Andretta Himachal Pradesh
Andretta, a charming hamlet that holds a special place in the hearts of artists, is brimming with enjoyable activities that allow you to immerse yourself in the culture of the area. Andretta is a Himachal Pradesh hamlet and artists’ community. The artists’ community was founded in the 1920s by Norah Richards, an Irish theatrical artist and environmentalist who moved here from Lahore. Andretta, located near Palampur in the Kangra District, with the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas as a background, has drawn many well-known artists, theatre practitioners, painters, and, more recently, potters through the years. Painters Sobha Singh and B. C. Sanyal were two of the first to get linked with it. Andretta has become a famous tourist destination in the area. Bir-Billing, a paragliding destination, is nearby.
Andretta Artist Village in Palampur is a must-see in Himachal Pradesh for art enthusiasts. This Artist Village is a one-of-a-kind heritage, thanks to Norah Richards, an Irish writer and dramatist. Norah’s Centre for Arts, Andretta Pottery and Craft Society (which sells pottery to Fab India in Delhi), Norah’s Mud House, and Sir Sobha Singh Art Gallery are all popular attractions in the contemporary Andretta Artist Village. Andretta Artist Village has established itself as an art aficionado in India by upholding its tradition of art & craft and performing arts. Tourism Advice Centre owns the Andretta Pottery & Craft Society (TAC).
How to reach
By road: Andretta is merely a 20-30 minute drive from Palampur, which is about 13 kilometres away. The quickest method to get to Andretta is by car.
By rail: Pathankot, which is around 90 kilometres distant, is the nearest major railway station from Andretta. Pathankot is 2 kilometres distant from another little station named Panchkruchi, although it is preferable than Panchkruchi.
By flight: The nearest airport is Dharamsala’s Gaggal airport, which is 40 kilometres distant from Andretta.
ANDRETTA ARTIST VILLAGE
Norah’s Centre for Arts, Andretta Pottery and Craft Society, Norah’s Mud House, and Sir Sobha Singh Art Gallery are all popular attractions in the contemporary Andretta Artist Village near Palampur. The Andretta Artist Village has established itself as an art aficionado in India by upholding its tradition of art & craft and performing arts.
History:
Following the loss of her husband, Norah Richards relocated from Lahore to Andretta in the mid-1930s. She began teaching theatre to Punjabi students and was eventually named a member of Punjabi University Patiala. Norah recruited B.C.Sanyal (the doyen of Indian contemporary art) and Professor Jaidayal (Norah’s husband’s student) to work with her on Andretta. Later, Sir Sobha Singh, Sardar Gurucharan Singh, and Prithviraj Kapoor made Andretta their home and began working from there. Sardar Gurucharan Singh brought studio art pottery to India and created a small pottery in Andretta for summer usage. Several talks concerning art, theatre, and the philosophy of life in a rural setting took held at Andretta during Norah Richards’ tenure, in which many veterans from many disciplines of art participated.
Best Places to Visit in Andretta
- Andretta Pottery and Craft Society
- Norah Richard’s House
- Norah Richard’s Centre for the Arts
- Sobha Singh Art Gallery
- Jakhni Mata Temple
- Saurabh Van Vihar
- Palampur Tea Gardens
- Neugal Khad
- Andretta Artist Village
- Tashi Jong Buddhist Monastery
- Birni Devi Temple
- Shiva Temple Palampur
- Langha Mata Palampur
- Dorzong Monastic Institute
- Bundlamata Temple
We’re not talking about Malana here, but about Andretta, an artist’s colony originally visited by Prithvi Raj Kapoor and now home to a renowned pottery centre. Andretta, a tiny artist community in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra District, is a 20-minute drive from Palampur. It is supposed to have been founded by an Irish theatrical artist and environmentalist named Norah Richards, who stayed there during the Partition. This Italian-sounding settlement is actually off the usual road, surrounded by the Shivalik hills and the magnificent Dhauladhar range.
Stay visited chaloghumane.com to know the offbeat travel places in domestic and international destinations.
Andretta originally came to my attention because of a pottery and craft centre managed by renowned potter Mansimran Singh (nicknamed Mini) and his British wife Mary Singh. Mini, the son of renowned potter Sardar Gurcharan Singh (who founded Delhi Blue Art Pottery in 1952, inspired by blue Persian glaze), founded Andretta Pottery and Craft Society in Himachal Pradesh in 1983. The facility, which includes a production studio, offers three-month courses
