Politician Vijay Goel now an artist
New Delhi, Mar 30: As a member of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata party, he has many a time come across as a fiery crusador during his agitations against the establishment on varied issues like price rise, the blueline menace and the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies. However, it was a soft side of senior BJP leader and former Union minister that one came across as an exhibition of photographs by Mr Goel showcasing India's cultural heritage was unveiled by Vice President Hamid Ansari in the capital yesterday.
Titled
'The
Images
of
Ancestral
Village',
the
photo
exhibition,
inaugurated
by
the
Vice
President
at
the
constitutional
club,
brings
out
the
passionate
artist
in
the
BJP
leader
where
he
reflects
exploration
of
his
roots
-
the
traditions
of
his
ancestral
village
and
its
old
world
charm.
Speaking
at
the
inauguration,
the
Vice
President
appreciated
the
painstaking
efforts
undertaken
by
Mr
Goel
to
explore
the
beaury
and
charm
of
village
art
and
culture.
The
exhibition,
a
collection
of
snapshots
capturing
beautiful
images
of
traditional
rural
life,
stems
from
the
BJP
leader's
fascination
for
India's
rich
cultural
and
architectural
heritage,
especially
its
traditional
havelis
and
forts,
Mr
Goel
said.
It was this undying passion for India's traditional art and architecture that has led Mr Goel to take up from time to time projects like the restoration of Ghalib's house in Ballimaran, a coffee table book on the havelis' of Chandni Chowk and, now, the conservation of his 300 year old ancestral house (Haveli) at his village Anandpur.
For his latest project of restoration of his Haveli, he sought help from students of Delhi Heritage Institute, who took it upon as a challenge.''As the Heritage students were busy with their job, I decided to utilise this break to explore his village and its old world charm. I sauntered out with my camera in hand and began clicking images of the rural life,''Mr Goel said.
What emerges was a fine collection of photographs, distinctive and refreshing in their subject matter and aesthetic appeal. ''This exhibition is just a modest attempt to showcase my amateur efforts - call it a hobby or passion. I feel photography is the best way to express one's feelings. I am continuing this hobby as much as I can spare time from the hectic political life,''he said.
UNI