Deccani sultanates during the 16{+t}{+h}and 19{+t}{+h}centuries were very cosmopolitan and art flourished in the area during the period. However, the culture of the region was overshadowed by the Mughal art that was prevalent at the same time.
In order to bring the grandeur of the Deccan back for people to admire, the National Museum is organising a 53-day show titled ‘Nauras: The Many Arts of the Deccan’ which has on display about 120 objects belonging to the National Museum which have either been taken out of its reserves or moved in from its galleries. A Ragamala painting has also come in from the National Gallery of Modern Art.
The exhibition has been curated by art historians Preeti Bahadur and Kavita Singh. It is divided into six sections and displays paintings, manuscripts, metal-ware, textiles and arms made by artists from the Deccan. Some of the pieces on display are: the armour of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who had fought military campaigns in the Deccan; the Al -Buraaq, which is a painting of a composite creature believed to be the steed of Prophet Mohammed for his flight to paradise; and an intricate Kalamkari coverlet.
National Museum Director-General Venu Vasudevan, who opened the exhibition, said ‘Nauras’ could be an “ideal template” of a case collaboration between a public, private and academic institution as they were all involved in putting the show together.
The Art Aesthetics Project founded in 2014 is a co-organiser of the event that is on till March 20 at the National Museum.
