PM Modi hands over memorial gifts to Australian, Japanese PM and US President

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan for the Quad summit is set to conclude today. During his visit, Mr. Modi met Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, and US President Joe Biden. As a goodwill gesture on behalf of Indians, PM Modi gifted Gond Art Painting to the Australian PM, a Wooden Handcarved box with Rogan Painting to the Japanese PM, and Sanjhi Art to the US president.

PM Modi’s gift to Australian PM: Gond Art Painting

Gond paintings are one of the most admired tribal art form. The word ‘Gond’ comes from the expression ‘Kond’ which means ‘green mountain’.

These painting, created by dots and lines, have been a part of pictorial art on walls and floors of Gonds and it is done with the construction and re- construction of each and every house, with locally available natural colors and materials like charcoal, coloured soil, plant sap, leaves, cow dung, lime stone powder, etc.

Gond art is considered very similar to Aboriginal art of Australia. The Aborigines have their own stories like the Gonds do about creation.

These two art forms are divided by thousands of miles of physical distance between their creators but are closely united and connected in its sentimentality and emotional core which are the definitive features of any art form.

PM Modi’s gift to President of US: Sanjhi Art

Sanjhi, the art of hand cutting designs on paper, is a typical art form of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, the legendary home of Lord Krishna. Traditionally motifs from Lord Krishna stories are created in stencils. These stencils are cut free hand using scissor or a blade. The delicate Sanjhi is often held together by thin sheets of paper.

This intricate Sanjhi Panel famous based on theme of Thakurani Ghat from Mathura by a National Awardee.

PM’s gift to Japan PM: Wooden Handcarved box with Rogan Painting

This art object is a combination of two different arts-Rogan painting and wooden hand carving.

Rogan painting, is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat. In this craft, paint made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes is laid down on fabric using either a metal block (printing) or a stylus (painting). The craft nearly died out in the late 20th century, with Rogan painting being practiced by only one family.

The word ‘Rogan’ comes from Persian, meaning varnish or oil. The process of making Rogan painting is very laborious and skilful. Artists place a small amount of this paint paste into their palm. At room temperature, the paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the artisan folds his designs into a blank fabric, thereby printing its mirror image. In effect it is a very basic form of printing. Previously the designs were simple and rustic in nature but with the passage of time the craft has become more stylized and now is regarded as a high art form.

Hand carving on wood is an intricate art inspired by traditional jali designs taken from famous monuments of India. The designs are created by the experts in the most synchronized manner. The skill of wood carving is an example of the excellent craftsmanship & rich tradition of India.