Explore Bundelkhand was launched by Mueen Akhtar along with Vikrant Jha. Later on Dr. Brajesh Kumar also actively joined this campaign. Initially, the campaign started with a watercolor expedition. Later on, they added photography and tourism to this campaign.
Background
Mueen Akhtar & Vikrant Jha are two best and old friends. However, Mueen is the founder of the Bundelkhand Art Society. While Vikrant Jha is the Vice-president of the Society. They both run the Society successfully promoting Art & Artists in Bundelkhand.
Earlier Vikrant Jha was a pharmacist by profession. He got an injury in an accident in 2019. Consequently, he gave up his job and stayed at home. He started suffering from stress & pain. In this situation, Mueen Akhtar motivated him to divert his mind toward art. He did the same and improved himself to come out of the stress and pain.
In 2020, corona pandemic spread all over India. During Corona both the friend connected by phone call. They used to talk for hours and hours about art promotion, and development of the society. They also used to talk to improve their watercolor painting. So personally both artists are crazy about watercolor painting. They both spent many hours talking about watercolor painting on call. Therefore, this discussion gave birth to the campaign Explore Bundelkhand.
The idea of the Campaign
Mueen Akhtar produced the idea to paint and visit the whole Bundelkhand Area. Vikrant Jha excitedly aggreged to this idea. Therefore, Mueen Akhtar named this campaign “Explore Bundelkhand. Stepping ahead in this direction, they planned a workshop on watercolor painting in April 2021.
First-time use of the title ‘Explore Bundelkhand’
On 11 April 2021, they were going to host an International Watercolor Workshop of Amit Kapoor in Jhansi & Orchha. This workshop was named Explore Bundelkhand with Amit Kapoor. Hence this was the first time when Explore Bundelkhand title was used. Unfortunately, the second wave of Corona forced them to postpone this workshop.
Official Launching
Official Launching of Explore Bundelkhand is awaited. Talking about its official launching, Artist Mueen Akhtar said,
We have the plan to start to do some work initially. We already started to visit and paint Lalitpur & Deogarh. After capturing enough watercolor paintings and information about these places, we will display them and at the same time we will launch Explore Bundelkhand campaign officially.
-Mueen Akhtar, Eminent Artist, Art Educationist & Watercolorist
Key Dates & Activites
2020
Lockdown during the Corona period, the discussion between Mueen & Vikrant gave birth to the campaign Explore Bundelkhand. Finally, they decided to make the Bundelkhand area & its monuments as the theme of their paiting.
2021
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On 11 April 2021, they were going to host an International Watercolor Workshop of Amit Kapoor in Jhansi & Orchha.
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This workshop was named Explore Bundelkhand with Amit Kapoor.
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This was the first time when Explore Bundelkhand title was used.
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Unfortunately, the second wave of Corona forced them to postpone this workshop.
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2022
Dr. Brajesh Kumar Joins the Campaign
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Dr. Brajesh Kumar joined the campaign. As he is a photographer, photography was added to this campaign.
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Feb 2022, Mueen, Vikrant & Dr. Brajesh Kumar visited Barua Sagar & Jaraye Ka Math (Laxmi Temple).
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They visited Barua Sagar Fort and checked out the possibilities & ground reality for painting under explore Bundelkhand.
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They planned to stay there and paint the monuments and beauty of Barua Sagar for 3 days.
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But for some personal reason, this expedition could not be completed.
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On 30 Sep 2022, Vikrant Jha and Mueen Akhtar decided to start the work from Lalitpur.
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They targeted Lalitpur for work under this campaign for at least six months.
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They will visit there many times, and explore the beautiful destinations of Lalitpur. They will explore the cultural and traditional heritage of the city.
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So on 30 Sep 2022, they explored Govind Sagar Dam. Mueen Akhtar, & Vikrant Jha reached Govind Sagar Dam. Local Artist Jagdeep Soni was also with them there. They painted one painting each.
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Deogarh
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On 8 Oct 2022, Mueen Akhtar, Vikrant Jha, and Dr. Brajesh Kumar again visited Lalitpur. In the evening, they visited Sumera Talab and feel its beauty of it. Both the watercolorist painted the beautiful scene. While Dr. Brajesh Kumar captured the scene in his photograph.
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The same day they stayed at night in the Police line there. They stayed at the night in the house of the younger brother of Dr. Brajesh Kumar.
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Early morning of 9 Sep 2022, they started all the way to Deogarh. Local Artist Jagdeep Soni was also with the,
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The artists captured the beauty of the Dashawatar Mandir in their paintings. While Dr. Brajesh Kumar captured these scenes with his camera.
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They spent the First half of the day painting in Dashawatar Mandir. They had simple and delicious lunch in Jain Dharamshala near the temple. After lunch, they moved to the Jain temple on the upper hill in Deogarh.
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Pleinair Painting
Jaray Ka Math (25 Dec 2022)
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On 25 Dec 2022, Mueen Akhtar & Dr. Brajesh Kumar again explored Jaray Ka Math in Barua Sagar. Earlier, they reached there before 10 am. The monument was locked at that time. Both the artists then visited a village near this monument. In the village, they found two more historical things. One of them was Jaray Ki Madiya and the second structure was in very bad condition. It has a frame of one side wall with pillars only. The rest of the part was ruined and the villagers are keeping it in a very bad and dirty condition. Both structures need special care and protection.
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After entering Jaray ka Math, Mueen Akhtar set up his easel and was ready for Plein-air painting. Along with them, some students were also there. While Dr. Brajesh Kumar captured the monuments with a DSLR.
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The group spent more than half a day there. Artist Mueen Akhtar made a masterpiece showing all details in that watercolor.
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2023
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On 01 Jan 2023, Mueen Akhtar & Dr. Brajesh Kumar again celebrated New Year in their style. They started exploring Chandpur village in Lalitpur. Earlier, they reached there around 11 am.
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Chandpur village was at the way of Deograh. Just before some Km. of Deograh, the right turn takes us to Chandpur Village. After turning right, there is a narrow road, but not bad to drive a four-wheeler. We will find a Railway crossing before reaching our destination.
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After crossing, we find a whole package of monuments. It was a great spot for the art & exploration lovers like me. 3 to 5 Temples all gathered in one place, are amazing.
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We just visited and observed the beauty of these monuments. Although most of them are a heap of ruins, still every piece of this historical architectures tell us the glorious story of its past.
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