Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing
The Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing is a private museum located in Amber, Rajasthan dedicated to the art of hand-block printing. Opened in 2005, the museum is an initiative of the founders of Anokhi, an Indian retail brand of block-printed clothes.
The museum was the conceived by Rachel Bracken-Singh, and her husband Pritam Singh. It intends to preserve the traditional crafts, provide a tactile experience of learning about the technique of block-printing craft, and its rich history. The museum showcases a wide range of collections ranging from textiles, tools to equipment, etc.
Background
The museum is situated in the Anokhi Haveli, a 16th-century mansion located near Amber Fort. The mansion previously known as the Chanwar Palkiwalon ki Haveli was bought in a dilapidated condition by Pritam Singh's father, John Singh, towards the end of 1970s. It was renovated over a period of three years from 1989 onwards. The building received UNESCO's Cultural Heritage Conservation Award in 2000 for its sustainable process of renovation. The restoration process took place under the guidance of architects Nimish Patel and Parul Zaveri of Abhikram. Whereas, the interior of the museum was designed by French architect Stephane Paumier.Rachel and Pritam decided to dedicate the space to showcase block printing. Storage facilities were improved to house the Anokhi Archives. After the revamp was completed, the opening exhibition on Print Progress - Innovation & Revival 1970-2005 was organised. Today, the museum is spread over three floors of the mansion which showcases the history along with the complex processes and styles of hand-block printing. Rachel highlights,"Until the museum opened there was no simple way for people to observe a block printer or carver at work."