The British Council presented the artwork to mark the last phase of the UK-India Year of Culture and to launch 70 years of the British Council in India. The first presentation at the National Gallery for Modern Art, Bangalore was timed to coincide with the Lunar eclipse occurring on the 31st January.
After Bangalore the artwork then moved to Mumbai, Udaipur, Kolkata and finally to the British Council offices in Delhi.
Events
Beneath the Moon a series of programmed performances took place.
Film made a member of the public in Kolkata
Symbolism of the Moon in Hinduism
India is a country of many festivals and religious observances, mostly mapped out against a lunar calendar. The important dates shift every year as the moon makes its way around the Earth. It’s no surprise then that the moon would feature as a thing of cultural importance, from Gods to markers in time.
In Hinduism (India’s predominant religion), Chandra is the God of the moon and the father of Budha. He is believed to be the one who causes the plants and the crops to grow. While Amavasya, the night of the new moon is considered an auspicious time. Many significant events are observed on it, like Diwali, the festival of lights. People gather on rooftops, waiting to welcome the moon throughout the year.
In Hindu literature and folklore, the moon is associated with romance, loneliness, friendship, pleasant nights and kinship. Find out more about the significance of the Moon in Hinduism.
India’s mission to the Moon
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of the Government of India headquartered in the city of Bangalore. Its vision is to “harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.
India’s satellite Chandrayaan-1 found water on the Moon. Watch this film.
