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Andretta Village - The World Famous Art Destination
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Andretta Village - The World Famous Art Destination - Destination Overview
About Andretta Village - The World Famous Art Destination
- Location :- Kangra - Himachal Pradesh
- State ;- India
- Coordinates :- 32.038, 76.57
- Height - 987 meters
- Famous For :- Scenic place, Sardar Sobha Singh Art Gallary, Ms Norah Richards home, Pottery centre, excursions, Home Stays
Andretta Village - Eternal Beauty of Kangra valley
Andretta is easily called the Macca of Art, It is a must visit place for Art, Non Art Lovers and Historians. Andretta is a center for varied artistic activities. Well known for pottery. Andretta is a must visit Destination for all travellers to Himachal. Andretta is located in Himachal Pradesh in Pictursque Kangra Valley located just 14 kms from Palampur.
Uniqueness of Andretta Village
The Andretta Village forms a perfect bowl surrounded by thick forests and bamboo groves of the Shivalik Hills on one side and the snow Dhauladhar on the other.
Standing in it Andretta, one feels in the womb of creation — where nature itself conspires to create a gamut of colours and perspective that baffle and thrill. Famous writer Khushwant Singh has described this place as “This is where drama, painting, pottery and writing marry.
Sardar Sobha Singh's adopted daughter Bibi Gurcharan Kaur has converted Andretta into an ever popular tourist destination not only for art enthusiasts but for all who admire his work.Now a days, Gurcharan Kaur's son Hirdaypal Singh now manages the SOBHA SINGH ART GALLERY, a major tourist Attraction in Andretta.
SardarSobhaSinghArtGallary_AndrettaVillage
About Sardar Sobha Singh
Sardar Sobha Singh was born on 29 November 1901, In 1949 he settled down in Andretta (near Palampur), a remote and then little-known hamlet in the Kangra Valley on the foothills of the Himalayas, beginning his career as a painter. Sobha Singh is fondly remembered as Darji and
Education and training.
Sardar Sobha Singh Painting
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Sohni Mahiwal Famous painting By sardar Sobha siingh Ji
During his 38-year stay at Andretta, S. Sobha Singh painted hundreds of His main focus was Sikh gurus, their life and work. His series on the Sikh gurus have dominated to an extent that his paintings dominate the public's perception associated with Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh.
The portrait he made in honour of the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in 1969 is the one most people believe to be the visage of Guru Nanak. Sobha Singh painted pictures of other gurus as well, Guru Amar Das, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Har Krishan.
PresentCareTaker_GrandDaugherof SardarSobhaSingh
His paintings of Sohni Mahiwal and Heer Ranjha were also very popular. He also painted impressive portraits of national heroes and leaders like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri etc.
BustOfPrithviRajKappor_SardarSobhaSinghArtGallary_Andretta
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Why Andretta is World famous
Andretta is world famous for Sardar Sobha Singh, Ms Norah Richards, Freda Bedi etc.
About Ms Norah Richards
Ms. Norah Richards was the famous writer and dramatist whose writings exhibited deep sensibility to life and people around her.Norah Richards was an Irish theatre activist and playwright, she came to Andretta sometime in the mid-1930s.
Once in Andretta, Norah Richards built a traditional Kangra-style mud house, set up a makeshift proscenium, and invited Punjabi theatre amateurs and professionals to perform plays. Ms Norah Richards died in 1971.
About Freda Bedi
Freda Bedi is a mother of actor Kabir Bedi and was a friend of Richards. During her years at Andretta, the idea of turning the small Kangra Valley hamlet into an artists’ village, she extended invitations to several artistes to come to Andretta.
Major attractions of Andretta Village Himachal Pradesh
1. Sardar Sobha Singh Art Gallery
Located right near the main intersection of town. A famous painter of Sikh gurus, Sobha Singh lived in Andretta for 3 decades.
2. Norah Richard’s House
Norah Richards was a dramatist and environmentalist. She was a formidable and resourceful Irish woman, who built an adobe house in English style. She taught students from Punjab how to perform plays in her small outdoor theatre in front of her house.
Her adobe house has recently been renovated by the Punjabi university Patiala, using the skills of local masons. The little theatre is still in use by the Punjabi university students. They perform plays every year on Norah’s birthday October 29th.
3. Norah Centre for the Arts
Higher up towards the Shivalik hills is the Norah Centre for the Arts. This is a recently built attractive centre designed by an architect from Kerala, the son-in-law of the famous artist B.C. Sanyal.
4. Andretta Pottery and Craft Society
This is a working art pottery making attractive earthenware with rangoli style slip designs. The pottery offers 3 month classes for students.
5. Terracotta Museum :- attached to the pottery is the Terracotta Museum. The main collection in this museum is the work of local village potters from the regions. But there is also sample pottery from around the globe.
Excursions from Andretta Village
Panchrukhi :- Panchrukhi is the closest village market near to Andretta. Panchrukhi is famous for the Jogindernagar narrow Guage Train line, Panchrukhi has a good Train station. Panchrukhi market has now eateries, grocery shops, booze, fruit and vegetables are available aplenty. For anything a level above basic,including Internet, you need to travel to Palampur.
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MahaKal Temple :- Located near Andretta, just about 10 kms away.
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Baijnath Temple :- Located at just 25 kms from Andretta Village on Jogindernagar road.
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Bir Billing :- Bir Billing is located just 28 km from Andretta, is world famous paragliding destination as well as world famous Monastery "Tashijong"
Famous Picnic Place near Andrettta :- When you drive back from Andretta towards kangra, there is an Open Ridge, which is excellent for Picnic and Fun. You can have a stop over here and relax in fresh mountain air. Coordinates are embeded in the picture below
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How to Reach Andretta Village
Getting To Andretta Village: Take an overnight Deluxe bus from ISBT Delhi to Palampur (13 km from Andretta), or an overnight Volvo to Dharamsala (48 km from Andretta). Bus service is poor and connectivity isssues are there for Reaching Andretta, Better option are private taxis.