Smriti Malhotra
The new Parliament building was unveiled on 28th May 2023 by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. The building which is reflective of the vast and diverse democracy of India houses great works of arts by eminent artists and sculptors. According to officials, the art at the new Parliament is the result of almost 75 artists and scholars, who were assembled together by the Ministry of Culture to create a unique narrative for each installation, with themes for each hall being meticulously deliberated upon. A Parliament Art Advisory Committee was especially constituted in February 2022 to conceptualize the art filled interiors for the Parliament. The committee dutifully visualized the themes and curation of the art galleries and commissioned artists and artworks to be made for the Parliament. The members coordinated with various stakeholders, supervised, executed and installed these artworks before the unveiling on Sunday.
The building and its interiors reflect the great cultural heritage of our land, it houses images of Gods and Goddesses made by Naresh Kumawat on the theme of Samudra Mantha (Churning of the Ocean).
This piece came about after thorough research and collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Indira Gandhi National Culture Centre for Arts (IGNCA). Kumawat has also made 20 feet long portraits of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar above the Ashwa Dwar in the Parliament House.
The building has 3 ceremonial foyers which houses brass images of Mahatma Gandhi, Chanakya, Gargi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, B.R. Ambedkar and the famed chariot wheel from the Sun Temple at Konark as displayed. There are 3 galleries constructed within the premises- The Sangeet Gallery signifying the dance, music and performance arts and intangible heritage of the country, Shilp Gallery signifying the various crafts, handicrafts and other tangible traditions of the country. “Each piece of artwork will narrate a thousand stories,” said one of the officials, adding that artists from across the country have “worked collaboratively to bring these tales to life”.
While the Sangeet Gallery houses donated musical instruments by renowned Indian musical artistes such as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar. The Shilp Gallery has been conceptualized in collaboration with Ms Jaya Jaitly, the pioneer of Indian Crafts and the founder of Dastkari Haat Samiti. She has further installed 8 unique pieces made entirely by the hands of Indian craftspeople. Over 350 crafstpersons have come together to showcase the vast vernacular and living heritage of India. Speaking to Barkha Dutt from NDTV, Ms Jaitly says, “The symbols we chose in the gallery are above any politics and any religion.” In the Shilp Gallery, there is an installation by artist Puneet Kaushik in collaboration with the collective, potters and creative terracotta artisans from all parts of the country. His creation is called Aastha which is made of clay (collected from 36 Indian states and Union Territories). He also has a second work of art displayed at the gallery called Prakriti which is reflective of sustainability and the essence of nurturing. The artwork made in Sanjhi style has a natural landscape and motifs added by Kaushik such as Tibetan Thangkas, Inspirations from Murals of Kerala and many more such symbols.
Speaking about the central theme for the art for the Parliament House, another official said “true to the philosophy of ‘Sarv Dharam Samppan’ (equality of all religions), the art within Parliament will reflect the spiritual tapestry of the country,” The newly launched building that primarily serves as a seat of the Indian Parliament is an opulent house with grand arts. While the structure is an architectural marvel within itself, it is important to have notable artworks reflective of the essence of India. The artworks within add a cultural and historical dimension to the space, paying homage to India’s remarkable journey.
