Bhopal: City artist’s Mandana artwork depicts gender equality

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): An artist in the city, Nawab Jehan Begum, has brilliantly sent out the message of gender equality in society through a Mandana painting. The colourful acrylic work is themed on International Women’s Day and Holi . The artist painted a woman in red with raising hands and a blossoming tree in the centre depicting her growth and expansion whereas the outer line shows the man in green protecting and supporting her. She says that just like a woman's hand is behind a man's success, similarly a man's contribution is behind a woman's progress, whether it is her father or brother or life partner. In this way every man of the society should support the women, she says, adding that the pink line in the work has showcased both men and women together.

Nawab says that Mandana paintings are made by women of the Meena tribe. This painting is often made on the occasion of celebration, festival and happiness. “ I made the work keeping in mind International Women's Day and Holi. It gives the message of equality to our society,” she added. She is a post graduate in drawing and painting. Her signature styles are abstract modern art paintings which she makes using a knife Nawab had made a painting of the national tricolour with 'Jai Hind' written in 12 Indian languages to mark the Republic Day and to underline the country's unity in diversity.

She had made a tricolour painting ‘Our Flag is our Honour’ in Mandana, a tribal art form of Madhya Pradesh under Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign. She is also passionate about calligraphy which she does directly with brush. She has also done many national and international painting exhibitions and sold her paintings in countries like the UK, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Maldives, etc.