In Rustic Retrospect ; a Replica of a Typical Awadhi Village Promotes Folk Art and Offers an Authentic Rural Experience

Summary

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A 40-minute drive from Lucknow, along the picturesque Indira canal, is a typical Awadhi village untouched by modernity. As you enter the tree-lined hamlet, a woman, clad in a colourful sari, draws water from a well, as another balances an earthen pitcher on her head. Only, these are not real people, but larger-than-life figurines. Welcome to Kala Gaon, a four-acre dream world painstakingly created by 43-year-old sculptor Dharmendra Kumar and his 40-year-old painter-wife Neeta, with the help of students from the Lucknow College of Art, which is also the couple's alma mater. The sprawling set-up, located on the Lucknow-Faizabad highway near Anaura, looks every bit like a village. Amidst rows of huts made of mud and straw, rural folk carved out of stone and clay appear to be singing, grinding wheat and churning butter in pots. A bullock- cart, a tastefully-decorated bridal palanquin and a horse-driven car, called an ekka, stand parked. To complete the experience, the place is dotted with granaries, curd-making pots and other rural essentials.

Launched in February last year with a budget of Rs 70 lakh, Kala Gaon has over 40 sculptures on different aspects of rural life. On paying a fee of Rs 111, visitors can get a slice of Uttar Pradesh's village life. The ticket cost includes a typical rural meal--cooked in a handi, or an earthen pot--of roti, missi roti, rice, dal, vegetables, pickles and kheer. There is a full-fledged crafts bazaar, where artisans sell hand-made products. "We have tried to create an authentic village. We want to revive folk art and craft," says Kumar. Clearly, the concept has hit bullseye. A favourite spot for picnics, wedding ceremonies and seminars, Kala Gaon already attracts 50-60 people every day, with the number of visitors going up during the winter months.

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In Rustic Retrospect ; a Replica of a Typical Awadhi Village Promotes Folk Art and Offers an Authentic Rural Experience

The "village' is also home to an art galler...

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