Artist uses soil and technology to honour women freedom fighters

The much-awaited Mela Ghadri Babeya Da commenced at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall on Thursday with great enthusiasm and fervour. The event, dedicated to the centenary of the death of revolutionary freedom fighter Ghadri Gulab Kaur (1925–2025) and the legacy of the Ghadar Movement, drew large crowds eager to explore its creative attractions.

A key highlight of the mela is the innovative artwork by freelance artist Varun Tondon, who has created a striking portrait of Ghadri Gulab Kaur using mitti (soil). “I have represented the country with mitti,” Tondon said, emphasising the symbolic connection between the land and the spirit of freedom.

Alongside Gulab Kaur’s portrait, Tondon has also crafted portraits of ten other women freedom fighters using the same medium. What makes his exhibition unique is the fusion of technology with traditional art—each portrait carries a QR code which, when scanned, plays a short video in which the depicted freedom fighter narrates her own story.

“This is the first time I have tried something like this and people are really appreciating it,” Tondon shared. “Today, everything is on the phone, so I wanted to create something that connects people to our great revolutionaries in a modern way.”

Known for experimenting with unconventional materials, Tondon’s earlier artworks have used smoke, grass, tea leaves, matchsticks and other natural elements instead of paint.

Visitors to the mela praised his concept, saying it offered both an engaging experience and a meaningful way to learn about India’s women freedom fighters and their immense sacrifices.

Alok Kumar, a visitor, said he was deeply impressed by the idea that allowed people to learn about these lesser-known women revolutionaries. “We didn’t really know about them earlier, but it was wonderful to see this,” he said, adding that children, too, enjoyed the experience.