Delhi gets another art and cultural centre today, titled Kala Sankul at Sanskar Bharti campus on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg in New Delhi. RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat will inaugurate it today. Spread over three floors, the Kala Sankul complex consists of a multipurpose hall on the ground floor, an art gallery on the first floor, and offices on the second floor.
The library will have books related to art, culture and literature, while the multipurpose hall (with seating capacity of 60) will be used for holding art events as well as discussions over various art forms. Entry to the centre is free and open for all. “For a long time, we have been feeling the need to have a cultural centre where we could have events related to art,” says Dr Hemlata S Mohan, Chairperson of the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, and Vice-President of Sanskar Bharti.
“We hope to turn Kala Sankul into a hub of art and cultural activities where proponents of art and culture would perform and propagate their art forms and public can enjoy these. Conferences and discussions over various art forms will be held to encourage artists across different fields. It will also act as the head centre for all the Sanskar Bharti units across India,” she informs.
The institution believes that indigenous art forms play a huge role in connecting people to their roots. “Knowing our own traditional art and culture helps us build our identity and a strong bond with the nation,” notes Dr Mohan, but quickly adds that Kala Sankul will not just dwell in the past, rather it will merge the past and present, the ancient and the modern, and focus on experimentation so that the art heritage of India continues to grow and attain new horizons in future.
“We abide by the maxim, Sa Kala Ya Vimuktaye, which means ‘art helps remove all flaws of character and makes one a well-rounded individual’. Art is not just for the sake of enjoyment but also development of finer human qualities,” says Dr Mohan. In the offing is a cafeteria at the premises that will work as an art adda. “Conversations are important as exchange of thoughts happen through talks which helps us get to know each other,” she adds. Talking about the location of Kala Sankul, Dr Mohan says it was strategically planned to ensure a centrally-located plot so that everyone has easy access — not just Delhiites but artists from across India and the world.