An exhibition to be seen by every Indian, especially Hindu.
PRESS RELEASE
AURANGZEB AND HINDU RESISTANCE
The Foundation FACT (Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism) is showing for the first time in Chennai a path breaking exhibit on Aurangzeb "as he was", according to Muslim original documents. We have commissioned totally 40 original paintings and sketches from miniature painters in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Each original oil painting, representing one scene of Aurangzeb's bloody reign, commissioned by FACT will be signed and dated.
This is an exhibition on the reign of the Moghol Emperor, Aurangzeb, which shows Hinduism as a timeless cultural manifestation, capable of maintaining its unique character and spirit of tolerance amidst sustained onslaught.
There are an incredible number of farhans, original edicts of Aurangzeb hand-written in Persian, in India's museums, particularly in Rajasthan, such as the Bikaner archives. For the exhibition Aurangzeb's own farhans, records and edicts, are the basis. Many of these Farmans are still available in their original forms in Government's archives, such as the Bikaner Museum. Every exhibit is thus based on sound textual tradition, supported by recorded history.
Place: Lalit Kala Academy, 170, Greams Road, Chennai 600 006
Tel/Fax: +91 44 28291692
Duration: 3rd to 9th March 2008, between 11 AM and 7 PM
For queries contact Anupama Ranganathan: 9841057563
Francois Gautier
Trustee FACT
41 Jorbagh, New Delhi 110003
Tel 98118828
Born in Paris in 1959, François Gautier is a French journalist, political correspondent in South Asia during ten years for « Le Figaro », France's largest daily for eight years. He is now the editor in chief of the Paris-based La Revue de l'Inde (lesbelleslettres.com). François has written several books: "Arise O India" (Har Anand) 1999, "A Western journalist on India" (Har-Anand 2001), "Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a Guru of Joy" (India Today Book Club, 2003, 60.000 copies sold). He also writes regular columns for Indian newspapers, `Ferengi's column" in the Indian Express, the "French Connection" column in the Pioneer, as well as regular contributions to Rediff.com.
He started FACT-India in 2003 when he got the Natchiketa Award for Excellence in Journalism at the hands of the Prime Minister in Lok Sabha, New Delhi. Since then FACT, a non-political, non religious organization, non-affiliated to any group, has mounted several path-breaking exhibitions, the most famous of which, highlighting the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, was shown in the US Congress in 2005, leading to a bipartisan resolution by the US Senate in 2006.
AURANGZEB AS HE WAS ACCORDING TO MOGHOL RECORDS
This is an artistic exhibition on Aurangzeb , the great Moghol emperor using his own records and firmans (edicts), many of which are still preserved in Indian museums, such as the Bikaner archives. François Gautier, a Delhi based French journalist and the founder trustee of FACT, commissioned painters to depict in the old Moghol style never before shown scenes of Aurangzeb's reign, using historical documents of impeccable origin.
Aurangzeb was truly a pious Muslim, copying the Koran himself, stitching Muslim skullcaps and enforcing strict laws. Nevertheless, according to his own documents, he was also an extremely cruel man even for his times - having his father poisoned, his two brothers killed, and imprisoning his own son. He was also ruthless towards his subjects, the Hindus, re-imposing the humiliating jiziya tax, forbidding them from riding horses, elephants or palanquins and generally persecuting them pitilessly. For Aurangzeb did not just build an isolated mosque on a destroyed temple, he ordered all temples destroyed, among them the Kashi Vishvanath, one of the most sacred places of Hinduism and had mosques built on a number of cleared temples sites. All other Hindu sacred places within his reach equally suffered destruction, with mosques built on them. A few examples: Krishna's birth temple in Mathura, the rebuilt Somnath temple on the coast of Gujurat, the Vishnu temple replaced with the Alamgir mosque now overlooking Benares and the Treta-ka-Thakur temple in Ayodhya. The number of temples destroyed by Aurangzeb is counted in 4, if not 5 figures. Aurangzeb did not stop at destroying temples, their users were also wiped-out; even his own brother, Dara Shikoh, was executed for taking an interest in Hindu religion and the Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded because he objected to Aurangzeb's forced conversions.
This exhibition is very relevant today in a world which sees a mortal battle between the hard Sunni-Wahabite brand of Islam, which tolerates no other, has chased four hundred thousand Hindus from Kashmir and is incarnated by the Taliban or the Al Qaida - and the softer, more accepting Sufi-moderate Islam of Dara Sukoh and many Indian Muslims. We have to have the courage to say it. It is composed of 60 original paintings/drawings signed and dated + many original firmans of Aurangzeb scanned from the Bikaner, Jaipur and Delhi archives/museums.
About the painters
The art of the Moghol miniature is a dying art. Most of the painters who still know this craft and are able to mix the water colors which the ancient painters used, live in Jaipur, Rajasthan. FACT tracked them down and earmarked twelve of them, thanks to the tireless efforts of FACT's historian and researcher, Prof Bhatnagar of the Rajasthan University. Out of these twelve, only five were found to be creative enough to paint entirely new scenes according to the Aurangzeb records earmarked by Prof Bhatnagar. They are: Dr Sumeendra, Mr Dharampal, Dr Saxena, Mr Kunagal and Dr Chandramani. Each painting is signed and dated and each painting is an original never seen before and historically accurate.