GURUGRAM: A new gallery in Palam Vihar has put traditional and indigenous Indian art on the city's autumn cultural calendar. Treasure of India opened its inaugural exhibition, Navratna: Indigenous Masters, on October 18, with the show scheduled to continue until December 27.
Curated by art historian Uma Nair, the exhibition brings together nine master artisans. Its range includes Dokra metalwork, Gond and Sohrai painting, Pattachitra, Kalighat, Pichwai and miniature painting. For residents looking for an afternoon beyond restaurants and shopping, it offers a specific new address rather than another general promise of a cultural destination.
What the exhibition brings together
The show places different materials and visual traditions in conversation. Metal sculpture sits within a programme that also considers painted narratives, spiritual subjects and knowledge passed between generations. The exhibition description emphasises the continuing practice of these forms, treating their makers as working artists with individual techniques.
Artist Tanisha Bakshi founded the gallery. An accompanying art foundation sets out plans for residencies, workshops and opportunities that connect artisans with audiences and markets. Those are the foundation's stated aims; the exhibition announcement does not provide a public timetable of classes that visitors can join during an ordinary gallery visit.
The gallery's own catalogue helps explain its broader interests. It identifies artists alongside works and groups collections by craft and region. A useful way to approach the exhibition is to choose two contrasting objects and ask about the maker, material and process. That conversation can make a first visit rewarding without requiring an art-history background.
Plan around the appointment requirement
The address is E-2313, Palam Vihar Road, Sector 2, Palam Vihar. The exhibition listing advertises free admission and daily hours of 11 am to 7 pm. The gallery's own website gives its general hours as 11 am to 8 pm, Monday to Sunday, and explicitly requires a prior appointment.
For planning, the narrower exhibition window is the sensible reference, with a confirmed appointment before leaving home. The gallery lists 9911131130 for enquiries. Free entry should not be read as permission to arrive at any time without arranging the visit.
Anyone considering a purchase can ask for the artist's name, medium, dimensions and care requirements in writing. Paintings and metal objects need different handling; a label such as traditional or handmade does not answer questions about framing, transport or maintenance. Visitors should also ask before photographing an artwork, particularly if they intend to share the image publicly.
The December closing date leaves room to visit after the immediate festive rush. A weekday appointment may be easier to fit around work, while a weekend visit can give families time to look closely. The practical attraction is simple: a new place in Palam Vihar to spend time with art, with enough lead time to organise the outing properly.
