THRISSUR: Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts on Gram Swaraj got an artistic expression at Gandhi Gram Swaraj Art Gallery, which was dedicated to the public by Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Gandhiji and peace activist, at the Kerala Institute of Local Administration, here on Thursday.
According to KILA director P P Balan, “This is the first time in the country that an art gallery has been set up on the concept of Gram Swaraj. When we paid a visit to South Africa as part of an official programme a few months ago, we saw a lot of pictures exhibited at various art galleries on Gandhi’s life and his contributions, much to the delight of the delegation that included Social Welfare Minister M K Muneer. Drawing inspiration from these art galleries, we decided to set up an art gallery here based on Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Gram Swaraj. There is no art gallery in India based on this concept,” he said.
Artist Eby N Joseph of Kanjirappally, said around 24 paintings including 15 acrylic paintings and nine canvas prints, using realistic, surrealistic and semi-abstract realisation methods, were made to be displayed at the gallery. Apart from painting the thoughts of Gandhiji, the paintings displayed at the art gallery shed light on his life at Porbandar, his train journey from Johannesburg to Durban, khadi spinning, his adolescence, his non-violence policy, and the civil disobedience movement, among others.
The art gallery on Gram Swaraj will also serve as a source of reference and motivation to the art lovers, which include both domestic and international delegates who visit the premier institute as part of various training programmes on decentralisation of power and others, said the KILA officials.
A book on all the paintings displayed at the gallery titled ‘My Experiments with Mahatma’ was also launched at the inaugural ceremony. The gallery was opened for the public on the occasion of the three-day International Conference on Gandhi, Gram Swaraj and Democratic Decentralisation that began here at the KILA on Thursday. Former private secretary to Mahatma Gandhi V Kalyanam was present.
