Start Date: February 16, 2026
End Date: February 22, 2026
Venue: Sri Aurobindo Sadhana Kendra, Vallabh Vidyanagar
In Sri Aurobindo’s and the Mother’s vision of integral human development, cultivating a sense of beauty occupies an important place. The Mother said that it is one of the greatest weapons of the Asura at work when we are taught to shun beauty. She added that it has been the “ruin of India.”
Taking inspiration from these words, BhāratShakti department of Sri Aurobindo Society, at the invitation of Sri Aurobindo Sadhana Kendra and Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, recenly conducted a workshop for students of Sardar Patel University on the topic – Know Bharat Through Art. This workshop explored questions such as what is the place of art in the Indian view of culture, and how does Art help us know a culture and a nation.
As part of the workshop, an informative exhibition was curated on the theme ‘Essentials of Indian Art’. The exhibition features selected words of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on Spiritual Basis of Indian Art, the deeper significance of developing a sense of beauty, and the Indian vision of the aesthetic development of the being and appreciating Art.
Some brief information highlighting the long tradition of Indian art, architecture and painting was also featured in the exhibition. A rich textual tradition in India that emphasises aesthetic appreciation was also included in posters. Carefully selected pictures were added to make the information more alive and relatable for the students.
A couple of posters were dedicated to the rich diversity of artistic traditions of India, covering scultpure, temple architecture and painting traditions. The exhibition was curated and displayed as part of the day-long workshop for the youth on the topic of Indian Art Appreciation. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Beloo Mehra who also researched and curated the exhibition. More information about the worksop can be read HERE.
The exhibition was kept on display till February 22, 2026.
To know more about BhāratShakti Exhibitions see HERE.
To know more about BhāratShakti programmes under the theme Art and Spirituality see HERE.