Artistic ode to freedom fighters, heritage sites at Chanakyapuri

Passersby can spot some of the heritage monuments and historical sites that define Delhi, while walking along the path, as well as portraits of freedom fighters and a glimpse of the historic Dandi March.

Passing by the recently painted underpass on Africa Avenue road in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri, one can’t help but get dazzled by a pop of red and yellow on either side. Passersby can also spot some of the heritage monuments and historical sites that define Delhi, while walking along the path, as well as portraits of freedom fighters and a glimpse of the historic Dandi March.

Redone to acquire a vibrant avatar, the walls at Chanakyapuri reflect the rich history of India and its Capital. From India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan and Jantar Mantar to the Police Memorial, a host of significant landmarks can be spotted on the walls of this half kilometre-long underpass. (Photo: Dhruv Sethi/HT)

Redone to acquire a vibrant avatar, the walls here reflect the rich history of India and its Capital. “As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, our team was invited by the New Delhi Municipal Council to create murals depicting scenes from India’s independence movement and the people associated with it,” informs Yogesh Saini from Delhi Street Art, adding, “We have painted Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March along with portraits of freedom fighters. We decided to add heritage monuments as well as new structures like the War Memorial and the new Parliament; structures which will over time become a part of Delhi’s heritage.”

From India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan and Jantar Mantar to the Police Memorial, a host of significant landmarks can be spotted on the walls of this half kilometre-long underpass. On the wall opposite to it, under the section titled Bharat Ke Swantrata Senani, there are portraits of icons who fought for India, including Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Sardar Udham Singh, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Swami Vivekananda, Rani Lakshmibai and Sarojini Naidu, to name a few.

The pillars under the railroad underpass also depict yoga and meditative mudras, alongside some floral embellishments. Jyotsana Arya, an artist who worked on these elements, explains, “I, as an artist, find every day inspiring. This recent work at Chanakyapuri is one of the biggest projects that I’ve worked on. Each person in our team carries their own set of expertise and skills. I was working on the floral designs with a bit of Madhubani art touch to it, and getting inspired as my fellow artists worked on portraits of our freedom fighters.”

Abhishek Y, an Indian Navy staff member who lives in the vicinity, says: “I haven’t seen many examples of such detailed wall art in Delhi elsewhere. I feel if artists have painstakingly painted such artworks in summer, one must stop and try to soak in the visuals and learn from them. It makes me feel good about my Indian heritage.”

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