Gyan, a museum to celebrate a father's legacy, is a find for art lovers

Gyan Museum is housed on a single floor and was built over four years by Parisian architect Paul Mathieu

Many would say that a hookah mouthpiece is an unusual gift for a father — and a non-smoker at that — to give his 16-year-old son, but the two metal walking-stick like objects with glittering stones inlaid to perfection sparked up a journey in young Gyan Chand Dhaddha’s brain that lasted several decades.

Over the next half-a-century or so, Jaipur-based Dhaddha started a jewellery designing and manufacturing unit. Travel was an integral part of what he did and Dhaddha who had an eye honed for intricacy and design began to collect objects of beauty from all over India. Whenever he spotted something he knew to be exceptional, he did his best to acquire it and stored it in the basement of his house in Jaipur’s centrally-located C scheme. The dark space slowly turned into a mini art gallery, hidden away from the eyes of the world at large.

A sarpech or turban ornament

So quietly did Dhaddha go about his passion that even his two sons were largely unaware of what was slowly brewing, albeit one level below the ground. It was only when their father passed away in 2004 that the two brothers took a closer look and were astounded at what they found — close to 3,000 objects accumulated over the 50 years. Moreover, many of the objects were dated as far back as the 16th and 17th century and looked priceless. 
Contrary to what many would have done, the two brothers decided not to extract the commercial value of what they inherited – there was no need to as their business was and is thriving. Instead, they decided to set up a museum dedicated to their father’s memory and share his legacy with the world or rather with those who choose to make the 45-minute journey from Jaipur to Sitapura industrial area.

An enamelled Mughal gold box

Those who do make the journey will not be disappointed. Gyan museum — a contemporary, stylish space, is housed on a single 15,000-square-foot floor and was built over four years by Paris architect Paul Mathieu. Conservators and art historians worked with the family to identify and date the objects and in some cases value them.

Museums in general are quiet spaces but somehow upon entering Gyan – and leaving behind the cacophony of a chaotic Indian small town voices drop sharply. Whether it’s the lighting within or the mood created by the exhibits, whispers and hushed tones seem apt.

With 250 pieces, Gyan houses the largest collection of ancient hookah mouthpieces, including the two gifted by his father – a Persian import to the Indian subcontinent. The mouthpieces are 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 century and have been sourced from all over North India (Rajasthan in particular).
 

A Swiss clock

Perhaps what is even more enigmatic is the display of the hookah mouthpieces that actually look like they will soon open their mouths and say something. They form a slightly menacing cluster of seemingly sharp metal sticks poised for speech. The glow of the lights that fall on them give the pieces a very real, palpable feel. 

A Mughal-era jewellery box with carved emeralds and uncut diamonds is placed in a small dark enclosure within the room where the diamonds inset in the piece glitter on the black surfaces that enclose it. Voices drop as one enters the space, as if a loud word spoken may wake the box from its eternal slumber. Viewers will come to appreciate the sheer burden of royalty during the Mughal reign as they stare and try to calculate the weight of a stunning men’s shawl from Kashmir with tilakari embroidery woven in gold and precious metals. There are a few other Mughal-era clothing on display, all looking equally impossible in terms of wearability. Emperors actually carried the weight of the empire on their shoulders by the looks of it. 

Miniatures are displayed in a slightly elevated area within the same space with generous aplomb. Anyone who has visited the government-run Albert Hall museum — a mountain of a collection reduced to a molehill with poor upkeep and display in the heart of Jaipur cannot help but notice the sharp contrast. Private versus public management is at its starkest here.

A silver lid of a bowl with Bidri work from Karnataka

The passage of time is not being recorded by a large section of watches and clocks spanning both centuries and continents. Omega, Patek Phillipe, Vacheron and Constantin and other similar pedigree are all represented here. The pieces are typically 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 narrates its own unique story of royal India and its evolving tastes. Pieces range from the 17th-century Mughal sarpech – a turban ornament with carved emeralds, uncut diamonds and basra pearls to a wide range of rings and necklaces. There’s a unique assortment of eyewear revealing the evolving tastes of royalty and the bourgeoisie of the 18th and 19th century. Gold spectacles with round lenses and C-bridges, silver spectacles with coloured lenses take up a whole cabinet embedded in a wall and lit to catch the eye.

Hookah mouthpieces; and traditional Indian jewellery

Set aside an hour-and-a-half to actually absorb the 2,500 items on display at present that include chess sets, small sculpted animals with stones inlaid, rugs and exquisite durees, brass and metal objects, amongst other things. Do take a toilet break, if only, to check out the Japanese-inspired space.

In what is good news for the art community in Jaipur, the Gyan museum will soon not be the last stop. The Dhaddhas are in the process of adding a new section to the museum to house some of the remaining 500-odd items. But more than that, the new section will include a space for contemporary art workshops and exhibitions. Artists will be encouraged to visit and hang around, making it a vibrant hot spot for aficionados. A hip new cafe the is under construction will allow visitors to appreciate beauty while sipping their coffee and muffin, bracing oneself for the return to the hustle-bustle of the Pink city.