Power of Indian Wit on Tibetan Cause
Thursday, 25 August 2005, 16:00
Dharamshala: The power of Indian wit in conveying the full import of vicissitudes in the Tibetan struggle for greater freedom is on display here at the McLeod community hall: a unique travelling exhibition.
Kalon Tripa speaking to Sethu Das |
The journey of this travelling exhibition first began from Cochin in Kerala on the 70th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 6 July, with almost all the major cities of India on its itinerary.
The exhibition is an initiative of the Friends of Tibet, a Bombay-based group which aims to spread awareness about Tibet in India.
Thirty selected cartoons on Tibet by 15 renowned Indian cartoonists from 1950-2005, with commentary by Claude Arpi, are displayed in this four-day exhibition “Indian Cartoonists on Tibet”.
Kalon Tripa watching a caricature of His Holiness |
Inaugurating the exhibition here today, Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche also shared his penchant for cartoons, especially those of the late Shankar.
“Kalon Tripa is a great fan of cartoonists. That’s why we requested him to inaugurate this exhibition”, says Sethu Das, the president of Friends of Tibet.
The exhibition displays caricatures of such celebrated Indian cartoonists as Shankar, Ranga, OV Vijayan, Ravi Shankar, RK Laxman, Rajinder Puri, Mario Miranda, Yesudasan,
Kalon Tripa with Sethu Das and Tenzin Tsundue |
Kaak, Balu, Madhu Omalloor, Thommy, Ponnappa, Morparia and Prakash Shetty.
The concept of this travelling exhibition was first suggested by Mario Miranda, one of the advisers of the Friends of Tibet, Mr. Das explains.
“During one of our photo exhibition, Mario Miranda remarked that our pictures of Tibet make people cry.”
“He said, ‘you should instead try to make people laugh and think about Tibet.”
But how?
“Use cartoons! He replied.”