Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) – A Heart of Rajasthani Art and Culture

JKK Jaipur was among the most talked place among my friends and I always wanted to visit. I must say Jaipur is a city that never fails to astound natives and tourists. It is as we had a great daytime around the city it has lots to explore. We wanted to explore the nightlife of the city which actually had hidden gems in its pocket.

It is entitled as “Pink City” and has also got a new name “Paris of India” and the name justifies as its rich heritage, ancient architectures, and travel attractions are worth watching.

Whether you are a Jaipurian or a vacationer Jaipur has lot more for you. This time we have a visit to much known Jawahar Kala Kendra.

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This place is popularly called JKK among the resides and is situated in heart of the pink city in Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg.

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I was so excited to know more about the place and my expectations were damn high. As we went in it actually came out to be more than I did. As I am fond of Rajasthani paintings and arts. It has some or the other thing for all So let me enlight you upon what all it has.

Ohh and yea, I loved the tea at Sahu Tea Stall which we went before making it to JKK Jaipur. I highly recommend this small but historic tea shop in Jaipur.

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Highlights Of JKK Jaipur

Theatre of Jawahar Kala Kendra was designed back in 1986 by an MIT graduate architect Mr. Charles Chorrea. This place has spot-on architecture and designs.

The building is designed in such a mesmerizing way that it gives you a glimpse of 9 grids of the solar system.

Artwork and scriptures in ceilings and walls are what attracts tourist a lot.
It has a lot more than just a theatre as it is bang for the buck as its magnificent architecture which has theatre, music, art, foods and of course it is a happening spot for shopaholics.

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So you can taste authentic Rajasthani cuisines, get to know about Rajasthani folk dance, music, and genres. And of course exhibitions of other countries products like bone china, silk and cotton clothes etc.

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Restaurants in Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur

If you are a foodie like me then this was the first thing I wanted to explore but with the aura of the theatre, this was the second best thing which we went through. It has two food points – Shilpgram and Indian Coffee House.

Shilpgram is located at the right side of the main entrance and takes you to an authentic food trip to Rajasthan. It has 10-15 small huts depicting Rajasthani art so you can imagine how mesmerizing it would be. Its dining hall is semi-square ground with a traditional Chowki system in sitting.

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You get local delicacies like Dal- Baati- Choorma containing two types of Baatis- simple and stuffed. With this, you get a gram flour curry “Kadhi”, Besan ke Gatte ki sabji, Dal, Besan Mirchi and yes two types of Choorma as well. Meal for one will hardly cost you around 300-500 INR that is pretty affordable.

The next food junction is Indian Coffe House and is entirely different from Shilpgram. This is the best place for youngsters for spending some quality time chatting and enjoying. You can spend hours here along with the versatile food menu.

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You get snacks, various South Indian foods and mouthwatering coffee. It has inbuilt chair-table sitting and offers food at pocket-friendly prices.

What to expect from JKK Theatres?

A theatre is the reflection of society and plays a major role in refining and reforming humanity. This place lives up to the expectations of people. Here students, artists exchange there thought and improve their performance by conveying a social message in every thoughtful play.

JKK has 3 theatres out of which 1 is open and two are closed theatres for youngsters and artist for learning. Its open huge theatre in the middle of the premises allows newcomers and emerging artist to showcase their talent in any form whether it is acting, dancing, play or a music. The stage is surrounded by greenery and has a capacity of 400 people to accommodate at a time.

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Moving on to the other two closed theatres- Rangayan and Krishnayan

• Rangayan – All modern plays are screened by the artist in this closed theatre.
• Krishnayan -This theatre plays all intimate play that makes JKK and Jaipur soulful and dedicated theatres popular for it distinct performances. Artist from different states of the country gathers here to participate in various fests held by Rajasthan tourism and Jaipur Kala Kendra.

Kala Galleries and Museum

JKK is not just confined to food and theatre but its art gallery and museum is also very famous and known as The Alankar Museum. This museum stands for elusive and heritage of Rajasthani culture.

It has 6 exhibition galleries which are open for the global artist to display their unique creations. This place is a public playground for budding and displaying innovative artwork for tourist and people.

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Exhibitions in JKK Jaipur

I love shopping and its always a good idea, right? If you love Indian and Rajasthani tradition than this is the right place for you to get Rajasthani clothes to Banarasi saree, south silk, Kashmiri shawls and what not.

It isn’t limited to clothing but you get pottery, handmade crafts, sculptures etc in-line. This is the best place to get Blue pottery of Rajasthan. But you need to check on the JKK event calendar as these exhibitions are not always active.

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I must say that this was a well spend night with my friends where I explored Rajasthani cuisine and culture under a roof. JKK was peaceful and vibrant place at the same time and we enjoyed a lot.

It is opened all 7 days and timings to visit is 10 am to 9 pm at night. I must say that if you want to enjoy some artwork with folk music you should mark this on the to-do list.

Note – This post was submitted by one of our readers (Nikita Kanaujia), checked and published by JaipurLove editorial team. If you have been to Pink City and looking to get your experience published on this platform, kindly contact us with a request for the same.