KASHMIR , DR. PERCY BROWN AND MURIEL TALBOT.

                                                                          

( KASHMIR PHOTOGRAPHS   by  Autar Mota )

Dr Percy Brown ( 1872-1955 ) And Muriel Talbot or Mrs Percy Brown( 1874-1943)

  

Dr Percy Brown  was a British scholar , Painter and Art Historian who  came to India and joined Royal Education Services under British Raj .  He was  born at Birmingham UK in 1872 and had Studied at local art school and Royal College of Art, ARCA..He did highly commendable  work as  Curator of Lahore Museum and principal of Well known Mayo College of Art  Lahore (1899-1909 ) . Later he joined as principal of *Government  College  of  Arts and Crafts  Calcutta . .He wrote some  monumental  books on Indian Art and  Architecture especially The Budhist Architecture. . Some of his books are:-

1        Indian Painting Under the Mughals A.D.. 1550 to A.D. 1750.

2        Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Period).

3        Indian Architecture: Islamic Period.

4        Primary Sources, Historical Collections: Picturesque Nepal.

                                                                     

 After his retirement  , Dr Percy Brown    settled in Kashmir and  After  the death of his wife Muriel or    Catherine in 1943 , he moved to  live in  a houseboat named Catherine  parked   near Jhelum Bund  close to  the then Srinagar Club . He died in 1955 and  lies buried inside Sheikh Bagh  Cemetery Amira  Kadal Srinagar  ( source  Book .. GRAVEYARDS IN KASHMIR by Eileen Hewson  ).

 In Kashmir , he remained in touch with  some  known  Artists and Painters who would visit him and seek his guidance .  Dr Percy Brown along with S H Raza together  acted like  Patrons and guides to  Artists from kashmir. One such landscape  painter ( Water Colours ) who would visit Dr Brown   was late D N Walli who  had himself  been a student of  *Government  College  of  Arts and Crafts  Calcutta. Dr T K walli son of late shri D N walli ( Artist ) informs ,

"Percy Brow spotted Dina Nath Walli in an art exhibition in Calcutta when he had the glimpses of his water colour landscapes of Kashmir. It was a love at first sight. Later, he became Walli's mentor and advised him to go back to the valley and continue with the difficult medium of transparent water colour landscapes. His association became a big moral booster for Walli, who later excelled in this medium of art and receiving world recognition also. Percy Brown inspired him to organize his first one-man show of his landscapes. The exhibition was held in 1950 at Neodow's Hotel Srinagar and was obviously inaugurated by Walli's mentor."
                                                                         

( Dr Percy Brown ( Left ) with late Shri D N walli Artist . For this rare photograph i remain indebted to Dr T K Walli son of  the Artist .)

Dr  Percy Brown  was a friend of Nehru and also held Gandhi ji in great  esteem. Quite often Dr Percy Brown would tell his visitors  that he  considered himself  an orientalist .Nehru called him  ‘Scholar Extraordinary ’.  

 Dr .Percy Brown was married to Muriel Talbot ( in 1909 ) also known as Catherine or Mrs Percy Brown.   Muriel was the daughter of  Col .Adelberl Cecil Talbot  resident of Kashmir from 1896 to 1900. Muriel’s  aristocrat  family is  connected with Earls of Shrewsbury and more distantly with the Dukes of Devonshire and the John Talbot in Henry VI Part I. .

Catherine or Muriel  was a poetess who had lived in Kashmir with her father  four more than four years .She wrote many poems on the life of kashmiris and beauty of Kashmir which she published in 1921 in a book Titled  CHENAR  LEAVES  from Cacutta after her marriage to Dr Percy Brown. The book was dedicated to her father col. Talbot .

                                                                        

                                

I add five   poems from this book ………..

 PANDITANIS ( Kashmir Pandit women )

With graceful step, erect and slow

Adown the stone-built, broken stair

The panditanis daily go

And on their heads held high they bear

Bright vessels, which they stooping fill

Beneath the bridge's wooden pier:

In pools of clouded amber still

Which gurgle deep and glowing here.

Their movements of unconscious grace

Glint in the Jhelum's flowing stream

Where rich hues shimmering interlace

And in the glancing ripples gleam,

Then with their slender rounded arms

They poise the shining lotus high,

Or bashful, with half feigned alarms

Draw close their veils with gesture shy.

(2)

PRETSI, THE BOATMAN'S DAUGHTER

Your eyes sweet Pretsi ! your soft, earnest eyes

And oval, girlish face will haunting float

Before me still — thus seated in your boat

With dusky hair, in braids Madonna-wise,

The amulet which on your bosom lies,

Those coral beads around your slender throat

With paddle poised : a most enchanting note

For artist's canvas, which he well might

prize.

The picture's in my heart! but Pretsi 's shy

And with a timid grace and bashful sigh

Bends to her task, the boat is passing, yet

She turns and glances back and throws me

there

A lotus bud she'd fastened in her hair

And smiles ; Ah Pretsi ! would I could forget.

(3)

LOTUS FLOWERS ON THE DAL LAKE

Kashmir's soul-flower! thou most sacred

bloom

What wondrous treasure lies within thy

heart?

Deep hidden down amidst that rosy gloom

Thy petals as its guardians do their part.

Om mani padmi hum*

Ah! how can I describe thy beauty rare

To those who have not seen thy gracious

form?

Serene, majestic, yet pulsating there

With love thy full blown petals roseate warm.

Om mani padmi hum.

It desecration seems to pry or gaze

With curious eye upon that calyx gold,

Which tremulous yet glowing doth amaze

Us by the jewelled beauty we behold :

Om mani padmi hum.

♦A Buddhist mantra meaning — "The Jewel of the Flower

of the Lotus."

(4)

THE SHALIMAR BAGH

(A Mughal Garden on the Dal Lake)

Shalimar! Shalimar!

A rythmic sound in thy name rings

A dreamy cadence from afar

Within those syllables which sings

To us of love and joyous days

Of Lalla Rukh! of pleasure feast!

Of fountains clear whose glitt'ring sprays

Drawn from the snows have never ceased

To cast their spell on all who gaze

Upon this handiwork of love

Eeared in Jehangir's proudest days

Homage for Nur Mahal to prove.

For his fair Queen he built these courts

With porphyry pillars smooth and black

Whose grandeur still expresses thoughts

For her that should no beauty lack.

The roses show 'ring o'er these walls

Still fondly whisper love lurks here

And still he beckoning to us calls

By yon Dai's shores in fair Kashmir.

 (5)

A KASHMIR SHAWL

Bich web of woven dreams ! A Kashmir shawl,

Its warp and woof of silky, pliant hair

From choice pashmina goats, beyond the wall

Of far Himalaya brought, with toil and care,

Then dyed in all the subtlest hues which art

For eastern looms could cunningly devise.

And spun in threads so fine, the great world's mart

Of patient skill can show no fairer prize.

The pattern forms methinks a mystic shape

In Jhelum 's windings, or in ' ' tree of life ' ' :

Such blended colours artists' palettes ape

Closer than weaver's shuttle plying strife.

The art is lost! The spirit of this age

In love's laborious crafts will not engage. 

Both Dr Percy Brown and his wife Muriel had enormous love and fascination for kashmir . Infact both were sincere well wishers of kashmiris . But does anybody remember  them in kashmir ? I have my doubts .
I conclude this post with some lines from a Gazal of  Urdu poet Ali Sardar Jafri...

Me Jahaan Tum Ko Bulaataa Huun Vahaan Tak Aao

Meri Nazaron Se Guzar Kar Dil-O-Jaan Tak Aao

Phir Ye Dekho Ki Zamaane Ki Havaa Hai Kaisee
Saath Mere Mere Firdaus-E-Javaan Tak Aao

Phuul Ke Gird Phiro Baag Mein Maanind-e-Naseem

Misl-e-Paravaanaa Kisi Sham-E-Tapaan Tak Aao

Lo Vo Sadiyon Ke Jahannum Ki Hadein Khatm Huyee
Ab Hai Firdaus Hi Firdaus Jahaan Tak Aao

Chhod Kar Vaham-O-Gumaan Husn-E-Yahqeen Tak Pahuncho
Par Yaqeen Se Bhi Kabhi Vaham-O-Gumaan Tak Aao

(  ( Autar Mota ) )

PS

* Rabindranath Tagore stayed here for months and made approx 130 paintings, which were exhibited in the college gallery in 1932. Gurudev ’s brother  Abanindranath Tagore was the Vice-Principal of the college, who  worked towards developing an Indian style of Art, which gave birth to the Bengal school of art,. Notable alumni of this institute include Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Sashi Kumar Hesh,Atul Bose, Debi Prasad Roychoudhuri, Gopal Ghosh, Mukul Dey, Chintamoni Kar, Satyen Ghoshal, Somnath Hore, Rajen Tarafdar, Jainul Abedin, Rananayan Dutta, Hemen Majumdar, Haren Das, Shanu Lahiri, [3] Ganesh Pyne, Ganesh Haloi, Sunil Das, Badhan Das, Samir Mondal, Jogen Chowdhury, Sudip Roy, Pulak Biswas, Niranjan Pradhan & Mrinal Kanti Ray and  Suddhasattwa Basu.  Kashmir’s Noted landscape  Painter   D N Walli has  also been a student  of this college .

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

SHASTRI JI , GENERAL AYUB KHAN , TASHKENT PEACE TREATY AND ALI SARDAR JAFRI'S POEM

LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI 

" Where  has this breed of leaders gone ? "

                                                                        

 (    10th January ,1966......Indian  Prime Minister  Lal Bahadur Shastri  and Pakistan's president  General Ayub Khan after signing of the historic Tashkent  Peace Treaty in Russia .Shastri Ji died in Tashkent, the day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to a heart attack..A Monument and a street is named after him in the city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan.)
                                                                              

                                                                           

I quote noted Journalist  Kuldeep Nayyar " Gen. Ayub was genuinely grieved by Shastri ’Jis death. He came to Shastri  Ji’s room at 4 am and said to me, “here is a man of peace who gave his life for amity between India and Pakistan.” Later, Ayub told the Pakistani journalists that Shastri was one person with whom he had hit it off well; “Pakistan and India might have solved their differences had he lived,”

In his first broadcast as Prime Minister, on 11 June 1964, Shastri said..

"There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands at the cross-roads of history and must choose which way to go. But for us there need be no difficulty or hesitation, no looking to right or left. Our way is straight and clear—the building up of a socialist democracy at home with freedom and prosperity for all, and the maintenance of world peace and friendship with all nations."

Urdu poet Ali Sardar Jafri was so much impressed with this peace initiative in the subcontinent that he wrote a poem Tashkent  ki shaam.. I add some lines to these  photographs.

"Manaao jashn e mohabbat ke khoon ki boo na rahi

Baras ke khul gaye barood ke siyaah badal,

Bujhi bujhi si hai jangon ki aakhiri bijlee

Mehak rahi hai gulaabon se Tashkent ki shaam..

Yeh surkh jaam Hai khubaan e Tashkent ke naam

Yeh sabz jam hai lahore ke haseenon ka

Safed jaam hai Delhi ke dilbaron ke liye

Dhulaa hai jis mein mohabbat ke aaftaab ka Rang..

Kissi ki zulf na ab shaam e gham mein bikharegi

Jawaan khauf ki vaadi se ab na guzareingay

Bhari na jaayegi ab khaak o khoon se maang kabhi

Milegi maa ko na marg e pissar ki khush khabari

Khilengay phool bahut sarhad e tamanaa par

Khabar na hogi yeh nargis hai kis ke aankhon ki

Yeh gul hai kis-ki jabeen kis ka lub hai yeh laala

Yeh shaakh kis ke jawaan baazuvon ki angadaai

Khudaa karay ki yeh shabanam yuun hi baras-tee rahe

Zameen hamesha lahoo ke liye taras-tee rahe ….

And now some thing more on Shastri Ji 's character .

                                                                        

(Lal bahadur Shastri clearing some important files as Prime Minister while Lalita Ji ( his wife) is sitting nearby and reading a book)

“Dekho Lalita .. Yeh Munshi Prem Chand ka Sahitya hai aur yeh Kabir ke dohay hain . Jo Pustak tumhe pasand sa jaaye pad lo . Jahaan kahin bhi kuchh poochhana chaaho mein huun na ”

“ Look Lalita . This is Munshi Prem Chand ‘s literature and this is Kabir ‘s poetry. You can read them . Should you feel any difficulty , I am here to come to your help.”

Shatri Ji was a very  simple man. He would clear important files even at his residence and quite often in the company of his wife Lalita Ji. He had bought her books of Prem Chand and poetry of Kabir and introduced Lalita Ji to the world of literature.

Kuldip Nayar, Shastri media advisor recalls that, during the Quit India Movement, his daughter was ill and he was released on parole from jail. However, he could not save her life because doctors had prescribed costly drugs. Later on in 1963, on the day when he was dropped from the cabinet, he was sitting in his home in the dark, without a light. When asked about the reason, he said as he no longer is a minister, all expenses will have to be paid by himself and that as a MP and minister he didn't earn enough to save for the rainy day. 

                                                                                    

 
( Shastri Ji at Hazrat Bal Dargaah Srinagar January 1964. ) 

Once Shastri  Ji was sent to Kashmir by Nehru  to help resolve the  theft of the holy relic from  the Hazaratbal shrine. Pandit Ji  asked him whether he had enough woolens for the trip. "Are you aware Kashmir must be having snowfall at this time?" asked Nehru.

Shastri Ji showed him his only jacket he was wearing and Nehru immediately gave his own mink overcoat. Shastri Ji was short in stature so he told Nehru the coat was quite long. But Nehru said woolen overcoats were always longer. That no one would know it was a borrowed one. On his return from Kashmir Shastri Ji went to him to return the overcoat, Nehru asked him to keep it but he firmly declined.

When Shastri Ji left or Tashkent on January 3, 1966 for his meeting with Pakistan President Gen Ayub Khan, it was very cold and he was only carrying his usual khadi woollen coat, the book says.

Kosygin then Soviet Union counterpart realized that the coat Shastri wore was not warm enough to ward off the snowy winter winds of central Asia and wanted to present him a Russian overcoat but was not sure how to do so, it says.

"Finally at a function, he presented a Russian coat as a gift to the Prime Minister hoping that he would wear it in Tashkent. Next morning, Kosygin noticed that Shastriji was still wearing the khadi coat which he had brought from Delhi.

Hesitantly, he asked the Prime Minister whether he liked the overcoat which he gave to him," the authors say.

"Shastriji replied in the affirmative and said, 'It is really warm and very comfortable for me. However, I have lent it to one of my staff members who was not carrying a good woolen coat to wear in this severe winter. I will surely use your gift during my future trips to cold countries'," they wrote. Kosygin narrated this incident during his welcome address at a cultural programme organised in honour of Shastri and Khan.

He remarked, "We are Communists but Prime Minister Shastri is a super Communist."

Although Shastri had been a cabinet minister for many years,  he was poor when he died. All he owned at the end was a Fiat  car, which he had bought for rupees 12000/- after raising loan from Punjab National Bank.The loan was unadjusted/  outstanding  on the day of his death . He never owned a house or flat anywhere .

(Avtar Mota)

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

BANSI PARIMU , THE UNSUNG TALENTED ARTIST FROM KASHMIR.... A SMALL TRIBUTE

                                                               

                                                 (Bansi Parimu …Photo source… Jheelaf Parimu Razdan)

     BANSI PARIMU (1933- 1991)

 Bansi Parimu (1933-1991) is one artist from the Kashmir valley, who remains under-exposed despite his profound creativity that not only matches with some eminent artists of his time on the national scene but also surpasses many of them. He learned art by total observation and self-education by putting into practice the Vedic doctrine of ‘Neti- Neti’ in its truest sense. Kashmir had enough to inspire Bansi Parimu. His initial inspiration came from the natural beauty of his native land. Picturesque views with hills, meadows, mountains, valleys, trees, and lakes apart from changing seasons and the variety in flora and fauna attracted him. He started his artistic journey with Kashmir landscapes that could be ascribed to D N Walli‘s initial influence upon him.  Bansi Parimu was possibly the first artist in Kashmir to experiment with encaustic techniques in painting. After experimenting with various forms, Parimu was finally drawn towards abstraction. His abstracts are a combination of organic designs, patterns, swirling shapes, colours, and steadfast consistencies. This consistency is reflected in every painting and also in his entire portfolio of work under this genre.

 While art and painting remained close to his heart, Kashmir remained in his soul. Till his death, he remained steadfast in his concern for his birthplace. Bansi Parimu’s role in facilitating and helping the J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages to host and organize the art camps and workshops is no less a contribution.

EARLY LIFE

The core group of Kashmiri artists lived from Badiyar to Fateh Kadal on either side of the Jhelum River in Srinagar city.  The artists Shiv Nath Raina, Mohan Raina, Ratan Parimoo, S N Butt, D. N. Walli, Kishori Kaul, Triloke Kaul, Som Nath Khosa, Suraj Tiku, Kashi Nath Bhan, A R John, G R Santosh, Maheshwar Nath Dhar, Sant Ji Sultan, J. N. Sapru, Shuben Kaw, Nissar Aziz, Mohi-ud-Din, Vishinath Kampasi, Sat Lal Kampasi and many more lived in this area. Bansi Parimu lived near all these artists in a locality called Sapriyaar near Habba Kadal Bridge.

D N Walli remained a major attraction for Bansi Parimu during his formative years. Observing Walli doing watercolours, Bansi Parimu learned the fundamentals of watercolour painting.  And he began his artistic journey with landscapes done in watercolours. Apart from D N. Walli, Bansi Parimu also kept visiting S N Butt where he got exposed to French impressionism, Cubism, and other modern trends and styles. Butt had been influenced by Picasso, Georges Braque, Vincent Van Gogh, Degas, and Renoir. He had seen their work sometime in 1942 when he went to Mumbai for training in modern art under the well-known artist, G M Salgaonkar. Butt had also been trained by S H Raza in Modern Art. Raza had gifted some books to S N Butt that had paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and many other modern artists. Bansi Parimu found more interest in Butt’s work which he kept observing regularly. Marxism was also a common cord that kept Bansi tied to Butt.  Jaya Parimu (wife of Bansi Parimu) has this to say:-

“   During his formative years, Parimu was highly influenced by Som Nath Butt.  Butt’s main forte was figurative abstracts, homes, roofs, attics, etc. He was a great artist of the century.  He had received praise from British art connoisseurs.”  

 Bansi Parimu also kept visiting Kashi Nath Bhan’s house. Kashi Nath Bhan was a multi-talented person from Kashmir who had been a teacher at the Sir Amar Singh Technical Institute in Srinagar. Later, he joined the Industrial Training Institute at Bagh e Dilawar Khan in Srinagar as an art teacher where his prominent students were Mohammad Sadiq and Nissar Aziz Beg. Kashi Nath Bhan was a much-respected name in the field of theatre and fine arts, especially painting.   Well-known media personality, writer and broadcaster, Padma-shri Pran Kishore Kaul conveyed an anecdote relating to Bansi Parimu’s first meeting with the progressives when this author interviewed him over the telephone in April 2018. He said this:-

“I too was initially inclined towards art. The progressive group comprising Triloke Kaul, S. N. Butt and P. N. Kachru would meet every Friday at a restaurant on the Bund near ‘Suffering Moses ‘export house. This restaurant was opened by Mr Madan, an educated entrepreneur who was also a connoisseur of art. One Friday, possibly in 1954, two young boys also joined us. One was Bansi Lal Parimu and the other was Mohan Lal Moza.  Bansi had brought some paintings along with him. Incidentally, G. R. Santosh had also come that day. This young boy, who later came to be known as Bansi Parimu, had a passion and was different. He was experimenting, and everyone including S. N. Butt felt happy to see his work. That is my first memory of seeing Bansi Parimu. Later, I kept watching this young boy and his work.  His drawing turned robust. He attained an individual style of colour application. These colours were vibrant and attracted attention. He arrived at a pure abstract format after having meandered through landscapes, cubism and figurative abstracts.  He also did some larger works like tableaus.”

About Bansi Parimu’s formative years and struggle, Arvind Gigoo said this:-

“Apart from Kishori Kaul, Sant Ji Sultan, and Nissar Aziz Beg, Bansi Parimu was another regular visitor to our house. He used to see my uncle Dwarka Nath Gigoo Rajkamal often. My uncle was a writer, painter, flautist, palmist, and astrologer. I have seen young Bansi draw sketches in the presence of my uncle. One day Bansi Ji asked me to draw some random lines on a sheet of paper. I drew the lines and handed over the paper sheet to him. He joined all the lines and to my surprise, I saw the sketches of a man, a woman, and a building. It was sheer magic. That day I understood his artistic originality and prowess. As he grew, he picked up trends and styles. I could notice how perfectly and swiftly his fingers moved. This was something gifted and natural. Bansi Ji always kept a close association with anybody and everybody connected with art. This appetite drew him closer to some leading artists of the state.  Later it brought him closer to some renowned artists of the country. His observation was sharp. He was an inquisitive man who had an incredible appetite for learning, assimilation, and experimentation. He learned by observation and scrutiny. He believed in painting, tearing apart the art paper, painting again and again till he was satisfied. He was a perfectionist. He thus practised the centuries-old Vedic doctrine of Neti Neti.  It was a process of self-learning or an appraisal of reality through self-inquiry and investigation.”

Apart from learning from the local artists, Bansi Parimu started looking into art books, magazines, and newspapers to study and learn various techniques, forms, and styles of art.  Austria-based artist Kapil Kaul writes:-

“A young Parimu in his twenties with a keen interest in art was always seen discovering for himself new trends in painting by reading journals and books on art. The western magazines were highly sought after by the educated and the literati. Those days’ periodicals reached the capital Srinagar very late. Hardly did it matter if they were outdated. A progressive and inquisitive mind like Bansi Parimu conceived  new ideas by looking into these magazines.”

POLITICAL ACTIVISM AND CRUSADES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES

Bansi Parimu was a restless crusader of many causes dear to him. One cause that he repeatedly spoke about was the creation of an establishment apparatus that would be sensitive to the needs of the masses in his Kashmir who had been deprived of some basic necessities of life for long. This belief made him support any initiative that would go in favour of installing a pro-people or socialist establishment. However, after 1953, favouritism, nepotism, and corruption, that were meant to be driven away by the Naya Kashmir Manifesto touched newer heights in the Kashmir valley . This created resentment in many circles especially the communist group within the National Conference. He sided with the rebel DNC group .Capt S K Tikoo has this to say:-

“In 1957, when the D.N.C. was launched by organizing a gala event in Gole Bagh Park, Bansi was the key organizer. We experienced unusual snowfall that day. The awning fell on the ground but the organizers stayed at the venue in the snowfall with Bansi Parimu persuading everybody to stay put and not to worry. We worked together for the Communist Party of India. He was also associated with the C.P.I. newspaper ‘Kashmir’. Together we sold its copies in the markets. Then I told him to be away and remain busy with his work. Those were the formative years of the D.N.C. in Kashmir. Many meetings of the D.N.C. took place in his Habba Kadal room cum studio. That ordinary room was his studio, meeting place and bedroom. That time he had not shifted to his new Barzulla house. He was a bachelor. M. L. Misri, K. D. Sethi, Syed Mir Qasim, Ram Pyara Saraf, and many other leaders have visited that room.  Anybody who was somebody in the state’s political hierarchy has visited that room including two former chief ministers. He was always selfless. He thought of amelioration of the sufferings of a common Kashmiri. And communism was great hope. He had a very good camera that was used to capture images of events and episodes. That camera did some wonders for the D.N.C. or Democratic National Conference” .And Arvind Gigoo had this to say:-

“I am certain that if he were not an artist, he would have been a photographer and an accomplished one. He had an imported camera when he was unmarried. I am lucky to have been photographed by him with that camera. He photographed the immovable properties owned by the Bakshi brothers. These photographs were put in a pamphlet that was used by G. M. Sadiq’s D.N.C. against their rival Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad.” 

  However, he found that DNC functioning was no different. He felt disillusioned and soon distanced himself from political issues focusing on his art alone. He acquired practical knowledge of interior decoration, landscaping, and architecture. Some exhibitions in Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, Hyderabad, and New Delhi won him many admirers from among some leading artists of the country who saw his work. And by the dint of his hard work and artistic dexterity, Bansi Parimu attracted the attention of well-known artists including N. S. Bendre and M F Husain. He developed very cordial relations with M.F. Husain. Every time Husain came to Kashmir, Parimu was his companion. He invariably met Bendre whenever he went to Mumbai. Tyeb Mehta was another artist who saw excellent potential and merit in Parimu’s work. Like Tyeb Mehta, M. F. Husain would always advise Parimu to shift to some metropolitan city to be visible. About Husain, Jaya Parimu (wife of Bansi Parimu) said this:-

“In Srinagar, Parimu was M.F. Husain’s companion. We had cordial relations with the entire Husain family. Husain dominated the national art scene for many years yet he was an extremely simple man. He ate very little and loved green leafy Kohlrabi (Monji in Kashmiri) cooked in Kashmiri style. He always carried this vegetable to Mumbai from Kashmir. We saw him last in 1989 when he visited our house at Barzulla. Husain loved to play with children. He spoke to the children in their language. He would always say that childhood is the only malice-free period in a man’s life. He painted a dancing Ganesha and horses for our children. They remain our family’s prized possessions.”  

Bansi Parimu enjoyed his friendship with Sachinda Nagdev (1939-2017), the well-known artist of the abstract genre from Ujjain. Nagdev was considered synonymous with Indian abstract art. Like Parimu, Nagdev’s abstracts are open to multiple interpretations and his colours especially greens, reds, and blues weave magic with their rhythmic patterns and sensitive textural quality. Nagdev was an admirer of   Parimu’s work. Another artist with whom Bansi Parimu had perfect compatibility and friendship was Bimal Dasgupta (1917-1995). Bimal Dasgupta is hailed as one of Bengal's leading abstract painters. When Bimal Dasgupta saw some exhibitions of abstractions done by Parimu, he was impressed.  His deep, sincere and selfless involvement with a cause that was close to his heart got him connected to many societies, groups, and committees. As a leader of the ‘Save Chinar’ movement, he made strenuous efforts to save the Chinar trees that were being cut for widening roads and other construction activities. The Greater Kashmir, a newspaper published from Srinagar, wrote on May 31, 2012:-

 “Observers said that in 1984, the then government led by Ghulam Mohammad Shah had conceived the idea to construct a bridge across Jhelum at Polo View. But as the construction would spoil –The Bund –the heritage walkway on the river banks, the move was resisted tooth and nail by the then civil society, particularly art lovers. Bansi Parimu had threatened to go for self-immolation should the government go ahead with the plan. Parimu is believed to have started a campaign that the concrete bridge would destroy the charm of this only green walkway left in the city.”

BANSI PARIMU:   A BRIDGE CONNECTING KASHMIR WITH   THE EXTERNAL WORLD OF ART

Bansi Parimu’s role in facilitating and helping the J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages to host and organize the art camps and workshops is no less a contribution. He aimed to expose and familiarize local artists with current styles and trends. Most of the Mumbai or Delhi-based artists were personally known to him. Quite often, it was through his support, good offices and help that the J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages was in a position to bring many leading artists of the country to various art camps in the state. These camps were attended by a galaxy of eminent artists of the country like N. S. Bendre, Jagdish Swaminathan, B.C.Sanyal, Rameshwar Broota, Kashmiri Khosa, Shamshad Hussain, Shanko Choudhry, S.H.Raza, Gulam Sheikh, M.F.Husain, Ram Kumar, G. R. Santosh, Manu Parikh, Paramjit Singh, Jatin Dass and many more.  Noted art critic, Santo Datta writes this in the Hindu newspaper on August 3, 1992:-

“One of his memorable contributions is the initiation of an ongoing programme of holding annual artists camp in Srinagar in which artists were invited from all parts of the country. His objective was to start interaction between the artists of Kashmir and those from other states.”

Noted sculptor, Rajendra Tiku said this:-

“Bansi Parimu had a great desire to introduce modern trends to local artists through simple interaction. Husain was quite friendly with him. I have seen them together many times in Srinagar. They were seen together on the fashionable Residency Road or in the India Coffee House. I vividly remember how he brought M. F. Husain to the Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Srinagar for a live demonstration. Many students benefited by observing Husain doing live painting and then interacting with him.”

ART OF BANSI PARIMU

Kashmir had enough to inspire Bansi Parimu. His initial inspiration came from the natural beauty of his native land. Picturesque views with hills, meadows, mountains, valleys, trees, and lakes apart from changing seasons and the variety in flora and fauna attracted him. He started his artistic journey with Kashmir landscapes that could be ascribed to D. N. Walli‘s initial influence upon him.  Whether depicting landscapes or human figures, Bansi Parimu’s formal vocabulary is consistent during this period. I mean the use of colours and a strong flavour of the rootedness of his art. This rootedness is visible in the paintings that depict the morning scene of ‘Kathi Darwaza’ or ‘Tahar Distribution’ (yellow rice distribution) and many more similar works. Bansi Parimu loved painting Kashmir’s pluralistic and shared culture. He remained involved in this activity for some time before he moved to figurative abstracts. 

Bansi Parimu lost his mother when he was barely ten years of age. The mother’s loss of a child is bound to create some deep inadequacy within. The torment was reflected in his work. He never abandoned painting Kashmiri women. He painted their pain, gloom, silence, helplessness, and hope. He painted elderly Burqa-clad women in conversation on the road.  He painted women sharing the joys and sorrows of life. He also painted women in an assembly sharing grief and wailing.

 ‘Wailing Women’ and ‘The Grief Within’ are the result of some deep childhood impressions on his mind. Grieving women, a pitcher of water, a firepot/Kangri, Pheran, a clothesline for hanging clothes (Villinj in Kashmiri), Taranga/ladies' headgear and a dry hay mat (Voguv in Kashmiri) are visible in this painting. This painting is very close to Kashmir’s recent past. His painting titled ‘Three Musicians’   done in figurative abstract format was much appreciated. The art critic, Suneet Chopra wrote about Bansi Parimu’s figurative abstracts in the Telegraph on April 4, 1992:-

“Figurative art is conscious communication. But it is all the more powerful when what is felt is something deeply rooted in the artist. Then the structure, the palette, abstract forms and figurative references all blend in his best works that make Bansi Parimu ‘s work memorable.”

Bansi Parimu was also engaged by the J&K Government to prepare the State’s tableaus (See Photo M 14) that were displayed on the Republic Day parade at New Delhi. One such tableau was done by him during Jawahar Lal Nehru’s tenure as prime minister. Nehru was very happy to see the concept and design of that tableau. He not only admired the work but also invited Bansi Parimu to Teen Murti over a cup of tea.  In this meeting, Parimu presented a painting to Nehru. Parimu did some large murals and installations in the Middle East where he stayed for about two years during the late seventies of the twentieth century. He worked in  Oman and Muscat. Doha, Dubai and some other places.

After experimenting with various forms, Parimu was finally drawn towards abstraction. His abstracts are a combination of organic designs, patterns, swirling shapes, colours, and steadfast consistencies. This consistency is reflected in every painting and also in his entire portfolio of work under this genre. In abstract art, Parimu demonstrates a flair for green, blue, red and yellow colours that are warm and conspicuous.  And Parimu has never tried to infuse dullness in his colours.  In  Parimu’s abstracts, you may not find recognizable objects and given the habit of assigning meaning to what we see, we may end up saying, ‘there is nothing to grasp or hold on to’ once we see his work. But that is a layman’s generalization and not the truth. The truth is, that every abstract that Parimu has done has its basis, form, colour, line, pattern, composition and process. His work in this genre is an exploration of these formal qualities meant to create a visual experience. And then reality is subjective, and it’s up to a viewer to define it.

 Bansi Parimu had also done a self-portrait and an impressive portrait of his father. He was also commissioned by the  J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages to draw portraits of some icons of Kashmir in the fields of art, culture, and  Politics. He did some portraits for friends and relations. He also did some impressive portraits of the members of UAE’s royal family.

                                                               

   ( Portrait of a Member of UAE’s  Royal Family by Bansi Parimu …Source…Jheelaf Parimu Razdan )

 In the wake of armed militancy in Kashmir, Bansi Parimu was forced to leave the valley and live as an exile. Leaving Kashmir was not easy for him. It meant moving away from a culture that evolved over five thousand years. No man is born twice and no man can live on memories. And no flowering and fragrant plant grows in the heat and dust of the alien lands should it be uprooted. Cobwebs of Apathy, Smeared Snows, The Red Divide, Red Knows No Creed, Flying Kangri, Exodus I, Exodus II, Charging Rams and many more are creations of this deep-rooted feeling of his homelessness and the bloodshed in his native land. The painful dislocation had a perceptible influence on his health and work. This period constitutes the last phase of his creative activity even when his hands were crippled by arthritis. His work during this phase shows a sudden transformation from the abstract concretization to the metaphor of ‘Homelessness and Exile’ presented through some figurative abstracts. An expression of pain, suffering, and solidarity with thousands driven out from the peaceful and salubrious environs of the valley and pushed to the heat and dust of the plains and made to start life from scratch remained his committed engagement during this phase. His work of the last phase ‘The Red Divide’ is a powerful portrayal of innocent women trapped in fires and a river of blood. Looking helpless and frightened, the Kashmiri women shown in the painting are wearing the traditional Taranga (headgear) and Pheran (cloak).

Bansi Parimu’s work is on display at various galleries in India and abroad including the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi (See Photo PA 19), Indian Academy of Fine Arts, Amritsar and Contemporary Gallery of Art, Kolkata. His work is also on display inside Delhi College of Art, the British Bank of Middle East (Dubai and Kuwait) and the Hearst newspaper office (Cairo). Many foreign diplomatic missions in India have Parimu’s paintings on display. Many private collectors in India and abroad have fascinating Parimu abstracts. Some private hospitals prominently display his work like the green abstract displayed in the cardiac unit of Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai. His paintings were also used by UNESCO for their cards. The Gallery of Modern Art, Chandigarh has his work on display. Two paintings of Bansi Parimu were prominently displayed at the J&K Governor’s house.

 Bansi Parimu’s work needs to be examined in various phases as it evolved. Parimu’s artistic journey was aptly described by Shantiveer Kaul when this author interviewed him at his Gurugram residence in 2018. He said:-

“Bansi Parimu started with landscapes, experimented with cubism, moved to figurative style and finally settled at pure abstracts. When he painted Kashmir, it always had a deep cultural shade or story to convey. I mean his paintings like ‘Kathi Darwaza’ or ‘Wailing Women ‘or ‘Tahar (Yellow rice) Distribution’ reflect the culture of Kashmir. He had the material to impress artists on the national scene. I have watched him at work. His long fingers used to wield the brush like a violinist and surgeon combined in one. Unfortunately, those long fingers got afflicted with arthritis once he returned from some Gulf assignment. After the displacement from Kashmir, his last exhibition was held in Delhi. M.K. Raina, the known theatre personality and I helped him to set up that exhibition at the Sridharni Art Gallery. It was comparable to any greatest exhibition in the world. Many people, artists   and  art connoisseurs  visited that exhibition.”

                                                         

                             (M F Husain wrote on 01.01.2001 about Bansi Parimu  ...Source … Jaya Parimu   )

 About his work well-known artist M F Husain wrote this:-

“A dedicated painter from Kashmir whom I came to know from my early sixty visits. We became friends .His work gained stature. That could reflect  beauty and turmoil of Kashmiri people . The colour, the sound of its landscape creates an orchestra of nature’s bounty . Parimu’s paintings keep singing the song of creation that is Kashmir on our planet.”

                                            

                                    

 

                                            

                                 (Morning scene at Kathi Darwaza by By Bansi Parimu.. Source …Jheelaf Parimu Razdan)

 About Bansi Parimu’s art, Krishna Chaitanya writes this in his monumental book “A HISTORY OF INDIAN PAINTING – MODERN PERIOD (pages 247-248)’:-

“Late Bansi Parimu created more complex forms. Linear forms that straddle the frame, creating balancing directional thrusts. The areas of uniform colour have been given soft, pearly finish and isolated by contouring which often suggest the relief of cloisonné enamel but without the use of ridges of impasto. In other areas, mottled effects and textures have been obtained in various ways: light roll ring over the ground colour with a different one, using the back of the brush for calligraphic arabesques, using the gauze overlays.”

 

About Bansi Parimu’s abstracts, Wasim Mushtaq Wani writes this in his ‘Thesis on Modern Art in Kashmir’:-

“Parimu shares more with the classical formalists like Paul Klee or the Indian abstractionists like Gaitonde, Shanti Dave and Jeram Patel.  Except for the ungeometric and often referential mode of Parimu’s paintings, his compositional arrangement is also quite close to that of Prabhakar Kolte.”

 

                                                  

                                              (The Wailing Women by By Bansi Parimu.. Source …Jheelaf Parimu Razdan)                                                                                             

                                                          (A figurative Abstract by Bansi Parimu Source …Jheelaf Parimu Razdan)                                                 

    (The Red Divide 1990 By Bansi Parimu.. Source …Jheelaf Parimu Razdan)                           

                                                (   An Abstract Painting of Bansi Parimu Source …NGMA, New Delhi)

 SHOWS EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS

The details of some key shows and exhibitions held by Bansi Parimu are as under:-

1. Progressive Artists Association Exhibition of 1952 in Srinagar.

2. J&K Artists Group Exhibition in 1963.

3. Kashmir Art Society Exhibition in 1957.

4. Five Painters, Srinagar Exhibition in 1963.

5. Bombay and New Delhi Exhibitions in 1964.

6 He participated in many ‘All India Exhibitions’ from 1958 held at Srinagar, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Kolkata

Mumbai, and other places. He also joined the National Exhibition of Art/Lalit Kala Akademi Exhibitions

regularly from 1962

7 He participated in the ‘Indian Art Exhibition 1972’ held in San Francisco (USA), The Third Triennale India (1974), ‘The International Exhibition of Art 1977’ held in Copenhagen, ‘The British Council Art Exhibition 1977’ held in Dubai, ‘The LKA National Camp 1987’ held at Lucknow and ‘The Ankara Biennale 1988’ held in Turkey. He held many one-man shows in Srinagar and outside the state. Some important shows in this category are:-

 Ambala 1954, New Delhi 1959, 1960, 1965, 1973, 1975, 1986, 1987, 1988  and 1990, Bombay 1963, 1974, 1982 and 1986, Lucknow 1964 and 1965, Ahmedabad 1969, Kolkata  1959 and 1966.

 A commemorative exhibition of Bansi Parimu’s work was organised by the Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi in February 1992. This show drew rave reviews in the national press. A commentary cum review on this show was written by noted art critic, Keshav Malik which was published in the Times of India on February 26, 1992.

His family also held a ‘Retrospective Show’ of his work at the Nehru Centre, Kala Ghorra, Mumbai in December 2001. This show was attended by many leading artists and connoisseurs of art. The exhibition showcased various works of the artist done in figurative and pure abstract language. It was widely covered by print and electronic media.

Bansi Parimu received ‘The 1955  Industrial Exhibition (Srinagar) 1st Prize’, ‘The J&K Academy Exhibition 1st Prize’ (1960-1968-1969-1970 and 1971), ‘Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad Award (1961)’, ‘Tagore Exhibition Award’ at Amritsar and  Kolkata  (1961), ‘Indian Academy of Art (Amritsar) Award’ (1961), ‘AIFACS,  New Delhi Award’ (1964), ‘Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata  Award’ (1965). ‘Gold Medal and Governor’s Award’ was presented posthumously to him in 1994

                                                                         

                                     (Bansi Parimu with artist Sachida Nagdev  in 1970.  Photo source ... Jheeelaf Razdan Parimu )

                                    

                      (   "The Grief Within".. Wailing Women   By Bansi Parimu 1991...Source ...Jheelaf Parimu Razdan )                                              

                                                                   ( Oil On Canvas   By Bansi Parimu...Source... Internet  )

                                                                   ( Landscape by Bansi Parimu 1958 Source ...Internet )

                                                                                                                                              

                                                                   ( Oil on Canvas 1983..Pure Abstract  ..Bansi Parimu  )
                                                

                                                                      ( Young Bansi Parimu )                                                                        

                                ( Bansi Parimu, Sufi Ghulam Mohammad (. Ved Bhasin(,Shamim Ahmed Shamin( .. 1965 , All India Tour )

                                                                                  (Bansi Parimu and Shamim Ahmed Shamin ) 

                                                           ( Bansi Parimu standing on the Frozen surface of Dal Lake)

                                                                             

                                                                        ( Bansi Parimu with Nehru ...Photo source Jheelaf Razdan )

 

( Bansi Parimu with Satish Gujral ...Photo source Jheelaf Razdan )

                                                                              

          

                                                       ( Cobwebs of Apathy 1991  Bansi Parimu )

                                                ( Tahar Distribution in Kashmir....An early work of Bansi Parimu )                                

                                          ( Tableau of J&K State created by  Bansi Parimu for Republic Day Parade. )

EXILE AND DEATH

 The armed militancy OF the 1990s brought days of darkness and gloom. It brought innumerable hardships, pain, and suffering for the common masses. Fear, death, destruction, and darkness defined Kashmir after 1990. Many young boys were sucked into this armed militancy resulting in lifelong pain to their parents. Smiles on the faces of many mothers were replaced by tears and sighs. Every day, one saw local newspapers full of resignations by mainstream political workers to save their lives. Posters that contained threatening messages to all the Kashmiris, were pasted on the walls throughout the valley. People were directed to follow the Islamic rules which included abidance by the strict Islamic dress code, total prohibition on alcohol and closure of cinemas and video parlours. Fear ruled and silenced all liberal voices. Fear made people submit to the diktats of the armed militants who directed them to wipe out the word INDIA from all the commercial signboards that were painted green. People were asked to reset their watches to the Pakistan Standard Time. Parimu finally decided to leave the valley. Jaya Parimu said this:-

“With the closure of schools and colleges in the Kashmir valley, the education of my daughters was badly hit. We left the valley for Jammu to ensure the continuity of the education of our children.  We had never thought that we would not return to our house. My husband returned to Srinagar. He still hoped that things would change for the better. But that was not to be so. For days, he could not move out of his house. With no medicines, no petrol in the vehicle and total negativity in the air, he felt choked. Deaths and destruction made him restless. Most of his friends had moved out and there was no social interaction. Close friends suggested to him that he should leave Kashmir because anything could happen at any time. He lived alone with our trusted domestic help. And finally in June 1990, very reluctantly, he moved out. He was pained to see frightened Kashmiri Pandit children and women running for safety in trucks with suitcases and blankets. In Jammu, I asked him, ‘What have you brought along with you?’ He said, ‘I got some essentials, some paintings, and the car. I left all those expensive clothes, Pashmina, Persian carpet, and other valuables.’  He was depressed and wanted to go back. I had not received my salary. Banks in the valley were closed. Transferring money from the valley banks to Jammu was a tough job. Even if you had your money in Srinagar bank, there was no way to draw and use it. ‘Did you get your salary?’  He asked.   I said, ‘no’. He had no money and sold his car in Jammu for twenty thousand rupees. I didn’t ask him anything. With that cash and our elder daughter Jheelaf, he left for Delhi. He was restless and in a shock.”

In Delhi, Bansi Parimu had many causes, many worries, and many involvements that left him with little time to attend to his ailments. Arthritis had already afflicted his hands and fingers. He was diabetic. The hot, humid and hostile climate of the plains had an adverse impact on him.  Although he remained busy in Delhi yet his life was full of pain and restlessness. He had never lived in the hot and humid climate of the plains. He had to run for so many issues in the scorching heat or choking humidity. He was seen in the rallies of Kashmiri sufferers. Despite losing everything he never lost his objectivity and clarity. In the Times of India  Interview that he gave to Shamsul Islam in July 1991 which was published by the newspaper on  August  4, 1991, under the title  ‘Donkeys  Grazing on a Saffron Field’, he said this:-

“I am yet to settle down in Delhi. Most of my time is consumed in running from one place to another for ration card, gas, and admission of my daughter to a college. Rules don’t mention that migrants will arrive from Kashmir so the bureaucracy is insensitive.”

With an unhealed wound of exile, Bansi Parimu fell victim to many secondary health problems that cut short his life. A small neglected wound on his foot turned gangrenous. Even after amputation, he could not be saved. He was admitted to A.I.I.M.S. (New Delhi) on July 28, 1991, and he breathed his last within 24 hours. He was 58 years old at that time. On his death, Sabina Sehgal wrote in the Times of India on August 4, 1991:-

“Parimu will be long remembered for his unstinting support not merely to the cause of art and the artist, but also for his deep association with all the contemporary movements in the state. He was among the very few painters who voluntarily chose to stay in Kashmir despite being isolated from the mainstream, as it were. He never regretted his decision even though he was, in a sense, elbowed out and did not get the national recognition that he truly deserved.”

Noted artist Kashmiri Khosa had this to say:-

“For me, he was like a Guru. Long back, I met him in the Middle East perhaps in Dubai. He was intense in everything that he did. Intense for any cause and intense with colours. Always brilliant with colours and in conversation. Had he lived, he would have done wonders (Zinda rehtay to kamaal kartay). Unfortunately, he came to Delhi in very bad shape when he was uprooted from his homeland. Had it been in the sixties or seventies of the last century, he would have been among the top names in the world of art. He was politically aware and  very much concerned about Kashmir which was close to his heart.”

The clouds of hate and distrust brought forth by the armed militancy in the Kashmir valley have disfigured the faces of all icons. For sure these clouds have to dispel one day and a new dawn has to usher in peace and happiness.  At that time, will the Kashmiri society remember its real icons and their contribution? Will history remember them?

 

(Avtar Mota)

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