Kota-Bundi style paintings on dustbins draw artists’ anger
KMC’s intent in drawing Kota Bundi style paintings was to make dustbins look attractive so that people will use them, and roads will be garbagefree
Artists have objected to the Kota Municipal Corporation’s plan to draw Kota-Bundi style paintings on 1000 new dustbins, calling it a disgrace to the art.
The corporation bought the dustbins under the Smart City project to put them at public places and residential colonies to create awareness about cleanliness.
Kota-Bundi style paintings, civic body officials said, are being done on the dustbins so that people will be attracted towards them to throw garbage, instead of dumping it in the open. But artists are not amused over the plan.
A group of city artists, associated with the Hadauti Artisans Development Society (HADS), met mayor Mahesh Vijayvargiya to register their objection.
“Kota-Bundi style of painting is a dignified art and is famous globally, so it is not right to draw them over things like dustbins,” said Mukti Parashar, an artist of Kota.
“Drawing paintings over dustbins is a disgrace to the beautiful art, so artists are against it,” said social activist Nidhi Prajapati who was part of the artists’ group.
Artists Anupama Panwar, Neha Sharma and Rakesh Kumar Sharma have also raised objections.
Vijayvargiya said, “KMC has taken cognizance of artists’ objection; now we will paint only simple decorative flowers instead of drawing Kota-Bundi style paintings.”
He said, “KMC’s intent in drawing Kota Bundi style paintings was to make dustbins look attractive so that people will use them, and roads will be garbagefree.”
Under a beautification drive, the district administration has drawn Kota Bundi style paintings on the Kota railway station premises.
The Kota-Bundi style of painting, on which Mewar and Mughal art has an impact, dates back to the 16th century. Famous Shikar paintings, royal processions of former rulers, court rooms, life of nobles, lovers, and raag-ragini are drawn in Kota-Bundi style. Such paintings adorn heritage buildings, forts and palaces of Hadauti region.