Sit back and smell the coffee

The art cafe at the Government Museum and Art Gallery is the latest hangout for the students,young artists and tourists.

The rain,gentle breeze,freshly washed trees,a clear view of the Shivalik hills and students moving about at a slow place this is what Naina Singh,a fourth-year MFA student,is drawing on her canvas. The young artist is dabbling in varied hues of green to recreate that perfect backdrop. Its turning out to be a tough job since Chandigarh has the most amazing views, she says,as she adjusts her easel on a bench at the art cafe,which is situated on the terrace of the Museum of Architecture at the Government Museum and Art Gallery.

A colourful ramp leads you to the cafe that has a spectacular view of the museum and beyond. It can be an inspiring setting,with cane chairs and plain wooden tables. There are also some replicas of the furniture designed by Le Corbusier tables made out of tree bark,benches and stone sculptures giving the café a distinct look. Designed on the lines of an exhibition pavillion created by Corbusier in Zurich,with slanting roofs and stone structures,the Art Café as the students of the adjoining College of Art have christened it,is the new place for students,tourists and artists to simply soak up in the space and its surroundings.

We have our quaint chai ki dukaan at the backside of the college,but since its open-air,it becomes tough to sit there when its raining or when its too sunny. For many of us,this cafe,with ample light and air,is the new space to sit back,interact,do a bit of sketching,drawing and even painting,over some food and drink, says Prabha Joshi,an art student.

Sitting at the cafe,Yamini Gupta and her friends Sparsh and Karanjeet,all students of fourth-year graphics,are engrossed in the games of Carrom and Ludo. Now,we dont need to head out to expensive coffee shops. Here,we get a decent cuppa and a sandwich for Rs 50. Sometimes,we also order some Maggi and juices. The best part is that theres no hurry to vacate the tables for waiting customers. In fact,we sometimes sit here and work also, says Gupta,adding,The cafe space was always there but its now that it has started attracting crowds since they have created facilities for the students to sit,eat and chat.

Open from 10 am to 5 pm,for many artists exhibiting at the museum,the cafe is the place to take a breather. Most people who sit here share a common interest – art. So,the conversations flow easy and we event get to meet interesting people from India and abroad, says Akash Saini,a painter from Baroda.

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Sit back and smell the coffee

The art cafe at the Government Museum and Art Gallery is the latest hangout for the students,young artists and tourists.

The art cafe at the Government Museum and Art Gallery is the latest hangout for the students,young artists and tourists.