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New Delhi:
It was a rare evenwt to see a Pakistani draw a portrait of Mahatma
Gandhi and, that too, with his blood. Abdul Waseel presented one
such creation of his Sunday - the birth anniversary of Gandhi - at
the Gandhi Darshan here.
"I think this is the best way to tell people of both the countries
that its time we forget hostility, and live together. I know
Mahatma Gandhi professed non-violence, but my blood to pay him
tribute means no more blood sheds should be there on any side of
the border," said Lahore-based Waseel, who had come here to pay
his respects to Gandhi.
"People have been giving mixed response to my way of paying the
tribute. I hope this melts hearts," Waseel added.
Popularly known as 'Painter Babu' in Lahore, Waseel owns a small
shop on Allama Iqbal Road. The calligrapher made the portrait back
in 2009 by drawing blood from his veins with a syringe.
"I had the Mahatma's image sketched in my mind. I wanted to bring
it on canvas," Waseel said, adding that he also has drawn
portraits of former Pakistan prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and
Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela with blood.
He presented Gandhi's portrait to Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, the
granddaughter of the Mahatma and vice-chairperson of Gandhi Smriti
and Darshan Samiti near the Rajghat.
"Somewhere we have lacked in carrying forward what the Father of
the Nation left for us. The two minute silence is a call to look
inside and know how violent we are," Tara Gandhi said before the
two-minute silence, titled 'moment of introspection', was observed
at 12 noon at the memorial.
Born this day in 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat, the birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti
across the country. It is also marked as the International Day of
Non-Violence. He was assassinated Jan 30, 1948.
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