We all have avoided reading about or visiting museums at some point in our life – ain’t it? We have the visualization of a museum ready in our minds and we don’t like it.
Ideally speaking for most of us, the very word “Museum” sounds boring and meant for researchers, historians or at best a casual tourist. For reasons, I can preferably give you a list as long as your arm. However, the most common cause is simply because we hardly know our past and we pretty much don’t care. History is replete with instances that a society that chooses to forget its past keeps repeating the same mistakes.
We, in India hate to go to museums since most of the museums don’t offer much to do other than taking a glimpse of the historic objects (obviously from an arm’s distance) stored and preserved most of the time shabbily and disengagingly.
We at Vama are trying to redefine this. For us a Museum is a celebration of our past… a design language that rings a bell with the wired present times… a means of reaching across to the gen-next… a space that is innovatively informative, interactive, fun and high on new-age technology.
We strongly believe that not only history is to be celebrated and legends to be innovatively represented even architecture too can be interestingly presented. And what if I tell you that you could immerse yourself in virtual experiences such as oculus rift virtual reality tours, augmented reality explorations, 3D stereoscopic voyages,3D projection mapping virtual tour, tickle your gaming and quizzing instincts and much more. Wouldn’t you want to experience the rush and feel the thrill?
“Making of Mahatma Mandir” Museum @ the DandiKutir, Gandhinagar is just this and much more.
Mahatma Mandir, a green building monument is a posthumous honour to the life and times of the Father of our Nation – Mahatma Gandhi. Developed under the mentoring and patronage of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi, Mahatma Mandir is the first of its type architectural monument dedicated to freeze that movement in time which changed the course of India’s freedom struggle – the Dandi March. The design of this fabulous building complex is an eye opener to the innovative strengths of our Indian conglomerate’s – L & T and Shapoorji Pallonji. The integration of Dandi March and Gandhiji’s life and ideals in a spatial design form through architecture is perhaps unsurpassed and the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Truly an innovation worth applauding!!!
Spread over 60,000 sqmtrs and built in a time span of less than 5 years Mahatma Mandir is a true celebration of our past while innovatively taking us towards a progressive future. The building complex consists of conventions centres, exhibition centres, DandiKutir, Dandi Bridge and the Gandhi Garden. Strategically placed in the central axis of Gandhinagar directly opposite the Vidhan Sabha Mahatma Mandir is a must visit in Gujarat. The DandiKutir is a aesthetically shaped salt mound structure that houses Vama’s latest high-tech offering. The narrative in our space is dedicated to the story of how this massive and beautiful building space was conceptualized, designed, constructed and accomplished. In short the story of Mahatma Mandir.
We developed the museum in barely 30 days – from drawing board to final execution on site… yeah you heard that right, only 30 days….! A new milestone achieved by Team Vama. Indeed a proud sign indicative of the reiterating faith of the authorities in our abilities.
Well, you must be wondering how many people worked on this project? Any guesses?
Yes…a gung-ho gang of more than 50 skill sets comprising of designers, programmers, visualizers, animators, technicians, creative folks, model makers on the studio floor and an equal number on site comprising of carpenters, electricians, fabricators etc.
It was a challenging job, actually tirelessly challenging for the reason that there were not many geared up facilities to facilitate us. We were in fact, provided electricity connection just before 24 hours of the inauguration to install and check all our electronics, all our structures had to be free standing – we were barred from using the walls and the ceiling. Imagine the plight and pressure! Nevertheless, don’t ask further about the troubles faced, the list goes endless (it applies to any venture though) but it’s worth is more than the trouble.
On the D-day – 8th January 2015, the museum was inaugurated by the Hon. PM Shri Narendra Modi and Hon. CM of Gujarat, Smt. Anandiben Patel. The icing on the cake moment was when the 3D Stereoscopic film was interestingly watched by our Hon. PM and Hon. CM and various ministers for all of five minutes. In fact the CM of Goa liked it so much that he saw it thrice, aaah…..
What more could a creative nerve desire for! Besides, as an individual in pursuit of something exciting, unique and challenging, this one is for you… do visit and share your experiences with us. Also, we believe once someone gets a little insight on any museum along with its uniqueness, he/she looks at it with overhauled and much lucid thought process. At the end of the day, museums are not always boring and such modern, techno-rich museums will perhaps change the dull and dreary old school definition of museums in our minds.
Welcome and Experience the accomplishment of the grand vision of the true Architect of Mahatma Mandir – Hon. PM Shri Narendra Modi!