VoX Magazine 2018-19

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It gives me immense pleasure to reintroduce the Vox (Pica) after a hiatus of 6 years.

Going down memory lane with PiCAns and X-PiCAns is a fascinating journey into personal and communal life at PiCA - what built us and what drives us.

We had a teacher - Prof H Masud Taj - who had a view that people are nothing without memory remove all memory from a person - from a place - and it ceases to exist. A very powerful thought and I am glad to see that with this issue PiCA refreshes its memories and so also refreshes its existence.

Reading this issue and getting the opportunity to be part (albeit a small part) of its production takes me back to the time I was the first Magazine Secretary of the Student’s council. Prosenjit Sarkar was The Editor and we had a core team of Srividya G, Ashok Iyer, Avanish Pendharkar and Samir Dosh all of us egged on by Prof Mustansir Dalvi Prof Smita Dalvi and Principal Harimohan Pillai. This isn’t to take away from the united efforts of the Batch of the Pioneers of PiCA. With these efforts we released the first issue of the PiCAgram our first publication conceived on the back of a tissue paper at our local dinner spot the Surya Hotel. The Articles in this issue of Vox are heartening and it is lovely to see the enthusiasm with which our PiCAn share travel experiences and viewpoints with their fellows Varied experiences make Architects better designers. And, as memories are unique, so the interpretation of those memories lead to unique designs.

This edition of Vox comes on the heels of the 25th Anniversary celebrations of PiCA and is due to be released on the 2019 edition of MindSpace

EDITORIAL “Mnemonics“ - a sedimentation of expressions, ideas, decisions, acts and many more, defining the existence of one’s true self.

The magazine touches upon different spheres of mnemonics in variety of creative ways, some sketched it, some narrated it, while some chose to pen it down, some simply captured it.

The artwork on the cover page is an embodiment of PiCA’s mnemonics; it’s gone by days, to which most of the early batches could relate to. It would take them down a memory lane through the old studios, down the spiral staircase of the library, and into the beloved Mango courtyard. Not to miss, the tower of memory which had no bell, yet known as the bell tower, completely unimaginable today.

Over the years PiCA has changed, in size and colors, styles and forms, expressing the moments of the times. The artwork on the back page is one such abstract expression that gives a glimpse of how the same studio space creates a variety of moments for the same bunch of students.

Editor Ishwar Bhat

The magazine encases more such mnemonics in the form of picturesque views, travel experiences, achievements, fun moments, thoughts and ideas. Somewhere these are expressions of those moments etched in their minds, reflecting back often as memories. This act of expressing memories through different mediums is somewhere creating new mnemonics for future.

Through our expression in VoX 2019, we wish to share moments of the past, create a few in the present, in order to get a mnemonic for the future.

Create moments now, To get mnemonics later.

Co-Editor Jahnavi Joshi

PiCA Anthem

by Mahesh Pillai

“Beta admission kaunse course mein ki hai” “Architecture. Uncle” “ok. matlab engineer” “Nai uncle. Architect ghar design karta hain aur Engineer usey construct karta hain.”

“Lekin beta usmein 5 saal gavaney ki kya zaroorat hai. Mere gaon maine apna ghar khud design kiya hai...”

Shuru hui yeh ajab kahani podi no 2 se, Nadi kinare basa imaarat apne Pillai college se, HSC ke marks lekar aaye sab is mod pe, Naya karenge dil se karenge apne jee aur jaan se!

Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol! Arey Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol! Shaan se pahunche, Thaat se pahunche, Vaat ab lagne wali thi, Pehla lecture hua ToS ka, phir bhi jaan baaki thi, B.Tech mein toh hua kamaal, Xerox le lo karo dhamaal.

Load bearing, R.C.C; itna samjhe kaafi thi, Basic Design was apna theka, kuch bhi thoko, say Eureka!

Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol! Arey Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol!

Sir aur Ma’am ne liya attendance, proxy ne bhi kiya pretendence, Pakde jaane par woh kosay, Tum zindagi bhar banaoge Dosay, Haar na manne wale they hum, Podi ke rakhwale they hum, Design banaya tod taadke, kiya submission khidki se aake, Babu ko ab aaya gussa, complaind karoonga lagaya mukka, Jaane do na Babu Bhai, khamba hai ur 65.

Aisa tha kuch apna life, Seekha sab kuch about life.

Form ne kiya Function ko follow, Everything seemed so narrow and hollow, God is in details humko boley, Jury ne bhi lagaye jamkar kodey, Samajh mein na aaya phir bhi kuch, G.T kar ke ho gaye khush, Submission ka ho gaya time, concept note ka likha ek line, Bass Baand bajna baaki tha, phir suna extension diwali ka.

Rahaat mili toh kuch der tak, karenge kamaal agle date Tak, Phir bhi design dimaag na aaya, FLW ko ulta ghumaya, Fountainhead toh padha tha pura, Howard Roark and uska Jamoora.

Le ghumaya staedtler ko, Salaam bola Ayn Rand ko.

Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol! Arey Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol!

Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol! Arey Bol PiCA Halla Bol, Halla Bol!

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Photograph by Amal Muralidharan

MNEMONICS ALONG THE WAY WITH ARIF MERCHANT Q.Every

decision made has a story behind it. What incidents in your life made you pursue architecture?

It was by chance. My first choice in the IIT system was Naval Architecture, but luck had me and I had to drop the ‘Naval’

Q. It is important for a person to pause

Q.We all have a person we look up to, a person who is most influential in our life.

What characteristics would you like to incorporate from such an entity?

Simplicity, honesty and right intentions.

If your decisions are based on correct intentions, the results will always be correct.

Q.

their mundane life and unleash their fun side. What such activities are you drawn towards? Tell us more on their place in your schedule.

Certain memories hold an unique place in our heart. Can you narrate a few of such fond memories of your childhood/ college days?

Now what is mundane? My hobbies are the challenges in my life. Every challenge presents a different set of jig-saw puzzle. It is fun solving them.

We had one bicycle between two brothers.

While in primary section, we cycled about 1.25 kms to school from home. Not double seat. My brother cycled and I ran after him.

INTERVIEW | VoX 2018-19

Reason, he claimed I was over weight.

No complaints though. Whenever this memory crosses our minds, it brings smiles on our faces.When I joined IIT Kharagpur, I ate a bunch of green chilles to get protection from ragging. I worked for week without sleep during NASA completion.

After submission I went to enjoy lunch in our hostel mess. Mixed a lot of dal and rice. Guess what? Could not keep my head upright. Bang, my face dropped into the plate. Next I remember being in my room and waking up the next day.

Q.Time and again, certain situations help in developing ourselves. Can you narrate any such incident which completely changed your perspective towards life?

No one incident is responsible for the change in my perspective towards life. The changes have been gradual.

Q.

Setting foot in the real is quite different than what we imagine it to be. How was your first day of job after graduation?

My mind was flooded with questions.

Very uninteresting. Was put on the job of quantity and estimation of a housing project for MHADA. Questioned the methods used for deriving quantities.

My boss and supervisor could not justify.

Therefore, the very next day they dumped me into MHADA office. Not a wise decision. They did not realize that they had transferred the problem from their office to MHADA office.

Q.Have your views towards students and education evolved after you became the principal of PiCA?

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Yes. They have evolved with respect to how a student can complete the professional course in Architecture more effectively. This is to do more with the system of education than the contents.

Q.Can you narrate a hilarious experience or event you encountered as a faculty?

Sometime in the period 1997-2000, we were to have thesis discussions in the ground floor studio. Time was past 5:00 pm. I was very tired but saw no sign of an end with still number of students waiting to discuss their work. I excused myself to go to the washroom and disappeared from the back gate of the campus. Even today when such situation arises it brings a smile on my face.

Q.As a former student of architecture,

what guidance would you like to relinquish to students of PiCA? Do not try to be a perfectionist. You can never satisfy all the teachers all the time. Be a good time manager and try to do the best possible in the given time.

My favorite Song: Maine Rakha Hai Mohabbat Apne Afsane ka Naam – Movie Shabnam (Mehmood)

REMEMBERING EARLY DAYS WITH SMITA DALVI Q.

Recalling your first day at college, what is the first most memorable incident that comes into your mind?

The first day was the inauguration of the college – on 15th August 1992. It was a simple and warm ceremony in the school hall in which the three of us founding faculty members were welcomed and introduced to a bunch of newly joined students and their parents. I was overwhelmed as it was an unanticipated switch in my career path but it turned out to be one that enriched me. I remember wearing a sari that day on my mother’s insistence to look professorial. Of course, I abandoned that for more comfortable jeans and shirt etc. once the classes started and we were keeping really long days then.

INTERVIEW | VoX 2018-19

Q. Fresh minds are critical in the path of

knowledge. What made you initiate the ‘Laughter club’?

Hahaha. Don’t know who told you about it as I myself had forgotten. Well…as I recall, there was a noticeable slump in students’ enthusiasm for one reason or the other so this idea came of doing something unexpected like a whack on the head to jolt them out of stupor. A few sporting students came on board, others called us crazy and some others simply dismissed the idea asbeneath their dignity (uptight ones they were). But we dug our heels and had a great time while it lasted, shedding inhibitions and giving a go at laughing ourselves to glory.

Other notable and equally short-lived club was the film club a few years later (2005 I think) – a small bunch of fourth year students were keenly interested – against all odds, they arranged the equipment every week and I brought DVDs from my home collection of world cinema (it was before YouTube days). We watched Russian, French, Italian, Japanese and some Hollywood classics and shared happy moments.

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you conduct more of such rejuvenating exercises?

We can do such or similar things any time – small things that don’t require budget or permissions, just a bunch of people with common interests.

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A Student- teacher bond is a precious bond, and college tours are major contributors in strengthening them. Can you share a few memorable stories from you tour diaries?

One of the good and enduring features about PiCA is its close student-teacher relationship. And yes, study-tours played a role in it. For the first 10-12 years, we used to arrange the tours ourselves, that is without an agent or tour operator. That called for poring over maps, railway timetables and finding contacts for affordable accommodations. Planning itineraries and managing the logistics and budget together brought us on close and equal footing.

Students would learn a lot of management lessons in the process, at least those who took the lead.

For a short initial period, in their third year, they were sent on their own in small groups to different locations.

Q.How

were tour conducted earlier?

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documentations

We experimented with many modes… over the years, they are now some standard practices – measured drawings, analytical studies of history or building typologies or studies linked to design projects. One interesting mode was a tour seminar in the third year, since smaller groups went to multiple locations, they would come back and make a presentation in the form of drawings, analysis and slideshows (we are talking about pre-computer days here).

Each group would vie with one another to make the best presentation.

Q.The environment and the vibes that they emanate influences people. How different was teaching students in Khanda Colony different from the current location of the college?

Khanda school was an intimate environment in the days when there was very little development in the area. We operated from the top (second) floor of the school which ran in two shifts on the two lower floors. Even reaching the college was a challenge. I distinctly remember the day when the train first reached Khandeshwar station. A bunch of students barged in the staff room with the news of the inaugural run from Belapur. They then persuaded the school superintendent to lend them a school bus and before we could say ‘Hey!’, about a

hundred students boarded it and sped away to Belapur. Not to be left behind, we took an auto rickshaw to Khandeshwar station.

We stood on the platform waiting for that train to arrive, and when it approached, we could see Picans hanging out from every compartment chanting ‘bol pica hulla bol’. It was a sight to behold! The arrival of railway to Khanda was a momentous occasion, we all marched back together to the college feeling happy to have participated in it.

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Major decisions are turning points in a person’s life. How was life before teaching in PiCA ?

The decision to join teaching was impulsive and not meditated. I guess, I just got caught in the excitement of starting something new. My friends Mr. Pillai and Mr. Dalvi were already in and Mr. Pillai very lightly said, ‘Smita, would you also like to join?’ I had never contemplated to be a teacher and was enjoying my stint as an architect working on large projects with the office I was associated with. I am glad I took that decision, I have learnt so much while teaching, met some really lovely people and have learnt to appreciate good things in life.

INTERVIEW | VoX 2018-19

Any past qualities of previous batches, which you wish would come back?

I don’t believe in nostalgia too much.

There have been good and not so good qualities then as they are now. Each generation must create their own imprint to take the college forward.

Q. Describe PiCA in single word .

Resilient.

NOSTALGIA OF FIRST VoX WITH PROSENJIT SARKAR

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Photo at Anna’s Chai

It all started with the newsletter ‘Picagram’, the ‘In-Campus – Social media’ of PiCA And like most pioneering adventures by the Class of ’92, it all probably started over the cutting chai at Anna’s canteen! It was planned as a medium to document the happenings at PiCA & to provide a platform to the PiCAns to express their literature & delineations. Soon enough, it was time to reach the outside! Time for PiCA to ‘voice in print’, for the world to get enriched!

The visionary guides, Prof. Harimohan Pillai & Prof. Mustansir Dalvi, took us through the making of the very first edition of the now iconic VoX. Kudos to the entire Class of ’92, who brought out the fantastic VoX ’92!

Origin of ‘VoX’ as a word , how and why? Collaboratively suggested by the mentors, ‘VoX’ as ‘voice’ in Latin perfectly reflected our theme spirit. VoX was conceptualized as an exhibit to the world, of our Do’s. Built more as a yearbook, documenting the best of works as in writings, sketching, happenings & thinking, expressed in print – bold & crisp. Creative, informative contents poured in from students, teachers, guests. Thoughtful discussions, understandings & learning the techniques of printing & publishing were most fun & enriching. The crossword puzzle section had the most laughs!

This was the Semi Automated era. DTP was in the sunrise zone. Contents were typo- graphed using softwares such as Word Star & Page Maker.

First PiCAgram that helped shaping the VoX magazine

The Evenings were spent at MES headquarters, Chembur, for word processing works. Page layouts and story boards were done manually on drafting tables, using ‘printout-cut-paste’ methods. Midnight oil burned and the final draft of VOX’92 saw the light of day. A proud Mr. Vasudevan Pillai, Chairman of MES Pillai college sponsored the prints and binds and VoX ’92 was published. Accolades & reviews poured in from near & far. An icon in the making was born. Soon VoX ’92 became an inspiration to many a peer colleges. Feeling nostalgic to recall, how VoX ’92 came to being and proud indeed to connect to its journey ahead.

I wish the Editors & the entire team of VoX -‘Mnemonics’ 18-19 all the fun & success.

”The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The impossible journey is the one you never take”

INTERVIEW | VoX 2018-19

The Journey of VoX

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BY JANHAVI JADHAV

VOX 1993 This is an interesting issue with a beautiful cover page of VoX that covers a range of social problems A few honorable mentions are articles named “god made woman” and “the Kobe disaster”. There is an extensive part about tours and wanderlust of pica and all the paces they have reached and explored. It is a nice comeback after the 3-year absence of Vox.

The very first issue of vox is a tribute to the “inner voice of PiCA” that unfailingly guides us. Vox is a showcase of inner voice in PiCA as one whole entity, it encompasses many voices, an entire scope of subjects related to our major field: Architecture. Though we are one entity, we are conscious and opinionated and wish to share it. It shares views and opinions about the extensive objectives, from the upcoming architecture and the changes within due to the surroundings being changed over the time.

VOX 1996 The 1996 Vox magazine talks about the spirit of Picans, growth and movement.

VOX 1997 The 1997 issue of Vox was concentrated on the theme/ subject “freedom within”.

This is to commemorate the 50 years of independence. This magazine acts as a voice of expressing the thoughts, views and opinions and the freedom that we have to

show them. It is a collection of articles that talk about sensorship in a “democratic”country like ours, gives insight to the lives of those who lie under neither man, woman and many more such eye-opening topics along with some fun facts etc. It is not just an Architectural magazine but a platform where social dogmas are interpreted with our own perspective and determining what’s right and wrong for us as an individual.

VOX 2010 This issue’s theme being “UNDO”-step back for the right step ahead speaks on a social causes. A few note worthy mentions being “On the edge”;“The year drop chronicle”; “You know you’re an Architecture student at PiCA when...”. All the topics mentioned are on the grounds to think, probably take a step back so that aright decision can be made. This magazine also documents the work of all years.

VOX 2004 This issue of Vox has the theme “Explocity”.

Here Vox becomes the platform to voices of the city, but not the clique historic, cultural, lifestyle or architecture but rather the people of the city. From dabbawalas to the gangs of Mumbai, the people who constitute the whole motherland of city as a whole entity.

This issue has tried to explore the city in a different light and understand what activities happen where and capture the vestiges of urban living in this island city.

INTERVIEW | VoX 2018-19

VOX 2011

The 2012 Vox magazine is a trip down the memory lane. A lot of ex-Picans had submitted articles about their years in Pica, and how and what kind of emotional trips happened. At the beginning of this particular book, is a series of photographs of PiCA, the structural building for the architectural branch of Pillai. It is a reminder to us, that as the students of this institute we have come a long way to reach where we are right now. And there are a lot of things for us to conquer in the coming future.

VOX 2013 This magazine talks of ideas, emotions and how they lead to a sensible and optimal design. But these things are same for art as well, art to is major governed by the-artists emotions, same as design being governed by the architect. This issue has a few honorable mentions for their designs.

But it mainly focuses on architecture-green, sustainable historic as well as the current scenario of the structures.

VOX 2012

This issue is about doing something in a different way, in a traditional or non-traditional or a non-stereotypical way. The theme “out of the box� of this issue is physically visible since there is a rectangular cut-out on each page, making it a metaphor, an indirect message to look at a situation in a different light or with a different perspective. It encourages to have a different approach.

Photographs by Amal Muralidharan and Ishwar Bhat

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Gai , Bhais Aur Hum

NAMRATA PHULGIRKAR AND NIRANJAN BHOME

A lot of people lived far off places such as Borivali , Mulund , Mira Road etc, and there was a chunk of students who were not from around Panvel, the only localite was Siddharth and he had a kinetic, the most used kinetic ever. We had a diversity of students, and most of them were hostilities.

Some of them were from Kashmir, Dubai, Kerala, Sikkim, Udaipur and nobody knew each other’s language and a lot of people did not know Hindi, hence we all had different experiences to share.

We all could explore Bombay in a collective way. Buying t-scale, set squares was a group activity for us. Everyone was new to local trains, and seeing central and Navi Mumbai station was really exciting.

Panvel was considered as a “Goan” as there was nothing except the Neel Kamal hotel. As soon as you get down the train, on the main road the only crowd one could notice except the cows and buffaloes were the architecture students with their t-scales and portfolios (gai ,bhais aur hum).

Sketch by Dolly Gada 3rd YEAR

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PARIVARTAN SHUBHANGI BHIDE

SENIOR FACULTY AT PICA, NEW PANVEL

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Hello!

Young boys and girls What is transformation?

Transformation is “PARIVARTAN” When you join architecture in your teenage years as young boys and girls, and by the time you graduate you become men and women. This change is known as transformation.

Why does this transformation become the part of an individual?

It is because we don’t allow you to rest till the good becomes better and better becomes the best.

The three C’s - Courage, Commitment, Convection and The four D’s - Discipline, Dedication, Devotion, Determination, if these,ideologies are dovetailed by every personage, then there won’t be any dilemma. These hurdles come across, because they are absence of ideas to find solution to it.

“Manzil mile na mile, yeh toh muqdar ki baat hai.

Hum koshish bhi na kare, yeh toh galat baat hai.

Zindagi jhakhamo se bhari hai mere dosto, vaqt ko marhum banana seekh lo, Harna toh hai ek din maut se, filal dosto ke saath zindagi jeena seekhlo.

Zindagi ki pariksha mai koi number nahi milte Log agar dil mein jagah de de, toh samajh lena tum pass ho gaye.”

(Make an effort to be simple but unique like ‘salt’, whose presence is not felt but absence makes the food tasteless.)

Wish you all the best!

ORIGINS OF AN ORDINARY X-PiCAN Architecture.

MIHIR NAIR College has been the best part of my life.

If you hear someone saying the same, don’t believe them. It’s quite possible that they would be stating so because they have to write in the college’s editorial. You see college life may not be often described as the best part of a person’s life because ‘best’ is mostly associated with only happy things. Let’s face it, college is fun. The PiCA anthem, Anna ke tapri ka chai and misal, cold coffee from Njoy, study tours, sleepless nights, hostel days and friends are some of the irreplaceable memories PiCA has given me. My college life in particular was an extended episode of a typical Game of Thrones episode. Anyway I survived and taking a look back it was an interesting journey. Here are some parts from my story.

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The sound of the word itself commands respect and awe. Architect- the designation has been used across multiple fields to describe a creator. You’re aware of the designation’s influence and you decide to join the noble profession. You decide to tell your family and friends that this is your path in life.

“Woh kya hota hai?”

“Accha… Engineer?”

“Oh so you’re going to become a civil Engineer?”

These were the questions aimed at me. Well that was 7 years ago. But yeah, Architect!

I chose to enroll because I loved drawing.

Loved it! A profession where you draw for a living? Brilliant! Well here was the catch.

I drew dragons, machines, superheroes and dinosaurs. Buildings were never a client of my art shop. So during my first class in PiCA, we were asked to create a logo that we would use as our portfolio signature.

Obviously, I was that kid who drew a Dragon spitting fire in the shape of my initials. The reaction was quite evident in my professor’s eyes. Despair and worry. `

Speaking about professors, we were lucky to have some great teachers. It takes so much from a person to teach a bunch of impressionable minds. We as students don’t realize it at the time but these are human beings who have their own problems to deal with, yet they choose to show up every day to handle a horde of moody unpredictable humans. The responsibilities that are placed on teachers are immense today. Some of my batch mates have gone on to become professors and the stories they share with me are eye openers. The students, the parents, the administration are always demanding and teachers are expected to deliver. To all the Teachers who are reading this, thank you for putting up with everything we throw at you. A shout out to my batch mates, seniors and juniors who are teaching now, we’re immensely proud of you. Lastly to my teachers- Arif sir, Jinu sir, Neha ma’am and Venky sir… You guys were my support system when I needed a mentor and apologies for the disastrous drawings that I put you all through in the name of submissions. Love you all!

Well a six hundred word write-up won’t suffice to speak about the crazy ride that PiCA was; but in conclusion I would say that PiCA has shaped my life immensely. Though I am not a practicing Architect (I would have been the Tusshar kapoor of architecture) the experiences in the school took me to my one true passion. I have been writing for a year now. I have had opportunities to work with some famous personalities, I’ve learnt lot and just getting started. I hope to do something meaningful with this passion of mine and I have the people of PiCA to thank for it. You guys are special and it would have been a shame not to have met each and every one of you. God bless you all.

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COMMUNITY- THE REAL HERITAGE CUSTODIAN TEJASHREE LAKRAS

Towards public participatory heritage conservation processes

CONSERVATION ARCHITECT, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT PICA, NEW PANVEL

“Heritage awareness programs can be considered as one of the sensitive steps towards the public participatory heritage conservation processes. They should be conducted for more such sites across the country by designing the modules according to respective cultural contexts for achieving the long life of heritage structures.”

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INTRODUCTION The concept of Heritage Conservation broadly involves protection of both tangible and intangible facets of any place. And particularly in Indian context, the present status- fully or partly intact of Historical architecture is the result of Cultural bond that the local community have shared traditionally with their heritage. However, the cultural heritage still experiences the monument centred approach and not the public participatory methodology for its conservation. Moreover, there is extreme lack of awareness about the past and present significance of the heritage amongst locals in rural as well as urban areas which further leads to the issues like lack of maintenance, abandonment/ dilapidation or mere recognition of tourist centres.

The UNESCO’s recent Policy in World Heritage Convention 33 stressed the need for stakeholders and local community’s involvement and participation in all stages of both documentation and protection processes.

The ICOMOS Charter on the Conservation of Historic Towns and Urban Areas states the concern of local residents of historic urban centres in heritage conservation.

Taking these international concerns and specific issues faced by Indian heritage into consideration, an attempt of formulating public awareness program was made first at individual level in 2015 for the Maratha settlement of Tuljapur, Maharashtra by preparing and executing a small-scale module of “Heritage awareness workshop”, for the locals and is now being successfully run at larger level across the Maharashtra state in association with Sahapedia - the non profit organization for the purpose of public participatory heritage conservation processes. Further such modules were designed separately for different settlements of Maharashtra by respecting the cultural context of the place including, Wai, Gangakhed, Panvel, Kalyan, Ghodbunder and currently Lonar. This wide range of heritage awareness programs comprises of heritage walks, workshops, indigenous community interviews documentation, various fun competitions for different age groups etc. This article is another attempt of reaching out to more public and spreading more awareness about the significance and necessity of conducting such programs in today’s context for developing people centric approaches for heritage conservation.

NATURE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAMS The article presents the experiences of two successful examples of heritage awareness programs designed and conducted for two different settlements. The brief description of the settlement’s cultural context and the details of the functionality aspects of the module can help one understand the need of implementing such strategies at grass root level in order to receive maximum public support in the conservation of heritage for long term basis.

“The stories of “Ghodbunder” Sitting on the fringe of Thane city and overlooking the natural creek on its west side, the marvellous piece of Fort Architecture, Ghodbunder fort is the home of Portuguese, Maratha,/ Peshwa, and British rulers. The 16th Century fort obtained its interesting name due to it being the trade centre for horses “GHOD”= Horse and “BUNDER”= Port/ trade centre. A heritage Walk and a workshop for such a least explored and least known monument, was a first ever initiative which was successfully accomplished as part of Ghodbunder fort festival celebrated every year by “SWATVA”- the Thane based NGO. The workshop witnessed the great number of participants who were enlightened to come to know about the existence as well as the important historical associations of the IN DEPTH | VoX 2018-19

Fort. The interactive activities conducted at various points of the complex such as, group trek, group photography competition and mainly the historical walk, in a way directed the audience to explore the fort precinct, its different architectural layers and its relevance in contemporary context on their own. The handouts giving brief idea about the major historical events of the Fort area were circulated to orient the participants and generate more interest during program. The day long workshop was concluded with a brainstorming session to arrive at sensitive and public participatory heritage conservation approaches for the betterment of the fort and the locals too.

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Photographs by Jahnavi Joshi

The “Mandalis ” of “Panvel” The Colonial Bombay city can today be seen extending its boundaries on all sides.

On its eastern end, the Peshwa period settlement, being one of its kind exists and is popularly known as Old Panvel. Being comprised of various community cultures, the 17th C settlement is the interesting platform for architecture and allied fraternity to study the several architectural styles through number of heritage building typologies. But unfortunately, the place is facing various threats and locals are very less concerned about the maintenance of the same. Hence an attempt of conducting a small workshop was made by students of Pillai college of Architecture with those specific communities (Mandali)

who have experienced the whole transformation process of Panvel and are willing to transfer their knowledge of history and architecture to the young generations. This collaborative program addressing new generation and the other stakeholders helped generate not only the awareness about the historical and architectural uniqueness of the place but also motivated them to certain extent for the conservation processes of their own heritage. Along with this, a series of heritage walks is being conducted for different community clusters of Panvel in association with “Sahapedia� in order to disseminate the historical information of the place to larger public and gain maximum public attention and support for the conservation of existing heritage buildings.

This policy document was adopted by the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention at its 20 Session (Paris, 2015), by its Resolution 20 GA 13.

The conservation of historic towns & urban areas concerns their residents first of all, ICOMOS 1987, Article 3 Sahapedia is the non profit organization based in Delhi and was established in 2011 for the purpose of execution of public particiapatory heritage conversation process in India Mandalis- It is the Marathi term used to denote a specific community of the place IN DEPTH | VoX 2018-19

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Collage by Utsav Chaudhary

Photographs by Ishwar Bhat

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A RETROSPECTIVE MNEMONIC OF MY EXHIBITIONS

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HEMANGI KADU

PHOTOGRAPHER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT PICA, NEW PANVEL

As I sit here to write this article, I look into my mind’s barrel of images, vividly recalling patches of the past. And I realize the power of an image. When you dream of achieving something, the mind stores your dream as a conceived visual. Once you realize that dream, your experience creates a long lasting image in your mind. They are the memories of your realized dreams. I think this process is the very fundamental of image-making - of photographing. It’s visualizing an image, creating it, and then recording. But a lot comes back as a booster to your life through sharing these recorded images, in other words, photographs. Now that’s where exhibitions have had a significant impact on my trajectory until now. I decide to share some associated memories here, whose cause and effect make up my mnemonics for retrospection. When I look back to trace the genesis of my interests in photography, I can say it all began during my learning days in the ever-inspiring abode of Sir JJ College of Architecture. The historic buildings in the Fort had already started drawing impressions on my visual language to capture their true essence in my camera.

It was during these times that an exciting opportunity of photographing the CST Station (then Victoria Terminus) came knocking. In the year 2013, an exhibition ‘Stevens’ Terminus’ was conceptualized by the college and Central Railway for the display of original hand-drawn drawings of the CST building

made by Architect Frederick William Stevens in 1881-83. The drawings had to be underpinned with their very material end result in the form of photographs. That’s where I got a platform to share my photography with a much wider audience for the very first time. Observing the dedication that must have gone into making those drawings was the best motivation I got to photograph the wonderful heritage building.

The exhibition was graced by some of Bombay’s eminent personalities in the field of architecture. The visitors included the Editor of Domus Magazine Kaiwan Mehta, Cultural Theorist Ranjit Hoskote, author Siddharth Bhatia amongst many others.

Well-known photographers in town like Noshir Gobhai and Chirodeep Chaudhuri also visited the exhibition. I remember being fascinated by Noshir Gobhai’s photography of the Bombay High Court building.

I got to meet him for the very first time through this exhibition. Dr. Christopher W. London, who is an Architectural Historian from UK and the author of the book ‘Bombay Gothic’, stumbled upon the exhibition while he was just flaneuring in the campus.

He wrote in the feedback, “Your photographs of the architecture and details of the V.T. Station are elegant, well observed, beautifully colored and printed. Thank you for undertaking this!”

Listening to the words of appreciation from such respectable professionals was so overwhelming, that as a novice I didn’t know how to react. On the last day of the exhibition I had tears of joy. I got goosebumps but soon became grounded, humbled like a horse. That was one moment which I remember vividly. But much overwhelming things started happening right after the exhibition. My photographs of the CST building got featured in the international architecture magazine Domus.

Travel magazines and books started featuring some of my architectural photographs of Bombay, Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.

Dr. Christopher London collaborated with me for his work on Claude Batley’s buildings in Bombay. One thing led to another, and I started realizing the importance of having an exhibition. It is an extremely rewarding process, not only in terms of recognition, IN DEPTH | VoX 2018-19

but also the motivation you get to continue your passion by meeting important and influential people. I am forever indebted to my alma mater for providing me the platform. I was left with the urge and optimism of having my own exhibition sometime in the coming future.

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Soon in 2013, I was interning at Ahmedabad where my passion for photography was fuelled by a lot of travelling. Through my travels there I got a chance to photograph Rani ki Vav at Patan.

This stepwell, one of the largest in Gujarat, is a panoply of sculptural masterpieces offering a highly enchanting visual treat.

Looking closer, each of these sculptures comes to life with the expressive eyes, sway of the body and softness of the natural material. I tried to capture the play of hard and soft light on the stone figures resulting in the formation of excellent chiaroscuros.

I was fascinated by the sheer aesthetic experience of encountering beauty in stone.

Many such travel experiences followed elsewhere, and the photographs kept piling up in folders. After two years, bumping into one of them took me back to that whole experience of encountering beauty in stone.

I wondered if I can share my perspective of capturing it to the viewers in Bombay in the form of large prints. Memories of the Steven’s Terminus exhibition were still fresh in 2015, when I decided to have my first independent photography exhibition ‘Splendours in Stone’ at the David Sassoon Library Gallery, Fort.

However this time, things weren’t easy since it was a solo exhibition in a not-so formal gallery. Putting on a solo show is an exhilarating and satisfying experience, as you have total control over all aspects of your show. On the downside, it requires rigorous working right from the conception to execution. The task was no more limited to just selecting images and editing them, but went beyond to deciding the right size, fine quality printing, mounting, framing, making invitation cards and posters, writing a press release, contacting newspapers, packing frames, loading-unloading them, curating the display, and finally, carefully aligning the frames to the exact eye level of the observer, so that the very purpose of having the exhibition is clearly served. It was a test for perfection at every level until the end. But it was my passion that drove me to take the plunge.

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The exhibition space was a very small lobby with wooden paneling at the entrance of a beautiful neo-gothic library. The heritage ambience of the lobby went very well with the brown tinge of sandstone captured in all the photographs of the stepwell. Not to mention, the location of the space right in front of the outer colonnade and the road continuously brought many visitors all throughout the ten days, which was a boon. But it also meant, any and everyone was able to access it, bringing a few uncalled visitors too! I had funny and weird encounters with some. But all what it did to me was, that increased my patience and a judgment to have controlled conversations at the right time, with the right people. All in all, it was an enriching experience full of learning for life. It was well received by diverse visitors, five out of sixteen photo frames being sold,

an interview published in Mid-Day, and another photo essay being published in the Domus magazine. I never realized how those ten days passed so fast! It soon became an addiction, almost making me think - “What’s next?”

That question remained for a long while, and a good new topic was on the hunt.

I spent my next couple of years doing post-graduation, a job, and exploring myself through a lot of travelling whenever possible. Soon I saw myself drawing towards subjects from the Himalayan region - the mountain life, the vibrant culture, the humble architecture, and the enthralling landscapes. I encountered them all in Bhutan, Spiti Valley and Ladakh.

Massive whitewashed fortresses nestled in the lush green valleys of Bhutan, as well as monasteries that punctuated the cold desert mountains of Ladakh, exemplified human craftsmanship and coexistence with nature just as impressively as the beauty of the majestic Himalayas. Radiant sunbeams pierced the sanctum of the monastery, where tranquil smiles draped in red and golden robes made thousand whirls of the wheel every day. Crystal sky outlined a stack of amber, vermillion and white lime walls atop Thiksey village. Photographing all these was more of an ethereal experience. It took my creative thinking skills to a much refined

level, resulting in the kind of images I never had produced before.

Soon in 2018, I could find an apt theme based on these images, giving me my next topic for an exhibition in town. It was titled ‘Zong’, after the word ‘Dzong’ which means a fortress in Bhutanese. The exhibition aimed to showcase the rich vernacular forms of Tibetan Buddhist architecture and culture thriving in the Himalayan abode. I decided to have this exhibition at the prestigious Jehangir Art IN DEPTH | VoX 2018-19

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Gallery. It was a dream I had long been waiting for. When I look back now, I realise that there have been so many friends, elders and well-wishers whose love and support went behind in concreting and shaping my dream to finally come true. My sincere thanks go to all of them. For me, Zong has been more about these bonds which have marked my journey since childhood upto now, reviving the old and making new ones.

Little did I know the strengths of exhibiting your work in its physical form - making the viewer go through your personal travel experience and also engage in productive conversations - something rarely achieved when you post photographs on social media. Unlike the previous one, Jehangir Art Gallery is a formal gallery that got in a completely different audience - ones who exclusively come to observe, grasp and appreciate art. Viewers were more serious in understanding the images and having a wholesome experience of being in the gallery. It was extremely satisfying to see that happening. Many equated their experience of viewing the images to actually travelling in the Himalayas. For me too it was no different. Going to the terrace gallery every seven days was like going back to the Himalayas all over again!

And I think that’s what exhibiting is all about. It’s not just revisiting the experience yourself, but also sharing it with a larger audience through a simple visual art form.

Your recorded memories in turn present another memorable experience for the viewers. This becomes enough of a booster for me to dream more, to learn more, to achieve more, and to make more such memories that can be shared. That’s my mnemonic for life!

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CINEMA AND CAPITAL VISIONS SMITA DALVI

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SENIOR FACULTY AT PICA, NEW PANVEL

In the early 1950s, when Kengal Hanumanthaiah was Chief Minister of Mysore, a Russian delegation visited Bangalore. On being taken around the city, some of the Russian members repeatedly asked him: “Have you got no architecture of your own? The ones you have are all European buildings”. This admonishment motivated Hanumanthaiah to envision an indigenous model for his capitol, the later Vidhan Soudha, a monumental pastiche of neo-Dravidian and Indo-Saracenic stylings. This building is, even today, the most popular tourist site in Bangalore.

While this could be the first time that the

leader of an independent Indian State sought to resurrect the forms from the past to symbolise links with the present, it certainly does not seem to be the last.

Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu recently invited Rajamouli, the Telugu film-maker to contribute his design skills for envisioning the architecture of main government and administrative complex of Amaravati, the proposed new capital for the newly truncated state. The news of this created a ripple in architecture and urban planning circles- these professionals were already sore with the AP government for inviting

The Grand City of Bhaubali’s Mahishmati

foreign experts to plan the new city and to design its capitol complex. Why should we rely on foreign firms to envision our cities when there is so much Indian talent, they lamented.

It appears that the chief minister himself is unhappy with the designs drawn up and has expressed his admiration for the way Rajamouli envisioned the fantasy kingdom of Mahishmati in his block buster Bahubali: The Beginning. Naidu wants the film maker to bring the same grandeur to real-life Amaravati.

The loss of the erstwhile capital Hyderabad, to the newly carved state of Telangana has been traumatic for the people of Andhra Pradesh. The bifurcation has prompted the need for a new capital and an opportunity for befitting new one to assuage the loss. The desire for creating something glorious was strong but what concrete form this should take, no one seemed to know.

A cursory glance at the many appointments of planners and architects and their designs does little to articulate any central idea for a vision of a new city. Look at the most widely IN DEPTH | VoX 2018-19

circulate image- apparently by the Singapore-based planning consortium that made the master plan: an elevated metro line slices through an assortment of glass-clad towers that bear no relationship with one another. Or more specifically, look at the designs of the main government buildings in the capitol complex for which the government held a limited competitionbetween Tokyo based Fumihiko Maki and associates, London based Norman Foster and associates and Ahmedabad based Balkrishna Doshi.

Relying on scant information and a few images of their proposals posted on the official website, one can say that they fail to inspire. They have not been able to come out of the thrall of Le Corbusier’s capitol complex of Chandigarh, the first major new city project of independent India, necessitated by circumstances not very different from that of Amaravati. In the early 1950s, when Nehru invited the French master for the Chandigarh project, there was a clear vision behind it- one that would serve as a proverbial ‘whack on the head’ by introducing new ideas of modernity into

a country steeped in traditional ways of thinking. The new urban vision was to act as a symbol of a modern nation state, positioned as an equal in the comity of nations. What is the guiding vision behind Amaravati, what should it set out to 49 achieve? This is hardly reflected in any of these concept images.

What has been our record of urban planning in last fifty odd years after Chandigarh? While the community of professionals may whine about the entry of foreigners on their turf, our own record is hardly anything to write home about. Firstly, our planners have not been able to shed the Corbusierian influence of zoned, sectoral grid-iron planning. There is a near dearth of urban design imagination that brings about vitality or vibrancy to life in new cities.

Naya Raipur

A case in point is Naya Raipur, the new capital city of yet another newly carved state in India, Chhattisgarh. According to their official website, the Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) sets out to plan an ultramodern ‘green and smart city’ which aims at promoting a modern lifestyle with foundation in ‘traditional values’. This is the state of our urban vision today- a collection of catch phrases and jumlas. Once again, a casual glance at the envisioned images of Naya Raipur reveal a sterile urban landscape of regimented concrete blocks as if taking part in a military parade.

Coming back to Amravati, it seems the vision for his new capital city has finally dawned upon Chandrababu Naidu: “...but at my home and work place, I want a representation of our history, folklore and mythology.” And to help fulfil that vision, where does he seek inspiration but in the grand, over the top, super-spectacular sets of Mahishmati from the faux mythological fantasy Bahubali by Rajamouli.

Two questions arise: Firstly, how relevant it is to seek inspiration for a twenty-first century, modern capital city in mythical imaginations of the past? And secondly, how useful it is to channelize cinematic imagination in real world urban design?

The reason why the area around the small village of Amaravati (between Guntur and Vijaywada) was chosen as a site for the new capital rather than developing an already established urban centre like Vijaywada was to claim the historical legacy of the Andhra Pradesh’s glorious past. The claim of Amaravati and nearby Dharanikota rests on its historical importance as the eastern capital of the Satvahana or Andhra dynasty.

This dynasty ruled over vast swathes of the Deccan from its west to east coast for roughly four hundred years from the 2nd century BCE, thriving on extensive trade with the Roman Empire. Moreover, there is a name association with Indra’s celestial suvarna-nagari Amaravati built by Vishwakarma himself, the architect of the gods.

The ancient capital is also best known for the magnificent Amaravati stupa, the most elaborate to have been erected in India. In its sculptural brilliance, it presented a vivid testimony of prosperous urbanity of its time. The structure of the stupa was dismantled in 19th century but quite a few of the sculptural panels were salvaged, and most of them are housed in a specially created section in the British Museum occupying the same place of pride as the Elgin marbles. While the limestone reliefs depict incidents from Buddha’s life, they also describe a thriving social and cultural life of enormous vitality of the period, set in fascinating architectural settings of palace gables, vaults and balconies, city gates and mansions.

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Conjectural restoration of the Amravati monuments

Many of these architectural features find their way in the subsequent development of Dravida architecture, as seen in temple spires, gopurams and colonnades of surrounding cloisters. Can these visions from the past provide an inspiration for a new city of the 21st century in a meaningful way? If we accept that as a valid premise, then can a film-maker provide that inspiration?

India has, from the early days of cinema, seen a trend of artists and painters taking up the mantle of Art Direction, a task now increasingly shared by architects. The cross-over between architecture and film-making or specifically set-design is not surprising. Legendary Russian film-maker and theorist Sergei Eisenstein, had trained as an architect. In his essay ‘Montage and Architecture’, he draws analogies between crafting a film scene and negotiating an architectural space. It was inevitable that the cinematic medium and set designing would draw quite a few architects, as they can dream unhindered by the constraints of real life, especially today with the use of digital techniques and CGI, making virtual worlds providing unbound avenues to let their creative juices flow.

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Inviting Rajamouli to envision NewAmravati seeks to reverse this flow of ideas. This is not far-fetched, given the newly stated goal by the chief minister that the city must represent our “history, folklore and mythology”. Indian film makers have always risen admirably in that department when it came to recreate the past in their films, without ever being constrained by ‘authenticity’. Despite this, such recreations have often had a lasting impact on collective memories of a nation of film-goers. Scores of visitors to Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort go there to seek validation for their memories of Mughal-e-Azam. When they demand to see the tunnel that Prince Salim used in his bid to rescue Anarkali, the obliging local guides do not fail them and point to an imaginary trap-door in the flooring. In the recent times, the eclectic and imaginative recreations of older cities in films like Jodha Akbar and Mohenjo Daro have a far greater potential to remain in public imagination than the supposed realities of their historic selves.Politics and cinema is inextricably linked in Andhra Pradesh. Naidu’s political mentor, his father-in-law N. T. Rama Rao, the founder of the ruling Telugu Desam Party was a mega-star of Telugu films enacting many mythological roles. NTR pioneered the practice of recruiting the services of film makers to erect elaborate stages for his election campaigns. Recreating mythological scenes or historical settings had similar filmic appeal

The most circulated version of amravati capital

to his large fan base. Political symbolism finds a good bedfellow in filmic imagery, and the techniques of creating them. In a country, where history and mythology are inseparable in public imagination and political grand standing, resorting to the visions of fictional Mahishmati to revive the historic memories of Amaravati in the political project of invoking the past eminence of the Andhra Desh, should not come as a surprise.

In the final reckoning, should the conventional abstractions of professional architects and town planners continue to hold sway on the envisioning of new cities and smart towns, or can there be a place for popular imagination however fantastic but based on the common culture of its inhabitants? Megalomania cuts both ways in the imagining of the future megalopolis.

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THE BALCONY AT MYTHILI JINU KURIAN

ARCHITECT AT DESIGN WORKS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT PICA, NEW PANVEL

The street in front of us was the stage and we had the best seats in the balcony of the first floor house that belonged to my grand-aunt. I spent the later years of my childhood with her family. There were two balconies in that house. Strangely enough, the one attached to the living room was the lesser of the two. Objects peripheral to our lives or ones past, their prime found a place in it: a tall stool & a sewing machine. It was also where we hung our clothes to dry.

Inner wear was always on the bottom line, on the inner side of the parapet wall, protected from the gaze of the surroundings.

The other clothes were hung in layers from the clothesline fixed to the slab. This was the banal life of that balcony. The other, the

one attached to the bedroom, had a far more significant presence in our lives. That is where we hung the star around Christmas.

Most late evenings, the balcony & the street in front brought the family together over cups of tea & snacks. The street would come alive & we would watch our neighbourhood in motion. Often, my grand-aunt would find a familiar face. They would exchange notes on life and the price of pomfret. My grand-aunt played the commentator, offering sharp observations on the actors on the big stage to whoever was around.

Those evenings in the balcony were significant. It shaped our relationship with the neighbourhood & its people. We displayed ourselves & also watched other exhibits in

the act. Each morning, the balcony became the site of a ritual, featuring my grand-uncle.

For him, all daily activities were rituals. One of those was the morning shave featuring an elaborate set: a foldable mirror, two bowls of water – hot & cold, alum, Palmolive, Wilkinson & Old Spice. The ritual would start with the set up & then gradually unfold like a choreographed composition.

The space, the objects & the ritual stood the test of the 30+ years he lived there. They were constants.

For me, the balcony was the setting for a personal fantasy. When every child of my generation wanted to be a pilot, I wanted to be a bus conductor. I was smitten by the ticket cases that the BEST bus conductors had. Also, by the bells in the buses of those days, the ones that were tied to nylon strings, almost always yellow. Many afternoons were spent in the balcony, my imaginary bus. I leaned out of the balcony, harking invisible passengers to get in. I would announce the name of the bus stops, ring the bell & lean out to feel the breeze whizz past me. The way that balcony was built was crucial to the fantasy. We do not have settings like those anymore. They have been caged by our affluence, insecurities & building bye-laws.

My family & I have had our share of homes.

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My grand-aunt’s house in Pestom Sagar is one of the six houses I identify with the feeling of home. Each one of them is a repository of memories. Sometimes it becomes the place of a memory; sometimes the memory is of the place. Memories are at times defined by events of significance. We bookmark them as milestones. These are the ones that are easy to recall. You can summon them at will. There are other ones that need to be kindled by journeys: sub-conscious or conscious journeys to the past or physical journeys to the settings of the past. That’s when memories emerge from the hiding, like a long forgotten object or souvenir that you tucked away in a cupboard.

A decade back, Mythili, the apartment block where my grand-aunt’s house was located was pulled down. Redevelopment caught up with it. The new plan traded the two balconies for an extra bedroom and gave us an apology for a redeveloped house.

Our family still owns the house, but, does not live there anymore. We have all moved on. We have a new house but no new memories. We have old ones to fall back on.

But, that too will make way for new people, places & memories.

EXCERPTS OF PiCAlog

SUNIL LADDHA

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12 DABBA DOUBLE FAST LOCAL New to Mumbai? The first thing that connects and makes you feel Mumbai, once one lands is the local trainOur batchmates used to travel my multiple modes rather a combination of modes of transport. City bus, train, lifts tooMumbai has local trains which are termed as local, fast and double fast ( I don’t know if that’s the case today also). The local ones stopped at all stations, the fast ones selected ones and double fast ones only few of the selected ones. The double fast has 12 coaches and so was called “bara dabba”Now how do these get connected to our ‘log’?

Gradually as the canteen chai ritual after every lecture got solidified, the visits became frequent and the break became longer. Longer breaks involved some thought foolish provoking discussions too ( though I call them intelligent). The discussions became debates and debates became arguments and arguments became spoken wars. Just to give an example the discussion once started with – is the billiards table curved or straight? Both parties had logical justification… should it be concentric to the earth’s curvature so as to do justice to all the rolling balls on the table??? Hahaha!

Not just this… it was our performing stage… yessssss… we all were connected by music Music was allowed in studios and we used to sing in chorus even at times in studios But when it was canteen… it was a free ride!A nonstop chorus singing of songs by legendry Kishore kumar sb, rafi sb and mukesh sb… at times altaf raja and Chanchal too to name a few… and this we called it as “12 dabba fast local”… non stop singing without a break for 10/17/39/60 minutes at times. Trust me, it was the best stress buster I have ever known… all worries and all submissions left behind preparing for the next addition to the backlog, here we sang and sang and sang and we conquered!!! ( the fear of failing)Sing sang sonnnng! Just like zip zap zoooom bara dabba fast local BAPNA RUN Ar. Masud Taj used to take us on an eccentric drive every Wednesday of the week. He used to talk on varying subjects triggering us to eccentricity. The silver hair smart tall angrej looking professor had one parallel from our side too. QuaisFatehi. Trust me not many of us understood more than 50% of what Mr Taj spoke but or Mr Quais did 100% ( I would have added more to this percentage if at all anything existed) he was the one who argued the most with him. However everybody enjoyed his lectures for sure. His style was different from others. We had a smart blue sleek chair with casters… and mrtaj would glide on it during the lectures. It was named as ‘taj chair’.

So one Wednesday it was decided that we all will share our hobbies in the next class.

It was a Wednesday again and Under the tree the hobby sharing class started ( just like gurukul of vedic age). Not many would get a chance to experience this am sure today!

Some had music, some sketching, some stamp collection, and some had coin collection as their assets. I had this hobby of collection quotations and writing them in diary (its sad that I had something unique which I left behind, infact I remember it now when am writing this log). The most interesting one which I still cant believe was Zubair’s hobby. It was “ collecting First Floor Plans”. Only god knows what gave him this idea, but its different for sure.And here is the epic moment. Vikas bapna rose to share running as his hobby. And as students, naughty students we started laughing and making fun of the hobby. Mr taj took a note of it and stood besides bapna declaring a challenge as to who can run 20 rounds of the football ground we were siting in, coming

Wednesday. And if anyone of us beats Bapna, he/she would be rewarded.Six of us were identified making a fool of bapna and were specially marked to runWednesday came at its own pace but we felt it came a bit faster this timeOn your marks… get set.. goooo!!! And we all started. Bapna was on the run. And so were we. Santosh as trying to match but bapna was too good at it. We were lingering but somehow making up for the challenge.

Bapna won the race by a good enough margin, but Santosh gave a good fight. The rest of us … Pramod, Dilip, and myself did finish the 20 rounds to qualify for Tea by Mr Taj. A tradition started and every year Bapna run was organised. What happened next year? Well this time Santosh won it and bapna was second and the rest of us did finish the 20 rounnds at our own pace.

We are still on the RUN… the only difference these days is that the rounds don’t end.

Vikas Bapna

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EMPTY CLASS OF MRS JOSHI : CONE OF VISION Its every student’s nightmare It’s the most hated It’s the most haunted Yesss..sss it’s the TOS, theory of structures.

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Most of us used to bunk the lectures as we were not meant for this ( remember“failures” hahaha) We did not understand an iota worth of those differentiations and integrations , those shear forces and those bending moments (are we proud of this fact or not, am confused).

One such sunny winter day, the whole class decided to bunk Mrs Joshi’s lecture and play football in the ground abutting the canteen. I resisted and decided that I shall never ever bunk any class even though I don’t understand anything, even if I have not finished assignments, I shall not run away.

Usually everybody had his/her place reserved in the class with the more studious ones in the front and the mastikhors as the back benchers.

That day it was a test for me… not TOS Ka TEST, it was a test of my dare to be alone in the class, but with a condition that I shall sit at my place only come what may ( a foolish notorious student’s useless ego…so that I can narrate it the way am doing it now). As mrs xxx entered she was not shocked to see an almost empty class but by finding me alone on my desk, the last bench.

She said she is leaving as everybody bunked the lecture and was going to Mr Pillai with a complaint. She thought I just came in to collect my belongings and by chance I met her.

I declared (note- I declared) ma’am I am attending the class, and here she started writing some formulas on the board. Imagine the situation… a bunch of empty benches smiling and laughing between me and ma’am.She requested me to come in the front, and here I was ready, with the answer ( I had to be ready with it)- ma’am, the board doesn’t fit into my cone of vision when I am in the front so I remain here only!

Such an uncomfortable scenario… with ma’am shuttling everytime between me and the board. The lecture ended somehow.

The memories remainI feel sorry today for that misbehaviour ( though legally I was correct… ) But I have a story to tell for sure with my “cone of vision”

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Orchha the marvelous capital city of Bundelkhand.It houses some beautiful structures in Bundela Architcture style, showing clear influences of mughal and Rajputana style.

SAI UPHAD -4th YEAR

CARVINGS PRAJWAL SHELKE -3rd YEAR

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MISS TOURISM UNIVERSE 2017 NISHITA PURANDARE -4th YEAR

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Its every girls dream to represent your country at an international level. I've had a dream since I was a kid. I looked up to former winner's who made India proud by winning international titles and I always believed in myself for doing so. My journey began in 2016 with Indian Princess where I won ‘MISS TGPC’ people's choice award 2016, Indian Princess 2016. After that, I got a call from the Miss and Mrs Tiara India Organisation to come for auditions. I cracked the auditions and was later crowned as MISS TIARA INDIA GLOBAL 2017 in January 2017 along with People’s choice award, Miss Photogenic and best cat walk in the same competition. right after that I received an offer from one of the most renowned director to audition for a Marathi film which later turned into me getting selected for the lead role.

Later the same year, in October I flew to Philippines, manila for my next step that was MISS TOURISM UNIVERSE 2017. Also winning People’s choice award in the same pageant.

Taking your culture and traditions to another country, meeting different beautiful girls and a 10 days of various sub competitions, on 19th of October 2017, I was crowned as the winner of MISS TOURISM UNIVERSE 2017.

“I have always had my share of ups and downs but I have always believed in myself. if there is a will, there is nothing that can stop you.”

BUILT NATURE

ANKIT GUPTA

-4th YEAR

The place from where the humans departed and took over the habitat — the cenotaphs of Orchha.

As majestic as it may have been, their rule ended. The long line of kings of Orchha now lie beneath the earth, each with their own monument to celebrate. The cenotaphs are clustered inside a complex, a big rectangular complex.

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On the shorter side, a wrought iron gate invites us onto the stone floored complex.

There are six monuments in total, three to our left, three to our right. Chronologically the first structure to be built is the first one on our left. Consecutively, the one on the right, then the second on the left and so on.

A central walkway is at a right angle to each monument. In the center is a fountain, dried up, and now a playground for squirrel. The last monument on the left is from where we can access the upper level. It provides us with a view of the whole complex. Each cenotaph, at its edges, has small chattris. They are a miniature replica of the cenotaphs.

65 The rules might have departed but there are still living, breathing magnificent creatures that have called the cenotaphs their home. Nesting away in the chattris of the cenotaphs are the Indian vultures. They have cohabited the complex as it they were the ones who had it built. Breeding in hundreds all over the town of Orchha, the majority of them have taken solace inside the cenotaph complex. Above every cenotaph, one can spot the birds of prey perched atop. The locals say they have been residing there for as long as anybody can remember. the once yellow sandstone cenotaphs are now painted in shades of black and white by these vulture’s droppings.

They can’t be blamed, we’ve taken their habitat, their home. The least they can do is shit on our graves.

SOMESH MHATRE -4th YEAR

PRATHAMESH MOHITE -4th YEAR

TRAVELOGUE: PONDICHERRY

Being an architecture student, we travel and learn. As for Pondy, our purpose of visit was documentation. And the site or should I say the structure that we chose for our documentation was Immaculate Conception Cathedral.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the cathedral mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. Located on Mission Street, this cathedral, which bears a strong resemblance to a church in France, was built in 1791 on the ruins of the older church.

Overall the cathedral was an architectur al marvel. The imposing facade presents paired Doric columns below and ionic above. The interior design consists of eight barrel vaults and a central dome pierced with eight circular openings.

VIRAJ KALLOLA -5th YEAR Walking through the French colony and getting lost in the beauty of its architecture, we were wandering through the streets at midnight. The beach was close by, I could hear the sound of the waves splashing at the rocks. Heading in the direction of the sound we somehow managed to get to the beach.

And when we reached there, the scene in front of us was magnificent.

You know what they say, Life is like the ocean. It can be calm or still, and rough or rigid. But in the end, it is always beautiful.�

So today I am going to open the diary of my life and share my travel experience to STUDENTS CORNER | VoX 2018-19

Pondicherry.

Pondicherry is the capital city and the largest city of the Indian union territory of Puducherry.

It is affectionately known as Pondy (here onwards Pondy refers to Pondicherry), and has been officially known by the alternative name Puducherry in Tamil. Our first day in Pondy was dedicated to site seeing where we visited Auroville. Auroville is 12km from Pondicherry, a spiritual place established

by Mirra Alfasa, popular as The Mother dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo.

The structure is ecstatic though it takes a long walk to reach there. It contains solar

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panels. We could not explore much as we were not allowed inside.

Being an architecture student, we travel and learn. As for Pondy, our purpose of visit was documentation. And the site or should I say the structure that we chose for our documentation was Immaculate Conception Cathedral. It is the cathedral mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. Located on Mission Street, this cathedral, which bears a strong resemblance to a church in France, was built in 1791 on the ruins of the older church.

Overall the cathedral was an architectural

marvel. The imposing facade presents paired Doric columns below and ionic above.

The interior design consists of eight barrel vaults and a central dome pierced with eight circular openings.

During our stay, most of our mornings were spent on site documenting and working. But honestly it wasn’t all that boring as it sounds. As Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much�. The documentation being a tedious job to do was also amusing.

We had a great time working with each other. Something incredible happens when teamwork happens the way it's supposed to.

Things change when everyone in the team is equally invested in the overall purpose and goal. You find yourself working faster, finding mistakes more easily, and innovating better. That was quite of an experience I had during this time period.

Apart from the documentation work that happened in the mornings. The evenings were dedicated for leisure and fun.

So for me and my gang, leisure and fun meant that we explore the place that we visit. That’s like a ritual we follow. We were visiting Pondy for the first time,so we were pretty excited.

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So as I had mentioned earlier about walking through the French colony, listening to the waves hitting shores… we reached the promenade beach. This was our first night adventure in Pondy. The scene was one of a breath-taking experience, with the endless ocean (Bay of Bengal) in front of you.One can take a stroll and relax at the beach. The best time to visit would be early in the morning or late evening, because that’s the time when vehicular access has been denied. This ensures that people can enjoy their time here, pollution free and without the fear of speeding vehicles.

The overall ambience or vibe at the promenade beach is quite calm, meditative and refreshing.

On the sea front there are several landmarks, such as the war memorial, Mahatma Gandhi stat- 69 ue, Dupleix Park, and the crown jewel of the promenade beach, Le Café, popular for coffee, snacks, croissants and so much more all throughout the day, right beside the waves, to cherry top it. And so as the nights followed, we kept on exploring Pondy.

Pondicherry is blessed with a double culture that is very well portrayed in its architecture.

It is divided into quarters, French quarters and Tamil quarters. And in between this you find a very unique hybrid of both the cultures which gives Pondy its own exotic identity. Handicraft bazaars, food carts, restaurants, guest houses and luxury hotels all cater to the needs of the varied tourists.

I love experiencing a place via its culinary offerings. Not only is it fun to go and check out different places to eat, it is a great way to connect with the locals and get to know that little more about a place, which has not been mentioned in a typical travel brochure.

Pondicherry, unlike many other destinations, provides you with a huge range of cuisines – north Indian, typical south India, and authentic Chettinad cuisine, continental and of course, French.

Since Pondicherry is right next to the sea, the seafood served here is fresh and varied.

Vegetarians, Vegans and meat lovers need not feel left out since there is enough pondicherry as a whole is very popularly known as French Pondicherry, there is not

too much of classic French Since Pondicherry is rightcuisine next toavailable the sea, here; it is more European/Continental in the seafood served here is fresh and varied. nature.

Vegetarians, vegans and meat lovers need There’s somthing i must you about not feel left out, since there tell is enough and time, ” IT FLIES”.

And it did.

As The days more for them too. Even though Pondipassed, nearly came to an end. cherryour as awork whole is very popularly known Along withPondicherry, which the there late night strolls, as French is not too exotic serving filtercuisine coffes, available snacks and muchcafes of classic French what those pricelessContinental moments with here;not it isand more European/ in these amazing group of people came to an nature. end.

I know I am romanticizing a bit about There’s something I must tell you about alltime, this “IT but FLIES”. that’s the kind of impact And it did.

As the Pondy days worked, It was tedious, it was passed,we ourenjoyed. work nearly came to an end. fun.

Above all,which in thethe end, was beautiful!

Along with lateit night strolls, exotic cafes serving filter coffees, snacks and what not, and those priceless moments with these amazing group of people came to an

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SPACES- THE SOUL OF CINEMA KRUSHA DEVADIGA -5th YEAR

"We live in a box of space and time. Movies are windows in its walls. They allow us to enter other minds, not simply in the sense of identifying with the characters, although that is an important part of it, but by seeing the world as another person sees it."

-Roger Ebert.

Three things that I cannot live without are movies, movies and movies. As a child, both of my parents were working. So, the television became my nursemaid and as there was no one at home disturbing me or telling me what was appropriate and what was not, I was liberal to watch whatever I wanted to and thus began my cinematic journey which has now turned into an obsession, where I realized movies aren’t just about the protagonist, antagonist and the plot. It was so much more than that. My movie watching experiences improved to a greater degree

as I became aware about the intricate details, the cinematography, the background score and the spaces. The earliest memory that I have about a particular space or architectural aspect in a film that completely changed the way I watched movies was a film called Memoirs of a geisha. My movie watching experiences improved to a greater degree as I became aware about the intricate details, the cinematography, the background score and the spaces. The earliest memory that I have about a particular space or architectural aspect in a

film that completely changed the way I watched movies was a film called Memoirs of a geisha. This movie is a mesmerising visual poetry and every single scene is as beautiful as the enchanting geishas in the film. A particular scene that completely embedded my otherwise highly distracted brain, is when the lead, Chiyo Chan is running along the gates of the ancient Japanese Fushimi Inaratemple.

beneath the inverted pyramid and kneels before it. Ron Howard has done complete justice to this monumental moment in Dan Brown’s book with the help of Tom hanks, amazing visual effects and background score, and of course I.M. Pei’s Louvre museum. The movie begins with thelouvre in the background and ends with it. Before the movie, I knew about the structure but didn’t really know about the architect or theconstruction. But I did my research anyway and now here I am with I.M. pie coming in my

The image of the long orange corridor, with hints of light sunshine trying to sneak a peek through the toris. JonWilliams haunting composition left such a strong impact that all I did for the next two weeks wasconvince a bunch of other 12 year olds to watch this cinematic masterpiece. This is when I understood that for the embodiment of the image, a physical space in a film was as important as the emotions of the actor, to connect all the fragments and make a lasting impression on the audience.

The entire plot of a film or the plot twist can revolve around a space, like in the Da Vinci code. When Robert Langdon while shaving, has an epiphany and follows the line to the Louvre, concluding the Holy Grail, the sarcophagus of Mary Magdalene, is hidden

life almost every semester. What a small word eh? Who would’ve guessed!‘A physical space seems to be the fundamental building block in filmmaking. It is the embodiment of the real and the cinematic image’. - Shardul Bhardwaj, The Tribune.

There are so many more movie moments like these where you forget to concentrate on what the actors are saying but, instead the spaces and architecture have managed to grab your attention. Cinematic spaces are a fundamental instrument in conveying the plot lines or to capture the essence of a particular scene that would later go down in history.

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THE BLACK KITCHEN SAVINA SHETTY

-4th YEAR

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Every year during my summer break, I used to visit my grandma's house. It was a typical big vernacular house, which could easily accommodate 100 people at a time.

Each wall in every room had a story to tell.

The black kitchen was not some dark mysterious place but a place quite close to my heart. All the walls were painted in black because the light colors would eventually turn black. The kitchen was divided into two rooms. In one room the food was prepared on dikkel (chulha) and in the other room, all the preparations for the food used to take place. Though the two rooms appeared small, one could easily prepare food for a large number of people.

The smell of the burning wood, the smoke surrounding the room made me feel like I was inside a thick blanket. As I write about this, I can still feel the essence of the place.

Tears roll down my eyes when I recollect all the memories. I remember sitting in the corner of the room, eating my dosa and my grandma putting ghee and sugar on my plate so that I can eat well. Whenever I played hide and seek with my cousins that room was my favourite place to hide in.

For the last few years, our house had been facing some construction problems and with a heavy heart, we had to rebuild the house. It has been a year since the new house has built but we all miss the old house. I especially miss the womb-like dark kitchen with the surrounding smoke that kept me warm.

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JASMINE AKREKAR - 4th YEAR

YASH WADKAR

-3rd YEAR

DEVIKA KHARKAR -4th YEAR

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BOOKS VEDIKA.S. CHAPADGAONKAR

-3rd YEAR

What it takes to read books?

They take you to the farthest corners and nooks.

They are there for you when nobody is You just have to take care not to make a fold or crease.

They help you cure any pain, Spending time with them never goes in vain.

They tell you the stories which are untold, They tell you about many secrets which are yet to unfold.

They never let us feel alone, Help us forget our cell phones Books let you travel the unexplored world Without even spending a penny just by being in the blanket curled.

They never complain about little things, always better than human beings.

They never make any unrealistic demands, Just want to be handled with caring hands.

They are the best company one can ever get, About that I can truly bet.

They become our best friends,stay loyal, till every story ends‌

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THE HOLY PLACE AYUSH ANIL

-2nd YEAR

In the year of 2017 winter, our college went for a study tour which included our seniors.

The destination of our tour was a historical place named Orchha, in Madhya Pradesh. So, we were divided in groups of 9, and each group was assigned a site to study which was my first experience.

Our site was the Laxmi Narayan temple. The ambiance was so calm and quiet that we could hear the sound of nature. It was located on a hill top that had a beautiful view of Orchha. The temple had an amazing architectural structure with intricate designs on arches and pillars.

There were paintings on the ceilings that gave an outline view of the older era. The aerial view of the temple resembles an eagle. The whole structure is built from rock the structure mostly included arches and pillars from a different era.

While walking through the corridor I felt that the paintings on the walls, the arches and the pillars, each had a story to tell. After working for 2 days at the temple, I felt like that I belonged here.

The best place to relax was at the roof top which had a continuous breeze of cold air. The beautiful setting of my new experience gave me an unforgettable moment for the rest of my life.

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SANKET PATEL -3rd YEAR

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MITALI TARAIKAR -2nd YEAR

SAKSHI DOSHI -3rd YEAR

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SAHIL AHMED -3rd YEAR

RUMINATION DEEPSHIKA APTE -4th YEAR

There are always going to be memories that capture your heart and soul, no matter how simple they are. Sometimes simplicity is not appreciated easily, and it takes time to realize it's beauty. I tend to get attracted to all such simple things surrounding me.

One of my most cherished memories is the time I have spent at a garden for years. This garden was located in my previous apartment complex. My memories related to this are simple yet magnificent in their own way.

I have practically lived in the garden for years. As soon as my family and I would finish our dinner, I used to help my mother to clean the kitchen frantically so that I could rush down to the garden.

I had a small handbag in which I used to carry a pouch filled with twenty to thirty pencils and a sketchbook. Every time I met my friends, I used to force them to sit in this garden with me. There were days when I used to buy chips and a bottle of Pepsi with my friends and spend hours chatting and laughing, while soaking our legs in the pond. Late nights and early mornings were my favourite part of the day since I spent this time alone in the garden.

At the end of the garden was a tiny rectangular platform made of wood. After climbing the steps to reach this platform, a big pond was in the front covering the sides of it as well. It felt like I floated in this beautiful pond whenever I sat on the platform. The trees covered this area completely, so it always felt like no one could see me.

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A wooden pergola acted as a roof for this platform. This place looked beautiful at night as the dim yellow lights shined on the water. Whereas in the mornings, the shadow of the pergola made it more priceless to look at.

The whole atmosphere danced together like magic and made me joyful each and every day. The sound of the fountain in the pond gave a theatrical effect to the surroundings, forcing everyone to stay quiet and simply listen to the nature.

There are a thousand thoughts running through my mind in a second. But when I used to be in this place, I was able to shut my mind and concentrate on sketching.

I can call it meditation for me, but in a different form. The sound of the water splashing everywhere worked in rhythm with my body, as I continuously sketched my mind and soul on a piece of paper. No matter what mood I was in, I was always happy and joyful whenever I was captured by this space.

I will always admire how this space made me more relaxed, calm and brought out the best in me. Its breathtaking simplicity and pure essence had a phenomenal impact on me and has shaped me into a more thoughtful soul. This place made me realise that the smallest of experiences can also shape our attitude and perceptions about several things. I believe that we can do everything and anything in the right way if our mind and body are in the right place.

And for me, this garden will always be the right place.

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THE HOUSEBOAT DIARIES JANVI GHARAT -2nd YEAR

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A few months ago, I visited a place famous for backwaters, far away from the busy schedules and pollution to relax. I wanted to connect myself to the nature in a place known as Alleppey House Boat in Kerala.

It was a best experience I ever had among all the places I visited. It had a wonderful atmosphere, pleasant air, peaceful environment, full of tress. I experienced lots of things like their tradition, the culture of the people living there, their cuisines, and their houses. The houses were made of traditional materials like bamboo and wood.

I was eagerly waiting for the journey to start as it was my first experience.

The architecture of house boat was like that of a proper built house with all the amenities, and yet connecting us to the nature because of the way the spaces were divided in such a tiny place, in a proper manner. The beautifully designed columns built at both sides, supported the roof.

In the evening, I saw the amazing view of the sunset from house boat. I was surrounded by water, the chirping of birds, the white clouds, that blue sky and the sounds passing by me.

The next day, unfortunately, was the last day of staying in houseboat. In the morning around 7 am, I woke up and went outside my room to a beautiful scenery. I went to the terrace, sat on the chair having a cup of coffee, listening to music. It made me want to enjoy the moment again and again, to spend my whole life in that environment.

One must visit this place at least once - to forget our daily workloads, routine, to relax, to be free, and to release our stress.

Photograph by OMSRUSHTI GHARGE

-2nd YEAR

KALPA POOJA CHAVAN -3rd YEAR

The place we were about to visit had the most picturesque and beautiful scenic villages surrounded with the huge borders of Himalayan Mountains. We were about to have a heavenly experience. The road leading to Kalpa is terrifyingly beautiful.

The roads are not wide enough. The mountains sometimes form a umbrella of rocks just above the road and leave us awe struck.

The Rocky terrain engulfs us with it's rugged beauty while the heart beat arise once we attempt to peep at other side of the road.

Having a invariable look at the village below the road from the upper portion where we stayed one tries to take in as much as he can, every peak , crevice ,the tree line was just pure and majestic . The whole route to the village was based on Rocky, moraines, glaciers and dangerous crevasses. The travel was no less than a fatal roller coaster ride with mind boggling scenarios on the one side.

The sun that rises behind the peak creates an out-of-town world sight. The change of colors in the sky, the flight of birds and the different phases of the sunlight as it rises will leave you spell-bound. The village appeared to be like a pearl in the immense oyster of the scenery playing with the scale between the settlement and giant Kinnaur Kailash ranges. One can be enchanted with the nature galore here.

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Each and every element of nature seems to be pure and magical .No matter we visit, as the sun sets one is transported to an unearthly habitation. The winds waft hypnotizing strings of music that originates from the drums , clarinets and the chorus at the Hu-Bu-Lan-Kar monastery in Kalpa . Along the highway is the natural beauty of Satluj river, it's valley and towering hills. the narrow stream of Satluj is a constant companion along the road to the village. The village was situated in plush green and Rocky serene. The houses were constructed on various levels on hill slope.A series of paved steps connects the upper and lower parts of the heaven. The village shared a wide variety of colours made of stone and wood which enhanced the beauty of the context. Kalpa is the place, where w really felt our bounding with the snow-peak of the Himalayas. Time is always less to feel the Himalayas. The overall experience can never be forgotten.

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ASAVARI VARE -3rd YEAR

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URVI JOSHI

-2nd YEAR

HEAVEN ON EARTH REVATI KAMTHANKAR -2nd YEAR

I can never forget the experience of being in a place that sits in the laps of Kinnaur Kailash, surrounded by beautiful snow mountains, apple gardens, the best weather and of course, the most kind and humble people.

The place seemed like a dream come true.

Kalpa, a small village in Himachal Pradesh, was the place I visited during our study tour.

When we reached there, we were directly taken to our hotel, Hotel Kinner Kailash. As soon as we came out of the mini-buses, we found a beautiful hotel of wood and stone with red painted roof that was covered with white snow all around. The first look of the hotel was so pleasing that I instantly fell in love with that place.

The hotel was a two-storey building with a reception at ground floor that was temporarily closed as no one visits that place in winter. But the entry of the hotel was next to it right upstairs. The funniest thing happened on those stairs. Many of us slipped off because of the melting of snow on them. Also, the hotel manager's dogs ran after us when we were climbing upstairs. It was scary but now when I look back, I think it was quite funny.

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On the right side of staircase, we had our dining area where we all sat for hours working on our sheets with seniors and teachers, having hot tea and bread in the cold weather. The dining area was a beautiful place with wooden flooring.

The entire area was quite soothing and the most beautiful thing — the mountains — were seen directly from there. On the opposite side of dining area, we had our rooms. Some of the rooms were on the upper floor with a beautiful open terrace.

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Our room was quite simple but felt amazing. Everything there was made in wood. We had a bathroom right at the entrance, a dressing table and a cupboard on the left in the passage, and then the room with big bed. Oh, that bed and the warm blankets were a real treasure because surviving at -5 °C was not anyone’s cup of tea without them and the heater.The best part of our room was the balcony. We could see the beautiful sunrise, the silhouette of the mountains and the snow on the red roofs.

All four of us were pleased to have such an amazing view from our room.

The hotel was really well constructed with right use of stone and wood. It was beautifully decorated with minute detailing on some walls, cornices and certain columns.

It was real pleasure being at such an amazing place which delighted us and I recommend one should visit Kalpa and Kinner Kailash Hotel once.

UTSAV CHAUDHURY -3rd YEAR

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COLLEGE

APRAJITA CHATERJEE -3rd YEAR

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‘COLLEGE’ made her nervous, new place, new people, travelling alone, etc. Day after day she was introduced to more people, things became familiar and college became fun.

Soon all the other weirdos were united and a group of “UNDEFEATABLE WEIRDOS” was formed to rule the world(>o<).

The best thing about college was that she got one more family who were always there by her side, helped her, scolded her and loved her for who she was. The relation became more stronger year after year, the ‘hie-bie’ friends were now her family.

Two years have already passed new friends were made, old friends got separated, priorities changed, people changed, SHE CHANGED. She had heard that college life was “the” time of one’s life, where she’d learn about people, how to judge them, how to cope up with life, how to hold onto people. It was all true.

MEMORIES HAD BEEN MADE AND WERE YET TO BE MADE. Memories like fighting for the window seat in train, for the corner side of the bed during tours, where to eat Swaad or Bus Stop, Birthday Surprises, Secret Santa, etc. By the end of 5th year they’ll all be on their different paths, with tons of memories to laugh and cry on. Years later some may be together, some continent apart, waiting for that day when they all come together, on the day of, ‘REUNION of batch 2016-17’.

SHOUNAK SALKAR

-3rd YEAR

IIT KANPUR-A CITY WITHIN A CITY POORNIMA PANJWANI -4th YEAR

Being able to present your work on a big stage is a privilege. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m thankful that I, along with my friends were given this opportunity to attend the workshop on earthquake resistant practices and work with students from different colleges of different cities from all over India. This is about my experience of the visit as an architecture student to IIT Kanpur. It was an insightful experience and something I will cherish all my life.

Cycling to college and enjoying the view along the way and being taught in the morning had become a daily routine. Finding peacocks andother species of birds all over the campus was exciting.

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After being taught for the first 3 days about earthquake, the earthquake prone areas and how by adapting the various earthquake resistant practices, Architects can save the life of the masses and stand by what defines us as the creator of the built environment.

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On the fourth day it was time to apply the knowledge in designing an office complex in bhuj Kutch which is earthquake prone zone and falls in seismic zone â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;vâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;(most prone) identified on basis of scientific inputs by bureau of Indian standards.

Completing the given project and meeting the deadline was a big task, as the work beginning from concept to design &details which is done in 3 months in college had to be done in 3 days, along with being paired with a student from different college and different city.

Who knows the bliss of working in group more than an architecture student! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the luck that counts, as we believe.

Working till late at night in CCD along with others who are sailing in the same boat felt great, but also gave a sense of competition, which definitely made us learn a lot of new things, what made it even better is that the whole process of everybody working together was transparent.

There was a little tension, but more of work and most of fun working there, in library, shifting places, cycling to CCD, being thrown out, moving to amphitheater as well as watching a game of FIFA, all this was exciting adventurous and total fun. And then came the jury day it was no different from the juries we gave at colleges and presenting our work in front of people who have done so much in this field was both a happy and nervous moment for all of us ,as the day past the juries went on and the top 6 were shortlisted and had to present the work in front of everyone, I am glad I got that opportunity and was one of the shortlisted names.

Photographs by-Imran Mohammed

PRADNYA GHARAT MEMORIAL AWARD Award being presented to Gagandeep Jadhav Best student 2018 by Honorable Founder Dr. Vasudevan Pillai

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In fond memories of a fellow PiCAN Pradnya Gharat Memorial Award The Pradnya Gharat Memorial Award for Design Excellence for Fifth Year students is an award instituted by the Batch of 1996, under the aegis of X-PiCAN Alumni Association and Pillai College of Architecture, in memory of their classmate Late Pradnya Gharat, whom fate took away unfortunately too soon. A kind soul as she was known to many, the batch of 96 realized it would be a befitting tribute in memoriam.

On PiCA 25 festivities, our Honorable Founder Dr.Vasudevan Pillai gave the award comprising 101 of a Cheque of Rs.25,000/- and a certificate to Gagandeep amidst cheers and applause.

The Award shall continue this year forth for all final year students with a hope and promise that PiCANs should and must stand tall in their craft and also evolve as socially responsible Architects.

The Award is to identify design excellence under the realms of Sustainable Architecture so as to encourage students to realize the importance of climate change and its derivatives and design for a better, healthier environment. Towards this initiative, parameters were formulated not only emphasizing on the 5 years of academic aptitude but also on other skill sets and activities including architecture competitions and Internship.

This is the 1st year of the award and 16 entries were received for evaluation. The Jury headed by Ar. Sangeeta Solanki, Ar. Preeti Nayak and Ar. Kaustubh Kurlekar assessed the entries based on the portfolio submitted. They observed that the students had done fairly good work while also believed that they could have done better with acquired talents.

After detailed scrutiny, Gagandeep Jadhav was selected as the winner. His works stood out distinctly as his designs incorporated prevalent and innovative sustainable solutions. He was closely followed by Rueben Roy and Saniya Kharkar respectively.

In Memories of Pradnya Gharat

Gagandeep Jadhav journey to PGMA

SMART ARCHITECURE FOR ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY HOSPITAL (GRADUATE THESIS) RECOGNITION Short-listed for Council Of Architecture National Award for excellence in Architectural Thesis at Zonal Level (West zone).

DESIGN IDEATION 01

Adopting radial pattern over linear spacial organisation to optimise connectivity

Linear Built Form

PROJECT DETAILS Project Year - 5th yr, Semester - 10 Site area - 16 acres Location - Khandeshwar, India

DESCRIPTION The focus was to design an environment suitable for enhancing the healing process of a patient through architectural interventions.

This enhancement was achieved with the help of integration of smart technologies in the architectural environments. By incorporating the smart technologies in the trauma care settings it helped achieve better sustainability and efficiency.

The aim is to provide “home-like” environment where all visitors feel a sense of belonging. Providing safe, hygienic and aesthetically pleasing environment. Eliminate environmental stressors, such as noise, lack of privacy, poor air quality and glare.

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02 Determining entrances and exits for smooth vehicular and pedestrian movement

Emergency Access Out Patient Access Staff/Services Access

Radial Built Form

03

Zoning spaces according to the proximity in radial pattern

04

Developing a form according to the zoning

Service Entrance

Main Entrance

Smoothening the hard edges to 05 maximise landscape exposure

Adding courtyards and recessing floor 06 slabs for natural light penetration

Volunteered for Anubhuti (community service initiative )

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Won 1st place at college marathon, Bapana run ( 9.8 km in 45 mins )

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Outstanding Academic Performance Award from Pillai college of architecture, New Panvel.

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2013 Ÿ

Won Dorabji Tata Merits Scholarship & Award for outstanding academic performance.

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Volunteered for Alegria, Publicity team member.

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Volunteered for Mindscape, event team member.

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Pottery workshop at Pillai College of Architecture.

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Model making workshop at Pillai college of architecture.

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Selected on the basis of merit to participate in Earthquake Resistant Workshop And Deign Competition At IIT, Kanpur.

2014

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Selected on the basis of merit to represent college at the Kamu Iyer Design competition.

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Volunteered for Mindscape, Event team Head.

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Volunteered for Alegria, Publicity team member.

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Thesis Short-listed for COA National Award for excellence in Architectural Thesis (NIASA) at Zonal Level (West zone).

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WINNER at Regional Level and National Finalist for the Transparence - healing spaces design competition (one of the top 8 design at national level).

2015

2016

2017 Won Pradnya Gharat Memorial Award

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ON SITE WITH DA’ CUNHA

-AT AUTONOMOUS ARCHITECTURE PORVORIM, GOA

Q. Who is Gerard Da Cunha?

I’m an architect based in Goa who has had a strange career. I would define myself as a person who has done projects or jobs which vary from each other drastically in the filed of architecture itself. I’m a person who is concerned about the ecology, environment, FROM THE VoX | VoX 2018-19

equality of design in terms of spaces, and also have a different perspective of architecture and how it should be.

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Photograph by: Utsav Chaudhury

Q.

How did you come across working with Laurie Baker?

I was a 3rd year architecture student who did not believe in whatever I was learning and thought of it to be non-relevant. It felt as if the things that were being taught to me by my teacher was not something they themselves believed in and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean much to them. At that point of time I was very idealistic, a person who wanted to do

something for his country, and at that time there was an architect in Kerala who was doing a lot of things-helping poor people, and he used to write a lot of articles in the newspaper, and I had a thought of working with him. That is how I came across working with Laurie Baker.

Q. Where you the only student?

Laurie Baker had a very strange practice, he loved working alone, didn’t like it much when people hanged around him. He was not in favour of the hierarchy of architect, assistant, draftsman, he did everything himself. That’s because he, though being an architect had not worked as an architect. He did construct a few buildings but started his practice 30 years later, since he was running an hospital in Uttar Pradesh along with his wife. When I asked him for a job, he refused at first, but then I insisted on being around and working and observing, so eventually he gave in. I usually would run around doing errands which would have put strain on him.

FROM THE VoX | VoX 2018-19

Q.

Laurie Baker believed in minimalizing requirement, to make the project and structure cost effective, what is your opinion?

I profoundly believe that one should live in one’s means, living in one’s possibility in the world, not be wasteful. I do not tell my client as such that they can live in a smaller house or anything(laughing), but I rather except them requirements that come along with an open mind. I may not like these demands, but I accept none the less.

Q.What

are your views on critical regionalism and international style?

I firmly believe that a structure/building in a particular area should reflect its roots, that is, its climate, materials, aesthetics. But I also believe in the styles since they offer some possibility of a new way of looking at materials, a new perspective towards their usage. So, I do thing that there is no harm in “marrying” these two to form a hybrid which is neither vernacular nor modern per say. Like this museum, Houses of Goa, is not a vernacular building but has used local materials.

Q. Who is Mario Miranda?

He was this artist, cartoonist based in Goa who I came across. See what happened is that when I started publishing books, my first book being “Houses of Goa”. As an architect I felt the obligation that I should research these houses in the public domain and Mario released the book and was very impressed by it. He asked me if I could do a book on him and I agreed. Obviously it took many years, and when it happened, he got Parkinson’s disease and hence could not work on it. And the family asked me to push to sell the book in hope of earning some money since they hadn’t exactly saved for such a thing. So I took it on me, the problem in life is that when you open one door. Since I started in this direction, it has grown a lot and now I have number of shops here, and I keep designing some products so that the family earns. And it supports me as well and helps me regulate my practice as I need not take so much work and I can do these student programmes.

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Q.

How would you convince clients/ people to opt for endemic materials and design style?

See it’s like this, that most clients that come to me, have already seen what I do. So, they are half convinced or 3/4th convinced of what I do. I do different things you see, in the sense at this moment I am doing a posh bungalow in Alibaugh and doing one more somewhere else. I use basic materials they might be more finished. I do not find it difficult to convince my clients.

Entrance to Architecture Autonomus top photograph by Jahnavi Joshi left photograph by Ishwar Bhat

Q.

If you are given a chance to reconsider some decisions in your life, what would they be?

What would it be?...hm.. you know there was a point in my life when I, about 1992-94 started becoming well known and I suddenly won many awards and had lots of project on my hand like big ones in Hyderabad or somewhere here and there, all over the place. I was asked to design Jamshedpur, and I had no clue what to do.

I took a decision not to expand, but to do what I was doing. Maybe this does not answer yourquestionright but it is a decision that I could have taken and now had a practice of 300 architects working for me. But then I’m quite happy I did not do it. I’m quite happy having a smaller practice. I do not think I have made any wrong decisions or reconsider any.

Q.

How do evolve or invent new geometry in your practice?

Photographs by Jahnavi Joshi

FROM THE VoX | VoX 2018-19

As an architect, when you have been working for many years, you already have got a number of things in your head and have tried a few of them as well which work. So, if Ishwar comes to me and says will I do a 4-bedroom house and I say okay I have worked in a “y” in a 4-bedroom house or that site is similar to this site. So, you tend to use the things that you have done in the past but if you go to the site with an open mind then start from the site, then you can figure out new geometries.It can be a catalyst to design something new to come up with something different. But it is difficult, because you are used to doing it in a certain way.

Q.

Which is your favourite building other than those built by Laurie Baker?

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You know, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very sort of taken up by historic and vernacular structures. They attract me a lot. vernacular and historic buildings, not necessarily big ones, even the small ones like the Baddal Mahal, Kumlabghar fort, or the Havelis of Jaisalmer are what attracts me.

Q. Short pants or full pants

Short pants (laughingly)

Q. Goa or Delhi?

Goa!

Q. Goa Library or this school This school!

Photograph by Ishwar Bhat

Photograph by Utsav Chaudhury

By Kevin Mathew 1st year FROM THE VoX | VoX 2018-19

SILENT SUPPORTS

A TRIBUTE TO THEIR CONTRIBUTION

By Janhavi Jadhav

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Since the time kids stepped out of their houses into schools and kindergartens, they all have had that one person who looked after them like their own children. These people are none other than the Maushis that they see everyday.

Maushi has been a common endearment we call a woman who helps and scolds us, and gives advice ,as they would to their own kids. She is the one who students run to, to find their lost possessions, she helps them improve as a person when they might lose their way, and will also quench the faculties’ thirst and cater them whenever. She is the human equivalent to today’s news paper, who knows each and every incident happening in the college campus-from breakups, faculty misunderstandings, to the cat-and-dogfights of other department’s students. The students have all come across such amazing humans, who may not have been the highlight of their college days, but they might have been the highlight of the maushi’s time here.

A lot of people have come across such humans, the kids from PiCA have had not one but 2 of such maushis who have brought a smile to everyone’s faces each time the kids have seen them. These two magnificent humans beings are hard to describe through words but here’s a brief of how these maushi’s play a pivotal role in the student’s life.

Photograph by- Ishwar Bhat

Another person, who is equally amazing, that the students have had a special bond with is Saylee who has been working in the architecture library for the past 4 years.

She is most probably the most charming and bubbly person the students have came across who is always free to talk to them, no matter what the the person is going through.

She walks around with such an infectious smile that no matter how low the student is , they will always end up smiling.

Such maushis are a blessing that kids like these have, and they deserve the utmost respect and love , especially when they are trying to do nothing but help the students cope with everything happening around them.

Rajeshri Jadhav

Rajashri Jadhav, who originally is from Wadala , shifted to panvel in 2006. She has been with the Pica family since the last decade helping others around her and always bringing a smile on everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face who have had a chat with her. She is an elder sister who has a view on each topic that the students as youth face today, from relations to the issues that they have with the faculties. She has taken care of the students when they needed help finding the essentials, from laptops to umbrellas and a lot more. As we sat down with her to talk, she had so much to say. We never realised the amount of topics we covered while talking to her, and the way she talked about the students, we felt as if she had been in their lives forever.

FROM THE VoX | VoX 2018-19

Saylee Kadam

Such kind beings help students make a deep connection with their second home, that being college.

One such funny incidence that has happened in the recent past, is when one of the student forgot her final portfolio in the classroom. Since that classroom was supposed to be cleaned for the upcoming jury, all the papers, the ones on the ground to the ones under the drafting desks, were discarded. And in these papers was her folio. But by the time she realised that her folio was missing and not with her, the maushi had burnt all the trash paper she found including her folio.

Another incident that took place, was once when in a trio of best friends, 2 of them had a violent fight, which was observed by our beloved maushi who was always there on their floor. One of them left and as the second friend was leaving with tears in her eyes, she asked her what was wrong and made her understand, by saying, I quote “fights happen, but they can always be avoided if we talk with no doubts in our minds”. Her kind words were remembered by those 3 throughout and everything went back to its weird normal way in the next few days.

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Malhar P

“Their love is selfless Unconditional purest and deepest”

Photograph by Ishwar Bhat

Library staff of PiCA

Office staff of PiCA Photograph by Ishwar Bhat FROM THE VoX | VoX 2018-19

Amdavad Ni Gufa

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BY JAHNAVI JOSHI

Amdavad ni Gufa, a marvel of architecture at Ahmedabad, adjacent to the renowned CEPT Campus, born out of a challenge between Hussain and Doshi.

Doshi says to Hussain, “I take a challange , I will create something which I have not done before, and you will not be able to do something which you have done before.”

She arrives in Ahemedabad with a whole lot of places to be added to her itinerary, with a confused greedy mind, sits down to shortlist a few places, ticking a few, and striking out many, clueless with the name “Amdavad ni Gufa”, plans to chuck it off but, the timings catch her eye, wondering why would an art gallery open 4-8 in the evening, she reads more of its journey. Every sentence she read just added on to the curiosity and eagerness to visit the place.

Brimming with excitement, she reaches there, with all stocks of patience drained, and enters to look up on a meandering brick wall. With everything dark around intervened by garden lights peeping out of the shrubs around. Her eyes follow the wall to search for the gufa, tinges of disappointment pop in as she moves along, the wall gradually shortens and

Photographed by Jahnavi Joshi

fades, unfolding the picture gradually, giving a part by part picture of the tortoise domes of the gufa.

Again panic takes over her “oh! why isn’t there any lighting into this”, she murmurs, pauses, “gosh! Where is the entrance?”, overpowered by impatience and anxiety asks a passerby. The answer gives her a dosage of relief, her calm mind then notices the level she was standing on steps down twice to lend base for the domes. The first dome connects to a tapering brick wall, which hides behind it the entrance. “Caution, it would be slippery out there” says the passerby, she wondered what would be slippery? Pondering and approaching the entrance, it seemed to be all dark, again comes a rush of thought, “don’t tell me this person has seriously made a cave out there,...am I supposed to explore it with torchlight?”, she thinks over and continues to walk. The tapering curved wall had curved steps down hidden behind it all this while. As she reaches there, comes in the light, not so bright. At the very entry from this impressive metal framework door, all the impatience is overpowered by curiosity and calmness. The calmness of exploration is all around her.

The off centre pivoted glass door, with the artistic metal framework gifted her with curiosity to explore in. The art gallery unfolded as a crawling black serpentine, unveiling FROM THE VoX | VoX 2018-19

the symbiotic blend of Hussain and Doshi’s work along its curves. The undulating walls tapered into the skylight domes above, these walls ran along a harmonious intersection of circles and ellipse in plan. The intermediate irregular shape columns, somewhere blocked her view, while at places guided her way.

Husain’s flat black sculptures placed between those columns further created a play of visual and physical barriers while she moved about. The paintings on the walls, offered an interesting backdrop to the black sculptures.

The mild lightings during evenings showcased the sculptures as silhouette.

It was 8 at night, and the gufa was about to close, but her exploration did not end.

Highly engrossed into it, inspired, but left the place with a baggage to explore more.

An impatient soul, wanting to wait there calmly and peacefully for hours, plans to return back the next day. While during the day time it was the skylights that created a light play around the sculptures and columns. It was the light intensity that further intensified the effect of the randomly curved wall.

She reaches there sharp at 4, the café and amphitheatre that surround the Gufa, were all in a hustle bustle as the evening was setting inn. She enters into the gufa, it was extremely cool inside, contrary to Ahmadabad’s scorching heat. The gufa was extremely peaceful and quite, what she could only hear was birds chirping and a few visitors murmuring. “It was a silence that would compel one to whisper, loud sounds would just brutally tear through the

calmness around that none of the visitors would opt for”, she chuckles.

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To pacify her curiosity she sits down under a skylight, leaning on to one of the inclined irregular column. Her eyes found it difficult to pause at a single point, they just jumped from column to column, sculpture to sculpture, running across curved walls and slipping through the slippery floor.

After an hour or so, she regained some calmness and thoughtof sketching this wonderful memory of hers, engrossed in sketching, it turned dark outside, the not so bright lights inside were switched on, replaying the very first image of the gufa she started with.

Delighted as never, she finishes the sketches and leaves, capturing different views as much as she could both in her camera and memories. A memory she would never forget!!

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Sahil Ahemed 3rd YEAR

STUDENTS CORNER | VoX 2018-19

It was raining cats and dogs.. there was a curfew out on the streets.. trains were restrained for the day , a mild peg of whiskey-soda and the game of mafia kept us warm.. one rolled , while other was busy selecting 123 asong from his melancholy playlist....Hours went by, playing board games, singing non co-ordinated songs, drinking cheap whiskey out of paper cups and devouring packets of doritos...

The number of people in the house kept increasing proportionally to the time.. the music got louder.. the fairy lights were now replaced by the disco bulbs which were stolen from the college’s former farewell party... Euphoria was inevasible.... some showed off their drunk dance moves in a 20 sq.m living room, while others were managing the society secretary. One went off to puke the fried rice out, while other was still swayying on ‘hum to udd gaye’, some went to sleep, some yelling for dying in mini-militia, while some were still humming.. some drunk dialing their exes, while some talking about the importance of japonisme in modern art..... but the music didn’t stop, not even for a moment.. for it ignited the brightest light in that stormy night.. We realised the dark breaking into dawn, we went to bed just to wake up an hour later, for College... We all went down the college parking alley , to attend Tos, as the bright sun soaked up the storm water , having a single thought! ... Wishing the night could have gone slower, wishing we could’ve lived longer... and a single question, who puked on the mattress last night! ...

By Shivani Atre 4th YEAR

Ishwar Bhat 3rdYEAR

DhirajKale

3rd YEAR STUDENTS CORNER | VoX 2018-19

Vishal Bhat

2ndYEAR

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TANAYA Gawade

2nd YEAR

A Room full of Memories So this thing happened during our study tour to Orchha. We were told to make a group of four to share a room. Saurav, Nikunj, Abhishek and I had decided since a long time (not to be taken in any ill sense), that we’ll share a room. We got the best of rooms in Gwalior, however, due to some unpredicted luggage fiasco, our group wasn’t able to collect a room key for the four of us in Orchha. We, taking this whole thing casually, were without a room till 11 at night. Ditya, with her weird social skills, got us a room, which was occupied by only one student (which was absolutely bizarre since not a single person was left without a roommate). Reluctantly, we decided to share the room with the 5th person. Skeptical at first, whether having the 5th roommate was a good choice or not, we gave up on risking it, and the first thing we did next morning at 6AM (before even brushing our teeth) was to move all our beds to someone else’s room.

Since Ditya’s tent was comparetively bigger, we decided to camp there. It was hilarious at first to everyone who visited their tent(safe to say ‘our’ tent, since we were accepted as roomies), but after a while, no one gave a damn about where a person was staying. It was douchey of us to do that thing to the 5th guy, but he didnt care at all. The next few days were a bit tough for all of us, it was 8 kids in one tent!. Also our luck favoured us in pretty good way, the tent had a clogged drainage and stinked like dead rats, and the room service was absolute foolish. (Guess who is getting bad reviews on Trip Advisor ;). ) Also, one day, Vishal, our mini rebel, had his own priorities. Our clan, knowingly, were playing music loudly and it was obvious to recieve complaints under our tents name.

Since most of us were not in a place to talk to the manager, Vishal Bhat, posing as our own Hitler, decided to take things in his own hands and talk to the manager, and countered the complaints by saying, I quote, “Hum bhi idhar guests banke aaye hai, uska kuch nahi? agar uss firangi ko problem hora toh usko bolo kaan band karke sonay.” This episode of absolute nationalism by Vishal, was hilarious in its own way, with us, eventually having to shut off the music completely. Oh, and since it was my birthday, Vishal standing up for us and failing miserably was the best bithday gift I ever got.

STUDENTS CORNER | VoX 2018-19

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By Harshal Dalvi 3rd year

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FORM IV Place of publication : MES Pillai College of Architecture, plot no :10, DR.K. M. Vasudevan Pillai Campus, Sector-16, New Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra: 410206 Periodicity of publication annual.

Printers name and citizenship : Mahatma education society (Indian) Chembur naka, Mumbai- 400071, Maharashtra state, India. www.mes.ac.in Publishers name and citizenship : Principal Dr.Arif Merchant (Indian), MES Pillai College of Architecture, plot no: 10 DR.K. M. Vasudevan Pillai Campus, Sector-16, New Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra: 410206

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and citizenship: Ishwar J. Bhat (Indian), Owner of publication: Studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Council, MES Pillai College of Architecture, plot no: 10 DR.K. M. Vasudevan Pillai Campus, Sector-16, New Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra: 410206 I, Principal Dr.Arif Merchant hereby declare that particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Principal