First wax museum in a heritage site

An added attraction in Jaipur city

Each exhibit  has an evocative backdrop or intricately designed set

A few cities in the country boast of wax museums. But the one in Jaipur is unique as it is the only one located in a heritage site in the country. The Jaipur Wax Museum is situated in the 18th century Nahargarh Fort nestled in one of  the world’s oldest mountain ranges, Aravalli. This would now be a must-visit spot in the tourists' paradise Rajasthan, which has historical monuments like Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, several forts and palaces.

The museum houses among others statues of Rabindranath Tagore and Einstein. The museum with 32 exhibits, based on different themes, is located in the Shastraagaar and Vishraamghar sections of the fort. An initiative of the  Rajasthan Government, the entrance features a 11-foot-long Bullet motorbike called Gati Gamini.

The museum tour begins at the “Hall of Icons” where visitors come face to face with  life-size exhibits of national heroes and celebrities. Each exhibit  has an evocative backdrop or intricately designed set.

The prominent statues include that of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, former President APJ Abdul Kalam, tennis player Sania Mirza, woman boxer Mary Kom, Jaipur’s founder Sawai Jai Singh II, astronaut the late Kalpana Chawla, actor Deepika Padukone and Saint Mother Teresa.

Museum curator Anoop Srivastava told DH, “I have tried to restore the fort and its interiors. The effort has been to portray India’s history. It also attempts to provide an opportunity for visitors to see from close quarters the statues of their favourite Bollywood and Hollywood stars, world leaders, sports stars, pop singers, royal family members, cultural personalities, historical figures, political and contemporary leaders.”

An initiative by Entertainment 7 Creative Ventures Pvt Ltd, the museum is the brainchild of Anoop Srivastava, a filmmaker by profession who laid the intellectual foundation for this project with the Pink City Film Festival in 2006. 

The wax for the statues is derived from honey comb, whereas skeleton is made up of plastic fibre or silicon, and covered and designed with wax. A wax statue could cost anywhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh and has to be housed in an air-conditioned room. The hall of icons also contains a special section for children where they can meet their favourite characters like Spiderman, Ironman, Doraemon and Nobita. 

Dandi March forms the backdrop of Gandhiji’s statue and likewise  Rabindranath Tagore teaching with scenic Shantiniketan and Kala Bhawan as the background. Interestingly, statue of Subhash Chandra Bose has a fire exit door showing how he had used “Chor Darwaza” to flee.  It is said that Bose would use tunnels and other secret routes to escape during raids by the British army.

 Abdul Kalam has Rashtrapati Bhavan as the backdrop with a wall having photos of all former presidents, and a shelf which has all the books written by him. The museum also has a separate corner for Bachchan family where wax statues of famous poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, his son Amitabh Bachchan and grandson Abhishek Bachchan (whose statue is still in the making) are placed.

“I have been to different museums all over the world but this wax museum is different from others. Each statue has a story with it. It explains the history and concept apart from knowing the legends. I loved the entire ambiance,” said Lina Ray, a visitor and scholar from Germany.

The ground floor of the Vishraamghar (warrior’s rest area) within the Nahargarh Fort has been re-designed to resemble a charming royal courtroom from the 18th century. Aptly named The Royal Darbar, this grand courtroom displays wax and silicon statues of Rajasthan’s royal lineage of Maharajas and Maharanis in traditional costumes.

Visitors can also see traditional paintings, antique artifacts, a royal buggy and interactive statues. Legends like Rajmata Maharani Gayatri Devi in her unique outfit Chiffon saree and pearl necklace and seven-foot- three-inch-tall statue of Maharana Pratap  and shoe sized 15, and many others  grace the royal environs of the fort. It also holds a special exhibit called “The Journey of the Jaipur Gemstone.”

According to its makers, it took seven-and-a-half months to ready the museum. The artists who worked for over two years to make the wax statues are Susanta Ray (sculptor),  Wang Ping (special make up), Jiang (hair stylist), Bodh Singh Rajporia (costume stylist),  Johnson (production designer). They belong to West Bengal and China. Crystals have been used for eyes whereas original hair has been used for wig.  

The grandest and the most exquisite exhibit of the museum has been artfully installed at the top floor of the Vishraamghar is the “Sheesh Mahal” (palace of mirrors).  Here visitors can experience a life of royalty in full costume and real lifelike settings. A visitor will have to shell out Rs  5,000 per hour in Sheesh Mahal and an advance booking has to be made. This area has been redesigned into a magnificent mirror work splendour.

“Sheesh Mahal has a royal throne and dresses of the royal family. They can click their photos wearing those royal dresses. It has Thikri mirror work, a craft that dates back to many centuries. This enthralling mirror work has been put together by over 100 skilled craftsmen working day and night and displays about 2.5 million glass pieces , creating spectacular optical illusions,” adds  Rajiv Kohli, technical head of  the museum. With real gold and gem artwork, stunning crystal chandeliers and other precious trinkets, this Palace of Mirrors is a sight to behold.

However, art critics and artists believe that the museum is more a commercial venture and serves little purpose. H S Shiva Prakash, Professor, Centre for Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, said: “There is a need to spread the ideology of great men, instead of iconising history. Wax museums all over the world iconise but don't make any difference and efforts to spread their ideology.” Another noted sculptor of India, Himmat Shah, echoing the same views, said, “Wax museums have more of a commercial approach and less art in them. The statues are mostly replica. However, the concept is good and can add to the existing approach.”
The Archaeology and Tourism Department seems to love this as tourists footfall at the Nahargarh Fort had almost doubled. Superintendent Krishna Kanta Sharma told DH, “ Earlier, we used to have  1,500 tourists every day which has grown to over 2,500 and touching even 3,000 at times.” The entry ticket for Nahargarh is Rs 50 and for the museum Rs 400.