The write form of art

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For 16-year-old Namrata D’Souza, her calligraphy pen is her prized possession. “I intend to become an architect but calligraphy will always be my first love. I will pursue it as a hobby all my life,” she says. The passion for calligraphy among people today seems far from dying. One would be surprised to know that people still love to practice this art form even in an age when computer generated art is so popular.

Before we go on to explore why the art is still popular, let us look at what calligraphy is all about. The word is derived from two Greek words — “kallos” that denotes “beauty” and “graphe” which means writing. Rita Bansal, a calligraphy teacher, elaborates the term further and says, “Like you have the art forms of painting and drawing, this is the art form of writing. It is the best way to express your words artistically, which would enhance what you are trying to write. It is no wonder that cards, letters and other personalised things use this art.”
Ask her if she still gets students who are keen to pursue this hobby, and she says, “Every year the number of students enrolling to learn calligraphy is actually increasing. In fact, learning calligraphy is the best way to improve one’s handwriting. That’s why parents encourage their children to go for calligraphy classes.”
Even graphic designers agree. Samriddhi Barve, a graphic designer for a women’s magazine, says, “The style of calligraphy is something that computers can never replace. The art lies in the hands of the one who practises it. Computers can come close but nothing can beat the creativity of the mind and manual talent.” As an industry, however, calligraphy has become largely computer dependent. “The calligraphy software makes it easier to work on a large scale, like for instance in the case of wedding cards where you need to print few hundred copies at once. But as a hobby the pen and paper will continue to rule,” she adds.