The Explorers | Through Tumultuous Times

Vandita Bajaj, Class of 2020

The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts has organized a special exhibition commemorating the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. The spectacular exhibit takes you through the national and local events leading up to the massacre in Amritsar. The informative panels explain the political turmoil that followed the implementation of the Rowlatt Act, the subsequent widespread protest and the arrests of popular leaders and how the tragedy shaped the course of Indian nationalism.

The installations are extremely thoughtful and detail oriented. What sets it apart from other museum exhibits are the ways in which it has been made interactive and evocative. Audio sources have been used effectively— there are stations across the venue where one can hear recordings of speeches, first-hand accounts and contemporary literary responses in poetry and prose.

The most provocative part of the entire exhibit is a little alcove, entered through black makeshift curtains; the eerie silence is followed by the sound of the footsteps of soldiers and firing of bullets. Simultaneously, the names and ages of those who lost their lives in the massacre are projected on the wall, randomly and rapidly.

The exhibition is extremely well curated, balancing information and aesthetic, brilliantly fusing different mediums to tell the story of a historic event.

Before settling in to study for the Finals, make sure you visit this moving exhibit over the coming weekend!

The exhibition is on display till 28th April 2019
Venue: Twin Art Gallery, I.C.V. Mess, IGNCA, Janpath, New Delhi- 11000
Timings: 10:00am- 6:30pm
Nearest Metro Station: Central Secretariat (Yellow Line)

The author is the Managing Editor for the Arts and Culture Section of The Edict