A swadeshi tribute to Bapu

To mark the 150th birth anniversary of the ‘Father of the Nation’, Shilparamam played host to a unique exhibition documenting the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi. The exhibition featured six artists from Mumbai, who slogged for over three days and used rangoli to create portraits of Gandhi at various stages in his life — from his days as a young lawyer in South Africa to his struggle for India’s independence. But why rangoli? “Bapu always encouraged Swadeshi so we chose to make rangoli portraits because it is an indigenous art form that has been practised in our country for centuries. I am glad that this art has been appreciated by Hyderabadis,” explains artist Uday Ananth Dawal, who led the team of artists, comprising Puja Turate, Samir Pendurkar, Dinesh Kadam, Pradip Rane and Neha Tadkaplli. “This was a great opportunity for a young artist like me to be part of a show that pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. He fought for our nation’s freedom through a nonviolent movement. His life and message continues to inspire young Indians like me,” says Neha.— Sravan.Vanaparthy @timesgroup.com