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Journalism of Courage
For Syed Aftab Ahmed Shah, calligraphy is a way to connect with the Almighty
Hands folded neatly at front, face strictly serious, a pose each for the scattered shutterbugs8230;owing to his cap one might mistake him for a Muslim priest. But cameras down and Syed Aftab Ahmed Shah breaks into a light conversation with the photographers. His serious mantle down, Shah8217;s eyes wait gently for our queries. Shah brings his calligraphy work 8216;Sat Siri Akal8217; from Lahore. A look at his paintings and one realizes, it8217;s more than mere art8230;it8217;s a message, a hope, a mission. Secular is an understatement, in fact, the wrong statement because Shah doesn8217;t see any boundaries. The work has been done essentially on Sikhs, 8220;Saints like Guru Nanak, Guru Gobind, Hazrat Mian Mir have preached love, peace and unity. There is no need for the violence if we follow the right path,8221; says the 78 year old who began learning calligraphy at the age of 60, though art started early. 8220;My ustad is younger than me!8221;
Shah8217;s portraits of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh, resemble those by Sobha Singh. 8220;I did refer to him because he paints life into them.8221; Shah8217;s connection with Sikhism has a history. 8220;My grandfathers were Prime Minister, personal physician of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.8221; As for calligraphy he reels that Islam does not allow idol worship, 8220;calligraphy fills the gap and satisfies the creative hunger of the worshippers. But present artists don8217;t want to get into the discipline,8221; rues Shah adding that his is the pure form, where, for instance, 8216;aleph8217; is no more than 7 8216;kat8217; of the kalam. Innovating the art and also to avoid imitations, Shah8217;s taken to working on leather. Also there8217;s camel bones and pottery to work on. With Iqbal his favourite, Shah has also done works of Ghalib, Sheikh Sadi, Rumi, since 8220;they are all so closer to the Almighty. It8217;s inspiring!8221;
The exhibition is on at Punjab Kala Bhavan- Sector 16, till November 24
