Monday, Sep 09, 2013
Kolkata: At a time when violence against women and confrontation with Pakistan has reached a new level of discourse in India, the principal Hindu festival of Durga Puja is all set to raise awareness about women safety and foster a new relationship with India’s neighbour.
The three-day festival which primarily worships the power of women epitomised in form of “Durga” to destroy the evil, this time takes the onus of spreading awareness among people for stopping violence against women.
“Sexual assaults on women have been rising all over the country and suddenly women in this country are feeling vulnerable which will affect the moral of India as a nation. The worship of Durga is not only a traditional festival; it also celebrates women power over evil forces,” said a member of the organising committee.
Durga Puja, will also raise the issue of religious untouchability and foster harmony and goodwill between India and Pakistan.
Three Pakistani artists from Karachi will decorate a pandal in North Kolkata with their unique “truck art”. The trio - Haidar Ali, Mumtaz Ahmad and Md Iqbal, the son and students of Md. Sardar who made this art internationally famous have reached the city on Thursday.
The visualiser of the project Gopal Poddar said: “The artist here will make models of trucks and decorate them so that the people get an impression of the traditional art form.”
Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs and AIM (Art Illuminates Mankind), an NGO working for the promotion of different kinds of art, have extended their support to this effort.
Truck art is a Peshwari art form of Pakistan where beautiful landscapes, colourful floral patterns, portraits of national heroes, famous actors of Pakistan and India, calligraphic poetry and religious verses are painted on trucks.
These highly adorned vehicles are like moving art and known for their beauty around the world. Truck art is considered rightly as a part of Pakistani transport custom and expression of the country’s traditional culture.
“We are elated about the reception we got in the city. Never have we felt that we have come to a foreign land. Except when we had to wait for four hours - two hours each on either side- while crossing the 50 metres known as the international border. The people in Pakistan are very much like the people of India and we are the branches of the same tree. What is the need of this fence?” said the 33-year-old internationally recognised Haidar Ali.
The artist will also participate in a workshop teaching Indian artist about the art and an exhibition of their creations will be organised in the city.
By Archisman Dinda Correspondent
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
