New art gallery celebrates wari tradition

PUNE: The hand that spreads colour and form on canvas also writes soul-searching poetry with a divine purpose.
Bhaskar Hande, a 59-year-old India-born Dutch painter, sculptor and poet, is in Pune to give shape to his long-cherished dream of an art gallery containing rare photographs and world-renowned paintings, including some of his works. Hande’s inspiration comes from a desire to portray the wari, warkari and the Bhakti tradition.
A JJ school graduate, Hande left the country about 35 years ago. Born in the temple town of Jejuri, he had never gone beyond his own village till he made it to Mumbai.
"I had never been to Dehu or Alandi or Pandharpur till 1992, but the teachings of Sant Tukaram were ingrained in my psyche. I had read and understood the devotional songs (abhang). My exposure to western thought and literature made me compare our philosophy with theirs. I realised they were no different. I then began to look for similarities between the two so-called different streams of thought. At the heart of this search were the teachings of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram who have preached equality, love and brotherhood," Hande said.
He has written four Marathi books so far (translated into English, Dutch and Polish) that reflect his philosophy. His paintings and sculptures, many which portray Vitthal and his devotees, have been exhibited across Europe and Asia.
"Once, I took some European artists and writer friends and students of fine art, who study in colleges along the palkhi routes, to see the wari. I took foreign artists because I wanted to introduce them to our tradition and our own students because they should understand which aspect of the wari should they draw and paint. Well-known Dutch writer Hans Plomp, who was with us, called the wari a modern way of thought," said Hande.
He is working on a two-storeyed art gallery in Aundh which has over 1,000 paintings. "I want this place to become a one-stop destination for understanding wari, warkari and the 800-year-old tradition. It's unfortunate that we do not have enough and reliable literature and art work depicting the tradition. This gallery should serve as a chronicle of events that defined Maharashtra's history, tradition and consciousness," said Hande.
He is hoping the Pune Municipal Corporation will accord recognition to his gallery. "Assistance from citizens will be appreciated," he added.