India’s culture and its diversity have always been on talking points. Different regions have their own artistic approach, style and thinking. When you roam either from south to north or east to west, you will observe the change in every mile. Not often, but diversity can be seen in a single location, such as on Republic Day or at certain fairs and international events. The 17th G-20 Heads of State and Government Summit took place in Bali, Indonesia, in October last year. Under the Indonesian Presidency, the G20 in 2022 focused on the theme “Recover Together, Recover Stronger.” India was given the presidency of the 18th G-20 Summit on the spot and this event will take you to the diversity in Indian Art.
India began its presidency term with a variety of cultural endeavours, including numerous Jan Bhagidari celebrations, a special University Connect event involving 75 educational institutions from throughout the country, the illumination of 100 ASI sites with the G20 emblem and colours, and the display of the G20 at the Hombill festival in Nagaland. On Puri beach in Odisha, sand artist Shri Sudarshan Pattnaik also produced a sand sculpture of the G20 emblem for India. The calendar for the entire year also includes a variety of additional events, youth activities, cultural performances, and site excursions presenting the sights and customs of individual city venues.
On December 1, 2022, as India formally assumed the presidency of the G20, renowned artist Sudarsan Pattnaik drew the G20 emblem on the sand. The logo and its concept were shown by Mr. Pattnaik at the Konark International Sand Art Festival in Odisha. According to officials, Mr. Pattnaik and his students spent more than two days carving the G20 logo out of the sand. India assumed the yearlong presidency of the G20 forum on December 1 and will hold over 200 meetings across 50 plus cities in India with foreign delegations participating in these events in different parts of India. According to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or One Planet, One Family, One Future, will serve as the foundation for India’s G20 Presidency’s efforts to advance a global feeling of oneness.
The attendees at the G20 Conference in Udaipur were in awe of the Jal Sanjhi, an ancient Indian art form. In the Rajasthani temple, an art genre known as “Jal Sanjhi,” paintings of Lord Krishna is created on the water as a canvas. It is thought that Radha’s sighting of Krishna in a pond’s water, with flowers encircling his picture, served as the inspiration for these paintings. This changed over time, and Sanjhi came to represent the Lord on the water in the form of a picture.
WATCH | G20 India Delegates awed by the art form, Jal Sanjhi.
Jal Sanjhi is a centuries old temple art form of Rajasthan in which water becomes the artist’s canvas for paintings to honour Lord Krishna.@g20org @MIB_India @MinOfCultureGoI pic.twitter.com/S3RDTUEOMN
— Prasar Bharati News Services & Digital Platform (@PBNS_India) December 5, 2022
While in Lucknow, several walls in the state capital have been adorned with murals and paintings representing the rich heritage. A trip around several areas of the city provides a glance at the murals depicting many artists’ interpretations of Lucknow’s history and culture. Lucknow’s distinctive Kathak has been painted on a wall beside an underpass on a road going to Imambara in the Chowk neighbourhood. Similar to this, the walls on either side of the road going to Hanumant Dham are decorated with images of Nawabs, dancing women, and Nawabi-era structures.
A number of Indian artists have assembled in Delhi in preparation for the G20 summit, which will be held in the National Capital this year. Delhi residents will see a new, “artified” Delhi when these designers paint the National Capital in a variety of patterns. In preparation for the G20 summit and meetings scheduled for 2023, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has started painting and moralising drab city walls, including those found in waste dumps.
The walls are being painted with beautiful paintings by Civil workforce of #NDMC at Tolstoy Marg, North Avenue & Church Road for upcoming #SwachhSurvekshan2023 #PreparedForSwachhSurvekshanCampaign #G20India pic.twitter.com/6XvdS4uIWK
— New Delhi Municipal Council Official (@tweetndmc) December 30, 2022
The Group of Twenty (G20) is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States and the European Union. India holds the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. The 43 Heads of Delegations- the largest ever in G20-will be participating in the final New Delhi summit in September this year. The G20 Logo draws inspiration from the vibrant colours of India’s national flag – saffron, white and green, and blue. It juxtaposes planet Earth with the lotus, India’s national flower that reflects growth amid challenges. The Earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life, one in perfect harmony with nature. Below the G20 logo is “Bharat”, written in the Devanagari script. The theme of India’s G20 Presidency, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future” is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad.
