Andretta, a quaint village nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, 15 km from Palampur, is renowned as the “village of artists”. Several prominent artists have made it their home, making it a significant cultural hub.
The village’s artistic journey began with Norah Richards, an Irish writer, dramatist and follower of Tolstoy. Her husband, a professor at Government College, Lahore, passed away, prompting her temporary return to England.
However, in the mid-1930s, she came back to India and settled permanently in Andretta. She built a charming English-style cottage using mud, slate and bamboo, blending local craftsmanship with European aesthetics.
Norah Richards dedicated her life to teaching drama to students from Punjab and beyond. Recognising her contributions, Punjabi University, Patiala, honoured her as a fellow and later preserved her house as a heritage monument.
In the 1990s, Dr SS Boparai, then Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, took special interest in restoring her house with the help of local craftsmen, ensuring its preservation for another 15 years.
Today, Punjabi University students visit Andretta annually on October 29 to celebrate Norah Richards’ birthday by performing plays in her memory. Special functions are also held on her death anniversary.
Richards invited two other artists from Lahore—BC Sanyal, a renowned painter and sculptor, and Prof Jai Dayal, her husband’s former student. They too built mud houses in the village. The legendary actor Prithviraj Kapoor frequently visited Prof Jai Dayal, who had once been his tutor in Lahore.
Another prominent artist, Sardar Sobha Singh, also made Andretta his home and lived there until his passing.
His legacy is preserved in the “Sobha Singh Art Gallery,” where dozens of his paintings and blueprints remain on display. The gallery stands as a tribute to his remarkable artistic contributions.
Following Norah Richards’ death in 1971, Andretta saw a decline in its cultural activities. However, BC Sanyal’s daughter, Amba, has revived the artistic spirit of the village with the establishment of “Norah’s Centre for Arts.”
Despite its cultural significance, Andretta lacks basic infrastructure. Denis Harrap, a French national residing in the village, has urged the Himachal Pradesh government to declare Andretta a heritage village, akin to Pragpur.
Thousands of domestic and international tourists visit annually, yet the village suffers from inadequate facilities, including the absence of even a single public toilet.
Residents express frustration over unfulfilled promises made by visiting dignitaries. They urge Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to allocate tourism funds for Andretta’s development.
The Asian Development Bank is currently executing tourism projects in Himachal, and locals hope these funds will also be directed toward Andretta’s much-needed facelift.
This historic village, which once thrived as a cultural hub, has immense potential to be a major heritage attraction.
With proper infrastructure and government support, Andretta can regain its lost artistic glory and continue inspiring generations of artists.
