A private museum in Jaipur is a find for art lovers
Gyan, a private museum to celebrate a father’s legacy, is a find for art lovers, writes Anjuli Bhargava
Many would say that a hookah mouthpiece is an unusual gift for a father — and a nonsmoker at that — to give to his 16-year-old son. But it was two such metal objects inlaid with glittering stones that sparked off a decades-long journey for young Gyan Chand Dhaddha.
Jaipur-based Dhaddha would go on to start a jewellery designing and manufacturing unit and over the next 50 years, as his work took him around India, he would collect objects of beauty from across the country. These acqui- sitions he would store with loving care in the basement of his house in Jaipur — so much so that the space slowly turned into a mini art gallery, hidden away from the world.
So quietly did Dhaddha go about his passion that even his sons were unaware of the world that was being created barely one level below the ground. It was only after their father died in 2004 that the two brothers stumbled upon the astounding treasures. Their father had been collecting like there was no tomorrow and had accumulated close to 3,000 objects. Many of these dated back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
The brothers could have easily sold this unexpected inheritance and made a tidy sum, but they decided not to. They didn’t need to as their business was thriving. Instead, they set up a museum dedicated to their father’s memory to share his legacy with the world.
Gyan Museum, a contemporary, 15,000-sq-ft space in the Sitapura industrial area, some 45 minutes from Jaipur, is housed on a single floor and was built over four years by Parisian architect Paul Mathieu. Conservators and art historians worked with the family to identify and date the objects and in some cases value them.
The din of the city disappears as you enter Gyan Museum, which houses the largest collection of ancient hookah mouthpieces — 250 in all — including the two that triggered the journey. They’re crafted in a range of materials and techniques including silver, enamel and filigree artwork inlaid with semi-precious and precious stones. These belong primarily to the 17th and 18th centuries and have been sourced from all over North India, particularly Rajasthan.
The way the mouthpieces are displayed, it seems they will speak up any moment. They form a slightly menacing cluster of seemingly sharp metal sticks, poised for speech.
A Mughal-era jewellery box with carved emeralds and uncut diamonds is placed in a small dark enclosure within the room, with the diamonds glittering on the black surface. Voices drop as one enters the space, as if a loud word spoken might awaken the box from its eternal slumber. Visitors will come to appreciate the sheer burden of royalty during the Mughal reign as they take in the stunning men’s shawl from Kashmir with tilkari embroidery in gold and precious metals. Other Mughal-era clothing on display also look equally impossible in terms of wearability. Emperors truly carried the weight of the empire on their shoulders.
The miniatures are displayed in a slightly elevated area within the same space. Anyone who has visited the government-run Albert Hall Museum — its massive collection bearing the brunt of poor upkeep and display — in the heart of Jaipur cannot help but notice the sharp contrast that this private initiative presents.
Here you will also find a large section of watches and clocks — Omega, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and so on — spanning both centuries and continents. The pieces are largely made of gold, silver and platinum and encrusted with diamonds, precious and semi-precious stones. The section stands out for its display — a long panel along the wall that throws light on every piece.
The jewellery section, too, narrates its own unique story of royal India and its tastes. Pieces here range from a 17th-century Mughal sarpech — a turban ornament — with emeralds, uncut diamonds and Basra pearls to a wide range of rings and necklaces.
There’s also a rare assortment of eyewear revealing the evolving tastes of royalty and the bourgeoisie of the 18th and 19th centuries. Gold spectacles with round lenses and C-bridges and silver spectacles with coloured lenses take up a whole cabinet embedded in a wall.
Set aside an hour-and-a-half to absorb the 2,500 items on display that include chess sets, small, sculpted animals with stones inlaid, exquisite rugs and durees, brass and metal objects, amongst other things.
Dhaddha’s sons are in the process of adding a new section to the museum to house some of the remaining 500-odd items. This section will also include a space for contemporary art workshops and exhibitions. Artists will be encouraged to visit it, making it a vibrant space for aficionados. A hip new café is also in the works — like the many that dot Jaipur today — for visitors to pause for coffee and muffins as they soak in the beauty around them and brace themselves for the hustle and bustle of the Pink City.
THE BROTHERS COULD HAVE EASILY SOLD THIS UNEXPECTED INHERITANCE AND MADE A TIDY SUM, BUT THEY DECIDED NOT TO