Calligraphy in India dates back to the second century AD when birch bark leaves were used to write on and over a period of a 1000, or more years, was developed into a fine art form.
Its golden period was between the 6th and 16th centuries, when traders, colonists, monks and missionaries, and others, looked for unique ways to promote the “Indic Script” while travelling across Asia.
Calligraphy in Kashmir can trace its roots to 14th century scholar saint Sharif-ud-Din Bulbul, but it truly flourished in the region during Mughal rule (1527-1857).
Today, there are young girls and women who have taken to calligraphy as a journey of self-discovery, or to express their feelings in art form on life, on issues in society, positive or negative.
Brighter Kashmir caught up with 26-year-old Shafia Safi, a psychology graduate from Kashmir University, and one of Kashmir’s popular women calligraphers to better understand this art form and why practitioners feel that it is an apt avenue for expression, besides being a great stress reliever.
The interview:
BK: When did you take up calligraphy?
Shafia Safi: I have been doing this calligraphic work for quite some time now, I would say at least for the last five to six years professionally. But I developed an interest in it during my school days; I used to like painting a lot. At the same time, my involvement with it subsided slightly after school as I had to focus on my studies and my family advised me to stop for a while.
BK: When did you rekindle your interest in this art form?
Shafia Safi: Shortly after I joined college, there was a desire within me to start calligraphy again because I felt that through this art form, I could express myself and I also experienced a kind of mental peace while doing it. I started painting again and through those paintings I started to express myself, shared my feelings; whatever I witnessed in society, I used the medium of calligraphy to voice my views. So, for instance, if I felt that an issue needed more expression, I would paint it, or if there was a story about a girl, I would use calligraphy to tell it, illustrate it and that I feel is one of the main attractions of my paintings.
BK: During the time of Covid, you must have had more time to devote to this skill?
Shafia Safi: Yes, during the time of Covid, I started spending more time professionally on calligraphy and I received a fairly good response. Now I do get quite a lot of orders for my calligraphic work and I intend to continue with it.
BK: Is there someone who has trained you in calligraphy, or are you self-taught?
Shafia Safi: I have self-taught my-self and not pursued any course in it. Whatever I am doing today, I have learnt and done it myself. I experiment a lot, sometimes it turns out right; sometimes it does not. So, I learn and try as I go along; try new things, new mediums. So, I have not learnt from anywhere; just self-taught myself.
BK: What are your plans for the future?
Shafia Safi: I plan to do this in the future as well. This has become my profession and now I am doing murals as well. I do get a lot of orders for murals as well as for calligraphic work. So, I am thinking that I should continue with this in the future as well because I am finding it very interesting. So, if I were to look at this from a career point of view, I find I am really interested in calligraphy, and, therefore, would like to take it forward.
BK: What is your ultimate dream?
Shafia Safi: It is my dream to open a small art gallery where artists can gather and showcase their skills and their artwork. In Kashmir currently there is no such gallery till now. So, that is a kind of a future dream for me that I open an art gallery in Kashmir.
Brighter Kashmir was given a rare opportunity to see some of Shafia’s masterpieces during the interview. Most of the art work was done on traditional pottery items. These included lamps, pitchers, flower vases, pots, clay toys, plaques and murals. It was truly a breath-taking visual experience.