ART OF STORYTELLING: A VISUAL NARRATIVE OF PEOPLE AND PLACES: CEPT Summer School_2021

ART OF STORYTELLING:

SUMMER SCHOOL, 2021_CEPT University, Ahmedabad

A Visual Narrative of People and Places

PARTICIPANTS:

ARCHANA MARWAHA

AYUSHI GOYAL

DEVIKA A

DHVANI KANUGA

ELVINA PAUL

JANHAVI MODH

JUI MAGIAWALA

KHUSHBU PAREKH

NUPOOR DAVEY

RITIKA DOIJODE

RIYA PAI

SACHEEN PAI RAIKAR

SAHANA DESAI

SELVEE PANDORIYA

SHIRLEY MATHEW

SHRAVYA M

SHOBHA RAJKARNE

SHIVANI SINGH

SHWETA HINGANE

TRUSHA SHAH

ART OF STORYTELLING: A Visual Narrative Of People And Places

Journaling, as a narrative medium, is a way to express experiences/stories/ memories of all the intangible associations that one has or develops by occupying a space over a period of time. This eventually transforms them into powerful meaningful places that have stories to tell and worth documenting. Most Indian cities have a rich “Cultural heritage” which includes traditions or living expressions inherited such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, etc. (as stated by UNESCO). As inhabitants of such city, we associate with people and places and think what we experienced have some significance. While doing so, we have memories of particular times, people and places that connect emotionally. The most common method of documenting is either by making architectural drawings or taking photographs. In doing so, often these narratives become two-dimensional, “flat” representations. Hence through the medium of journaling, one can develops a unique language of representation, which is a multiple-layered representation that takes one back and forth in time.

Priyanka Kanhare Patel

Tutor

An Academician and a practising Architect and Landscape Architect. Currently she is a Visiting Faculty at CEPT University (Faculty of Architecture), Ahmedabad and Navrachana University (School of Environment, Design and Architecure), Vadodara. Beside this, she is a passionate Urban sketcher and invests a lot of time in making Travel sketchbooks. Her teaching interest lies in subjects dealing with Representation and Communication through Architectural Drawings. She finished her Bachelor in Architecture in 2013, followed by Masters in Landscape Architecture in 2015 from CEPT University. Currently she is pursuing her PhD in Landscape Architecture at School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi.

Email ID: priyanka.kanhare@cept.ac.in la.p.kanhare@gmail.com

Instagram handle: @priyanka.kanhare

The course was scheduled for 10 days (24th May to 2nd June, 2021). It began with introduction to the course, followed by presentation addressing importance of representation and visual narratives in design fields. The first assignment was then put forth, where each of the student/professional was assigned to make a storyboard narrating their strongest association with objects, places, buildings, routes, or activities in their neighbourhood. This was in form of a drawing-storyboard, etc. We also had expert input session by Mr. Vivek Sheth, an eminent Designer, on Illustration and Storytelling through medium of visual narratives. Students were also exposed to works by various architects, urban sketchers, artist, illustrators, etc., who had different techniques of representations and used varied mediums. The main assignment for the course was where each student/professional was asked to decide up an intangible experience or memory that they wanted to translate into a visual narrative for their past travel to a specific place.

Cover and Back by Riya Pai, Ayushi Goyal and Sacheen Pai Raikar

MASHOBRA, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

Mashobra is a small town in Himachal Pradesh, which is known for its picturesque splendors, vast flora and fauna, rich culture and for its ability to quench the thirst of adventure seeking travellers. Away from the hustle and bustle of cities, tourists enjoy boating, trekking and shopping at this scenic beauty’s paradise. The narrative is a personal documentation of a school trip to Mashobra where my experiences range from the stunning views and camping- to adventurous treks and exploration of the local streets.

ARCHANA MARWAHA UG190162, Faculty of Design (BD)

AYUSHI GOYAL UG190257, Faculty of Planning (BUD)

JAISALMER, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

My travel to Jaisalmer was in Class 10th, before my board examinations. The travel came out to be a very refreshing way to lighten up the heavy burden of the board examinations. Going to Jaisalmer in chilly winters had its own benefits, as we did not have to go through the harsh sunrays of Rajasthan. In my travel journey, you will see the tradition and culture of Jaisalmer through my eyes.

The journey began from the Thar desert of Jaisalmer, where we stayed in the tents of Jaisalmer. The tents had a special circular area for performers to perform where couldn’t stop myself from looking at the colorful dresses the artists wore with their beautiful dances. The camels helped us to visit the Thar desert in an adventurous way. As we moved to the city, we stayed in Rajwada Fort where in the Fort one could find the beauty and tradition of Jaisalmer from the entrance itself. Eating the spicy traditional Rajasthani food in Jaisalmer with the whole view of the city and the fort was an experience in itself.

Boating in the Gadisar Lake viewing the chajjas and touching the chilly water, I felt like sitting there forever. We ended our journey by going for shopping in the busy streets of Jaisalmer where one could find every artistic thing and handmade items. The journey was much of an experience for me and I hope the same for you.

Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University, Ahmedabad

Hyderabad, the city of pearls and Nizams, is the capital city of the state of Telangana. The city was founded by the Qutub Shahi ruler Muhhamad Quli Qutub Shah, the city has a history of about 400 years and the grandeur and elegance of the wealthy and powerful Nizam family is reflected on their architecture and is highly respected even today. The seven rulers whose rule spanned across 171 years, were great builders and patrons of learning.

I visited Hyderabad with my family during the summer of 2018, as a typical tourist, touching through all the popular parts of the city and its history and stories told to us by the tour guide. Every destination was crowded with hundreds of tourists and localities that kept the streets and living monuments alive throughout the day. We were in the city for five days and each day was packed with many places to be visited and during the time we weren’t with the group we visited the local markets and bought souvenirs and ate tasty food that was special to the city. It was an amazing trip and we made quite a few beautiful memories in this splendid city.

DHVANI KANUGA UG180169, Faculty of Design (BD)

JABALPUR, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

In 2009, our family took a trip to the city of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh with the rest of our cousins at their place, during the diwali break. It was a two day train trip before we finally reached our destination. Once we reached Jabalpur, we forgot about the extra homework or the long journey we just had. All everyone wanted was to continue with the spirit of the vacation and go exploring. We visited various places starting with Bhedhaghat where there were beautiful local crafts made from the naturally available marble. Next we visited the Bargi Dam and had a cruise ride to see it up close. Then came the Kanha National park where we saw herds of deers and tigers in their natural habitat. We took a break from our continuous expeditions for the Diwali Pooja and the celebrations as well as the customary bursting of the fireworks. Last place we visited was the temples at Amarkantak, covered in beautiful carvings and telling many mythological stories. We spent the last couple of days wrapping up the trip and playing by the trees at my cousin’s home before finally leaving for home.

The last trip could manage in 2020 before the pandemic hit and the normal routine crashed into a volcano ! wanted to travel Sikkim so that I could pet yaks, experience the north eastern culture and of course get a glimpse of the third height mount in the world, the great Kanchenjunga ! The reason I decided to document this journey as a visual travel journal because probably this trip might be the only trip where I felt I’ve risked my life just to experience the sheer adrenaline rush which probably people get when they travel on a bike. experienced nature like never before, we rode through extreme weather conditions and dangerous terrains. We didn’t just see nature while the ride, we experienced it, felt it, lived it ! And a lot couldn’t be photo documented, hence this summer school gave me an opportunity to re create those experiences through visual journal.

ELVINA PAUL PG190316, Faculty of Design (MBPS)

PLA20145, Faculty of Architecture (MLA)

SINGAPORE

Why Singapore?

Singapore, being both a tropical island and a modern metropolitan city, is very unique compared to the rest of south-east Asia. Rich with pristine lush gardens, beaches and surrounding islands and a melting pot of cultures, an interesting colonial past and a thriving infrastructure made me travel to Singapore. Long awaited visit to adventurous universal studio park, first ever experience of cruise ride as well as stepping into casino at Sentosa. A completely nature driven visit to Garden by the bay, Shopping in china town and fun streets like Clark quay have left a lifetime impression in my happy memories. There was never a dull moment in Singapore.

About Singapore

The small archipelago is situated about 140 km (87 mi) north of the equator and just south of the tip of the Malay Peninsula, separated by the Straits of Johor. Singapore lies on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes along the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. Singapore itself is an anglicised version of the word Singapura, a Malay word meaning Lion City and derived from Sanskrit. Singa is the Malay version of the Sanskrit simha, which means lion, and purais of Sanskrit origin and means city or town. Singapore is famous for being a global financial center, being among the most densely populated places in the world, having a world-class city airport with a waterfall, and a Botanic Garden that is a World Heritage Site.

JANHAVI MODH

The trip to Lake Tahoe was one of the most memorable and adventurous family trip. It was a big blue crystal clear lake, surrounded by massive granite peaks. The attractions mostly included skiing, kayaking, hiking, and dozens of trails.

JUI MAGIAWALA UA3216, Faculty of Architecture (BARCH)

UG180286, Faculty of Architecture (BARCH)

Amidst the hilly slopes,manali is a paradise for mountain lovers with amazing views, charming streams, the fairy tale-like fog surrounding the houses during winters, amidst the fresh pines. A perfect place for camping as well as just sightseeing. We decided to trek amongst the mountains to reach Bhrigu lake covered with snow. This 15 day trek was full of surprises; unravelling exciting places each day. We covered a variety of places from narrow pathways amongst mountains to bustling streets of old manali, from trekking to rafting, paragliding, zorbing, skiing to just walking amongst the canopy of trees. All of it was thrilling. tried to capture a few snippets of this amazing journey through these sketches.

KHUSHBU PAREKH

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLAND, INDIA

Andaman, a group of diverse islands enveloped in the Bay of Bengal are a microcosm of Paradise in different multitudes! Named after lord ‘Hanuman’, the cluster of islands hooks you right on from the start. Since the archipelago is nested far away from the fury of the mainland, it puts one right-in a state of catharsis. The whole journey from Ahmedabad-Chennai-Andaman was surreal, humbling and a rare occasion involvement. Odd flight hours, Sleep deprived eyes, rushing and gushing all paid off by just a glimpse of the dissipated islands from the plane window. On reaching the island we were whisked off to multiple islands which involved different ferry boats, jet skis, Cruise ships and a number of adventorous activities awaiting to be ventured. From reliving the history through the ruins to rubbing elbows with the ‘Spotted dears’, Ross island happened to be a perfect start! The island starts to grow on ones mind right after that. Havlock - a island of lush clean teal beaches, nested a lot of adventerous activities like snorkeling, Sea walk, scuba diving which got imprinted at the back of my mind for life! It is a place worth melting for, and I for one will revere Andaman forever!

NUPOOR DAVEY PG190637, Faculty of Design (MID)

UG180511, Faculty of Architecture (BARCH)

Mysuru, a city I happen to visit often, holds many a deep associations and memories that have been nurtured and built over years. From the simplest to the very heartfelt incidences, nested into an assemblage of impressions built around this place, have gathered to help form a warm shell can crawl back into any moment, enabling me to travel through time and space in a matter of seconds. A collection of few of these incidences and connections that remain anew have been stitched together in the upcoming spreads. Through this attempt, from a place that is a home to my maternal side, I look forward to adding more to my experiences with every stay that the future holds. Well, Mysore, you never fail to mesmerize me!

RIYA PAI

UA5717, Faculty of Architecture (BARCH)

MANDU, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

Amidst the pandemic and the chaos all around. Taking a stroll back down the memory lane through a travel journey was a delightful experience in itself. Looking back at these moments, Mandu came back to me like a child’s craving for a delicious sweet. Mandu being just a few hours away from my hometown Ahmedabad was a place unexplored, this small town had just one road which connected the whole city, walking through this road I will take you through these highlights, a recollection of joy and laughter. The story begins with a loud thundering noise and me waking up to see an array of clouds surrounding us, as if we were caught up in a cotton candy machine. The rains pour all over, the landscape breathes, I leave my footprints on a thousand year old cave and rest my feet in the waterfall, delicious food and vibrant colours with the baobabs at night always watching over us, the memory of Mandu was etched as such in my heart forever.

SACHEEN PAI RAIKAR

PCR20295, Faculty of Architecture (MCR)

We took a road trip passing through 4 cities in the South of Sri Lanka in early November 2010. Landing at Colombo airport, we drove four hours straight to Ahungalla where we stayed at a beach resort designed by Architect Geoffrey Bawa. The next day we made a daytrip to his garden estate at Lunuganga. A day later we drove six hours to Nuwara Eliya, a hill station surrounded by tea estates, where we spent a cold night in one of the warmest of hotels. It took us three hours to reach Kandy, the following day, for a glimpse of the Tooth Relic Temple and the Botanical Gardens. We went up to the top of the hills overlooking this beautiful city before driving up four hours to Colombo. Walking around the city of Colombo, taking in the sights and food, followed by shopping, brought our short trip to a happy conclusion. The following sketches are an attempt to capture vignettes of our trip and share our experiences..

MAHABALESHWAR, INDIA

The following series of sketches depict my personal experience of different places in Mahabaleshwar, where I visited with my family a few years ago. It has some amazing viewpoints, looking at which no one ever feels like leaving the place. Every point has its own significance and beauty to announce. Mahabaleshwar is located along the Sahyadri range of Western Ghats. It is located on mountains of this range, which run along the western coast of India. It receives water from Krishna River, which also flows through other states like Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. I, being a tourist, never saw that place with any other lens, but gradually after growing up, looking at those places and recreating those memories through sketches has given me a whole new perspective to look upon.

SAHANA DESAI UG191184, Faculty of Planning (BUD)

Sikkim became the first place for my solo exploration. had stayed and worked there for months and experienced it more as a home rather than a tourist. Mountains of Khangchendzonga have always been dearest to me and I would never forget the memories fabricated there with the people and the place. Sikkim had been kind to me in so many ways that I would cherish forever. Namchi is one place that I am very fond of. Capital of south Sikkim, Namchi gave me so much love. I call it my home in the clouds because of the countless days that spent within the clouds. From food to culture, every day I learned something new. With every swath taken, grew more familiar and my love for the place deepened even more. The narrative is about my experience in Namchi and basti called Mikkhola. During my stay I also visited other places like Rabdentse ruins, Khecheopalri lake, Ravangla, etc. This is an attempt where I have tried to incorporate the heritage, culture and landscape of Sikkim with my own experience.

Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University, Ahmedabad

PONDICHERRY, INDIA

The white town as they call it, located on the southern coast of India, is a heritage town along the coast. From the French avenues to the Dutch city plan to the temples and markets, this is a town where all cultures unite. My experience in this town ages back to the early monsoons of 2019, where on documenting the heritage buildings I realized I missed living in the moments the town has to give. “In this town of Pondicherry” is a narrative of my weeklong stay and experience of living, breathing, and walking through this quite serene town of Pondicherry.

SHIRLEY MATHEW PG190898, Faculty of Design (MBPS)

SHRAVYA M

UG191293,

Faculty of Architecture (BARCH)

MANGALORE, INDIA

Why Mangalore?

Having grown up in Bangalore for the entirety of my life, the city of Mangalore is one that fascinates me each time experience the place through a visit. It has been a city that I often visit with my Doddamma (aunt) when I crave for a break from the mundane, busy life of Bangalore. Being a second year undergraduate student of architecture, the cityscape with its beautiful landscape setting is something that fascinates me perpetually. Just thinking about the times spent there with Doddamma by experiencing the beautiful landscapes, heritage buildings, temples, theatre and food brings a feeling of warmth and joy. The choice of narrating a story that I know about this place through my aunt was one that was taken merely because of the joy brought to me by my experiences with the place and its people. The curiosity of seeing how I would relive all those memories through a story was something that fascinated me and made me take up the Mangalore city to narrate.

About Mangalore

Mangalore or Mangaluru as popularly called by the people of Karnataka, has been a major port city and lies parallel to the Arabian sea on one edge and the Western Ghats on the other. The historical significance of this place lies in its cultural and religious heritage which thrive on the beliefs and the rituals of the local people living in the region. The city has been idolised for the way in which the night life in the region thrives through prayers, performances and premonitions revolving around the various deities and spirits. The region is also home to the humid coastal weather which provides an opportunity for tropical trees like coconut, jackfruit and banana to thrive. In turn, the cuisine of this region is highly influenced by this produce along with the seafood that is brought in mainly through the port areas. Mangaluru is thus a significant cultural, social and religious hotspot.

Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University, Ahmedabad

A place I now call home. Having lived across 4 countries and travelled a fair amount in between, struggle with the idea of “home”. I am originally from Kerala, India, my ancestral “home”, but have never really lived there. I grew up in Bombay and so that is “home”. Then for the last few years have lived in Copenhagen, Helsinki and now in Amsterdam, The Netherlands which is “home”

As I moved around, the link that made a new place familiar was food!

As I have adapted and accepted my definition of “at home” have now also accepted food from different places as my own

In the pages that follow are food, places, ambience and people that I love in my current home – Amsterdam

Best meals are the one’s that speak straight to your heart and so have tried to capture some of these meals with my memories attached to them.

The journal is based on my trip to Bodhgaya during my childhood. Bodh Gaya is a city in the state of Bihar, Mostly known for its tourist attraction. The legends says that it was the place where Gautam Budha gained found the truth of life and the preaching of Buddhism started from this place. It is one of my most cherished memories at my grandma’s place. visited Bodh Gaya many times and this journal is the combination of all those small glimpses combined, I associate them with great joy, happiness and summer vacations.

SHIVANI SINGH PG190904, Faculty of Planning (MUI)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

In 2018, I visited London as a part of the ‘Architecture knowledge expedition’. Always fascinated by the beauty of the city as shown in Bollywood movies, this girl fell in love with London. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that my love for London only grew stronger when visited this ‘Gorgeous’ (as the English say) city. The narrative is a series of sketches of my personal travel experience to London. I always wanted to recreate these memories and sketch it all out in a visual form encompassing its architecture and food. Starting the day with coffee at the Pret a Manger, hopping the tube with the cup of coffee in one hand and other having a to-do list for the whole day. Certain instances registered in my memory like walking through the busy lanes in London, exploring the food and the Architecture, bike rides from King’s Cross station to Generator hostel. Through this visual narrative, I wanted to capture tangible and intangible aspects based on my experience.

SHWETA HINGANE PG190937, Faculty of Planning (MUP)

TRUSHA SHAH PG181135, Faculty of Design (IMIAD)

For more information, please contact: Mercy S. Samuel (Ph.D) Head, Summer Winter Programs O:079-26302470, Ext: 403; M:9724306167 Summer Winter School, CEPT University, Ahmedabad email id: summerwinterschool@cept.ac.in

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