A show of wildlife pictures
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A heritage chatram (relaxation home) close to the historic Perur Patteeswarar temple lights up on a quiet night with shows of arresting pictures, and conversations, all themed on wildlife and Nature. “The langurs, squirrels and caterpillars live in the magic house, the forest. How can you snatch it away from them?” asks environmental activist Bittu Sahgal at his discuss whereas inaugurating Vaiyam, a curated show of pictures clicked the world over by photographers from the area.
Bittu Sahgal
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Bittu Sahgal is amongst India’s pioneering conservation and setting journalists, who began the publication of Sanctuary Asia in 1981, after being concerned with India’s tiger conservation efforts within the Seventies. As he peppers his discuss with references to the jungle as nadhi ka maa (mom of river) and the orange black striped massive cat as ‘striped water god’ revered by ancestors, he says, “We tell such stories to children during Kids for Tigers, an environmental education programme for schools that reaches out to millions of students. I want to apologise to the younger generation for handing over a wounded planet.”
The environmental activist says that his technology has tampered with the “infrastructure of Nature”, the mountains, hills, and water our bodies. “Oceans have been destroyed, mountains ravaged, grasslands have vanished, and the glaciers are melting fast. It is time for artists, storytellers, performing artistes to use art to tell people what can be done to repair the planet.”
He additionally spoke on the ecological implications of dams constructed throughout rivers. “The cost benefit ratios of the existing dams have not been fulfilled but more dams are being built. Fight climate change, generate jobs, improve GDP, and repair dams that aren’t working.”
Artists have to alter human ambitions in direction of obeying the biosphere and studying to dwell with Nature. “I have read poems of Wordsmith and also the Rig Veda. All our inspirations, art, dance forms, and crafts originates from Nature. Got to a forest and look at a plant, and all your troubles will go away.”
Photographs displayed at Vaiyam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Expressing hope, he says the biosphere is a self repairing machine and the entire planet is designed to bounce again. He provides, “The ocean, corals, and the forest will restore itself if we don’t degrade it further.”
The exhibition is organised by Coimbatore Creative Collective (CCC) together with Kumaraguru College of Liberal Arts and Science. Vaiyam showcases as many as 100 pictures, from aerial pictures of mammals and birds within the wild to landscapes and on animal behaviour. “With events like this, the CCC aims to put Coimbatore in the art space,” says Aakash Selvan from the collective.
Source: www.thehindu.com
