Mitraangan is the dream project of Mitrajyothi, a charitable trust formed in 1990 to integrate people with disabilities into mainstream society. Initially set up for the empowerment of the visually challenged, the trust now extends its work to those with other disabilities as well.

Mitraangan is a home for the disabled, very appropriately described as ‘a home which will open its doors of hope to those whose eyes are closed forever’. The centre with dormitory facilities will house visually impaired women and impart training in life skills to them.

Mistry Architects under the guidance of A R Shahrukh Mistry have visualized for the centre a practical and aesthetic living-cum-working space. The architect team is enthusiastic, hard working and has an eye on cost control. 

Mural project

With the centre only partially constructed, the architects and the client felt the need to add some colour and cheer to the otherwise simple spaces. An introduction of a permanent, easy-to-maintain and affordable art was an idea that Sunanda, Deepa and Ganesh (architects’ team) were toying with. With this brief in mind, they contacted Sumitra of Mozaic Dsign, who had worked with Mistry Architects on many projects.

The challenge was to come up with a mural that not only looked good but was low on cost and high on sensory factors. What had to be kept in mind was these occupants would be visually impaired girls and women. What they could not see must certainly be ‘felt’! Touch being a critical sensory advantage for these girls, the design team decided to use materials which would be understood to the touch, look pleasing and not cost the earth!

To begin with, the foyer and entrance passageway to the centre, the dining room and a retention wall outside were shortlisted as possible areas for beautification. Sumitra came up with rough sketches and a possible cost analysis of funds required for each of the spaces.

Construction

As the entire construction was funded through donations, the issue was to mobilise funds for this additional treatment. The trust agreed to purchase materials for one wall in the dining area. But the labour proved to be a cost factor. That is when Sumitra and the team came up with the idea of engaging volunteers.

Design options for the dining room wall were pored over. Finally, Sumitra suggested a tile mosaic for a mural. Tile mosaics are colourful, cost-friendly and very easy to maintain. Besides, mosaic is a fun art form that can be learned from scratch and involves group activity. Along with the tile, it was decided to introduce some bands of flat colourful river pebbles to add the ‘touch feel’ factor to the mural.

The design was transferred onto the wall and materials purchased. For the first batch of volunteers, Sunanda sent invites to associates and junior architects at the Mistry architects office and sure enough they had 13 eager beavers. Project work was split up over 3 weekends to enable volunteers to devote time to the project. The work started on saturday, September 29, at 10 am with Sumitra and her team demonstrating the basics of constructing a mosaic. Gloves, tile nippers, cutting machines, mosaic grade cements, tiles, pebbles and a great deal of enthusiasm were seen to come together that weekend.

The young team were quick learners and learned to make a neat and quick mosaic in no time! Three weekends of immense effort produced a great quality, colourful and cheerful mural.

Team work

Managing Trustee of the centre Madhu Singhal (herself visually challenged), pitched in too and broke some tile for the mural team.  Besides, the construction company head and many others willingly pitched in during the frenzied weekends! 

The team is now enthusiastic to build a second mural on the outer wall with the Mitrajyothi logo and a design with the centre’s name in Braille.

The design team is now finalising a sketch and is also on the lookout for sponsors  and more volunteers.