Path breaking Exhibition by Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism

[Guest guest]

An exhibition to be seen by every Indian, especially Hindu.

 

 

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

 

 

 

AURANGZEB AND HINDU RESISTANCE

 

 

 

The Foundation FACT (Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism) is showing

for the first time in Chennai a path breaking exhibit on Aurangzeb " as

he was " , according to Muslim original documents. We have commissioned

totally 40 original paintings and sketches from miniature painters in

Jaipur, Rajasthan. Each original oil painting, representing one scene of

Aurangzeb's bloody reign, commissioned by FACT will be signed and dated.

 

 

 

This is an exhibition on the reign of the Moghol Emperor, Aurangzeb,

which shows Hinduism as a timeless cultural manifestation, capable of

maintaining its unique character and spirit of tolerance amidst

sustained onslaught.

 

 

 

There are an incredible number of farhans, original edicts of Aurangzeb

hand-written in Persian, in India's museums, particularly in Rajasthan,

such as the Bikaner archives. For the exhibition Aurangzeb's own

farhans, records and edicts, are the basis. Many of these Farmans are

still available in their original forms in Government's archives,

such as the Bikaner Museum. Every exhibit is thus based on sound textual

tradition, supported by recorded history.

 

 

 

Place: Lalit Kala Academy, 170, Greams Road, Chennai – 600 006

 

Tel/Fax: +91 44 28291692

 

Duration: 3rd to 9th March 2008, between 11 AM and 7 PM

 

 

 

For queries contact Anupama Ranganathan: 9841057563

 

 

 

 

 

Francois Gautier

 

Trustee FACT

 

41 Jorbagh, New Delhi 110003

 

Tel 98118828

 

 

 

Born in Paris in 1959, François Gautier is a French journalist,

political correspondent in South Asia during ten years for « Le

Figaro », France's largest daily for eight years. He is now the

editor in chief of the Paris-based La Revue de l'Inde

(lesbelleslettres.com). François has written several books:

" Arise O India " (Har Anand) 1999, " A Western journalist on

India " (Har-Anand 2001), " Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a Guru of

Joy " (India Today Book Club, 2003, 60.000 copies sold). He also

writes regular columns for Indian newspapers, `Ferengi's

column " in the Indian Express, the " French Connection "

column in the Pioneer, as well as regular contributions to Rediff.com.

 

 

 

He started FACT-India in 2003 when he got the Natchiketa Award for

Excellence in Journalism at the hands of the Prime Minister in Lok

Sabha, New Delhi. Since then FACT, a non-political, non religious

organization, non-affiliated to any group, has mounted several

path-breaking exhibitions, the most famous of which, highlighting the

plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, was shown in the US Congress in 2005,

leading to a bipartisan resolution by the US Senate in 2006.

 

 

 

AURANGZEB AS HE WAS ACCORDING TO MOGHOL RECORDS

 

 

 

This is an artistic exhibition on Aurangzeb , the great Moghol emperor

using his own records and firmans (edicts), many of which are still

preserved in Indian museums, such as the Bikaner archives. François

Gautier, a Delhi based French journalist and the founder trustee of

FACT, commissioned painters to depict in the old Moghol style never

before shown scenes of Aurangzeb's reign, using historical documents

of impeccable origin.

 

 

 

Aurangzeb was truly a pious Muslim, copying the Koran himself, stitching

Muslim skullcaps and enforcing strict laws. Nevertheless, according to

his own documents, he was also an extremely cruel man – even for his

times - having his father poisoned, his two brothers killed, and

imprisoning his own son. He was also ruthless towards his subjects, the

Hindus, re-imposing the humiliating jiziya tax, forbidding them from

riding horses, elephants or palanquins and generally persecuting them

pitilessly. For Aurangzeb did not just build an isolated mosque on a

destroyed temple, he ordered all temples destroyed, among them the Kashi

Vishvanath, one of the most sacred places of Hinduism and had mosques

built on a number of cleared temples sites. All other Hindu sacred

places within his reach equally suffered destruction, with mosques built

on them. A few examples: Krishna's birth temple in Mathura, the rebuilt

Somnath temple on the coast of Gujurat, the Vishnu temple replaced with

the Alamgir mosque now overlooking Benares and the Treta-ka-Thakur

temple in Ayodhya. The number of temples destroyed by Aurangzeb is

counted in 4, if not 5 figures. Aurangzeb did not stop at destroying

temples, their users were also wiped-out; even his own brother, Dara

Shikoh, was executed for taking an interest in Hindu religion and the

Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded because he objected to Aurangzeb's

forced conversions.

 

 

 

This exhibition is very relevant today in a world which sees a mortal

battle between the hard Sunni-Wahabite brand of Islam, which tolerates

no other, has chased four hundred thousand Hindus from Kashmir and is

incarnated by the Taliban or the Al Qaida - and the softer, more

accepting Sufi-moderate Islam of Dara Sukoh and many Indian Muslims. We

have to have the courage to say it. It is composed of 60 original

paintings/drawings signed and dated + many original firmans of Aurangzeb

scanned from the Bikaner, Jaipur and Delhi archives/museums.

 

 

 

 

 

About the painters

 

 

 

The art of the Moghol miniature is a dying art. Most of the painters who

still know this craft and are able to mix the water colors which the

ancient painters used, live in Jaipur, Rajasthan. FACT tracked them down

and earmarked twelve of them, thanks to the tireless efforts of

FACT's historian and researcher, Prof Bhatnagar of the Rajasthan

University. Out of these twelve, only five were found to be creative

enough to paint entirely new scenes according to the Aurangzeb records

earmarked by Prof Bhatnagar. They are: Dr Sumeendra, Mr Dharampal, Dr

Saxena, Mr Kunagal and Dr Chandramani. Each painting is signed and dated

and each painting is an original never seen before and historically

accurate.