This exhibition in Delhi shares unknown facts pertaining to India’s culture and features restoration, preservation and protection projects undertaken by InterGlobe Foundation.
You must have heard of Odissi but can you explain the meaning of the various mudras showcased in this dance? Do you know how art, dance and music of one state is different from the rest? Or can you highlight the differences between a nafiri and a shehnai? If these questions make you bite your nails, you should head to the India International Centre in Delhi.
InterGlobe Foundation, in a 10-day long exhibition titled ‘Tangible Conversations, Intangible Heritage’ is providing some of the unknown facts pertaining to India’s culture. These facts pertain to Indian art, dance, craft and music via text, photographs, videos, installations and visual demonstrations. The foundation documented, researched and mapped the materials to help people learn about India’s lost stories.
The exhibition is divided into three parts. It provides an insight on the foundation’s innumerable restoration projects. The foundation works closely with different stakeholders in the restoration, preservation and protection of India’s monuments.
Dr Monica Banerjee, Head, InterGlobe Foundation, while talking about the exhibition says, “This is the first time we are showcasing these works. It is our way of sharing the efforts we took under the built, natural and cultural heritage.”
Built heritage deals with the support the foundation provided in restoration of monuments. Since 2014, the foundation has undertaken several such projects. The exhibition offers a platform to textually and photographically understand about the restoration drives it took since its inception.
“Our first restoration project was Abdur Rahim Khan-I-Khanan’s tomb in Delhi in 2014. It took us six years to restore it. We employed people for two years for this project. It also brought the community closer while the restoration work was ongoing. The foundation also restored ‘Indra Kund’ (a heritage stepwell in Rajasthan),” shares Banerjee.
Natural heritage deals with providing resources, such as water and land, to people, and cultural heritage deals with documenting about India’s art and craft.
The exhibition also features the foundation’s journey of work and two of the research projects undertaken by the selected fellows. These include research on ‘Reviving the lesser known and sidelined musical instruments: Shreekhol, Taus, and Nafiri’ and ‘Beyond the geological magnanimity: Cultural landscape of Lonar Crater.’
The show can be viewed till June 6 from 11 am to 7 pm. InterGlobe Foundation was launched in 2010 and since its inception, it has focused on heritage. It was conceived as a philanthropic part of a conglomerate called InterGlobe Enterprises.