Heritage Conservation and Promotion

Conservation of old maps at Maharana Mewar Research Institute

Mr. Lalit Kumar Pathak, of Lalit Pathak Paper & Art Conservation, New Delhi was called to Maharana Mewar Research Institute, The City Palace, Udaipur on 25th September 2018, to prepare a report for conservation of old maps.


Mr. Lalit Kumar Pathak with MMRI staff inspecting the maps


Present condition of some of the old maps at MMRI

Documentation, Conservation and Research of Chitram Ki Burj, The City Palace Museum, Udaipur

Chitram Ki Burj is the small square room crowned with a dome on the south side of Dilkhushal Mahal, the north and the south doors of which opens into the Dilkhushal Mahal and the semi-covered area of the Kishan Vilas Sat Tanka

respectively. The wall paintings in the Chitram ki Burj are of very high artistic and historic significance, recording a particular period in the history of Mewar. The room was built in the early 17th century while the Mewar paintings that cover the interior walls are attributed to 19th century, to the reign of Maharana Bheem Singh. However, some of the paintings depict specific incidents that may belong to the earlier 17th century period of Rana Sangram Singh II. Further research by conservators and art historians will help reveal more details about the paintings in Chitram ki Burj, including dates. The bahidas (daily record of the ruler in Mewar dialect currently housed in the Maharana of Mewar Research Institute) for these periods, specifically from Maharana Bheem Singh's time, also need to be studied for this purpose. The interior of the Chitram ki Burj is full of colorful paintings that depict the city, palace spaces and rituals from the period of the contemporary Rana. The roof has a foliated dome renovated by Rana Sangram Singh II in the 18th century. Another layer of brightly coloured paintings is observed in the ceiling areas in the Nathdwara pichwai style from the time of Maharana Bheem Singh.

Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation's objective is to do documentation, conservation and research related to this inimitable historical space. Mr. Omkar Adhikari, Conservation Architect and Ms. Ananya Mitra, Art Conservator drafted a grant proposal for Chitram ki Burj, a visually spectacular room located within Mardana Mahal that is covered with wall paintings. This proposal was prepared with the reference to two previously made reports (Conservation Master Plan for the City Palace, Udaipur by Dronah and Preliminary Conservation Report of the Murals at The City Palace Museum, Udaipur by Mrinalini Bangroo) and on the basis of detailed visual analysis. Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, The City Palace, Udaipur is a public charitable trust registered under Rajasthan Public Trust Act 1959. The Foundation is an initiative of the custodian of the House of Mewar for perpetuation of its core values such as service to society and mankind with a vision to serve as a 'temple of inspiration' for future generations and continues the model of sustainability that is 'Eternal Mewar'. Operational since 1969, over 300 professionals are engaged in realizing this vision. The foundation's current outreach is in the field of academics, eco-management, philanthropic works and heritage conservation and promotion, in partnership with several institutions at state, national and international levels. The foundation aims at contributing to a large-scale systematic change with a focus on establishing a centre of excellence at Udaipur.

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