Chandigarh Craft Mela, the fest which is famous in Tricity for its vibrant stalls, folk dance, mouth-watering cuisine, and breathtaking artifacts, is now promoting and imparting training in miniature painting that is on the verge of extinction.
In the ambience of diverse colours and sounds in Kalagram at Contemporary Regional Miniature Painting training Camp, people from all walks of life were busy carrying brushes and colour mixing plates, learning miniature painting, which we often witness on the walls of old fort and villas or in the books of history. “We introduced Miniature Painting in the 5th Chandigarh Craft Mela, with the intention to promote the art which seems fading from the public’s eye “ said, Renu Hooda, Department Cultural Affairs, Haryana.
It is for the first time when Chandigarh Craft Mela, has introduced this type of camp for educating people about the dyeing art. This innovative idea of introducing free camp for Miniature Painting by North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala and Department of Cultural affairs, Haryana is to aware and educate visitors about miniature painting.
“I came to the Mela for shopping and enjoying folk dance. While passing by Miniature Painting training Camp, I saw painting which I had already seen on the walls at Jhanda Sahib, Dehradun. It was kind of dream come true that such an old form of art is being practiced,” said, Jaideep Singh, student of Chandigarh Art College.
Hukum Chand Shrama, miniature guru from Jaipur, Rajasthan, said that miniature painting was their ancestral profession which they have been practicing for a long time. Their whole family is engaged in this profession and earning their livelihood from this profession only. “People should learn and know this art otherwise time is not far away when it would vanish completely,” he said.
Another artist from Himachal, Parikshit said, “God has destined me for this profession and I can’t do anything except miniature painting. It gives me mental peace which I can’t get by any other means” said the painter.