Mud sculpting

7:00–8:00 AM | A Slow Morning Begin with gentle movement, journaling, or quiet observation. 8:00–10:00 AM | Breakfast & Design Conversations Enjoy breakfast and develop your sketches. Consider how your design will sit on the wall, its scale, and the relationship between raised forms and the surrounding surface. 10:00 AM–1:30 PM | Preparing the Surface & Building Forms Learn how to assess and prepare the working surface, adjust your mix, and begin applying it. Transfer your idea to the wall and build the main forms gradually. Explore joining, layering, and shaping mud into a relief, with guidance throughout. 1:30 PM | Lunch & a Pause Gather for lunch and rest your hands before returning to the wall. 3:30–5:30 PM | Guided Sculpting & Texture Develop your relief through flowing lines, raised details, and textured surfaces. Experiment with your hands and tools, learning when to add, smooth, reshape, or leave the material to rest. 5:30–8:00 PM | Rest & Shared Discoveries Step back from the work, exchange observations, or relax in the surroundings. 8:00–9:00 PM | Himachali Dinner & Folk Evening Come together for a traditional Himachali meal, music, and stories.

7:00–8:00 AM | A Quiet Start Take time for movement, stillness, or sketching details you would like to explore. 8:00–10:00 AM | Breakfast & Reviewing Our Work Observe how the mud has changed overnight. Discuss drying, shrinkage, and any areas that need attention before continuing. 10:00 AM–1:00 PM | Immersion at the Walls Return to your relief and refine its forms. Explore finer shaping, smoothing, and carving where the surface is ready. Learn to recognise when the mud is workable and when it needs more time. Discuss how to address cracks and make repairs as part of the process. 1:00–3:00 PM | Lunch & Rest Share lunch, pause, and look at your work afresh. 3:00–5:30 PM | Natural Pigments & Finishing Explore natural pigmentation, layering, and suitable surface protection through demonstrations and practice on prepared samples. Apply colour to your relief where drying allows. Discuss how texture and colour work together, and what finishing steps may need to happen after the retreat. 5:30–7:30 PM | Time to Unwind Rest, enjoy conversation, or quietly reflect on the making. 7:30 PM Onwards | Evening Gathering Walk together along the walls to share our work in progress. Talk about the ideas, challenges, and discoveries behind each contribution.

10:00 AM | A Final Breakfast, Wall Walk & Checkout Gather for one last slow breakfast and revisit the work we have created together. Reflect on what the material has taught us, ask final questions, and discuss the remaining drying and finishing needs. Our wall sculptures remain at Paarli Dhara, while the experience and skills travel home with us. Optional Experiences | Continue Exploring Enquire about additional sessions in papier-mâché, miniature landscapes, pyrography, terrarium making, or polymer clay jewellery. Paragliding and café hopping in Bir can also be explored separately, subject to availability. No artistic experience is needed—just curiosity, patience, and a willingness to get your hands muddy.