Kathmandu:

The Capital’s movers and shakers and the crème de la crème had gathered at the Radisson on February 16 for not another round of regular cocktails and small talk, but to share their concern on a very serious topic — Bagmati river.

Friends of Bagmati (FOB) had organised an art exhibition at the venue with support from Kasthamandap Art Studio followed by their presentation on the condition of Bagmati and what an organisation or individual can do for its conservation and preservation.

Chief guest for the evening was Subash Nembang, Speaker of House of Representatives.

The evening started with senior artist Kiran Manadhar painting on a life size canvas expressing how he perceives Bagmati. Manandhar continued his work even as the programme continued.

FOB chairman Kedar Bhakta Shrestha, expressed concern for the river that also has religious significance in Nepal. “We pass by the river everyday in our shiny cars and try our best to avoid the disgusting smell by rolling up the window. But what we can’t avoid is its importance in society. To know the soul of a city, it is important to look at its river as it shapes, nurtures and sustains civilisation. And when we look at Bagmati, it is filled with sewage and industrial waste.”

Krishna KC, President of High Powered Committee for Implementation and Monitoring of Bagmati Area Sewerage Construction and Rehabilitation Project (BASP), said, “To make a new Nepal it is important to revive Bagmati.”

An impressive presentation was given by Bhusan Tuladhar, an engineer, who said, “My daughter is reading Beauty and the Beast and she knows that the beast can be changed into a handsome prince with a little extra love and care. Similarly we can change the way Bagmati looks if you actually work on it.”

General Secretary of FOB, Suraj Vaidya said, “We have invited you all to be friends with Bagmati and to help us in bringing the much needed change as ‘we would love to see children and fish swimming together in the Bagmati’ is our vision.”

Twenty-two artists presented their concern towards Bagmati by painting their take on the river. The sixty-six paintings are on exhibit at the NAFA Gallery, Naxal. The majority of the works on exhibit are mature ones. The artists have used diverse ways to convey their message to urge all bring back the lost beauty of Bagmati.

Some artists have chosen to show the sorry state Bagmati is in now, while some have used their imagination and memory to paint beautiful landscapes with a clean and clear Bagmati flowing by. People are even seen boating below a bridge in one such painting.

Some artists, like Sashi Bikram Shah, have also used their hallmark images to convey the message.

Artists like Vijay Thapa, Shankar Raj Singh Suwal, Erina Tamrakar, and Jasmine Rajbhandari, have used female figures to depict the feminine beauty of the river, the beauty caught in a sad situation, or woman going about her daily chores.

“I have tried to depict the importance of the river through a tantrik viewpoint, showing the various power points located in areas nearby from where Bagmati runs,” explained young artist Asha Dangol, who is also the coordinator of the exhibition.

Kiran Manandhar also has used hues like yellow and white well. Artists have also shown their concern for the exploitation of the river for sand, while few others, like Naresh Sundar Saiju, have gone back to the Himalayas to bring back the freshness of the river.

Overall, the artists have painted the beautiful view of Bagmati— perhaps their ideal conception of the river which may have been inspired by their experience with a better conditioned river during the days of yore.

The exhibition is on till 25 February