N C Mehta Gallery Ahmedabad

Foundation of the Gallery
Late Shri Nanalal C. Mehta was a pioneer in miniature paintings that were found to be very famous in India. He was the member of the Indian Civil Service possessing an eye that was of an aesthete, an antiquarian’s perception and a very good background of the Hindi and the Sanskrit literature. Nanalal C. Mehta carried out the work of publishing various researches through the medium of articles and books and at the same time he also discovered various fresh documents related to Indian Paintings. Some of the documents were Chaurapanchasika, which is a painting series and the scroll named Vasanta Villasa which is considered to be a much priced possession of N.C Mehta.
After the demise of N.C Mehta in the month of May 1958, all his paintings were donated by his wife late Smt. Shanta Mehta to the Gujarat Museum Society. The main aim of the Gujarat Museum Society is inculcating the appreciation of art in the society and promoting research and study in the field of art in order to preserve the glorious heritage of the country. There are special efforts that have been made in the past and they are continued being taken even today so that a large scale improvement can be brought about in the conditions of the museums of India. The lighting and the security of objects have been given special consideration in this field.
Indian miniatures are an illustration of secular and scared works, epics, poetic compositions, darbar scenes, social senses, portraits and ragamala paintings. The miniature paintings were exchange items that were taken in the form of gifts during special occasions between courtiers and kings. The paintings are called miniature paintings because they are very small in their size and colors of indigenous minerals and handmade paper have been used in making such paintings.
Arrangement of Paintings

Indian miniatures also have several other famous themes like Gita Govinda love poems composed by Jaydeva, Sursagar by Surdas, Ragamala, Barahmasa; description of seasons, Rasikpriya by Keshvadasa and the epics like Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana. All paintings depicting these themes are found to be displayed in the N C Mehta Gallery.
Collection of Paintings
Among the various miniatures that have been displayed at the N C Mehta Gallery, most of them depict certain scenes that are particularly religious. One of the most intricate and beautiful paintings at the gallery is the one that shows Krishna and his travails with the beautiful Radha and several other Gopikas. There are paintings that also focus on the demeanors and the manners of the kings and the life that they used to lead. There are other paintings that convey the message that lovemaking was a passionate feeling in those times because most of the paintings depict the lovemaking method that was practiced in those times. However, every single subject at the N C Mehta Gallery has been handled with great attention as well as perfection with assimilation of intricacy and color. The subtle differences that lie in the styles of various regions and various ages is also notable at the gallery.
The table showcases, miscellaneous material including Jain manuscript folios, painted covers of books, Qurans and painted pothis have been displayed. The entire collection includes more than thousand paintings out of which 250 are always found to be displayed. The N C Mehta Gallery is one popular museum in Ahmedabad that possesses an exclusive range of several miniature paintings that have been collected from different parts of India. It is the miniature paintings that attract tourists from all over the world to the gallery. The gallery is located very close to the Gujarat University and is basically famous for the miniature paintings that it consists of.
Important information that you can use: The N C Mehta Gallery is mainly a collection of miniature paintings and is located in the campus of the L.D. Institute of Indology. The miniature paintings have been collected from several sources and they can turn out to be magnificent and wonderful through a magnifying glass or even through the eyes of a lover of fine artistry.
Open Days: Tuesday to Sunday
Open Timings:
10:30am to 5:30pm (July-April)
8:30am to 5:30pm (May to June)
Admission Fee: Nil
How to Reach N C Mehta Gallery
By Road: The road networks in Gujarat are highly developed and it is only because of this reason that Ahmedabad is well connected to the other cities of Gujarat. The nearest bus stop to the gallery is Gitamandir which is located near the Paldi and kalupur railways stations.
By Rail: The main railway station to get to the N C Mehta Gallery is located in the Kalupur area.
By Air: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is the airport that can be used for easy access to the gallery by air.
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