Jan, Jamin, Jal, Janwar = Jahan

Our crowded planet is growing warmer! Mother Earth cannot take the pressures of development!!

We have all been very careless and are sinking deeper into the morass of materialism and consumerism. The world's power plants, automobiles, burning forests and several other activities today are producing 29% more CO₂ than in 2000! We have managed to do in a few years what our ancestors could not do since the birth of our planet. The emission levels could drive temperatures up by at least 4⁰C by 2060. This could push the world deeper into a danger zone with climate disruption, unusual droughts, powerful storms and unpredictable consequences!

The creative world understands these pressures - Atul Bhalla's recent installations deal with the total neglect of the holy river Yamuna, for example. I believe that public art needs to be more people- and issue-focused. Some time back, SOAK at the NGMA, Mumbai, highlighted the problems of the city by understanding the crisis of the Mithi river. It drew huge crowds.

Why can't we have an art, aesthetics and social awareness channel, which is understood by all sections of society?

There should be a new path and a new direction with new qualities and strengths...we must persevere and must not give up!

Let us give our land its due. Let us learn to nurture it and protect it.

Only then will it allow us to flourish!