When my friend artist-poet Sangeeta Gupta invited me for her show “Lines of Light” that is being inaugurated by the former President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Monday, it triggered off a host of memories.
Nearly eight years ago on the occasion of the International Dance Day, Dr Kalam had received the first copy of Dances of India, a set of seven books on the seven classical dance forms of which I was the series editor.
The function was in the small but exceedingly charming auditorium in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and what remains etched is the warmth and positive energy Dr Kalam exuded. After the book launch when tea was being served, the former President himself stood next to the buffet tables and handed out the plates and forks to us. He came across as genuinely interested in knowing about the dance forms and the journey of the books.
Just as I will never forget when former President Shankar Dayal Sharma was
inaugurating my first book way back in 1995, he kept us in splits with anecdotes about Malwa. Or when President K.R. Narayanan was releasing books on literacy that I had edited, he had actually thumbed through the books and made some pithy comments right there on the dais. For any President, such functions are a part of their everyday life but for us mere mortals these very special moments become stuff treasured memories that are made to be told to next generations.
Apart from the opportunity of seeing Dr Kalam in person again, I am actually looking forward to seeing a complete body of Sangeeta’s work together. Layering, grading, texturing and highlights are the keystones of Sangeeta’s works. I have seen many of works in process as she experimented with various tools in the Lines of Light. The works break the barriers of the still and sets in motion a journey of creative transitions. The mystical and magical entwine in its onward movement.
She paints the fabric of life, from the inner depths of her consciousness as she experiences triumph, restraint and peace. The colours are muted, oft tinted with gold and silver, expressions of success, growth and fulfilment, like a magic carpet transcending the clouds. They emanate calm, balance and equanimity exuding from within.
Another moment that has the power to fill me up pride and oodles of feel good factor is to be invited to my old school, St Thomas’ in New Delhi. In the last year or so, I have been there thrice on different occasions and I must confess that every time I have returned with greater respect for the principal Anuradha Amos, who was obviously not there in my time. She has innate grace and a great sense of humour and fairness. Her heart and intellect are in the right place and believe me, I am hardly at that stage and age where I get impressed by people easily or otherwise. And I am myself surprised that every time I meet her, she lingers in my mindspace in a delightfully glowing manner for a few days — which is more than I can say about anyone I have met in a long, long time. She is truly special.
This year’s annual Srijan art festival in the school focused on eco-friendly furniture. Students from other schools too participated in this prestigious festival and it was heartening to the level of involvement and the sheer quality of the work that emerged. And as always, it was wonderful to meet my former art teacher S.R. Gohri who has since retired, but it is great to see that his legacy continues.
Talking of peace and balance, this time the art season has arrived earlier than expected as the artist community that has always been at the forefront of charity or community service, rallied in support of the Uttarakhand disaster victims. This week saw two more charity events for Uttarakhand at the Art Spice gallery and at the Visual Arts Gallery respectively. All the artists gave the entire proceeds to charity and have plans to adopt a village to help its resurrection. While the artists have given with a generous intent, it is up to the public, collectors (where are they?) and lovers of art to come forward to support the initiative. Perhaps we are all going through what I call the bleeding art syndrome but to my mind better that than the opposite.

Dr Alka Raghuvanshi is an art writer, curator and artist and can be contacted on alkaraghu-vanshi@yahoo.com