Artist Rupa Samaria has been fascinated by birds for more than a decade. Her latest exhibition, ‘A Bird Call — Rajasthan’, brings together more than 60 works on the resident, migratory, rare and threatened birds of the state, with the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard at its centre. The exhibition opens today at The Main Art Gallery, Bikaner House, and remains on view till October 12. Through paintings, charcoal works, and mixed-media pieces, Samaria hopes to draw attention to Rajasthan’s diverse birdlife and the threats facing some of its most vulnerable species.
Samaria’s interest in Rajasthan’s birdlife deepened after she came across ornithologist and author Bikram Grewal discussing the state bird — the Great Indian Bustard, found in the grasslands of Jaisalmer — and the urgent need to protect it. According to the artist, the bird faces several threats. The large bird flies low and can collide with overhead power lines. Its eggs, laid on the ground, are vulnerable to feral dogs and other predators.
Samaria has painted the bird against a fluorescent background, using charcoal for the bird; the charcoal represents the vulnerability of the species, while the bright colours are meant to draw attention to it. The artwork on the Great Indian Bustard is rendered against an electric-yellow background, capturing the bird mid-stride with its wings swept upward.
A diverse birdlife
Among the migratory birds featured are the Egyptian Vulture, Imperial Eagle, Greater Flamingo, Sykes's Nightjar, Asian Houbara, and Wheatears. Resident birds include the Common Hoopoe, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Trumpeter Finch, Asian Green Bee-eater, Indian Spotted Creeper, Merlin, and Indian Eagle Owl.
It also highlights species that have become increasingly rare. The Siberian Crane, for instance, was last spotted in India during the winter of 2001-02. One of the artworks shows two Siberian cranes with their dark red beaks standing out against the white background; the feathers and plumage are rendered in highly detailed strokes of light blue.
The making of a birder
Samaria’s work on birds is based on extensive research. She has painted more than 600 species from India and other parts of the world. She consults birdwatchers and ornithologists when she needs help identifying or understanding a species.
Growing up in Patna, Bihar, she remembers living around house sparrows and other common birds. “Since childhood, I have grown up with house sparrows [around me]. They were almost like a part of our family, making nests on the fans and in the jharokhas of our homes,” she recalls.
She remembers a visit to Ranthambore when she was particularly fascinated by the Indian Pitta, locally known as Navrang. The bird’s colourful plumage, Samaria explains, left a lasting impression on her and inspired her to document her birdwatching experiences. It was around this time that Samaria began carrying The Book of Indian Birds by Salim Ali. Whenever she spotted a new bird, she would note down the date and year of her first sighting.
Reconnecting with nature
The artist believes that birdwatching does not require a trip to a forest or wildlife sanctuary and can begin right outside one’s window. Sitting quietly on a balcony and being patient, she says, can reveal a host of bird and animal activity and help people reconnect with nature.
According to Samaria, seeing a familiar bird in a painting can evoke childhood memories and create an emotional connection, while also making people more curious about the natural world around them. She recalls people becoming emotional at her previous exhibition on the birds of Northeast India.
Speaking of ‘A Bird Call — Rajasthan’, the artist notes that while written words can inform, an image can stay in the mind and inspire people to look more closely at birds and nature.