Celebrating cultural intimacy and diversity

Shaheen and Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad celebrated International Human Rights Day on Thursday and expressed the concept through artistic forms of painting, poems and music. No speeches, no debate, no dialogue; just cultural intimacy

Throughout time, with many of its inner complexities, India has maintained diversity and plurality of its nature. Today, with many related issues coming up, it is much more important to celebrate its diverse nature. It’s a high time that like-minded people come forward and form a collective group, which will work to enable people realise that maintaining peace and harmony is necessary for the health of the country and its citizens.

In an innovative effort, a group of artists worked on a huge canvas of 35 ft by 45 ft to celebrate the Human Rights Day. Senior artists like Bairu Raguram, whose works are inspired by the tranquility of Telangana, presented nature’s infusion with humanity in his work.

Raghav Raj Bhatt, a Kathak exponent choreographer and artistic director, who has an expertise in Indian folk and tribal arts, says “I presented a dancing group and want to say that one can gain success with unity, or if you are together, it can be done through dance or any other form.”

Kappari Kishen, renowned artist for his “Buddha” and “the girl series” works, his painting was all about the beauty of nature and the colours of birds. He says, “I used a hand with five fingers and wanted to tell that every finger is important but, they are different in size and shape. However, the hand is a point of unity; its strength is in the fingers working together.”

Utilising art as a powerful medium in reaching out to people, Ramana Reddy, painter, sculptor and conceptual artist, presented half a head with the bindi and the other half without, which shows that one head has different thoughts, yet it is united.

Artist Rajeshwar Naylapalli, whose works on love, feelings of a “divine couple” and “shakti” expressed through dark eyes in both characters; his paintings talked about the search for God in a different way, be it any religion, by which we ultimately reach the same place.

Jameela Nishat, founder of ‘Shaheen Collective - Shaheen's Women Resource and Welfare Association’ says, “We want to highlight cultural diversities and how it binds us in our life through art forms and media, be it through music, painting, dance and drama. We will be celebrating diversities through a multitude of expressions, which promote ideas of tolerance in the country.”

She explains that this will show how art has no boundaries. “This form of peace building helps in transforming one’s own personal and political opinions, which will further help in increasing peace through collective hands,” concludes Jameela.

After the live painting session, the event concluded with the shayari of Urdu poet Rauf, followed by a performance by ghazal singer Jasbeer Kaur.

By:Askari Jaffer