Securing a silhouette; painting the Tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Hauz Khas ( monument adopted by School).

Securing a silhouette; painting the Tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Hauz Khas

( monument adopted by School).

On a cloudy morning, 11August, 2012, 23 budding artists from classes 9-11 ofgot an opportunity to paint in the awesome ambience of history set in the midst of nature. The weather was sombre; the mood mounted with the fort set by a lake against the menacing rainclouds. The fort is a large complex with several different but equally interesting structures, so choosing a subject for our sketches was a confusing task! The angles from which to capture the edifices of our choices, upon our drawing boards, was also equally formidable; each tomb offered a more haunting image than the next!School having adopted the monument, it was felt that this exercise would sow, amongst us, the early seeds of an association forever.   The visual itself is an outsanding sample of the achitecture of Firoz Shah Tughlaq who was a great builder, responsible for laying the foundations of cities such as Ferozabad, Ferozepur and Hissar. We were briefed that we must try to recreate the monument alongwith the glory of it's ambience, as it were. The light and shade, the dimensions and depths, an arial perspective etc. We could use the materials of our choice. The morning's exercise left us feeling very fulfilled and yet seeking more- of this piece of yore! Our teachers were delighted that, indeed we had 'begun to belong' to this remakable piece of history. " The rest will quickly follow", they passionately announced as they scrutinised our artistic effort. Without atmosphere a painting is nothing.Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rij As filed by Meghlayana Banerjee, class 10C.