The Art of The Nation !
The Mythic Society has always been a familiar name , since its quarterly journals were part of the home library , subscribed since Grandfather's days . Though as young ones , we hardly perused the super scholarly articles in it , we did feel properly proud when some awed friends and visitors commented on their presence in our shelves . If they assumed that the whole family was given to erudition , we did not actively try to disabuse them of that thought . All I know is that Father and Grandfather were sometimes seen with their noses in the Quarterly . And that , I had once picked up a random issue out of curiosity and was quite tickled to read an article about a pre-medieval lady poet who wrote .......some unexpectedly "frank" poems in chaste Sanskrit !
The Society , housed in a very handsome colonial building in Bengaluru , named Daly Memorial Hall , very close to where near relatives lived , remained familiar in mind only and somehow the thought of actually visiting the place never occurred even after settling down in Bengaluru .......the assumption that "scholarly erudition" was a requisite to step into the building might have been an inhibiting factor.
To the point now :
Finally, did get to visit the place recently and was duly wonderstruck . As expected, it exuded that awesome feel of an Old World British Study , with its coloumns and polished wood and high ceiling . It even smelt vaguely of dear Grandfather's brown shoe polish and eau de cologne. The front part is the auditorium and at the rear is the Library.
Floored by The Library totally . Not huge by any measure , but the ambience ! the light flooding in , the aged books filling the shelves , old men noiselessly tip toeing to the vast tables, porting the books requested by library users .
Books can only be read here , cannot be borrowed .
At the far end , on a raised section is an icon of Saraswathi , surrounded by shelves . Footwear need to be removed to go up there .
Though the oldest book here is dated 1669 , latest publications are also added periodically , provided their subject matter is aligned to the Society's primary vision of studying and promoting India's diverse Culture and History .
One of the books shown to us , by an inspiring friend , was a copy of The Constitution of India . It is one of the 1000 photo-lithographgic copies that were printed and distributed to members of the Constituent Assembly, Chief Ministers, and Libraries soon after the original Constitution was presented to the Nation. It bore the name of the person who donated it to Mythic Society in 2001 : Historian Dr. Suryanath Kamat who , as Chairman of Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation, Calcutta, would have received it upon release.
Though the pages were sturdy and protected with trace-paper inserts, had to handle it very carefully .
It was only upon actually seeing it that the wonder sank in : What a beautiful piece of Art this Legal document is !
Not many , these days , are even aware that ours is the only “Constitution” document , in the entire world, to be illustrated .
The handwritten lines are unbelievably print like , not one dot or line dislocated or superfluous.
The printed draft was entrusted to two Calligraphists, one for English version, one for Hindi, to be inscribed by hand onto parchment sheets measuring 16 x 22 inch each. The type of parchment was Vellum , made of calf skin, said to be fully resistent to wear and tear and capable to lasting , literally, for centuries.
After we had going through the pages , peering closely at the tiny signatures of the artists at the borders and taking pictures of a few pages, the book was whisked off by a staff member to its safe resting place.
Back home , unable to get those illustrations out of mind , started reading up everything about the making of the document . Not how it was drafted , but how it was produced.
So much learning ! So many names popping out of the History cloud.
Prem Behari Narain Raizada , a scion of a family of Calligraphers, was chosen to inscribe the English version. The Hindi document was written in Devanagari script, in traditional method, by Vasanth K. Vaidya , a calligrapher cum Independence Activisit . Both were chosen after due evalution of all applicants who had answered the open call for the job over Radio.Prem Behari Narain Raizada , reportedly , refused to take any fee for his calligraphy work, which took months to complete.he is supposed to have told Nehru that he had no wants or needs and was content in life ! A rare human indeed. His only request was that his name be signed on every page and on the last page, his Grandfather's name be mentioned too - a kind of Gurudakshina, for it was Grandpa who had not only brought him up , but trained him in calligraphy.
In contrast to so much info on Raizada , nothing could be found about the Hindi calligrapher . Did he accept a fee ? No idea.
284 members of the Constituent Assembly have signed the final Document - both the English and the Hindi version.
Artworks :
The task of
illuminating the pages was given to Nandalal Bose by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1949 , before the last session
of the Constituent Assembly.
Who better than Bose to beautify the all important Document !
One of
“The Navaratnas of Indian Art”* and
a “Desikottama” , Nandalal Bose (1882 – 1966) belonged to The Bengal School of
Art, a significant Indian Art movement
of the early 20th century, aimed at
reviving traditional Indian art forms
and aesthetics , free from Western academic influence. The Movement , centered at Shanthiniketan, played a crucial role in fostering Indian Nationalism
and cultural identity. As a pioneer of Modern
Indian Art , Bose drew inspiration
from all indigenous traditions, from
humble rangolis to vibrant folk art to
the Classicism of Ajanta murals. Bose headed Shanthiniketan's Kala Bhavan for long years.
The emblems for Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards were also designed by Nandalal Bose.
Bose did not work solo on the project . A group of his most talented
students worked with him .
Both the
framers of the Constitution and the artists themselves were firm in their
resolve that the illustrations were
not to be mere decorations but had
to be powerful symbols that complemented the text and conveyed an uplifting sense of
Indian identity .
Thus, the art works reflect history, culture, and geographical diversity, referencing all parts of the Treasure Chest that is India.
The pages
were illustrated separately , before being bound. Often , two or more artists
worked on the same page. In general , while the senior masters drew the main illustration , the borders were done by students.
The pages all have borders . Geometric patterns ,trellis and chains, intertwining flora-fauna , especially the
peacock motif, are seen repeated in various ways. The concept of bordering the
pages was taken from the traditional Art of Miniatures , particularly Mughal miniatures .
22 Banner or Header illustrations were made to head each of the 22 sections of the text . The signatures of the artists can be seen along the borders ,
in very tiny letters , in the respective pages they worked on. From these , 13
names , five of whom are women , are known
. Among the women four were related to and groomed by Nandalal Bose
The first
page , which shows the National Emblem , the Lion Capital, is the creation of artist Dinanath Bhargava.
Since Bose was very particular that the Lion should look lively , not stony ,
Bhargava visited the Zoo repeatedly to
study a real lion instead of just copying the famous Limestone Capital stored
in Sarnath. It is Bhargava’s drawing that was adopted as the National Emblem Of India.
The broad
border of the The Preamble page , filled with graceful Ajanta-type swirling Lotus stems , is the meticulous work of Beohar Ram Manohar
Sinha . On the four corners of the border can be seen the four animals carved
on the base of the original Lion Capital
- Ox , Horse, Elephant and
Lion. A Lotus, is drawn below the embellished heading .
1, The Bull Seal of Mohenjo Daro , with a string of the undeciphered script heads Part I .It was painted by Kripal Singh Shekawat and Beohar Ram Manohar Sinha . Only the former has signed the work, the latter was reticent it seems. In fact only upon Bose's repeated insistence did he inscribe his name , as Ram, in the Preamble page ! Sinha is remembered as a cultural ambassador who took Indian art to the South East and popularised Oriental Art in India. Shekawat became famous for his ceramics , especially the Jaipur Blue .
2. The Vedic Period showing rishis variously occupied with a homa , meditating, praying etc , in a settlement surrounded by plants and rocks. It was painted by Nandalal Bose and Amala Sarkar . Amala , in addition to being an artist , became a famous singer and was a Dancer too.
3. . Scene from Ramayana : Rama , Sita and Lakshmana are seen leaving for the forest or returning to Ayodhya after the war . A lot od drama is suggested by the swaying fronds and vines . Painted by Jamuna Sen , youngest daughter of Bose , who trained in Linocut print making .
4. The Mahabharatha scene of Krishna counselling Arjuna in Battlefield exudes emotional appeal , with a downcast Arjuna and a beatific looking Krishna , a hint of a smile playing on his lips. Was this scene chosen on purpose for the chapter dealing with The Directive Principles ? Painted by Bose, Bani Patel and Vinayak Masoji. Bani, aged 21 , the youngest artist in the group, was Bose's grand-daughter . Masoji was a master of miniatures and a close associate of Tagore.
5. Scene of a youthful Buddha preaching aged seekers of Truth , in the company of Deer and peacocks. It has a sutra inscribed at the base. The tranquil scene was drawn by Bose , Nibedita and A.Perumal . Nibedita later married Bose's son . A.Perumal was an altruist who never exhibited or sold his paintings. Instead , he decorated humble huts and village walls of Santhals with his art. Perumal has signed his name in Tamil script, though he spent his entire life in Bengal.
6. The creed of Mahavira : The painting is suffused with peace and tranquility , as Mahavira sits meditating between two trees . The style is reminiscent of Jain Manuscript illustrations. Painted by Bose, Rajniti and Jamuna Sen. Nothing could be found about Rajniti , except his work on this document.
7. Spread of Buddhism by Ashoka : The illustration shows Emperor Ashoka riding an elephant carrying a holy relic casket , with Monks around him . The finery and drapery remind one of Sanchi relief sculptures and Ajanta murals . The page was done by Bose, Perumal and Beohar Sinha.
8. Gupta Era , an important timeline in the history of Indian Art , is represented by a beautiful painting of a bejewelled flying Gandharva , painted by Kripal Singh Shekawat.
9. Vikramaditya and his court are seen enjoying a performance which includes a deer and pigeons. could it be "Shakuntalam" dance-drama ? It is the work of Jamuna Sen.
10. The University of Nalanda , showing fabulous buildings and robed scholars in discussion . A lively illustration by Kripal Singh Shekawat and Nibedita Sen.
11. Sculptural grandeur of Odisha represented by a drawing inspired by the War Horse sculpture of Konark which also inspired the State Emblem of Odisha State . Drawn by Jamuna and Amala.
12 . The Magnificence of Chola bronze is brought out in the excellent drawing of the Nataraja icon , rich in symbolism , by Gauri Bhanja , eldest daughter of Nandalal Bose .
13. Arjuna's Penance , the dramatic rock cut panorama of Mahabalipuram , is made into a montage of different parts , by Nandalal Bose and Jamuna Sen .
14, The Court of Emperor Akbar , reflecting artistic style of Mughal Miniatures , is the work of Nandalal Bose and Gauri Bhanja
15. Chatrapati Shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh, are shown as two formal portraits, side by side , both holding arms to denote their military might. Work of Bose . Kripal Singh Shekawat and Dhirendra Krishnadeb Barman . Barman, who served as Principal of Kala Bhavan later, is known for his beautiful works inspired by his tour of Java and Bali , in the company of Tagore.
16. Portraits of Jhansi Laxmi Bai and Tipu Sultan represent the early uprisings against the British . They are the work of Bose and Biswarup Bose . The latter was the son of the former.
17. Gandhiji’s Dandi March: The illustration repeats the design of Nandalal Bose’s very famous linocut , titled "Bapuji" , made within six days of the actual Salt March . By Bose and Bani Patel .
18: Bapuji’s peacemaking efforts shows Gandhiji interacting with people of different faiths at Naokhali. The man next to him bears a weak resemblance to Nehru . Drawing by Nandalal Bose , border by Masoji .
19. In this tribute to Subhash Chandra Bose , we see the iconic pose of Subhash Bose saluting the Flag as soldiers scale mountain ranges. By Bose and Perumal .
20. Scenery of a Mountain Range , in full colour , by Perumal , a geographical feature of the north of the country .
21: A Desert scene , showing noblemen riding camels , by Bose, Biswarup Bose and Nibeditha Bose
22. A raging Ocean tossing about a medieval ship acknowledges the voyages of our ancestors over the three seas around the peninsula. An image of a small coubntry boat is a nod to inland waterways. Work of Bose, Gauri Bhanja, Vinayak Masoji , Jabha ( an unknown artist)
The artists are reported to have received Rs.25 per page for their work .
All illustrations are line drawings , using stone colours , embellished with Gold foil . Only three are painted in full colour : The life of Mahavira, the flying Gandharva and the mountain range. The lion Capital has a block, greenish background .
3. A full list of the paintings is appended to the Document .
Each painting
, though small in size , has intricate detailing , be it the royal attire , the
backdrops or the attendant characters .
The precious
original work, handsomely bound in
leather and gold-embossed, with its Hindi twin, is now enshrined in a special
Helium filled glass case in the Indian Parliament Library. It is not merely a
Legal Document , but an ode to India’s Art
and Cultural Heritage. Goes to show Art is not something unrelated to life and living, put up on a wall as a convention . Art is , or should be , a part and parcel of everything we do and have .
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