JEDDAH, 10 September 2005 — Oil paintings on the architectural splendor of Makkah and Madinah, as well as old houses of Jeddah are among the attractions of a weeklong exhibition, which opened at the International Indian School auditorium last night. The show, which is part of the ongoing three-week India Festival, also has photographs, postcards and posters on India’s Islamic heritage as well as on Indian stamps and coins.
M.K. Safdar, president of the Saudi Arabian Philatelic Society (SAPS), formally opened the exhibition with Indian Ambassador M.O.H. Farook. Indian Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed conducted them on a tour of exhibits.
The paintings by Alima Ali, a commercial artist from New Delhi who teaches at a school, have colorfully portrayed some of the religious sites in the two holy cities. Her depiction of old houses was termed as outstanding by art connoisseurs.
Hyderabad-born K.N. Wasif, who has worked as a news photographer with different Indian dailies and is at present associated with an Arabic magazine in Riyadh, has provided a glimpse into India’s rich architectural heritage through 150 photographs. His exhibits are aimed to present a broad spectrum of the beauty of centuries-old architecture.
“The idea is to present the finer points of architecture evolved over the centuries,” Asif said. The exhibits include Agra’s Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri, Delhi’s Qutub Minar and Jama Masjid, Aurangabad’s Bibi-Ka-Maqbara and Daultabad Fort, and Hyderabad’s Charminar, Golconda Fort, Qutub Shahi tombs, mosques and Osmania University.
Ibrahim Shaikh has presented rare photographs, postcards and posters on Islamic heritage.
Local journalist N.A. Mirza has exhibited a collection of 2,000 stamps issued by 91 countries on Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi between 1948 and 2005. “Occupying the pride of place is the Gandhi stamp issued by Britain in 1969,” he said. Mirza has also displayed a rich collection of ancient and recent coins.
Safdar, who has exhibited his own collection of stamps issued over the last centuries, said the Makkah-based SAPS, which has three branches across the Kingdom, was an active body with 3,000 members, all of them keen stamp collectors. They include a number of Saudis. “Stamp collection has remained a very popular hobby,” Safdar said when asked whether philately had been adversely impacted by Internet with people increasingly exchanging e-mail messages.
Usman Irumpuzhi, who hails from Kerala and is employed in a local firm, has exhibited dozens of cartoons that reflect the life and times of the expatriate community. “Some of his cartoons are excellent and evoke instant laughter,” a visitor remarked.
While the exhibition will continue for visitors until Wednesday, an Indian rose show and food festival will open at 8:30 p.m. at Jeddah Trident Hotel today. During the two-weeklong food festival (up to Sept. 23), delicacies from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi (Mughlai), Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabadi), Kashmir, Kerala, Goa and West Bengal will be on offer. The Consulate General of India and Saudi Indian Business Network are jointly hosting this event.
As part of the festival, which will continue up to Sept. 30, Chartered Accountants of India, Jeddah, is organizing a seminar on taxation at the hotel at 8:30 p.m. on Monday. Indoor sports tournaments begin on Wednesday and will run up to Sept. 21.
