Crosshatched Tours postponed

But I have left the following itinerary up so you get a sense of what could be on offer

Share my experience collected over 19 years of connections with Traditional Rajasthani Potter Communities assisted by Shirley Bhatnagar Hindi English speaker/ ceramist,and local potters Manohar Lal, Asa Ram, Vinod Prajapati and others to ensure an in depth unique adventure. The focus will be on traditional pottery clusters as well as visits to some iconic Rajasthani sites and chai breaks to stop and absorb the ambience and colour.

Meet Old Delhi staying across the road from The Jama Masjid.

Day 1 morning wander in the local area then to the Craft Museum. Returning to Old Delhi for rickshaw ride to the spice market.

Day 2 Metro to Kumhaargram,( potters colony) This is where Manohar Lal lives with his extended family as well as many other familiy workshops we can visit http://youtu.be/ZsEFtG2hf6g for a glimpse of village life.

Day 3 Leaving Delhi for Rajasthan. Sanscriti Kendra (Terracotta Museum, Delhi Blue Pottery Trust ceramic studios, residencies and restful gardens.) and a brief visit to the village where Asa Ram lives on route to Hill Fort Heritage Hotel Kesroli for 2 nights .

Day 4 relax at Kesroli in the morning and in the afternoon visit some local potters

Day 5 Driving south to Baswa where there is a potters cooperative. Lunch with Vinod Prajapati and family and wander around the village. Driving on to Bundi.

Day 6 Bundi is a small city, a little off the tourist track. Wanderings close to our haveli (mansion) would include the Garh Palace known for its beautiful frescoes, the fort, baoli ( step wells ) and markets.

Day 7 Driving to Udaipur. Some say the jewel of Rajasthan. We will stay in the old city with views over the lake. Evening music and dance performance in a haveli adjacent to our accommodation.

Day 8 DIY sightseeing or a visit to the potters quarter and then in the afternoon a trip to Molela, a town known for low relief sculptural plagues used for annual Ribari rituals.

Day 9 One option. A days drive through rural country side to Poshina in Gujarat to see tribal shrine sites where multitudes of clay animals are offered. Return by Gogunda, a small town with an active pottery enclave. The other option, roof top relaxing, sightseeing, shopping.

Day 10 Auto to ShilipGram, on one edge of Udaipur, a precinct where traditional earth buildings, crafts and performances can be seen, and, if you havent already visited the City Palace and we havn’t done a lake boatrip now is the time. Final celebratory dinner.

Day 11 Fly to Delhi or make your way elsewhere.

For brief pictorial overviews of the 2016 and 2017 tours go to the http://www.crosshatched123.com.au/archive

If you have ideas of ways of engaging Crosshatched in community programmes in Australia please make contact with us.

We’ll leave you with a few images of matka and handi making by Manohar Lal.