Rajasthali Resort and Spa - The Gatekeeper's!

Rajasthali Resort and Spa - Main Building

Last week I was on the site of a hotel we will be opening very soon just outside of the city of Jaipur........a beautiful resort at the foothills of the Aravali Mountain Range........the perfect backdrop for a peaceful place to visit, relax and unwind from the chaos.

The finishing touches are being put on the Resort as we speak..........

While walking around checking on the progress of the construction, I stumbled upon a group of workers.....well.........more than just workers..............these guys were artists in their own right.

The skills have been passed down from generation to generation..........the skill of making something beautiful being made of of mortar and stone...........and the details of the stone work that makes the architectural style of Rajasthan so distinctive.

Main Arrival Gate

Take a look at what I witnessed taking place at the main gate of the hotel...........

A Blank Canvas of Mortar

Above, the artist begins by creating his "Blank Canvas" of a layer of mortar approximately 1 inch thick.......after literally throwing the mixture onto the concrete wall, he smooths the surface with a wooden floating tool.

Stenciling Work

The simple stencil above is used to trace the design onto the mortar, following the first chalk line.....he continues to work along the top and he is followed by another member of the team that begins the process of carving out the waste material

Carving with the broken Hacksaw Blade and Paring Knife

Below, another artist and his assistant begin laying out a flower design just by sight.........chalk lines and no protractor or architectural scale.......the angles precisely laid out by hand and eye...the work of a skilled artisan for sure.

Laying out the Flower Design

On the far side of the wall, another member of this four person team has begun the process of creating the design of the framework.........

Chalk Lines and Laying out the Framework

Meanwhile, the artist who is creating the flower, begins with another crude stencil made from a scrap of cardboard.........he begins by outlining the design with his knife

Stenciling the Flower Design

He begins carving the outer leaf petals.........carefully angling the knife to create the three dimensional design.......

Carving the Flower with a Paring Knife

The flower design is truly coming into form....you can see that the border carving above where he has been working in a crouched position still needs to be completed.

Border Stenciling and Flower Carving

Below, work begins on the carving of the framework............the curved portions have been detailed and the straight edges of the framework will follow

Carving the Framework

The next picture shows the finishing details being carved on the border design.........the efficiency of the team has been carefully orchestrated......the artist who was working on the flower design has not moved..he simply pauses his work on the flower and finishes the border for a slight change of pace.


The Four Artists at Work

After finishing the border, he returns to start doing the detailed work on the flower design.......he has introduces a new tool.......a small paintbrush that he uses to lightly brush the surface of the flower to remove any leftover debris from his carving activity.

Finishing the Bottom Edge of the Framework

Above note that the other members of the team beginning working on carving the straight edge of the framework.........one hand holding a piece of scrap lumber while he slices his knife through the mortar..........he will repeat the same process on the other chalk line and then remove the center waste material.

Carving Detail of the Flower Design

The flower artist is now detailing each petal of the flower.......carefully shaping each with gentle curves and only following his vision.....no stencil.....just years of knowing how to create with his hands and eyes.

The Final Product!

Finally, the finished product............anyone want to take a guest at how long the process took.........from the first photograph that I took to this final photo I snapped above?

Using simple and crude tools and methods.........paring knifes you could find in any kitchen that would normally be used to cut fruit...a broken hacksaw blade, simple stencils and a small brush.........four people working together in an orchestrated manner......crouched, in some cases, in the same position and space for the entire time.........each member methodically executing their individual tasks......?

One Hour.........yes just one hour.....and such beautiful work.......the team repeated this task and design on 6 such surfaces that day.....each looked the same.....no deviation from design that the eye could see.....one hour of precision artistry at work......

Eventually their design will be covered with that same light yellow color that had been used to paint the top section of the gate.....and at some time in the very near future, many guests will walk past their work......not knowing the about the skilled hands that created the work they are hurrying past........some may stop to admire......but most will make their way through the passage just knowing that they are arriving someplace special......