At Bharat Mandapam, India displays soft power, readies to receive world

As The Indian Express took a tour inside, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam stands out in Level 1, the arrival area, its textual representation in all major languages of the world adorning an entire wall, crafted in 3D letters with a brass finish in concentric circles around a bindu, signifying the Earth.

“The work highlights this ancient Indian concept that in today’s context is globally relevant; it defines our concept of brotherhood,” reads the plaque describing the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam artwork.

The Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam display is among the 30-odd artworks and decorative items festooning the four-storey convention centre. Drawn from the country’s major art forms, textile traditions and yoga, the theme is clear: depicting traditional Indian wisdom while also projecting the India of today, a country which harnesses solar power, embarks on space odysseys and takes a leading role in world matters.

The art project has been executed by Pune-based Design Studio Lemon Design Pvt Ltd, in collaboration with Delhi based Origin Ink LLP, which has earlier worked on the Dandi Kutir project in Gandhinagar and the Aquatic Gallery in Ahmedabad’s Science City.

Vinay Narang, the firm’s experiential designer who has been involved with the project from its inception in 2017, said that after the Bharat Mandapam concept was finalised in 2019, it took almost three years to execute the interior artwork.

The yoga wall. (Express Photo)

“Twelve months were spent in the design stage and the on-site execution took another 18-20 months,” Narang told The Indian Express, adding that right from the time they were involved in the project, the objective was for Bharat Mandapam to host the G20 Summit.

The artwork extends to the main Summit room on Level 2. A Shekhawati panel encircles the big, oval chandelier, showcasing animal motifs, signifying India’s prosperity, strength and power. There are also smaller rooms for bilaterals, besides holding areas for international delegations to stay between deliberations.

The hall outside the Summit room on Level 2, called the G20 pre-function area, is adorned with three large canvases showcasing India’s rich heritage in the style of Indian miniature paintings, with a contemporary touch. These depict melodies of nature — the dance of the peacock, the call of the deer, fruit-laden trees and flourishing fauna.

“Each of these artworks is a detailed hand-painted pictorial composition of the narrative which was executed on canvas initially, now embellished with brass elements and detailing. There is also a play of layers and relief work to add to the sense of depth and perspective in each of these works,” Narang said.

For these rooms, the printed carpets are said to have come from Hyderabad, Bhadohi and Kashmir. Level 2 also has premium lounges for the leaders, and the entire venue is equipped with auditoriums of different sizes (one with a seating capacity of 600 people and the other with a seating capacity of 900).

While the project (carpet design, paintings or the shape of the main auditorium) is themed around the peacock, India’s national bird, the rooms, corridors and open spaces in the building are filled with art from different parts of the country. The attempt is to display India through its art, said an official privy to the project, adding that the peacock is the leitmotif of the convention centre, in terms of architectural design and decorative aspects.

The Surya Sakti wall. (Express Photo)

Displaying India’s soft power, an artwork showcasing 32 “essential yoga asanas”, curated from the text of the Gheranda Samhita (late 17th century) adorns the arrival area for G20 leaders on the second level.

Besides yoga, India also makes a strong point regarding other aspects of its cultural heritage in the lower level – with its textile traditions. A series of five artworks, each representing a geographical region of the country, uses curated textiles from the respective regions, set inside the fretwork of jaalis inspired from the forms and patterns found in that region’s vernacular architecture.

Surya Shakti, which literally means solar power, is a multi-layered artwork consisting of a central disc depicting the sun with its rays spread across the entire length of the 52-metre-long wall. From this background spring seven horses, representing the life that supports the energy of the sun.

“The artwork represents India as the rising sun, the dispeller of darkness, its warmth and light all encompassing and all embracing,” said officials.

The ‘Zero to ISRO’ artwork comprises seven monolithic discs (finished in seven different material finishes like copper, brass, iron, steel, gunmetal and bronze) mounted on a wall made of wooden 3D triangles. “This borrows from the constant progress that India has made over the centuries right from the ancient time to today and leading the country into the future,” Narang says about the concept.

Tree of Life represents personal development, uniqueness and individual beauty; while the Pancha MahaBhuta is the Sanskrit expression to describe the five great elements — earth, air, water, fire and space. Another artwork has the five elements depicted as an unbroken seamless whole in stylised Devanagari typography.

On the utility side, the three levels of the international convention centre have 24 meeting rooms. Ten meeting rooms have a 50-person capacity, six can seat 100 people each, while four rooms have a capacity for 200.

At Level 3 is the centrepiece of the convention centre – the multipurpose hall with 4,000 seats, from where the inauguration ceremony was held.

Linked to the multipurpose hall is the plenary hall that can accommodate 3,000 people. Depending on the need, both halls can be linked together to create a seating capacity of 7,000 people.

The centre is also equipped with the latest technologies to facilitate all kinds of conferences, with integrated audio-video systems for presentations, video conference facilities, as well as 5G connectivity. Kitchen facilities have been ensured on each level.

After the Summit, the centre will be made available for bookings and the India Trade Promotion Organisation will start its marketing. The plan for that has been already drawn, officials said.