Indian Airports: A Platform to Showcase Indian Culture and Handicrafts
One thing I notice while travelling from one place to another by air is how Indian airports are beautifully decorated with art installations such as paintings, statues, sculptures, woodworks, traditional masks, etc. Indian airports as a medium to display Indian arts and crafts, its rich and vibrant cultural diversity, and its traditions help not only in making a durable impact on overseas tourists, but also promote better appreciation and understanding of its rich legacy among its own population. Let us now have a glimpse of airports in the country that exhibit interesting art works and curios that spike our interest concerning them.
The above picture shows a number of articles (papier mâché bells, walnut wood craft, traditional clothes, musical instruments such as rabab, etc.) from the union territory, Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu Airport
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Sutrada Bombe (Traditional String Puppets)
Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Terminal 2, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Kinnala Angels or Winged Figures
Kinnala craft is originally from a village named Kinhal in Koppal district of Karnataka and Kinnala toys have received a Geographical (GI) Tag in 2012 by the World Trade Organisation.
Kempegowda International Airport (T3), Bengaluru, Karnataka
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
The wall has a collection of wall plates displaying specimens of Pichwai painting of Rajasthan, Kalighat of Kolkata, Madhubani of Bihar, Sohrai of Jharkhand, Pithaura Tribal Art of Gujarat, among others.
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Kempegowda International Airport (Terminal 1), Bengaluru, Karnataka
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Karnataka is the state with the highest number of elephant population in the country. Bandipur National Park is the largest elephant reserve in Karnataka, followed by Nagarhole. Karnataka has a number of other elephant reserves such as Bannerghatta National Park, Dandeli or Kali Wildlife Sanctuary (in Uttara Kannada district), Mysore Elephant Reserve, etc.
Cham Mask at Jammu Airport
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Cham dance is practiced in the Himalayan region, constituting India (Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim), Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. It is associated with Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism. In Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh it is known as Chhamb (Demon dance). The dance is performed every year in Ladakh during the Hemis festival observed at Hemis Monastery on the occasion of Losar, Tibetan New Year. One of the attractions of the dance is the utilization of masks. The cham dance during the Hemis festival garners a lot of foreign tourists who come there to document or record the enchanting performance.
An Assortment of Masks or Mukhosh from Purulia Chhau Mask to Gomera/Gamira Masks (made of the gamar wood) from Dinajpur
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata, West Bengal
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Seraikella Chhau Masks
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Birsa Munda Airport at Ranchi in the capital city of Jharkhand is a small domestic airport but it showcases an array of the state's cultural heritage and also makes the passengers waiting to board their respective flights to make notice of sculptures of our freedom fighters during the British colonial period.
Sculpture of Bhagwan Birsa Munda
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Birsa Munda after whom the airport is named was a freedom fighter and hailed from the Munda tribe. He provided a leadership to the tribals in the late nineteenth century to rebel against the subjugation of dikus (outsiders). The movement that he led is called ulgulaan. He is also known as 'Dharti Abba' (Father of the Earth) and 'Bhagwan' (God) Birsa Munda. He died mysteriously on 9th June 1900 while he was incarcerated in the Ranchi jail at a very young age. He was only 25-year-old. However, as per the British government record, he died of cholera.
A Rare Picture of Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
The airport has a section dedicated to another freedom fighter of India viz. Mahatma Gandhi who is also called the Father of the Nation. It exhibits rare photographs of Gandhi and his participation in the freedom struggle movement. The above photograph was taken in 1914 before he left South Africa and arrived on 9th January 1915 in Bombay. Since 2003, every year 9th January has been celebrated as Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas or Non-Resident Indian Day in India.
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel International Airport too remembers our freedom fighters. Some of the prominent freedom fighters were born in Gujarat, particularly M. K. Gandhi and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.
A Display of a Compilation of Several Quotes by Gandhi and Other Eminent Figures Speaking of Him
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
A Medley of Images of Places, Historical Figures and Art Works (Lippan and Jali/Lattice Screens) from Gujarat on Display
One of the images is of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
A Huge Painting of Shivaji
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Shivaji is seen as a major historical figure particularly in Maharashtra. Some of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Mumbai are named after Shivaji: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly called Victoria Terminus), and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vaastu Sangrahalaya (originally named Prince of Wales Museum).
New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, on the other hand, seems to convey the message of living healthily and also the need to address the issue of domestic waste and taking measures to save our planet since the city has been grappling with smog.
Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
A Depiction of Various Poses of Surya Namaskar
Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Surya Namaskar is a combination of 12 yoga asanas (postures). Practicing Surya Namaskar on a regular basis provides health benefits.
Mudras (Hand Gestures)
Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Birsa Munda Airport has its restrooms' walls (which usually go unnoticed) decorated with Sohrai painting.
Sohrai Painting on the Walls of Ranchi Airport's Restrooms
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, JH
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Airports also have souvenir shops that sell handicrafts made by local artisans using local materials. Jharcraft is a government of Jharkhand's initiative which aims at promoting local products and providing means of livelihood to local artisans.
Traditional Handicrafts from Around the Country
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
Souvenir Shops at the Airport Selling Santhal Tribal Handloom Sarees and Handmade Grass Baskets and Bags
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi
Source: Dr. Richa Singh
I hope that the next time you visit an airport, you enjoy your flight to your destination while also learning more about our cultural heritage or attempting to interact with the objects on display.
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