By Piyush Shrivastava

Valuable art works, paintings and murals painted by internationally acclaimed painter late Beohar Rammanohar Sinha on the walls and dome of historic Shaheed Smarak now need restoration and conservation. The priceless art pieces are not in a good state anymore. Varied factors like moisture, miss-handling, water marks, scratches and termite are damaging historic treasure.

 

Around 12 to 14 paintings are displayed on the gallery panels, dome while in outer circle mural showcasing the ‘Quit India \ Movement’ and other paintings showcasing the valour and courage of heroes in war of independence. For conservation and restoration of these valuable paintings the National Gallery of Modern Arts, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Kalan Kendra, Ministry of Culture, Government of India has shown interest and initiated a step forward. IGRKK Trustee, Alok Jain says informed paintings, murals depicting the war of freedom of more that three centuries in episodes. Painted by internationally acclaimed Painter Rammanohar Sinha are now around seven decades old and needs to be conserved and restored properly. For this IGRKK, NGMA's experts help would be sought and in this regard a preliminary discussion with the Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge), Prahlad Singh Patel has been initiated and soon work would be initiated in this direction. Director General of National Gallery of Modern Art, Adawait Gadanayak expressing concern on present condition of the valuable art pieces on walls of Shaheed Smarak says this need attention.

Sinha’s Rani Durgavati painting centre of attraction Shaheed Smarak is known for its murals or wall paintings by internationally acclaimed artist Beohar Rammanohar Sinha. Art work on the walls, balcony, parapet and gigantic dome with central theme of India's war of Independence fought between 16th and 19th century AD. Starting with Rani Durgavati war against Mughul Emperor Akbar. In this painting Rani Durgawati is preparing to face Akbar during his attack on Gondwana (now Jabalpur and Mandla). Painted by the famous Beohar Rammanohar Sinha, this is the first painting ever made on Rani Durgavati.