On 30th May, the Zenana Mahal at City Palace Museum, Udaipur will be seen adorned with the archival pictorial treasures of Mewar given a face-lift with new framing. The photo gallery, Long Exposure: The Camera at Udaipur, 1857-1957 has been drawing thousands of eye-balls and leaving people awed since March 2009. The photographs are from Maharana Shambhu Singh (r. 1861-1874) to the time of Maharana Bhagwat Singh (r. 1955-1984). There are portraits, hand painted photographs, Carte-de-visite, Albumen Print, Gelatin Silver print etc. And not by one single photographer!
Long Exposure, after being closed for public view for a brief span of time for re-framing of some pictures is ready to take you back in time to experience the royalty once again. This time with deeper conviction.
The revived collection will be inaugurated on 30th May at The Bhagwat Prakash Photo Gallery at The City Palace Museum by Mr. Vikas S. Bhale, IAS, District Collector and District Magistrate, Udaipur, Rajasthan. Post inauguration, Long Exposure will be open for public view from 31st May 2013.
A special thanks to Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar for his enthusiastic support in extracting the old treasures. It would not have been thinkable without him. Stay tuned with us for the regular action on Long Exposure.
Arvind Singh Mewar, preserving and reviving long forgotten rituals, traditions and cultural heritage of Mewar on Sheetla Ashtami.
It is heartening to attend a music concert in New Delhi and be taken by surprise...for one hears the artistes acknowledge the patronage they may have received from the House of Mewar, Udaipur. When Mrs Radhika Surana, a Hindustani classical vocalist and a disciple of Pt Sarathi Chatterjee, was performing at the Habitat Centre in New Delhi on Feb 23rd, 2012, the presenter detailed her past performance at the Shree Eklingji Temple during a special festival held in Kailashpuri, near Udaipur. In Mrs Radhika's words, "her performance at the Shree Eklingji Temple was truly soul uplifting for her." She expressed her gratitude for being given the opportunity to perform at the ancient temple of Mewar. It was probably Mrs Radhika's first major public performance, about five years ago. It was also a pointer to how Mewar, and its intangible heritage, becomes a part of the lives of different people, from different walks of life. In Mrs Radhika's case, it was the fond memory of her music performance and the blessings she received at the temple; in the case of other performing artistes, they openly declare their indebtedness to the House of Mewar and Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, its 76th Custodian, for supporting their art and providing them access to greater exposure in India and even overseas. Quite clearly, Mewar becomes a part of their lives, and continues to remain prominent in their introductions and bio-datas, wherever and whenever it is given...Patron-age, quite clearly, has the power to be age-less and time-less.
Padmaja Kumari Parmar, from the royal family of Udaipur, talks to priyanka Khanna, VOGUE, INDIA about her new life in Boston - and being a modern day princess. In her words -"Our family has been around for 1500 years and we need to sustain, maintain and preserve our traditions."
Colin Salmon introduces listeners to some unusual and uplifting Brass Band music on BBC radio. This journey takes listeners through the glorious history of Mewar Dynasty, The City Palace Udaipur and the Palace Band originating in late 18th century.
It also shares an insight in the way Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, the 76th Custodian House of Mewar not only preserved but enhanced the cultural value of Mewar by reviving the Palace Band in 1988.