Kerala   

Bringing out the beauty of letters

— Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

Writing art: Calligrapher Anis Siddiqui with students of Veda Vyasa Vidyalayam in Kozhikode on Monday.

What is calligraphy? Is it all about beautiful handwriting? “Not really. Not all good writing is calligraphy,” says Anis Siddiqui, renowned calligrapher and founder chairman of New Delhi-based Calligraphy Institute.

How would he explain the art form? “It is an art of dancing letters, their stylistic composition and artistic deployment in a word,” says Mr. Siddiqui, who won the first national award in calligraphy from Giani Zail Singh, President of India, in 1984.

Mr. Siddiqui was in Kozhikode as part of a calligraphy workshop organised by the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Among Youth (SPICMACAY) at the Veda Vyasa Vidyalayam here.

Calligraphy, according to him, “has its own grammar and rules and is practiced with tools like specially made wooden and bamboo pens with flat tips.”

“Normal writing only makes use of the up and down movements of the pen, whereas calligraphy exploits the thick and thin strokes of the pen, which has oblique nibs made out of wood and reeds. Ball pens, sketch pens and round pens are usually not used in calligraphy,” he says.

According to him anybody can learn calligraphy, if he or she has the will and genuine liking for the art. Age too is no bar. “But training at an early age can really help,” says Mr Siddiqui, who has travelled all over India and abroad promoting this art form.

This is his first visit to Kerala and some things about the State have appealed to him. “I liked your food, especially, the Kozhikode cuisine, your people and the greenery here,” says the 56-year-old artist.

He has authored two books on calligraphy and has completed a three-year diploma in calligraphy, apart from a two-year course in art and designing and a two-year diploma in Advanced Calligraphy from universities in New Delhi.

Jabir Mushthari

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