NGMA Mumbai showcases Nandalal Bose’s legacy in landmark exhibition

The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, has opened a special exhibition - 'Colours of Swades: From Haripura to the Constitution', celebrating the artistic legacy of modern Indian art pioneer Nandalal Bose. The curated showcase, on view from March 9 to April 9, 2026, marks the first time NGMA Mumbai is presenting a dedicated showcase on the influential artist.

The exhibition brings together two defining bodies of Bose’s work — the celebrated Haripura Panels of 1938 and his artistic contribution to the original manuscript of the Constitution of India. A disciple of Abanindranath Tagore and later the principal of Kala Bhavana at Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, Bose played a crucial role in shaping a distinctly Indian visual language in the twentieth century. His immense contribution to Indian art was recognised with the Padma Vibhushan.


A highlight of the exhibition is the display of the iconic Haripura Panels, created for the Indian National Congress session in Haripura under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi. Executed in bold lines and luminous colours inspired by folk traditions, the panels depict scenes of everyday rural life — farmers, artisans, musicians, women at work and village festivities — celebrating the vitality and dignity of India’s villages.

Speaking about the exhibition, Nidhi Choudhari, Director of NGMA Mumbai, said the show traces the artistic and intellectual journey of one of the foremost pioneers of Indian modern art. She says, "This show traces the artistic and intellectual journey of Nandalal Bose, one of the foremost pioneers of Indian modern art. It is particularly special for us at NGMA Mumbai, because the Haripura Panels of 1938 are being displayed here for the first time. The exhibition brings together two defining moments in Bose’s practice - the Haripura Panels that celebrate the vitality of rural India, and his work on the illustrations and visual design of the Constitution of India. Together, these works remind us that during the freedom movement, art was not merely decorative; it played a profound role in shaping the imagination and identity of the nation.”

Reflecting on the significance of Bose’s place in Indian art, she adds, “Nandalal Bose occupies a foundational place in the story of Indian modern art. Instead of borrowing from Western academic traditions, he turned inward, drawing inspiration from Ajanta murals, folk traditions, temple sculpture and the rhythms of everyday rural life. In doing so, he created a visual language that was so rooted in Indian civilisation yet profoundly modern in its expression.”

The exhibition also explores Bose’s contribution to the visual aesthetics of the Constitution. Working with students from Kala Bhavana, he designed intricate borders and illustrations that accompany the constitutional text, tracing India’s civilisational journey through references to the Indus Valley civilisation, the Ramayana, the Mughal era and the freedom movement.

Curated by Shruti Das, Deputy Curator at NGMA Mumbai, the exhibition highlights the intersection of art, culture and nation-building. She said the Haripura Panels represent a landmark moment in Indian art history, noting that Bose created 77 panels depicting potters, weavers, farmers, musicians and wrestlers, bringing art into a public space while drawing inspiration from indigenous traditions such as Kalighat painting, Patachitra and the murals of Ajanta. “The curatorial approach was conceived as a bridge between two important moments in India’s cultural and political history. By bringing these two bodies of work together, the exhibition highlights Bose not only as a master artist but also as a cultural visionary who translated the spirit of India into a powerful visual language. The Haripura Panels represent a landmark moment in modern Indian art. Created at the request of Mahatma Gandhi for the 1938 Congress session, Bose produced seventy-seven panels depicting everyday village life - potters, weavers, farmers, musicians and wrestlers. These works celebrated the dignity and rhythm of rural India and brought art directly into a public space. Artistically, they are significant because they rejected colonial academic naturalism and instead drew inspiration from indigenous traditions such as Kalighat painting, Patachitra and the murals of Ajanta," she says.

Adding a contemporary dimension, the exhibition features immersive digital reconstructions that recreate Haripura village as it might have appeared in 1938. Using AI-assisted animation developed with Mumbai-based filmmaker Ebyug Akhil, the scenes from the panels are brought to life, offering visitors an engaging and experiential way to explore the artworks.

Colours of Swades: From Haripura to the Constitution is on display at NGMA Mumbai, Sir Cowasji Jahangir Public Hall, Fort, from 11 am to 7 pm daily (Mondays closed). Entry is free.
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