Pakistani calligrapher depicts Bapu's portrait with blood

New Delhi, Oct 3: A Pakistani painter popularly know as 'Painter Babu', who drew the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi with his blood, presented it on Gandhi's birthday at the Gandhi Darshan in New Delhi.

Abdul Waseel, a Pakistani calligrapher owns a small shop on Allama Iqbal Road. Two years back, he made the portrait by drawing blood from his veins with a syringe. He came to the capital and presented Bapu's portrait to his granddaughter and the vice-chairperson of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti before paying respects to the Father of the Nation. He had even drawn the portraits of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela with his blood.

Waseel was quoted as saying, "I think this is the best way to tell people of both the countries that its time we forget hostility, and live together. I know Mahatma Gandhi professed non-violence, but my blood to pay him tribute means no more blood sheds should be there on any side of the border."

He added, "People have been giving mixed response to my way of paying the tribute. I hope this melts hearts. I had the Mahatma's image sketched in my mind. I wanted to bring it on canvas."

Tara Gandhi Bhattarcharjee, the granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi was quoted as saying, "Somewhere we have lacked in carrying forward what the Father of the Nation left for us. The two minute silence is a call to look inside and know how violent we are."

After delivering her speech, two-minute silence, titled 'moment of introspection' was observed at the memorial.

OneIndia News