Triveni Kala Sangam

Last updated

Triveni Kala Sangam
AbbreviationTriveni
Formation1950 [1]
Founder Sundari K. Shridharani
PurposeMusic, dance and arts education
Headquarters205 Tansen Marg,
near Bengali Market,
New Delhi-110001

Triveni Kala Sangam is an important cultural and arts complex and education centre in New Delhi. [2] [3] Founded in 1950, by Sundari K. Shridharani, who was also its Founding Director, Triveni, as it is commonly referred, contains four art galleries, a chamber theatre, outdoor theatre, open air sculpture gallery, besides this it runs its various arts, music and dance classes. It is situated on Tansen Marg, between Mandi House roundabout and Bengali Market. [4]

Contents

History

The idea of starting a dance institution in Delhi was raised by Sundari K. Shridharani, a former student of dancer Uday Shankar, in 1950 [1] [5] when she had just moved to Delhi after marriage. The name 'Triveni Kala Sangam' was coined by flautist, Vijay Raghav Rao and literally meaning "confluence of arts". [2] It started in one room above a Coffee House in Connaught Place, Delhi, with two students under noted artist K. S. Kulkarni. Soon her efforts got noticed, and Pandit Nehru allotted her the land for the institution. Gradually, she organized a small group of people, started organizing concerts, and collecting funds. Guru Rajkumar Singhajit Singh joined Triveni in 1954, as Head of the Manipur Dance Section, and later in 1962, founded the 'Triveni Ballet' of which he was Director and Principal Dancer. [6]

An American architect was commissioned to design to multi-purpose complex of art galleries, chamber theatre, library, photography darkroom, staff quarters, classrooms over just half an acre of land. Finally construction began around 1957 and eventually on 3 March 1963, the present building was inaugurated. [2]

Main entrance and Shridharani Art Gallery facade on the left. Shridharani Art Gallery, New Delhi.jpg
Main entrance and Shridharani Art Gallery facade on the left.

Triveni was one of the first buildings by noted American architect, Joseph Allen Stein (1957-1977) in India, [7] who also designed several important building in New Delhi, like India International Centre and India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road. Designed in modern architecture style, the complex is noted for its " multiple spaces for multiple purposes" and use of jali work (stone lattices), which was to become Stein's hallmark. [8] [9]

Art Heritage Gallery was founded in 1977, by noted theatre personality, Roshen Alkazi, wife of theatre director Ebrahim Alkazi. [10] It was a period before a host of commercial art galleries opened up across Delhi, and especially in South Delhi, even then Triveni managed to maintain its "non-commercial" approach to art. [11] Roshan ran the gallery for over 40 years till her death in 2007. Today Ebrahim, although in his eighties, continues to be its Director. [10] [12]

The Tea Terrace restaurant at Triveni Kala Sangam became a popular space for artists, student and intellectuals to meet and especially known for food specialities. It remained popular through the 70s and 80s, and even when other art centers started coming up across Delhi [13] [14] Over the years, Triveni has remained the only public institution with no membership or ticketed shows. [15]

Sundari K. Shridharani, the Founder and Director of Triveni, was awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India in 1992. [16] She was also praised for the degree of her support for the arts, and her help for those with disadvantaged backgrounds: lowering rates in the Triveni cafe to make it more affordable, allowing artistes to hold classes on the premise rent-free, and waiving fees for economically disadvantaged students. [17] She died on 7 April 2012 in New Delhi, at the age of 93, and her son Amar Shridharani is the General Secretary of Triveni. [17]

Overview

Today the Triveni complex contains four art galleries, namely Shridharani Gallery, Art Heritage Gallery, Triveni Gallery and a basement gallery run by Art Heritage. While Shridharani is the largest gallery [10]

The complex also houses Triveni Chamber Theatre, Triveni Garden Theatre (outdoor theatre), Triveni Sculpture Court - an open air sculpture gallery), students' hostels, Prakriti- a potted plant nursery, and a bookshop. [10] [15] [18] Several classes in various dance and music forms, painting, and photography are offered at the Triveni complex.

Arts and performing arts education

Transport

Triveni is close to cultural hub of Delhi, Mandi House area, and behind Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts. It is accessible by Mandi House underground station of Delhi Metro, Blue and Violet Line.

Related Research Articles

Paresh Maity is an Indian painter. He is a prolific painter in a short career span.

Ebrahim Alkazi was an Indian theatre director and drama teacher. A rigid disciplinarian, he instilled in his acting students an awe and reverence that they still carry with them, with several of them having had the privilege of continuing the practice and training in the NSD Repertory Company, an introduction made to the National School of Drama by Alkazi. His standards later became very influential. He also remained the Director of National School of Drama, New Delhi (1962–1977) He was also a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and founded the Art Heritage Gallery in Delhi with his wife, Roshen Alkazi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Allen Stein</span> American architect

Joseph Stein was an American architect and a major figure in the establishment of a regional modern architecture in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1940s and 1950s during the early days of the environmental design movement. In 1952, he moved to India and in 1955 was tasked with the planning of Durgapur in West Bengal, India along with Benjamin Polk. He was commissioned with this task in order to facilitate the establishment of Durgapur Steel Plant later on in 1959 followed by the Durgapur Steel City and Township. He is noted for designing several important buildings in India, most notably in Lodhi Estate in Central Delhi, nicknamed "Steinabad" after him, and where today the 'Joseph Stein Lane', is the only road in Delhi named after an architect. He is also famous for being the architect of the scenic Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode's campus. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri in 1992. His works remain even more relevant in the modern context as need for sustainable and humane architecture is felt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajkumar Singhajit Singh</span> Indian dancer

Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, is a leading exponent, choreographer and a guru of Indian classical dance form of Manipuri, including the Pung cholom and Raslila. He was awarded with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984 and the Padma Shri in 1986 for his contribution to the Manipuri dance. In the year 2011, Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's The National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama, awarded him with its highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for his contribution to Indian Dance. In 2014 he was also conferred with the Tagore Award.

Haku Vajubhai Shah was an Indian painter, Gandhian, cultural anthropologist and author on folk and tribal art and culture. His art belonged to the Baroda Group and his works are considered in the line of artists who brought themes of folk or tribal art to Indian art.

Alarmel Valli is a leading Indian classical dancer and choreographer and the foremost exponent of the Pandanallur style in the Indian classical dance form, Bharatanatyam. She is widely acclaimed for her ability to turn traditional grammar into deeply internalized, personal dance poetry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arunima Kumar</span> Musical artist

Arunima Kumar, Sangeet Natak Akademi Yuva Puraskar awardee for the year of 2008 for Kuchipudi. As a young girl of 9, Arunima acted in the ballet Amrapali. The Kuchipudi Dance Academy formally launched her in 1995 where she performed her Arangetram at the Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi.

Amal Allana is an Indian theatre director, scenic designer and costume designer and presently she is in her second consecutive term as the Chairperson of National School of Drama, India's premier institute of Theatre training, she also runs the Dramatic Art and Design Academy (DADA), New Delhi, with her husband Nissar Allana, which they co-founded in 2000.

Bhabesh Chandra Sanyal commonly known as B. C. Sanyal, the doyen of modernism in Indian art, was an Indian painter and sculptor and an art teacher to three generations of artists. During his lifetime he not just saw the partition of the Indian subcontinent three times, 1905, 1947 and 1971, but also witnessed 20th century Indian art in all its phases. His notable paintings include The flying scarecrow, Cow herd, Despair and Way to peace, which depicts Mahatma Gandhi with a Hindu and a Muslim child.

Vidyaben Shah was an Indian social worker and activist known for her work with children, women and the elderly in India. While she was already serving as Vice-President, she was appointed the first non-officio President of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. She has held several leading positions in the field of social welfare since the 1940s. Vidyaben Shah died at the age of 97 on 19 June 2020 at her residence in Delhi, her son Mihir Shah confirmed the news of Vidyaben Shah death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra</span> Indian cultural institution

Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (SBKK) is an Indian cultural institution which runs a school for music, dance and performing arts in New Delhi. It was founded by Sumitra Charat Ram in 1952, and imparts training in Indian classical dance styles and music, including Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Chhau, Hindustani Classical music, both Vocal and Instrumental. Its associated organisation is the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts at Safdar Hasmi Marg, in the Mandi House area, the cultural hub of Delhi, the centre includes a theater for the performing arts, a theatre repertory company and an acting school.

Sundari K. Shridharani was the founder and director of Triveni Kala Sangam, a multi-arts institution, which she established in 1950.

Bengali Market is among the oldest and most popular markets in New Delhi, India. The actual name of the market is Bangali Mal Market, but over the years it has come to be known as just Bengali Market, though it has nothing to do with the Indian state of West Bengal. It was built by Bengali Mal Lohia in 1930. It is a relatively small market, comprising several stores situated in a circular manner around a traffic roundabout. Today, it is famous for its North Indian street food, and shops selling sweets such as Nathu's Sweets and Bengali Sweet House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balan Nambiar</span> Indian academic researcher

Balan Nambiar is an Indian painter, sculptor, enamellist, photographer and an academic researcher.

Siramdasu Venkata Rama Rao is a British painter of Indian descent, known for his cubist paintings. Holder of Commonwealth Fellowship of 1962, he was honored by the Government of India, in 2001, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.

Shobha Deepak Singh is an Indian cultural impresario, photographer, writer, classical dancer and the director of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, a Delhi-based cultural organization which promotes music and performing arts, through its schools and stage shows. She is known for her contributions for the revival of Mayurbhanj Chhau, a tribal martial dance form from Odisha. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri in 1999, for her contributions to Arts and culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. P. Roy Choudhury</span> Indian sculptor and painter (1899–1975)

Devi Prasad Roy Choudhury MBE was an Indian sculptor, painter and educator. He is well known for his monumental bronze sculptures, especially the Triumph of Labour and the Martyrs' Memorial, and is rated by many as one among the major artists of Indian modern art. He worked in a broad spectrum of mediums including watercolors, expressionist landscapes and commissioned portraits. Large scale sculptures were his particular strength and he made social realism the cornerstone of his art. In addition to painting and sculpting, he also wrestled, played the flute, engaged in hunting and wrote short stories in his spare time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vasundhara Tewari Broota</span> Indian painter (born 1955)

Vasundhara Tewari Broota is an Indian painter who does figurative paintings based on the perception of a woman and the psycho-political existence of the female body, traditional landscapes, still life with exquisite meaning. She worked on a cultural scholarship awarded by the Department of Culture, Government of India during 1982-84. She, Jatin Das and other 298 artists had donated art work for 2018 Kerala floods through an exhibition cum sale held in The National Gallery of Modern Art.

O. P. Sharma is an Indian photographer based in Delhi. He heads the photography department of Triveni Kala Sangam. Earlier, he taught photography at Modern School for many years. His works have been widely exhibited in India as well as other countries. He is the recipient of many awards and honours, and is credited with mobilising the international photography community to observe 19 August as World Photography Day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pramila Giri (artist)</span> Nepalese-Norwegian artist

Pramila Giri is a visual artist who has been living and practising in Norway since 1997. She practises in the mediums of sculpture and painting. During the initial years of her practice in the 1980s, Giri experimented with marble and resin, mediums that had not as yet been used in Nepal in the arts. Presently her work synthesises large-scale abstract sculptures with paintings that create an environment, and have a monumental effect on onlookers. Her sculptures are installed in significant sites in Nepal and abroad. In 1978, she was among a group of artists who represented Nepal in the Fourth Triennale - India. In 2019, she participated in "Nepal Art Now," a large-scale exhibition at Weltmuseum Wien, "the most extensive exhibition of modern and contemporary art from Nepal to date" according to the museum's press release.

References

  1. 1 2 Rajendra Prasad (1984). Dr. Rajendra Prasad, correspondence and select documents: Volume seventeen. Presidency period January 1954 to December 1955. Allied Publishers. p. 252. ISBN   8170230020. ..since it was found ten years ago... (dated: 14th October, 1959)
  2. 1 2 3 Rajan, Anjana (28 August 2010). "Art of aesthetics". The Hindu . Chennai, India.
  3. "Scholarships: Institutions And Gurus Teaching Indian Dance And Music". ICCR.
  4. "New Delhi Attractions: Triveni Kala Sangam". New York Times . 2012.
  5. "Smt Sundari Krishnalal Shridharani". Sangeet Natak Akademi. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  6. DR. R.K. Singhajit Singh Profile Homi Bhabha Fellowship Council, Mumbai, Fellowship:1976-1978.
  7. Architect of Independence. Dwell. November 2008.
  8. "Delhi's Architectural Face". Outlook. 18 June 2008.
  9. "An urban legacy: Joseph Allen Stein, 1912-2001". The South Asian. December 2001.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Art Galleries in Delhi". Delhi Tourism website.
  11. Lahiri, Tripti (29 April 2010). "Art and Commerce in Delhi". New York Times.
  12. "Stage presence : Ebrahim Alkazi". harmony India.
  13. "The old order changes..." The Hindu . Chennai, India. 13 February 2006. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014.
  14. "Festive scene". The Hindu . Chennai, India. 11 November 2010. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Prima donna". The Tribune. 3 September 2000. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  16. "Padma Awards Directory (1954-2009)" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013.
  17. 1 2 Anjana Rajan (20 April 2012). "Keeper of the shrine". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  18. Patrick Horton; Richard Plunkett; Hugh Finlay (2002). Delhi. Lonely Planet. p. 156. ISBN   1864502975.
  19. Classes at Triveni Kala Sangam delhievents.

28°37′37″N77°13′55″E / 28.627°N 77.232°E / 28.627; 77.232