Calligraphy a therapeutic & creative pursuit for women

Mumbai: A few years ago, Hajra Aijaz Farahi faced a personal crisis. Negative thoughts weighed her down, and bouts of nervousness began affecting her productivity. Then, a computer teacher and her elder sister suggested she learn calligraphy. Next, she walked into senior calligrapher Mehmood Shaikh's calligraphy class in Jogeshwari West."I went there just to see what it's about as I did not know anything about this art," says Farahi, an Arts graduate from Bhavan's College, Andheri West. She fell in love with this beautiful art instantly. As she picked up the pointed pen and began giving strokes, it calmed her nerves and restored her confidence."It worked like magic. I got involved in it so deeply that I forgot the worries that nagged me endlessly," says Farahi, now a trained calligrapher whose recent show at Islam Gymkhana received huge admiration from viewers. Apart from attending Shaikh's classes at Jogeshwari, Farahi honed her skills also at senior calligrapher Aslam Kiratpuri's classes at Mumbai University's Kalina campus.As World Calligraphy Day (August 13) nears, it seems relevant to talk about this vibrant form of visual art as among its many takers increasingly are Muslim women. No longer just a hobby, many are using it as a therapeutic tool, a medium to express their feelings. Students, homemakers, professionals, and women from diverse backgrounds are learning it."Social media has enhanced scope in calligraphy. More and more people, especially girls, are learning it," informs Mazgaon-based senior artist and calligrapher Salva Rasool. She says calligraphy brings the artists closer to their creators.Learning it online may not give the desired perfection. You need hand-holding by an ustad. "I first learnt it from an ustad in Bengaluru, then approached a master calligrapher in China, and a calligrapher in Istanbul (Turkey) is my latest ustad. Calligraphy during the Ottoman rule was an evolved and fabulously popular art, and I want to dive deep into it," says Rasool, a J J School of Art graduate whose works decorate private homes and pilgrim guesthouses, from Mumbai to Panjim, Cairo to Karbala (Iraq).And if you think only Muslim men or women are learning it, meet Kritika Shrivastava, an artist engaged in creating Urdu fonts. Originally from Lucknow, this city-based artist became fascinated by the very lettering that calligraphy deals with."I grew up imbibing the composite culture of Lucknow and was exposed to the sweetness of Urdu quite early. But then I realised that calligraphy could help me appreciate the language better. Mehmood Shaikh Sir has been a great guide," says Shrivastava. "She has shown great diligence and picked it up fast," appreciates Shaikh, a calligraphy teacher in the city for nearly four decades.Shaikh's student, Taniya Javed Shaikh, says she found her "mentor" online. "It helped me concentrate more on my studies. This art needs encouragement as opportunities have opened in it," says the Commerce graduate.