The Magic of Qamar Dagar's Pen

Handmade Paper and the Art of Indian Calligraphy

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Old manuscript with Tibetan script (2018-06-01) by UnknownDastkari Haat Samiti

Calligraphy on Handmade Paper

Handmade paper is extremely popular among artists and calligraphers. One would think the uneven texture would not allow for smooth writing. Old Tibetan manuscripts written on fairly rough, textured handmade paper proves this impression incorrect. Japan, China, Thailand and Nepal have used handmade paper from rice, the mulberry plant, the argeli plant and Egypt created paper out of the papyrus plant for its exquisite Arabic calligraphy.

Exhibition at Paris Exhibition at ParisDastkari Haat Samiti

Calligraphy, the art of writing has many names in India. Called su-lekhan (su, meaning beautiful and lekhan, meaning writing), khushan visi, su-lipi, sulekh kala, in Hindi, khushkhati, khush nafisi, kitaabat, suloos, and khattaati in Arabic, Persian or Urdu, they all refer to the beautiful art of writing.

These find a true partner in handmade paper especially when the texture does not soak in too much ink from a pen.

Calligraphy with bamboo pens (2018-06-01) by Rajeev KumarDastkari Haat Samiti

Brushwork, writing with bamboo pens, or even a simple sketch pen gives highly aesthetic and beautiful results when a calligrapher’s sure and thoughtful flourish lights up the paper.

The calligraphy of Japan, China and Korea where a few black brush strokes bring magical art to rich cream-coloured paper are its the India’s calligraphy flourished during Mughal times, when Persian calligraphers wrote manuscripts illustrated and illuminated by Hindu painters or vice versa.

One of the processes in paper making at the Elrhino factory (2018-06-01) by Elrhino Eco Industries Pvt. Ltd.Dastkari Haat Samiti

Paper making happened in many parts of India at that time, in spite of having 22 official languages, 13 scripts and over 700 identified dialects, Independent India has never been known internationally for its calligraphy.

It has many forms of classical and folk art, but although artistic sensibilities of its creative communities are high and widespread, they never extended to calligraphy.

Boxes Boxes by Mohammad RahisDastkari Haat Samiti

Perhaps this was largely because the communities that painted or crafted did not value or feel the need for being literate. The skills of writing were left to those upper classes that served temples, kings or governments.

Calligraphers who continued valiantly were all Muslim, as the value of writing was originally attributed to the fact that the Prophet Mohammad’s sacred words needed to be written beautifully, so all holy sayings were inscribed lovingly and artistically on whatever surface was chosen.

Calligrapher Irshad Farooqi (2018-07-01) by Irshad FarooqiDastkari Haat Samiti

Calligraphers practicing in multiple Indian scripts are few, but, in the 21 st century, there are a growing number, demonstrating, displaying and selling their art works in galleries, schools and at prestigious international events.

The papers acquired from hosiery waste, elephant and rhinoceros dung and the argeli plant were given to four prominent calligraphers of India, Jamyang Dorjee, Rajeev Kumar, Qamar Dagar and Irshad Farooqi, and Sanjhi paper artist Ram Soni, to enhance the visual and tactile experience of exploring handmade paper with their art.

Interior facade of the Rahim Khan-i-Khana (1904-05-16)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Rahim Khan-i-Khana tomb

Khanzadah Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana (1556-1626 AD) was an accomplished general under Emperor Akbar and a famous poet and calligrapher. His mausoleum in New Delhi is a precursor to the famed Taj Mahal for its architectural style, with some innovations.

Interior dome of the Rahim Khan-i-Khana Tomb (1904-05-16)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Khanzadah Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana (1556-1626 AD) was a famous poet and calligrapher.

His mausoleum in New Delhi is a precursor to the famed Taj Mahal for its architectural style, with some innovations.

His most endearing characteristic was his expression of a syncretic culture. Writing in Persian and Hindi, his couplets are still taught in Hindi schools in India.

Interior facade of the Rahim Khan-i-Khana (1904-05-16)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The Rahim Khan tomb has an arcaded ground floor with seventeen arches on each of the four sides.

The medallions vary in design from arch to arch including calligraphic inscriptions and various geometric and floral patterns.

Qamar Dagar working at calligraphy (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Qamar Dagar

Calligrapher Qamar Dagar at Rahim Khan's Tomb (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Qamar Dagar, a Delhi-based calligrapher specialises in combining Devnagari and Urdu calligraphy through poetry and lyrical images.

Calligraphy on handmade paper (2018-06-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Sitting in the garden that surrounds the Rahim Khan tomb, she draws inspiration from her surroundings.

Calligraphy on rhino dung paper (2018-07-01) by Qumar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Calligrapher-artist Qamar Dagar tries out some initial brushwork on rhino dung paper from Assam.

Calligraphy art (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Mohabbat sabse behthar rah hain, or, ‘Love is the best path’, is styled in the calligraphy art form using Devanagari and Urdu scripts on banana fibre paper by Qamar Dagar.

Qamar Dagar working at calligraphy (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Qamar Dagar works on banana fibre at her studio.

Detail of calligraphy (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

The calligrapher develops her art work using three kinds of pens and brushes.

Detail of calligraphy (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

The tools for calligraphy must ensure the colours do not spread due to the absorbent nature of a particular quality of handmade paper

Calligraphy art (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Calligrapher Qamar Dagar’s completed art work is the word alaap which is the early improvised section of a raga which forms a prologue when rendering of a piece of music.

Calligraphy tree (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Qamar Dagar paints a tree of random Devanagri alphabets on rhino dung paper.

Trees and the need for their conservation recurs in many activities concerning handmade paper using waste materials from industry or nature.

Calligraphy art (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Naad denotes soundscapes, written in both Devnagari and Urdu calligraphy by Qamar Dagar.

Calligraphy art (2018-07-01) by Qamar DagarDastkari Haat Samiti

Qareeb in Urdu calligraphy conveys an image of the sacredness of the near one. It is also one of the many names of the Prophet.

"Tompa" writen in Tibetan calligraphy (2018-05-01) by Jamyang DorjeeDastkari Haat Samiti

Read more about Calligraphy in India here:

-Calligraphy in Sikkim
-Rajeev Kumar
-Irshad Farooqui

Sanjhi
Credits: Story

Text: Jaya Jaity
Photography: Chirodeep Chaudhuri, Subinoy Das, Charu Verma, Rajeev Kumar,
Artisans: Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute, Salim Kagzi, Vijender Singh Shekhawat, Mahesh Bora, Borung-Polok, Jamyang Dorjee, Rajeev Kumar, Qamar Dagar, Irshad Hussain Farooqi, Ram Soni
Ground Facilitator: Jaya Jaitly, Charu Verma, Subinoy Das
Documentary Video: Charu Verma, Chirodeep Chaudhuri, Subinoy Das, Jaya Jaitly
Curation: Ruchira Verma


Read more about handmade paper industry in India here:

-Research and Technology
-Production
-Products
-Rajasthan Story
-Assam Story
-Sikkim Story

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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