Beyond Travel Studio

To travel is to make a journey; but what would a journey be, if the traveler doesn’t grow through it? And when we are talking about traveling to explore architecture, it becomes imperative to ensure that traveling becomes analogous to growing in our worlds. 
Being an ardent traveller, with a fervour to teach, I ascertained to germinate the Idea of Travelling+Teaching into a Travel Studio a year back. A Studio, where Teaching is not confined to classrooms, and nor is Learning. For, We’re visual creatures that are wired to learn more; ‘Beyond’ Boundaries, ‘Beyond’ classrooms. 
It was over a series of discussion with my colleagues AANGAN Architects, that the idea shaped up. It was then, in Congregation with my two like minded millennial mates: Jhanvi Mehta- The executioner and Rakshit Shah- The Go getter. Our Travel Studio went ‘Beyond’ Discussions and became a ‘Team of Three’- Driving the Caravan coined ‘Beyond Travel Studio’. 

Architecture, as I believe, cannot be totally explained, but must be experienced. The Travel Studio aims at understanding the way architecture changes lives, spaces, moods and minds- this is what we want to do. Experience, Learn and Reflect; to put these subtle qualities at the centre of attention whilst we, as ‘students for life’, TRAVEL. The Studio is keen to explore destinations, seeking knowledge, exposure and associations. The Team of Three, travel enthusiasts, with rigorous guidance aim to evoke and impart to the students, stimulating ways to perceive, interpret and associate, to the architecture, people and place- gaining a greater sense of thoughts, ideas and skill that went into making or being. 

Dotting the said principles, we set Our pioneer studio 2018 at SriLanka- Manoeuvring the marvels of Ar. Geoffrey Bawa. The journey was rigorously guided by Rakshit- Our Bawa enthusiast, for his experiences and involvement in Bawa’s works whilst his stay at Sri Lanka. The studio encompassed strategic patterns of studies, based on pre-defined parameters guided by the trio. It was on the basis of these parameters, that participants (students and young architects) paved their way developing understanding and tracing narratives. It is innate to meet people native to a place and nothing could have been better than a wholesome interactive session with Ar. Pallinda Kannangara, a prominent architect of Sri Lanka. The by-product is a compilation- an assemblage of participants’ interpretations for specific sites.

Stay tuned to know more through our Upcoming videos and blogs on:
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The Monkey Temple, Jaipur, India

Galtaji- Also known as the Monkey Temple (for Obvious reasons of numerous Monkeys residing there), is an ancient Hindu pilgrimage about 10 km away from Jaipur, Rajasthan. There are many temples in this site built into a narrow cleft in the ring of Aravali hills surrounding Jaipur. The Setup offers a Fantastic view of the Aravali ranges clamping the temple complex. The temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, is made of Pink sandstone and seems to be more of a palace than a place of worship.
A very special feature of the place is a natural spring that flows downwards from the hill top. The water from this spring fills up many kunds which are considered very sacred and the pilgrims visiting the temple take bathe in this pious water. The temple comprises of 7 holy kunds out of which I visited the Galta Kund, which is the most significant of all. The water of this kind is believed to be different from anywhere else which makes it even more fascinating for the visitors to watch. 

A fulfilling experience of sighting heritage, Nature and Devotees with Religious & cultural participation.

‘Streets’_ As I traverse

To the streets of wonders,
Knowing the unknown, As I wander.
Experiencing the Ethereal waves,
A zillion thoughts begin;
I smelled my desires,
As my travel made me move within.

An insignificant pedestrian,
Making way to know more;
Leading to overwhelming questions,
Seeking to that was unanswered before.

Hearing the never-heard sounds,
Gazing at the unseen Shades,
Smelling breathes with differentness,
Capturing my moments and never let them fade.

Unleashing my Mind and Soul,
I Tripped insane whilst traversing streets unknown;
Consuming my contentment through the senses Cold,
Whilst Moving in the Streets of Distant Shores.

-Mastaani @ Scandinavia, 2018

To the Happy Shades, Street by Nyhavn Canal, Copenhagen, Denmark

A ‘Time’ly Encounter_ To the Old & New, Oslo, Norway

To the Senses Cold, Oslo, Norway

White Wooden houses Lining quiet-Cobbled Streets, Bergen, Norway

Strolling on the street by the Lille Lungegårdsvannet Lake, Bergen, Norway

To this ‘Constant’ keeping up the ‘Continuity’

Walking down Biblioteksgatan, in the heart of the city,, Stockholm, Sweden

A Slow Saunter @ Ostermalm, Oslo, Sweden

Cheerful Vibes @ Södermalm island by the Lake Mälaren, Stockholm, Sweden

The sight in Silence.

An experiential Nothingness emerging out of silence; The thought provoking Stillness wording out of the voids.

Solitude

A state of being ‘Alone’ and not lonely, is solitude..That feeling of revelling yourself and within yourself is solitude- It is by Will, it is by choice..It is a soul’s holiday, a realisation of its presence, an opportunity to stop doing for others and to entertain one’s own self instead. It is that moment of Introspection, The art of self-talking. It is that act of ‘not’ using others for cockery.

Solitude divulges us to that magic moment which gives us the ability and powers to enable us to do miracles. To me, Solitude is not the absence of Love or the absence of company, but the moment when our soul is free to communicate to us, strengthen us and prepare us to unitedly face the world- A Union of ones own Body and soul. We entangle ourselves in horde of social ties distancing us from ourselves.

Fortunate are those who can embrace solitude because, One enters solitude, when one loses loneliness. A vast world lies hidden in our soul, waiting to be discovered. There it is, with all its strength and powers waiting for us recognise its being.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/solitude/

TEMPLES OF KERALA_ A Conspicuous Modesty

Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar Coast, is majorly known for its palm-lined beaches and backwaters- a network of canals, mountains whose slopes support tea, coffee and spice plantations as well as wildlife. It was During my travel to Kerela- God’s own country, as they say, when these 3 dimensions, happened to transfix me with the place; 

1. Nature’s Beauty 

2. Modest houses 

3. Temple complexes

Having explored various temples of North, west and South of India, the ones that have fascinated me the most are ‘The temples of kerela’. Whilst most other temples tried to portray the grandeur, wealth and powers prevailing at that point of time; my dialogues with kerela-Temples have been quiet variant. When juxtaposed to the magnificence of dravidian, Vasara and Nagara style, it is the Utmost Simplicity that becomes spectacularly conspicuous.

Their distinctiveness lies in there Simplicity, inherent modesty, a strong uphold to the socio-cultural way of life of people and the brilliant integration of Nature and mother earth with the temple complexes.

Vadakkumnathan Shiva Temple, Thrissur

 As read before, kerala-temple complexes are in the mainstream of Indian temple styles. But, on the contrary, in the detailed articulation of its formal structure Kerala temple follows its own indigenous and unique methods. The basic translations of the physical form of temple complexes are not something different from the total cultural developments of the town. Temple-complexes and domestic architecture speak a common language. 

Along the path circumscribing Sanctum sanctorum at Vadakkumnathan Shiva Temple, Thrissur

Entrance Gopuram at Vadakkumnathan Shiva Temple, Thrissur

 The structures are just simplistically functional and purely programmatic. These complexes are well-woven with mother nature. The idiosyncrasies of the landscape that envelopes temple complexes are unmatched. The unmatched synergy of the inside-outside brings out the Balance that becomes extensively conspicuous; they interact, they talk, they chirp, they co-exist..

Entrance plaza, Vadakkumnathan Shiva Temple, Thrissur

Inside the fortification, Vadakkumnathan Shiva Temple, Thrissur

 A basic, strong and simple material palatte refrains it from getting into the lines of ‘that’ extravagant architecture. Low profile, the humble sections, pointed pitched roofs, yet the serenity is par excellence.

Architectural details at Vadakkumnathan Shiva Temple, Thrissur

 They invoke admiration without any architectural ostentation, where the complex hugs the earth and meekly rising to the space; thus rendering rhythms between the complex, air, space and light.

The mighty complex in being_Vadakkumnathan Shiva Temple, Thrissur