Artist Ahmed decorates a pandal to a fine art

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 3: An art has its own language and medium. When the art work of an artist depicts something, the entire theme of the piece becomes visible. Here is a piece of an art work of noted art director Nuruddin Ahmed, aimed at bringing about awareness against drugs.

The piece of art work of Ahmed is the Bishnupur Sarbajanin Durga Puja Pandal and idols. The idols and the pandal of the puja committee have been constructed under the guidance of the noted art director. As many as 32 workers have been working under his direction for the past two months so as to make the very theme of the art work clearly get across. The noted artist has been assisted by his two sons –Raj Ahmed and Deep Ahmed. The materials used in the art work are bamboo, coarse bamboo mats, sacs, parish etc.

The thematic presentation of the idols and the pandal is – a 70-foot-tall idol of the Goddess stands atop the globe. Mahishasur has been depicted as the symbol of all evils like drugs, liquor, etc. A whip-like rope comes out from the Goddess, wraps the body of Mahishasura and ties him tight. A number of hands depicting evil forces have also protruded from Mahishasura. The lion, which the Goddess is riding on, is made up of a number of hands, depicting united efforts by the stakeholders of society to defeat the evil mece like drug paddling.            

The entrance below the standing Goddess leads visitors to an art work depicting as to how various organs of the human body are being damaged by drugs, liquor and other rcotics.

Talking to this reporter, Ahmed said: “The drug mece has gobbled up the entire world, and Assam is no different. A section of people of the State, especially those belonging to the younger generation, has gone astray. Through this Durga Puja pandal and idols I’ve just made a humble effort to bring about awareness against the drug mece. I’ve been on the job of making idols and pandals for the past 41 years.”

When asked on the practice of hiring artisans and artists from outside the State, the noted art director said: “Yes, Assam lacks artisans and artists. However, what we lack more is confidence on the part of the artisans and artists, and the confidence of the puja committees on the local artisans and artists. The reality is that the people of Assam shy away from facing the challenge. Even though a few artisans and artists have come forward in the field, they are more inclined to quick buck. They’re on the lookout for easy money.”

Ahmed further said: “Roughly Rs 20-25 crore from Guwahati and around Rs 80 crore from the entire State go outside Assam in every Durga Puja Festival. This is not all. The puja committees put more efforts on competitions, leading to an inclition towards the material world. Spirituality is lagging far behind.”