BAZAAR

s I began my walk-through of theAmrapali Museum in Jaipur, I was filled with déjà vu. Much ofwhat was displayed seemed so very familiar, having grown up ina home where similar silver objéts were found all over theapartment. All the while, I had lived with them in completeoblivion, often incorporating the rose-water sprinklers (ittardaanis) and scroll-holders into playtime with friends. The beautyof the collection at Amrapali Museumis that these everyday, quotidian objectsare placed alongside jewellery and rareartefacts to be acknowledged as muchfor their craftsmanship as their utility.Opened to the public this January,the museum has been in the makingfor 40 years. Its founders and curators,Rajiv Arora and Rajesh Ajmera ownAmrapali Jewels, the celebratedjewellery house, with boutiques acrossIndia, and in London and New York.As a brand, Amrapali embraces heritage,and traditional motifs and designs,crafting jewels that remain true toIndia’s cultural diversity while fittinginto a modern context. Housed in thecompany’s former office, the AmrapaliMuseum occupies 6,500 sq ft, spreadover two floors. Within this space are distinct niches dedicated toa specific region, story, motif, or perhaps an observation.Speaking with Arora and Ajmera, it is clear that their main aimin opening the world’s largest museum of tribal Indian jewelleryand decorative arts is to display the skill of Indian silversmiths andgoldsmiths from across the nation and over the centuries. Theyhave spent decades personally collecting these pieces whiletravelling around the country and believe that the collection of4,000 items serves as a chronicle of not just jewellery as adornmentbut as a marker of cultural identity, history, caste, and religion acrosssocial strata.On the ground floor is an incredible display of items of beautyand embellishment—as worn from head to toe. Mukuts favouredby kings on ceremonial occasions, or used to embellish figurinesof gods; varietals of maang tikas and other pieces worn by womenon their head and in their hair; intriguing earrings and earpieces—some frightfully thick and heavy; a section of astonishinglylarge nose rings, which are anchored in the wearer’s hair;as well as pendants and talismans, bangles and anklets in every size,shape, and design from virtually every region in the country.In the basement are items of religious significance and dailyutility, which serve as an insight into the lifestyle of 19th and 20thcentury Indians. Cleverly designed gunpowder cases; fish-shapedcontainers to store kajal in; grooming items such as an ear-cleanerand a tongue-cleaner; and jewelled paandaan with tools to makea perfect paan. The sophistication of the design, intricacy ofworkmanship, and elaborate aesthetics of these pieces, which weremade by hand with simple tools, are spectacular.For Arora and Ajmera, all the pieces hold relevance, but theycontinue to remain astonished by the ornaments from the``````Kr``````ish``````na``````ji’smu``````kut