Srinagar, July 26 (KNS): Kashmir, which is often referred to as the land of Sufi saints, has always been famous for its rich culture and heritage and calligraphy is one such art, which has become quite popular in the valley over the past few years as it has been drawing the attention of young artists like Nida Shabir.
For artists like Nida Shabir, 18, the values brought in by the scholars, saints hold great importance in the lives of the Kashmiri people, and through calligraphy, they want to portray their imagination and Kashmiri culture to the world.
According to the Archeological Survey of India, calligraphy was introduced to Kashmir by the scholar saint Sharaf-ud-Din Bulbul in the fourteenth century A.D. and since this art is being explored by the young artist like Nida in the own different ways.
"I have been doing calligraphy and this creative work for over a month now and I have been doing this all by myself as I have not done any training, or I have not learnt it from anyone. Calligraphy is the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a brush or a pen. It's a kind of music not for the ears but for the eyes as well," Nida says while talking with Kashmir News Service (KNS).
She says calligraphy is the most intimate, private and spontaneous expressive means like a fingerprint or voice and it's unique for every person.
Nida, who does her calligraphy mostly in Arabic and English, says her hobby grew deeper when she was doing her mid-studies in higher secondary school.
"I came to know about the art while I saw most people doing artwork in the recent days and I also started doing calligraphy and my hobby of doing this grew deeper. Actually, people should do what they love."
Nida, who hails from the Rainawari area of Srinagar, has done her schooling from Vishwa Bharti girls higher secondary school Rainawari. She believes that it is the easiest way to be happy while you are holding your pen or a brush in your hand.
"You are not finding happiness in your art rather you are creating your happiness out of it and one should believe that practice makes a man perfect. I am not an artist actually, but I am just trying to learn calligraphy and over a month, I have been doing quite well in this art.
She says she is doing her further studies in Zoology from Islamia College Srinagar, and she is preparing for NEET exams as well.
Nida says though she wants to be a doctor or a professor, she will continue to this artwork as she finds happiness in this creative work.
Like many new aspiring artists, who are emerging on different social media sites to display their talent and attract people to their artwork, this youngest artist is no exception. To expand her clientele, Nida has started her official business page on Instagram by the name “_theinkhand”.
Nida has two siblings, her elder sister and a younger brother, besides her father (a private employee) and her mother, who is a tailor, said her family supporter her a lot in this and they want her to go on with this hobby. (KNS)