Ten gigantic scrolls of approximately 750 m portray the tales of valour and legacy of the unsung heroes of India's freedom struggle. (Photo: Twitter/@ngma_delhi) ON JANUARY 26, as India celebrates its 73rd Republic Day, the festivities will also include a tribute to its freedom fighters. In an open gallery at Rajpath, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) will showcase gigantic scrolls, each over 750 metres long, painted by over 500 artists from across India.
“We wanted to celebrate the unsung heroes, many of whom we have forgotten or don’t know much about,” said Adwaita Gadanayak, Director General of the NGMA, as he made the announcement over a press meet on Friday.
Largely painted during art camps held over the last month, apart from portraits and figurative narratives, the scrolls also reflect traditional art genres such as Pattachitra, Talapatra Chitra, Manjusha, Madhubani, and Patua.
#Kalakumbh-आज़ादी का #AmritMahotsav में कलाकारों द्वारा बनाई गई आज़ादी के गुमनाम नायकों की विशाल स्क्रोल पेंटिंग्स को #RepublicDay2022 परेड में प्रदर्शित करने के लिए राजपथ पर लगाया जा रहा है।#NGMA#MinistryOfCulture#MinistryOfDefence#GovernmentOfIndia pic.twitter.com/g6r2FyMyMS
— National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi (@ngma_delhi) January 16, 2022
“The NGMA organised these workshops with the aim of amalgamating varied forms of visual and performing arts of the country to represent the true essence of unity and diversity in India. I believe that the gigantic scrolls, when displayed at Rajpath, will garner interest of each individual to delve deep into the history of the unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle and would also draw attention towards the unified visual aspects of modern, indigenous and contemporary arts of India,” said Gadanayak.
“We want as many people to see these works… It is probably for the first time that so many artists have worked together on an artwork under the aegis of the NGMA,” he said.
@ADWAITAGADANAY2,DG,@ngma_delhi hold a Press Meet to discuss the varied aspects of #Kalakumbh-Azadi ka #AmritMahotsav,held as a unique collaboration between @DefenceMinIndia and @MinOfCultureGoI. to paint scrolls measuring 750 metres on the unsung heroes of our freedom movement. pic.twitter.com/zQeXHfrTNp
— National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi (@ngma_delhi) January 14, 2022
The scrolls also refer to the artwork in the Constitution of India, with margins on the panels inspired by the artwork of Nandalal Bose and his associates, who illustrated the handcrafted document.
While in Chandigarh the art camp was held on the Chitkara University campus ground, the Bhubaneswar edition saw artists come and paint at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology ground.
Some of the artists, Gadanayak said, might travel to Delhi during the Republic Day celebrations.
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