18.03.2025

Woman's Day on March 8 and an exhibition of paintings dedicated to Woman at the IRMT

The celebration at the Roerichs' Estate dedicated to International Woman's Day on March 8 opened with the laying of flower garlands at the bronze busts of the outstanding Russian ascetics Helena and Nicholas Roerichs and at the sculptures of their youngest son Svetoslav and his beautiful Indian wife Devika Rani.

Many lines in the Roerichs' writings are devoted to the evolutionary mission of woman in our modern world. “To list what has been accomplished and inspired by women would be to describe the history of the world”, asserted Nicholas Roerich. "Yes, in the hands of woman is now the salvation of humanity and the planet", - Helena Roerich wrote down. - "A woman must realize her significance, her great mission as the Mother of the World." The holiday of honoring women has planetary significance - it is not by chance that celebrating Woman's Day on March 8 has become a good tradition at the International Roerich Memorial Trust.

The main guests of the celebration were the young artists of the Insight group, whose exhibition under the direction of curator Sikandar Jangra opened at the IRMT Exhibition Hall. Seventeen artists from different cities in India participated in the exhibition, although only eight of them attended the opening in person: Parth Yadav (Delhi), Madhusudan Khandekar (Rajasthan), Puja Halder (Delhi), Abbas Khan (Delhi), Shailla Fayaz (Chandigarh), Lakshay (Delhi), Kamal Kishor (Delhi), Nilaksh (Delhi). The other artists: Ashoo Sharma (Delhi), Shatrupa Bhattacharjee (Noida), Ayan Basak (Kolkata), Shilpi Jain (Delhi), Akhilesh Kumar Gupta (Delhi), Nityam Kapoor (Delhi), Mugdha Khandelwal (Delhi), Mousumi Bhattacharya (Gurgaon), Geetanjali Verma Khanna (Rajasthan) – could not come and only handed over their paintings to the exhibition.

The general theme of the exhibition was undoubtedly devoted to Woman, the mysterious and multifaceted female world. Many paintings had a symbolic character, and young artists readily told what meaning they put into their work, what they wanted to tell the viewer with lines and colors. Some of the works had a social meaning, calling attention to the difficulties and problems faced by women in the modern world.  

The exhibition was opened by Larisa Surgina, Russian Curator of the IRMT, an employee of the ICR (Moscow). The opening was attended by Trust’s Accountant Amarjeet Anand, female residents of Naggar, female and male staff members of IRMT, and tourists who were happy to join the celebration.

There were solemn speeches and congratulations to women - and then began the second part of the holiday - musical and poetic. Everyone had an opportunity to demonstrate their talents. The favorite songs of the Kullu Valley - about love and fidelity, about meetings and partings, about women's sufferings and women's happiness - were sung by women employees of the Trust: Kali Devi, Maltu Devi, Tara Devi, Parvati Thakur, as well as by Sapna and Radha and other residents of Naggar. Musician, teacher of Helena Roerich Academy of Art Anshul Kumar and artist Madhusudan Khandekar sang heartfelt songs about mothers. Soma Sharma recited poems dedicated to women. The festival ended with a friendly nati dance, a traditional round dance of the Kullu Valley.

To conclude this short review, let us recall an essay by Nicholas Roerich, which quotes the words of one of the Roerichs' female co-workers: 

“We, the Women, old, young, mothers, wives, friends, the happy and the lonely ones, if we were to gird ourselves by the might of Love, what a divine power would be erected, what resplendent harmony would take up arms against darkness and evil , to help all humanity, which at present is in unprecedented  danger. <…>

How much we can do! We shall cast ugliness, vulgarity, out of our everyday life, and we shall invite Beauty to come as a Guest into our homes.

We shall sweep away the dust and the spider-webs, not only from the corners of our houses, but also from our relationships, words, thoughts – in order that our spirits may breathe easily; we shall think not only of the meal, but also that there should be no poison for the spirit. Let us cast out the poison of quarrels, gossip, slander, and give the honored place at our table to the laughter of joy.

When departing on a journey, or to work, let us not only take care of trunks and expenses, but also send forth pure, benevolent thoughts and prayers. <…>

We, if united, shall save the earth.”