CDS visits exhibition dedicated to Operation Sindoor in Delhi

    New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan visited an exhibition dedicated to Operation Sindoor, a decisive military action by the Indian armed forces that has drawn a new red line for terrorism, here on Tuesday.
     He was given a tour of the solo exhibition, titled 'Himalaya: The Journey Through a Cascade of Colours', hosted at a gallery at the Triveni Kala Sangam, by artist Chandranath Das.
     The centrepiece of the display is an untitled oil painting -- a bright, colourful canvas for which the artist has used actual vermilion to depict a stroke of 'sindoor', in a poignant tribute to the armed forces who carried out Operation Sindoor in May, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike.
     "The CDS visited the exhibition today evening and spent about 30 to 40 minutes watching the artworks. When he got to know that I have used actual 'sindoor' in my painting made especially for this exhibition, he was pleasantly surprised," Das told PTI.
     Gen Chauhan also penned his thoughts on the exhibition in the Visitor's Book, saying, "The armed forces have a prominent connect with the Himalayas".
     The exhibition tries to connect both the abstract world and paintings and the real world of the forces, he wrote, adding, "Thanks a lot for displaying the Himalayas in a different manner".
     The exhibition that opened on Saturday evening, in essence, celebrates the might and grandeur of the Himalayas through varying seasons.
     The untitled work, captioned 'Operation Sindoor: A Tribute - The Red Mark of Duty', sits at the focal point of the exhibition venue, welcoming visitors with its abstract allure. On its back is a huge canvas with Mt. Everest painted in acrylic medium.
     The placement of the pieces -- on either face of the same wall -- dedicated to the military operation in May and the timeless appeal of the world's highest peak is not accidental.
     Talking to PTI on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Das said they both represent courage and are symbols of India's defenders.
     "This exhibition is dedicated to Operation Sindoor and to the women and men of our defence forces, whose unwavering commitment, especially in the face of recent adversity, stands as a reminder of our nation's courage, strength and unity," reads the caption for the central artwork.
     Born in Kolkata in 1962, the artist said he has spent the last three decades in the vicinity of the Himalayas.
     "So, my paintings capture the essence of the Himalayas. The strength of the Himalayas, and the strength that our soldiers are carrying, is the main theme of the painting that I have dedicated to Operation Sindoor," he told PTI.
     On the use of vermilion in his main artwork, Das said, "If one looks closely, one can see a woman's head, and the stroke of the 'sindoor' is on her forehead area. It is a symbolic use."
     About 50 artworks, ranging in size from small canvases depicting Yaks to a large triptych showcasing the Himalayan landscape in Darjeeling and Mt. Kanchenjunga, are on display till July 22.
     The artworks are based on three mediums -- charcoal, acrylic and oil, and have three themes -- Sacred Himalayas, Rhythm of the Himalayan Yaks and Himalayan Seasons, said Chandrima Das, curator of the exhibition and the artist's daughter.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)