PEAKLIFE

Where art and the artists together celebrate the history, culture, and heritage of Rajasthan, Chitrashaala is a unique expression for the love of art at jüSTa Lake Nahargarh Palace.

When you see the behind of a truck saying ‘Padharo Maare Desh’, you know you are in Rajasthan. A destination where each pillar of a wall speaks of a past, of art, a heritage, a culture, you just seem to re-live ancient India even with a tiny touch. Keeping in tune, Chittorgarh is a city in Rajasthan, few hours away from Udaipur, houses the largest Rajputana fort- Chittorgarh fort. The city also brings an art residency program each year called ‘Chitrashaala’ which celebrates art from all around!

Chitrashaala is an artist residency program held at jüSTa Lake Nahargarh Palace that hosts artists from all across the globe and allows to engage with the spirit of Rajasthan. Founded by the CEO of jüSTa Hotels and Resorts, Ashish Vohra and veteran designer, Deepika Govind, Chitrashaala was held from November 3rd to 9th, 2019 and hosted 44 artists from 13 countries this year. Since its inception in 2015, Chitrashaala has keenly involved artists of international repute namely Avijit Mukherjee, who is the force responsible for getting all artists together. Moreover, the residency is curated by none other than the renowned art critic, Anirudh Chari. Here is a glimpse of the celebration of art in Chitrashaala, Chittorgarh.

The famous Chitra Shala in Bundi displays a colourful glimpse of history. On the same lines of architecture, music and art, the state of Rajasthan continues to fascinate artists across genres. Chitrashaala pays homage to this legacy by bringing noteworthy artists from India and overseas together to celebrate Rajasthan’s artistic character. As much a learning experience as a grand creative gathering, Chitrashaala seeks to provide visual artists with exposure to a range of works in terms of form, content and style thereby contributing to the development of artistic expression as well as creative dialogues and possible future collaborations.

The artworks of Chitrashaala are at display at the tranquil and beautiful jüSTa Sajjangarh Resort & Spa, Udaipur. This one of a kind hotel, is home to over 100 original artworks which are an eclectic mix of abstract art and beautiful landscapes by young and talented artists. Some of these paintings are works of celebrated artists such as late Dhiraj Chowdhury, Peter Markus, Girish Kulkarni, Nandini Das and Sai Wannapon to name a few.

All days make the hotel lively than ever where you can walk around and see the artists at work, and can even stop to admire the paintings. The program ends with a gala dinner accompanied with live Rajasthani folk music where everyone comes together and celebrates the end of a fun filled art inspired event.

Art is rooted with jüSTa Design Philosophy. The brand seeks to offer international Five Star standards infused with “Spirit of India” expressed by Indian art as well as the reinterpretation of rituals as “Art of Hospitality”. At jüSTa, everything comes to life through art, a complete visual expression of one’s thoughts and feelings without having to describe it in words. Chitrashaala is a passionate effort of jüSTa Hotels in that direction step in providing a platform to connoisseurs of art who share similar beliefs.