Memorial Lecture on Cultural Consciousness
The Dr Kapila Vatsyayan Memorial Lecture, titled “Aatmbodh se Vishvabodh” (From Self-Realisation to Universal Awareness), will take place at 4:00 pm on December 29. The lecture will be delivered by Dr Bhagyesh Jha, IAS (Retd.), Chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy, a scholar-administrator known for his engagement with Indian knowledge traditions.
The session will be chaired by Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, President of the IGNCA Trust. Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA, will deliver the welcome address, while Prof. (Dr) Ramesh Chandra Gaur, Dean (Administration) and Head of the Kala Nidhi Division, will introduce the programme and its broader academic context.
Textile Exhibition from a Visionary’s Collection
Prior to the memorial lecture, IGNCA will inaugurate a major exhibition titled “Abhivyakti – Expressions of the Loom from the Vault of a Visionary” at 3:30 pm. The exhibition will be hosted at the Darshanam I and II Galleries and will showcase rare textiles from the personal collection of Dr Kapila Vatsyayan.
The exhibition offers a nuanced view of textiles accumulated over decades, reflecting memory, lived experience, and cultural continuity. Rather than being a conventional display, it presents textiles as intellectual artefacts that embody India’s diverse material traditions.
Textiles as Living Archives
According to IGNCA officials, Abhivyakti explores the idea of textiles as carriers of social, aesthetic, and philosophical narratives. Dr Sachchidanand Joshi noted that the exhibition represents a coherent curatorial vision that brings together scholarship, sensitivity, and deep cultural understanding.
He emphasised that the sense of completeness in the exhibition mirrors Dr Kapila Vatsyayan’s conviction that artistic traditions must be studied within their broader cultural and intellectual frameworks, rather than in isolation.
Celebrating India’s Pluralistic Craft Traditions
Prof. (Dr) Ramesh Chandra Gaur highlighted that textiles have been central to human civilisation, serving as markers of identity, economy, and belief systems. He observed that India’s textile heritage functions as a living archive of its civilisational ethos.
The exhibition foregrounds this richness by presenting over 50 textiles representing more than 50 distinct craft traditions from across the country. Each piece reflects regional techniques, local materials, and generational knowledge systems.
Focus on Conservation and Research
Prof. Achal Pandya, Head of the Conservation Division at IGNCA, stressed the importance of preserving textile heritage, particularly collections associated with scholars of Dr Kapila Vatsyayan’s stature. He noted that conservation ensures the continuity of material culture for future generations of researchers and practitioners.
The exhibition has been curated by Ms Sareekah Agarwaal, a textile archivist and researcher, and is organised by the Kala Nidhi Division in collaboration with the Conservation Division of IGNCA.
Public Access and Timings
Abhivyakti – Expressions of the Loom from the Vault of a Visionary will remain open to the public from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm until January 7, 2026. Entry is expected to attract scholars, students, artists, and members of the public interested in India’s textile and cultural heritage.
