Crraft of Art’s Sufi and Water Festivals in Ahmedabad have created a special niche in the minds and hearts of Amdavadis; not only for the variety and quality of music present end but also for its ideal of linking, reintroducing, and reuniting the citizens, both young and old, elite and common, music lovers and lay public, to their rich heritage woven in these outstanding monuments.
It is not only dressing up the monuments through imaginative lighting and playing soulful music, it is engaging them in a process of discovering their own history, culture, tradition, art, craft,and architecture. Crraft of Art’s initiative is a creative and innovative way of addressing the worrying disconnect that reflects in people’s alienation from their glorious past and neglect of the monuments.
Crraft of Art believes that the preservation and conservation of the monuments requires almost as a pre -condition, making people proud of their heritage and that requires seeing and knowing it first. In 2010. For the first time, ever, during the UNESCO designated World Heritage Week, Sarkhej Roza, Ahmedabad’s outstanding yet much neglected historical monument, was presented to its citizens as a venue for a two-day music festival.
21 artists from all over the country, create magic in the inner courtyard of monument, it was recreation of the history for the modern day Amdavadis. In 2011, Crraft of Art presented not one but two monuments: along with SarkhejRoza, the historic step well, Adalaj niVav, located 19 kms from the city of Ahmedabad, was also introduced as a site for another music festival which is aptly called the ‘Water Festival’. Music created a new identity for both these monuments.
Thousands of young music loving citizens, who had not seen either SarkhejRoza or Adalaj Ni Vav, ‘discovered’ the monument. They formed a new identity with the city and its history. The combined beauty of the music and the monument was a proud moment for all. In 2012, Crraft of Art presented the Sufi Festival, at SarkhejRoza but at a different location in the monument. The festival was held in the Great Tank, against the backdrop of the ruins of the Queen’s Palace.
Crraft Of Art presented the Water Festival at Adalaj Ni Vav in 2016 2017 will see Crraft Of Art present its Water Festival at Adalaj Ni Vav and an addition of the Sufi Festival at incredible Khan Masjid in Dholka. Also additional to the Festivals , CrraftOf Art opens an Photography Exhibition on the past 7 years of its journey. The exhibition is titled GOOMBAJ : MUSINGS, MUSIC, MONUMENTS at the Amdavad Ni Gufa Gallery from 22-25th November 2017.
