kalahasti rural tourism
DESCRIPTION
An architectural design Report prepared as part of a Consultancy for the GOI-UNDP Endogenous Tourism Program for Kalahasti in Andhra Pradesh.TRANSCRIPT
KalahastiGOI-UNDP Endogenous Tourism Program
a design reportJune 2007
Kiran KeswaniBangalore, India
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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.
ACTION POINTS for the hardware component of the Srikalahasti project are :
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.
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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
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Srikalahasti – a temple town ( the Existing tourist & pilgrim traffic )
The Spider (sri), the Elephants
Twin Tusks (hasthi) and a five-
headed Sarpa (kala) and an
eye which was offered by
Kannappa, the Lord’s devotee
are manifested on the Lingam
here and therefore the name
Sri-kala-hasti.
Srikalahasti is one of the most famous Saivite
Kshethrams of South India and is also called
Dakshanakasi.
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.
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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.
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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
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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.
Gangamma gudi (temple)
Choultries on the way to main temple
Rickshaws & the bazaar
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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 HOMESTAYin Jayaram Rao street
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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.
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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.
a window that can be re-used in the
Common Facility Centre
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
12
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.
Traditional building materials
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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.
Indigenous architecture in Kalahasti
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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.
Punnami tourist complex
with rooms and cafetaria under construction
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Proposed site for Common Facility Centre ( next to the Punnami complex )
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
Common Facility Centre
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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.
a traditional house
for HOMESTAY in Bahadurpeta
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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.
Existing DRDA centre for craftsmen
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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 full-
time 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.
Panagal Palace complex as DRDA Training centre
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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.
Panagal Palace complex
Restoration work
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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.
Varadaraj Swamy tankas tourist attraction
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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.
Wood carvers in Madhavmala village
22
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.
Shilparamam the details
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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.
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 architecturein Tirupathi
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 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)
Option 1 : Master Plan
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.
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Option 1 : plan of common facilities
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.
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Option 1 : plan of museum29
Option 2 : Master plan
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.
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Option 2 : plan of common facilities 31
Option 2 : plan of museum 32
Summing up
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ACTION POINTS for the hardware component
Kalamkari – the craft in KalahastiSrikalahasti a temple town (the Existing tourist & pilgrim traffic)
Traditional streets – Bazaar & Jayarama Rao streeta temple where a few kalamkari artists work4
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
Indigenous architecture in KalahastiPunnami tourist complex with rooms and cafetaria under construction
Common Facility Centre a 9-acre site
Panagal Palace complex as DRDA Training centreVaradaraj Swamy tank
Shilparamam crafts village in Tirupati
Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture & architecture
Bamboo work for ceiling and wood fascia board
at Shilparamam, Tirupati