New Delhi: The centrepiece of artist Chandranath Das’s solo exhibition in Delhi is an untitled oil painting — bright, colourful canvas, countless brush strokes and a dash of actual vermilion to depict a stroke of ‘sindoor’.
The exhibition celebrates the might and grandeur of the Himalayas through varying seasons, but it is also dedicated to India’s Operation Sindoor, a decisive military action that has drawn a new red line for terrorism.
Titled ‘Himalaya: The Journey Through a Cascade of Colours’, the show opened at a gallery at the Triveni Kala Sangam here on Saturday evening.
The untitled work captioned ‘Operation Sindoor: A Tribute – The Red Mark of Duty’ sits at the focal point of the exhibition venue, welcoming visitors with its abstract allure. On its back is a huge canvas with Mt Everest painted on acrylic medium.
The placement of the pieces — on either face of the same wall — dedicated to the military operation in May and the timeless appeal of the world’s highest peak is not accidental. Das says they both represent courage and are symbols of India’s defenders.
“This exhibition is dedicated to Operation Sindoor and to the women and men of our defence forces, whose unwavering commitment, especially in the face of recent adversity, stands as a reminder of our nation’s courage, strength and unity,” reads the caption for the central artwork.
Born in Kolkata in 1962, the artist said he has spent the last three decades in the vicinity of the Himalayas.
“So, my paintings capture the essence of the Himalayas. The strength of the Himalayas, and the strength that our soldiers are carrying, is the main theme of the painting that I have dedicated to Operation Sindoor,” he told PTI on the sidelines of the opening ceremony.
Das, who holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and a master’s degree in museum studies, considers that he belongs to both areas.
He previously served as the chief curator of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Defence.
“Our soldiers are posted in harsh conditions in mountainous regions, in Siachen Glacier area, it is their dedication in guarding the nation and being ready to sacrifice their lives. So, this is my tribute,” he said.
On the use of vermillion in his main artwork, Das said, “Yes, I have used actual ‘sindoor’ to depict ‘sindoor’ in the painting. If one looks closely, one can see a woman’s head, and the stroke of the ‘sindoor’ is on her forehead area. It is a symbolic use.”
About 50 artworks, ranging in size from small canvases depicting Yaks to a large triptych showcasing the Himalayan landscape in Darjeeling and Mt Kanchenjunga, are on display till July 22.
The artworks are based on three mediums — charcoal, acrylic and oil, and have three themes — Sacred Himalayas, Yaks and Himalayan Seasons, said Chandrima Das, curator of the exhibition and the artist’s daughter.
Most of the paintings were made in the last five years, including the one titled ‘DHR in Monsoon’ depicting in acrylic medium the world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) with a steam engine ejecting a long plume of smoke passing through a landscape.
“Every season presents different colours; monsoon season has a different colour in Darjeeling. So, I have tried to capture it,” the artist said.
Prof. Ummu Salma Bava, Chairperson and Jean Monnet Chair at Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, was among the guests who attended the opening ceremony.
“The exhibition is an outstanding collection of arts, the Himalayas, the paintings take us through the landscape, it (the Himalayas) is a natural frontier,” she said.
She appreciated that the exhibition was dedicated to Operation Sindoor. Bava said since her father was in the Army, she grew up with the sentiment of what it means to protect the country.
The dedication to Operation Sindoor, she said has multiple meanings and “this is going to be the most important pivot point at this point for India in its foreign policy, and one can already see its impact.”
“And, the painting and its different mediums also capture the essence, the emotions of what we went through and what happened. It is wonderful to also remember what sindoor stands for: it is courage through resilience, and to never give up, the colour of red and orange and yellow, are all the colours we see around us, every day, flowers, the gentle soft sides,” Bava told PTI.
But the paintings also speak to you about the courage of the soldiers, courage of farmers, and of everybody else, she said.
The exhibition is being hosted over two months after Operation Sindoor which was carried out in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike.
“The journey from the Pahalgam attack till today is of pain, extreme sadness with a sense of loss. That is a day we will not forget, and it’s a day that has also transformed our foreign policy and how we look at things, and India has drawn new red lines (for terrorism),” she said.
“The name sindoor will not just mean putting a tika (mark) on your forehead, anymore. It is a power of action. Sindoor should have its own entry in a dictionary,” the JNU professor said.
