Artist Ruchin Soni made a photo-realistic mural of Pandit Birju Maharaj in Delhi's Lodhi Colony. The mural celebrates the magnificent persona of Pandit Birju Maharaj, a leading exponent and torch-bearer of the Kathak dance form in India and an outstanding vocalist and a singer par excellence. He was adept at playing a number of musical instruments. A superb drummer, he was especially fond of playing the Tablo and Nool. He was also a talented painter and gifted poet. Artist Soni, who conceptualised this mural, hails from a family of traditional painters in Gujarat. The e𝓀xecution of this mur♕al has been made possible by Trivendra Prasad.
Artist Yip Yew creates interactive sections in the painting which invite viewers to become𝓰 a part of the mural - from having a cup of tea to becoming a part of the barber shop.
Yip Yew uses his semi-realistic style to paint a mural inspired by the sights, sounds, and 𓆉smells of Lodhi Colony.
Yip Yew upon his arrival took a stroll across the bustling neighbourhood market and the nearby Lodhi Garden where he saw c✅olorful 😼shawls and smelled the aroma of sweet masala chai (tea) and ymithaaiz (sweets).
Through this mural, the artist triggers a sense of nostalgia for the passersby. The simplicity that is still part of Lodhi's landscape, from the sound of a flute seller to the ubiquitous sights of cows and children studying on open terraces, has disap💛peared from many neighbourhoods in New Delhi. Therefore, this mural is Yip Yew's way of offering a moment frozen in time in which everyone can reminisce on their own memories. It also celebrates Lodhi Colony as a heartwarming neighbourhood in which community living is still a big part of life, something that is to be admired. and preserved.
