dyes as well as become one of the nodal points on the Kalahasti-Kalamkari tour.

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Traditional building materials


There are houses even today that use the Bodha or Grass roof. Since this way of building a roof still continues in Kalahasti, it indicates that there are even today, artisans who can make these kind of houses. ACTION plan : It is recommended that these artisans be identified and their services taken for making pavilions at

the Punnami Complex


on the lines of the Shilparamam at Tirupathi. There is a large frontage available at the Complex that can have bamboo and grass pavilions for tourists to relax and also for holding temporary THEME BASED exhibitions of both kalamkari artists and woodcarvers from Madhavamala.

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Indigenous architecture in Kalahasti

When visitors come to a

rural tourism destination


a few of the elements that they enjoy experiencing is the creativity of the women as they decorate their homes every day and on festival days; the craftsmanship and skills of the local people and their way of life.

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Punnami tourist complex with rooms and cafetaria under construction

The EXISTING FACILITIES at the project site are : 1. Manager room 2. Book & Kalamkari Literature room (for SALE) 3. Crafts showroom (1200 sq.ft.) 4. Rooms for stay

Proposed site for Common Facility Centre ( next to the Punnami complex )

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Common Facility Centre


The FUTURE REQUIREMENTS for the "Kalamkari Tourism & Facility Centre" : 1. DEMONSTRATION house (that shows how kalamkari products can be used as household accessories) to help market the craft more effectively 2. MUSEUM on kalamkari (the history of kalamkari) a. Information counter b. Exhibition spaces c. Management office d. Museum shop (with postcards, kalamkari momentoes, etc.) e. Lounge or open-to-sky cafetaria 3. RESOURCE CENTRE a. Washing area (Instead of a tank, a river-like man-made landscape within the centre that allows a natural flow of water for better cleaning of the kalamkari fabric - as suggested by Mr.Niranjan, Kalamkari artist & Secretary, Karuna) b. Sand bed (also natural and appropriate for use in the cleaning process) c. Work area for 40 artisans d. Chulha - 2 nos. e. Generator shed f. Research section (for scholars & designers) g. Archives h. Library (for REFERENCE) At the Resource centre, the kalamkari artists will have access to training in Marketing, Design & Entrepreneurship skills. The centre will invite Textile designers to spend time at Kalahasti to interact with the artists on traditional and modern motifs,the kalamkari technique and natural dyeing. It will help generate an archive for research scholars from India and abroad in the field of textiles.

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a traditional house for HOMESTAY in Bahadurpeta


This house is being used by the family who now lives here for several decades. The house at D.no.11-378 Bahadurpeta is fairly well maintained and a good example of how vernacular architecture can continue to serve contemporary lifestyles with some effort and also concern for the past. ACTION plan : They may be approached to participate in the home-stay program under the Endogenous Tourism project.

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Existing DRDA centre for craftsmen


The DRDA centre is in the vicinity of the Panagal Palace complex. It is an extremely serene environment. ACTION plan : 1. It is suggested that landscaping work be taken up in and around the structures that have been constructed for the Kalamkari unit. For this, a good gardener to be appointed fulltime to begin planting of ground cover, shrubs and flowering plants. 2. The washing tank meant for the kalamkari artists needs to be reworked in such a way that it has flowing water for long periods of time. A flowing stream of water is the need of the artists in contrast to the existing washing tank where water begins to flow or there is movement of water only when the tank has filled up to a certain degree and it begins to overflow.

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Panagal Palace complex as DRDA Training centre

The structures in this palace complex and the entire campus have an old-world charm. If it is possible to acquire a part of this campus for use as a

Kalamkari training centre


as an extension of the already existing DRDA unit nearby, some or all parts of this complex can be restored and would be a beautiful site for tourists to visit as part of their Kalamkari tour.

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Panagal Palace complex Restoration work


ACTION plan : 1. Permission to be sought from the concerned authorities for use of a part of this complex for Tourism/DRDA Kalamkari unit program 2. Budget allocation to be made by the District administration 3. Restoration expert and a team of skilled artisans may be commissioned to bring back these buildings to their original glory.

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Varadaraj Swamy tank


as tourist attraction

This tank is on Jayarama Rao street on the road that connects the temple to the RTC bus stand. In the mornings, a few walkers are seen along the path surrounding the water. It is a heritage precinct that can have a small bazaar within it. It has the potential to be a tourist attraction. ACTION plan : 1. The students of the School for Sculpture and Temple Architecture at Tirupathi to be commissioned to create stone sculptures that can become a part of the temple tank area. 2. Landscaping to be taken up. A garderner to be appointed to add greenery that would enhance the place.

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Wood carvers in Madhavmala village


This village is located between Kalahasti and Tirupathi. In order to support the craftsmen, it is important to generate more work for them and to create a continuous market for their craft. One of the ways of doing this, would be to commission some

wood crafts to be incorporated in the cafetarias, kalamkari outlets, snack counters along bazaar street and the Jayarama street revitalisation project
It maybe possible to embed these woodcrafted panels into the interior walls of the showroom being currently completed at the Punnami complex or to insert them above doorways in the rooms that this tourist complex offers.

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Shilparamam the details


The shilparamam crafts village at Tirupathi uses many of the traditional building arts. It is suggested that the local implementation team of the Endogenous Tourism Program visit this tourist crafts village to know about the many possibilities of using wooden rafters and tiled roofs, mud plaster, wall decorations and signage in wood or using metal craft. The most attractive part of the Shilparamam is its landscape and the maintenance of it. This is one of the factors to be followed also in the Common Facility centre.

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Shilparamam

For further details, to contact : Mr.Dasratha Naidu Administrative officer Shilparamam Tirupathi mob : 098480 23605

The bamboo work may be replicated In the new Tourist Interpretation & Common facilities centre at Kalahasti For sourcing the bamboo artisans, to contact : Mr.Rama Rao mob : 92463 49423

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Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture & architecture (SVITSA)


in Tirupati

Relevance of this Institute in the ENDOGENOUS TOURISM project : The students from this college be requested to be a part of this program. ACTION : 1. Students to visit the areas within the program which will be beautified as they made into tourist destinations, including the homestays, the cafetarias, the craft shops, the pedestrianisation of parts of bazaar and Jayaram rao street. 2. Students & Faculty to suggest the nature of contribution they can make to the program

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School of Traditional Sculpture & Temple architecture


in Tirupathi

This Institute offers a 4 year diploma course in : Temple architecture (Prasadalakshana) Stone sculpture (Sila-silpa) Stucco (Sudha-silpa) Wood sculpture (Daru-silpa) Metal sculpture (Loha-silpa) Traditional Painting (Sampradaya Varna Chitra) For further collaboration, contact : Mr.Bhanu Prasad The Officer-in-charge Silpa Kalasala, T.T.D. Alipiri Road Tirupathi 517501 Or Mr.M.P.Rajasekhara Raju Master Sculptor & Superintendent

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This plan begins with the visitor entering into the campus and facing the exposed brick-lined amphitheatre. He would walk past the amphitheatre to enter the museum on the history of Kalamkari and then onto the demonstration house. He may later continue into the next part of the campus to see the kalamkari artists at work. This is the common facilities area and meant as an artists work area with the chulha, the wash area and the sand bed. For the kalamkari artist, the common facilities area remains secluded from the traffic on the main road and it is well-landscaped to provide a serene & pleasant work environment. Option 1 : Master Plan

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The central part of the campus has a landscaped area that incorporates the functional need of the artists for a wash area. There is flowing water that begins at one end and moves further down in the nature of a river. It has on its side a sandbed area for drying the fabric.

Option 1 : plan of common facilities

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Option 1 : plan of museum

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This plan begins with the visitor entering into the campus into a garden. He enters the Interpretation centre which comprises of an information counter, a management office, a museum on the history of kalamkari and a demonstration house which helps visitors understand how the kalamkari products can become daily accessories for their homes. In this option, the amphitheatre belongs to the larger part of the site and its setting is amidst a landscaped garden, so that when the visitors face the stage, they also see the landscaped green beyond. The dotted lines indicate the covered walkways that will link all the units. The plan incorporates small but interesting courtyards or open-to-sky spaces that will bring in natural light and also allow the kalamkari artists to have semi-enclosed work spaces if they prefer to work in the outdoors. Option 2 : Master plan

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Option 2 : plan of common facilities

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Option 2 : plan of museum

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Summing up

ACTION POINTS for the hardware component

Kalamkari the craft in Kalahasti


Srikalahasti a temple town (the Existing tourist & pilgrim traffic) Traditional streets Bazaar & Jayarama Rao street
a temple where a few kalamkari artists work

nodal points on the kalahasti tour Including Traditional houses into the Tourism program

for HOMESTAY in Jayaram Rao street


a window that can be re-used
a building that can be used as Kalamkari Natural Dyes Research Centre
Bamboo work for ceiling and wood fascia board at Shilparamam, Tirupati

Indigenous architecture in Kalahasti


Punnami tourist complex with rooms and cafetaria under construction

Common Facility Centre a 9-acre site Panagal Palace complex as DRDA Training centre
Varadaraj Swamy tank

Shilparamam crafts village in Tirupati


Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture & architecture

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