The new Parliament appears to be high on the symbolism of gender justice. Apart from the women’s quota Bill becoming the first Bill to be tabled after the move to the new building, it also sports art which celebrates the contribution of grassroots women.
A signature wall called the ‘Jan Janani Janmabhoomi’ which adorns the Central Foyer of Parliament was assembled by 75 women artisans from across the country. Similarly, certain themes in the ‘Shilpa Dirgha’ (crafts gallery) also celebrate womanhood and their everyday contributions to society.
The ‘Jan Janani Janmabhoomi’ wall was made at a workshop set up in the ‘Nari Shishu Kalyan Parishad’ located at Stadium Road, Madhubani in Bihar.
Signature work
The city of Madhubani, which has gained world-wide fame for art, saw a unique congregation of grassroot level 75 women artisans from across the country. The artisans adorned the wall made of Banana Pulp with representative crafts from 28 states and 8 Union Territories.
According to Sharad Kumar of Lalit Kala Akademi, who was one of the anchors of the project, the use of Banana fibre pulp to create a papier mache wall was unique and attempted for the first time. “Banana Pulp has a special adhesive quality which can hold the piece together”.
Some of the other ingredients used to create the wall are Tamarind seed powder, Multani mitti, fenugreek seed powder, cow-dung, acacia glue and other natural gums while art work involved the use of natural colours prepared from Red oxide (geru/lal mitti), Yellow ocher (pili mitti), Black soil (kaali mitti), White Clay (doodhi mitti), and other types of flowers and leaves.
“This wall is a striking example of creative endeavour beautifully gelled with values of life expressed by the women of India,” said Dr Sachidanand Joshi, Member-Secretary of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts which curated the artwork in the new Parliament building.
The ‘Shilp Deergha’ (Crafts Gallery) which was conceptualised with 8 themes of parv (festival), swabalamban (self-reliance), prakriti (nature), ullas (joy), gyan (wisdom), samrasta (harmony), astha (faith) and yatra (journey) also highlights many women-centric themes.
For example, Ullas (joy) was depicted through motherhood. Special quilts embroidered by women from 45 areas across the country were stitched together to potray their happiness at being blessed with children.
Artwork begain in 2022
Artwork at the new Parliament cost approximately ₹200 crore.
Planning and implementation of the artwork began in February 2022 when a high-powered committee met for the first time .
The committee headed by Union Culture Secretary Govind Mohan comprised of eminent artistes, historians, sculptors and architects. Bimal Patel whose HCP Design, Planning and Management, designed the Central Vista project gave a presentation on the layout of the new building to those present. The project was executed by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.
The new Parliament building has six guardian statues: Gaja, Ashwa, Garuda, Makar, Shardula and Hams. These man the ceremonial and public entrances. The three ceremonial entrances are for use by the President, the Vice-President, the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led all Members of Parliament to the new Parliament building through the entrance which bears the Makar statue.
