Urusvati hosts a memorable cultural evening for art & music lovers

By Bipin Sharma

Urusvati Museum of Ancient Folklore recently hosted a memorable cultural evening for art & music lovers at its premises in Shikohpur, Sector 78, Gurugram. Having successfully established itself as a destination for hosting varied genres of art and cultural exhibitions, programs and events, the evening of art exhibition of 20 fresh large paintings by students of the Institute and ghazal melodies added another feather to Urusvati’s cap.
The event was graced by the presence of Chief Guest of the event IPS Robin Hibu (Spl. Commissioner of Delhi Police) and retired senior bureaucrats.
The highlight of the evening was the melodious ghazal performance by singers Jyotsna Rana and Sanjeev Aggarwal that enthralled the music lovers.

In the last two decades of its existence, Urusvati Centre for Contemporary Art has played a significant role in promoting Art & Culture, as well as many upcoming talented artists of the country.

The captivating green ambience with the terrocota and Jasmine gardens, overlooking the picturesque Aravallis adds distinctive charm to Urusvati.

Urusvati Museum of timeless Folklores depicts the rich legacy of five Northern States of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.

The two spacious Art galleries, each measuring 6000 Sq.ft houses a unique collection of over two hundred paintings. The works of eminent Indian artists such as Dhiraj Chaudhari, Subroto Kant, Phalguni Dasgupta, Datta Raya Apte, Hemraj Subbana are exhibited in this gallery.

In an exclusive chat, Komal Anand (IAS retd) & Director of Urusvati Centre for Contemporary Art shared, “Urusvati has been hosting cultural programs & Artist’s camps, since the last many years with the key objective of providing a robust platform for both the eminent and the upcoming singers & artists for exhibiting their talent and creativity. Ranging from a daylong camp, we have organized as long as a 15 day camp. We have excellent lodging facilities for artists and cultural performers. After the completion of the camps, works of participating artists are exhibited in the spacious art Galleries of Urusvati for public display. Besides organizing artist camps, we have also been hosting cultural programs such as classical dance performances, musical concerts and puppet shows. Urusvati has carved a niche for itself as a popular destination for art and cultural events thanks to its spectacular ambience. The stunning Jasmine gardens, the water bodies, the terracotta gardens, the tranquility, and the vast abundant spaces all around add a great deal of elegance, serenity and resplendence to the place. Urusvati was conceptualized to promote the ancient cultural legacy of our country. We are thankful to the sponsors for appreciating and recognizing the essence of Artist’s camp.
The government sector, the Corporates, the big business houses and the MNCs have a vital role in supporting the cause of promoting art and culture of the country. Artists have been bringing laurels to the nation since time immemorial, and thus they must be duly supported. At Urusvati, one of our key endeavour is also to help economically impoverished talented artists by providing them space and resources in Urusvati, in addition to promoting their creations. Year 2023 is going to be all activity oriented as we will be organizing numerous art and cultural events.”

Chief Guest IPS Robin Hibu, Spl Commissioner of Delhi Police said, “Urusvati Art Centre is an ideal destination for artists and all the creative people. It’s a place far away from the madding world, and the Urusvati team must exercise due diligence in promoting the place among masses especially for the student fraternity. Educational tours should be organized for the young minds as the place offers so much to learn about the rich ancient cultural history and legacy of our country. The Urusvati Museum of ancient folklore is one of its kind, with core focus on tales of folklore and ballads based on legends, stories of kings and queens and heroic deeds of warriors. It depicts famous folk tales of love, valor and courage through mesmerizingly beautiful paintings and expressive sculptures. It would do a
world of good if North Eastern states too get their due representation and recognition in this place. The dream of New India cannot be fulfilled without the North East states as their contribution is extremely critical for India’s growth.”

Art critic Sarveshwar Pathak observed, “The legendary love stories of Sohni Mahiwal, Heer Ranjha, Mirza Sahiban, Padmavati Ratansen find due prominence in the museum. The folktales from Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh provide an invaluable insight into the wonderful world of Indian folk culture.”

(Urusvati is located at Madhuram, village Shikohpur, district Gurgaon (12km from Rajiv Chowk), amidst a Jasmine garden covering six acres of lush greenery with beautiful walkways. The Museum is located 8 kms from Gurgaon city on the NH-8 to Jaipur, before Manesar. The museum is housed in a haveli, with Aravalli range forming a majestic backdrop).