The festival of Holi is widely celebrated in India. It is one of those days that people look forward to every year with utmost excitement! Although played the same way, each region has its own unique name for this festival.
Indian art has existed for thousands of years and contributes to the culture of a region. Unfortunately, due to the lack of knowledge and thereby, interest, with regards to ancient Indian art forms, they might soon become unknown to the modern generation.
Baroda, or Vadodara, is known as ‘The Jewel of Western India’, and rightly so. The city has a long and rich history of cultural engagement, which will be highlighted through this article.
To some it means poetry, to some it is a banana stuck on a pale wall with a glossy metallic tape, while to some it simply means the entire length of a Vishal Bhardwaj film. Not everyone understands it but everyone has something to say about it – ‘Art’ is a term so colourful, so subjective, when one starts defining it, one can’t help but bring in the nuances of their personality into its definition. But whatever one’s definition of Art, there is always a personal story attached to it.
With the rising influence of the Mughal Empire as not merely a local stronghold but a powerful ruling dynasty, it was inevitable that its people would soon come into contact with cultures far beyond their wildest dreams. In the second part of this two-part series, we will examine European symbols and how they affected the art of the Mughal Empire.
Floor art paintings have existed since the beginning of time, and not undergone much change since. Different cultures and civilizations are centred around these paintings, although they go by several names. These designs have both religious and spiritual meanings attached to them.
Once upon a time, Gods, demons, and spirits were said to have roamed the wild and breathtaking expanse of the Indian subcontinent. Tales of this unknown, fantastical existence differ in each group, each community, and each culture of humanity. In this very land were born the three most ancient religions still in practice: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
Art represents a medium of expression, a space where the human mind can represent its purest, most unfiltered self without feeling the need for words to convey meaning.
To the artist, it is a boundless canvas, it is a flag of identity, it is a marker of solidarity. It can be anything that its creator wishes it to be.
Persia and India have a unique cultural link that is centuries old. Persia had a huge influence on Indian languages, culture, food and even art! In this fast-paced world, we sometimes forget what a unique melting pot of cultural antiquity our country is. Just as today’s quaint Irani cafes sell fragrant Irani ‘chai’, the Miniature paintings of the Mughal era represent a unique style of Indo-Persian art that was a synthesis of two artistic and cultural traditions.
As we enter the month of March, we have the chance to explore many more Indian art festivals and exhibitions that promise to captivate their audiences and leave them wanting more!
