E-Paper
Recreating the ancient art on walls
WITH JUST a week left for the four-day cultural extravaganza of Allahabad University (AU)? Kala Kumbh scheduled to kick off from December 20? the walls of the varsity Delegacy have started to represent the diverse yet beautiful folk arts of the country that would greet the artists and students who congregate here for the mega event from all over the country.
WITH JUST a week left for the four-day cultural extravaganza of Allahabad University (AU)— Kala Kumbh scheduled to kick off from December 20— the walls of the varsity Delegacy have started to represent the diverse yet beautiful folk arts of the country that would greet the artists and students who congregate here for the mega event from all over the country.
Painstakingly the AU students, divided into separate groups with each being led by a group leader, are working day and night to deck up the walls of the Delegacy as well as of the newly constructed permanent stalls with colourful and traditional art designs.
Right from Kumaoni, Maharashtrian, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Bihari, UPite, Bundelkhandi, Kashmiri to South Indian style of paintings among others, the students are recreating the art on the walls that has attracted and mesmerised people from all over the world to the ancient art of Indian paintings.
"The painting exercise is part of a special folk art workshop being organised by us as a run-up to the Kala Kumbh. A society is known by its folk culture. It's roots are embedded deep in this art and it is folk art by which we can reach the roots of any society. Folk art on one hand helps in uplifting the talent of the people while on the other hand helps in shaping and preserving its cultural traditions for the coming time," said well-known artist and the convenor of Kala Kumbh Dr Ajay Jaitley.
Amidst all the buzz of activity, Govind Prasad, a student heading a students' group recreating the folk art of Maharashtra said, "In Maharashtra, the flooring design is known as 'Rangoli'. It is made usually by placing 'bindis' horizontally, vertically and diagonally. They are usually made at the time of 'Ganesh Chathurthi'. Marble dust is used to make Rangoli. We are working on reproducing these Ragolis as well as 'Worli' that are made on walls and depict the activities of social life of people living there."
Manisha Devi, group leader of the team busy making designs from Orissa said that the state is famous for its art and handicraft.
"Here the designs made on the floor are known by two names: 'Cheeta' which is made by flour paste and 'Muruj' which is made with dry colours. 'Cheeta' is usually made during festivals, celebrations and marriages at the entrance or other places while 'Muruj' are made from Sharad Purnima to Kartik Purnima," she said.
Manisha said that a new 'Muruj' is made under the Tulsi plant every day during the Kartik month in Orissa. "The designs made on the walls are known as 'Jhonti'. We are trying to recreate all of them," she added.
Similarly, Swati and her team are busy recreating the art of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu while Ashish Kumar Yadav and his team is working on the designs of Bengal and Assam. Just a few distance away, Manish Kumar and his group is recreating Kumaoni designs while another group under Vimlesh Kumar Gupta is bringing the folk art of Uttaranchal alive on the walls.
With small amounts of paints Nidhi Singh and team is working on Gujarati drawings even as Kalpana Pandey and her team too are hard at work on bringing Rajasthani 'Mandana' designs to life.
