The centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Satyagraha have given the state's Madhubani painters and Bhagalpuri silk weav-ers a chance to showcase their work.
Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan is getting 1,000 artists to paint 3,700 Bhagalpuri silk shawls with Madhubani designs.
Eminent guests and freedom fighters will be felicitated with these shawls during the centenary celebrations of Champaran Satyagraha from April 10.
National- and state-awarded artists, including Godawari Dutt, Asha Jha, Devendra Kumar Jha, Shivam Paswan and Rajkumar Jha, among others, have been engaged for the work.
In 1917, farmers from the Champaran region had launched a movement under Mahatma Gandhi to protest the condition under which the British forced them to cultivate indigo while preventing them from growing food crops. Gandhi had launched his satyagraha (movement) against British rule from Champaran district on April 10, 1917.
Four members from Mahatma Gandhi's family - grandchildren Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Rajmohan Gandhi and Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee and great-grandson Tushar Gandhi - have given consent to take part in the two-day inaugural event related to centenary celebrations of the Champaran Satyagraha on April 10 and 11.
The chief minister will felicitate freedom fighters from across the country at another event at SK Memorial Hall on April 17.
The government has sent invitations to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Union home minister Rajnath Singh and prominent leaders of other political parties for the event.
Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan director Ashok Kumar Sinha said he had briefed Madhubani artists on how to sketch Gandhiji's Champaran Satyagraha in the Madhubani painting motifs.
"The artists would sketch the British exploiting the farmers, Gandhiji's chashma (specatacle), his stick, paduka (wooden sandal) and everything else related to him on the shawls," Sinha said. "We have briefed the artists but they would have the freedom to add anything related to the theme if they want to. We don't want to interfere with their creative expression."
Each Madhubani artist would be paid Rs 600 per shawl. Sinha said Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan would organise a seven-day camp in Madhubani from Sunday, where the artists would finish their work.
"Bhagalpur-based silk weavers have also got a chance to showcase their skills to eminent people. The silk shawls, brought from Bhagalpur, were sourced to local silk weavers there," Sinha said.
Madhubani painter Rajkumar Jha said it was a great opportunity for Madhubani painters that their creation would be presented to eminent people.
"This is a good initiative of the government. This will help traditional art form flourish. In fact, the government should take such steps while organising mega events. Not only will the event have a unique charm, but also artists associated with traditional art forms will get employment opportunities apart from a getting platform to showcase of their products," said Rajkumar, who is set to take part in Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan's camp along with his wife, Vibha Lal, another Madhubani painter.
