Kerala - Kochi   

Water as an element in design

Staff Reporter

FLOW OF WATER IN COLOURS: An art exhibition organised by Apparao Galleries, Chennai, and Taj Malabar in Kochi on Monday. Photo: H. Vibhu

KOCHI: What better time to speak of water than during the peak of the monsoon, when it is next to impossible to escape the downpour.

A select crowd of Kochiites was treated to an illustrated talk on water as an element in design by Padmashree awardee Sunitha Kohli and Romi Chopra. The duo were consultants and designers of the Rajiv Gandhi Ninaivakam at Sriperumbudur.

The talk was organised jointly by Apparao Galleries and Taj Malabar, in connection with an exhibition of paintings and photographs by renowned artists from across the country. The exhibition, which was on at the hotel for two days from Monday, featured works of M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, Ramkumar, Sakti Burman and a host of others. The fluidity and lyricism of the flow of water was eulogised in colour and space.

Ms. Kohli and Mr. Chopra spoke about water that is the main motif in the design of the Rajiv Gandhi memorial. "As a purifier of sin, water has been worshipped in different religions. Water can be river, the sea, rain, sweat and emotion. India derives her very name and cultural identity from the rivers Indus and Ganges. These prompted us to select water as the element at the memorial," said Ms. Kohli.

She said it was the former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao who suggested the use of the number seven at the memorial. "Thus came up seven tall columns around the spot of martyrdom of India's young leader." Nine inches below the centre of the memorial has been preserved the blood-stained soil where the late Prime Minister was assassinated.

"All seven columns have different kinds of patterns of swirling waters. The top of each column is adorned by seven features. Thus there is Goddess Ganga with a pot, depicting abundance; dharma charka which stands for righteousness; banyan tree which depicts knowledge; flame showing sacrifice and so on," Mr. Chopra says.

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