Srinagar, Dec 10: Ghulam Nabi Zargar recalls the time when he would dive into Dal Lake. Zargar and his friends would spend hours around the lake enjoying Shikara rides.
After seeing 70 summers, he is very much disturbed by the current situation of the lake, which he said has majorly lost to pollution and encroachment.
That does not however diminish his love for Dal. In fact, his childhood memories inspired him to transform walnut wood into a poignant canvas that narrates the story of Dal Lake’s fading glory.
“Dal Lake means a lot to me. My childhood memories are filled with my experiences at the lake. I would spend most of my time around Dal Lake. My friends and I often dived into the freshwater of Dal and swim for longer time. We would often ride a Shikara to see the interiors of the lake, which was fascinating,” Zargar said.
He said the lake has undergone drastic changes in the last few decades, which inspired him to narrate the entire story of the lake through his art.
“It hit my mind how I can tell the story of the lake through my art. I took a wooden board and started carving it to depict the condition of the lake during my childhood and now,” he said.
From an abode to swans, and ducks to the mushrooming of concrete buildings, Zargar’s wooden art completely narrates the ordeal faced by the once freshwater lake.
The representation clearly shows women fetching clean water from the lake, fishermen at work, and vegetable sellers. It also portrayed a woodcutter, butterflies, ants, and bird nests.
“This piece of art is enough to understand the deterioration of the lake. It took me effort and time to carve the art. It tells the story of the lake when it was the crown of Kashmir in the true sense. It simultaneously narrates the deterioration of the lake as well, ” he said.
Zargar said his walnut wood canvas serves as both a tribute and a wake-up call for collective action to restore the lake to its former splendor.
In addition to Dal Lake, Zargar has also carved a replica of the holy Amarnath shrine.