Dina Nath Walli

Dina Nath Walli (1908–2006), also known by his pen name Almast Kashmiri, was a renowned water colour artist and poet from Srinagar city in Kashmir valley. He was the part of the modern art movement in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and was known for painting everyday scenes of Kashmir.[1][2]

Dina Nath Walli
Watercolor Artist
Born1908
Badyar Bala, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, British India
Died2006
Karnal, Haryana, India
NationalityIndian
Known forpainting, poetry
MovementModern art
AwardsMaharaja Gold Medal (1939), Highly commended medal, Academy of Fine Arts Calcutta (1940), AIFACS Veteran Artist Award (1996), Saraswati Samman (2004)

He lived in Badyar Bala area of Srinagar, which has been home to many Kashmiri Pandit artists including S.N. Bhat and Mohan Raina.

Early life and education

His father died when Dina Nath was very young. He had his early education in Srinagar, then he continued his three years course at Amar Singh Technical Institute, Srinagar and then he moved to Calcutta in 1930 for his further training, where he learned various forms of art under the guidance of Percy Brown, principal of the Government College of Art & Craft at the University of Calcutta.

Career

In 1936, he returned to Srinagar, where he concentrated on landscape painting in water colours mainly. He was also awarded gold medals by the government of Kashmir in 1939 and in 1940 he was awarded a highly commended medal from the Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta.

He was aware of various forms of modern art especially Salvador Dalí's surrealism, Pablo Picasso's Cubism, expressionism, impressionism, Pop art and Abstract art. His paintings are good examples of impressionism, they are unique in their own way. He had also produced an album of 12 paintings.[3]

Under his pen name of Almast Kashmiri, his "accent on realistic art or people's poetry", is best seen in his two collections of his poetry, Bala Yapair (This side of Mountains, 1955) and Sahaavukh Posh (Desert Flowers, 1981).[2][4]

Personal life

He was fond of music and was closely attached to musical instruments, mainly violin, flute, and sitar (Indian string instrument). He was survived by one son and three daughters. After marriage of his children he moved out to Karnal with his son, Dr. T. K. Walli in the 1980s.

Solo shows
  1. He did first one-man show at Nedou's hotel, Srinagar 1953, opened by Percy Brown.
  2. He did second one-man show at Jehangir Art Gallery, Bombay in January 1954, opened by late Sh. S.K.Patil
  3. He did third one-man show at AIFACS, New Delhi in December 1954, opened by late Shri Sardar K.M.Panikkar
  4. He did fourth one man show at NDA, Pune, 1955
  5. He did fifth one man show at Artistry House, Calcutta, 1956, opened by Dr. Kail Dass
  6. He did sixth one man show again at AIFACS New Delhi, 1964
  7. He did his seventh show at Rabindra Bhawan, Lalit kala Academy, New Delhi
  8. His eight show was done at Kuwait, in 2004
  9. His ninth show was done at Kala Kendra, Jammu, in March 2010

Works
  • Kashmir Water Colour Paintings, by Dinanath Walli. Walli, 1970.
  • Sahraavuky posh: desert flowers, by Dinanath Walli. Metropolitan Book Co., 1978.

Paintings
  1. Riverside temple, 1956
  2. A house boat in moonlight, 1967
  3. Dal lake from above Shalimar garden, 1954
  4. River-side shops, Srinagar, 1946
  5. Nangaparbat mountain seen from Khilanmarg, 1945
  6. Way to Makhdoom Sahib's shrine, Hariparbat, 1950
  7. KutakulCanal in Autumn, 1953
  8. Maisuma back street Srinagar, 1949
  9. Maisuma back street Srinagar, 1949
  10. Kashmiris enjoying almond blossoms near Hariparbat 1952
  11. Nangaparbat mountain from Khilanmarg, 1949
  12. Gujjar shephardess, 1943
  13. Mar canal in spring, 1943
  14. Mar canal in downtown, Srinagar, 1948
  15. Houses on islands near Dal lake, 1965
  16. Houses near Dal backwaters, 1961
  17. Hariparbat from Nagin Lake, 1958
  18. Gate leading to Makhdoom Sahib's shrine, 1952
  19. Mar canal near Bohri Kadal, 1946
  20. BARAMULLA Street, 1950
  21. A view from Akber's Gate in spring, 1952
  22. Mount Mahadeo in spring, 1969
  23. Ferry boats on River Jehlum, 1956
  24. Paddy fields near Mount Mahadeo, 1966
  25. Mar canal in early spring, 1945
  26. Mount Affarwat and Pirpanchal seen from Dal Lake, 1967
  27. The Dal Backwaters, 1965
  28. Jehlum Valley road in Autumn, 1954
  29. Zabarwan hill from Dal Lake, 1963
  30. Shapherdess, taking care of her flock, 1951
  31. Village shops near Hazratbal Mosque, 1949
  32. Dal Lake in winter, 1951
  33. Kashmir in winter, 1947
  34. Nagin Lake at evening time, 1944
  35. Mount Mahadev from village Kreshbal, 1952
  36. Saffron fields at Pampore, Kashmir, 1955
  37. Village Bemuna Kashmir(now a posh colony in Srinagar), 1961
  38. Akber's Bridge, Rainawari, the water way leading to dal lake, 1954
  39. Shah humdan Sahib's Shrine on the bank of river Jehlum, 1946
  40. The horses on the Bund, Srinagar, 1948
  41. Night scene at Habba Kadal, Srinagar, 1950
  42. Dal lake in summer, 1951
  43. Circular road Gulmarg, 1943
  44. Pirpanjal in Autumn, 1945
  45. Village Mattan on the way to Pahalgam, 1943
  46. Mount Mahadev from River Jehlum, Srinagar, 1943
  47. Road to old airport, Srinagar,1943
  48. Village houses in Kashmir,1941
  49. Nangaparbat Mountain from gulmarg, 1941
  50. On way to Amarnath Cave, 1941
  51. Chinars in Autumn, Kralapora Village, 1941
  52. Mount Affarwat from Gulmarg, 1942
  53. Road to Old airport, Srinagar, 1943
  54. Mount Mahgadev from river jehlum, Srinagar, 1943
  55. Village Mattan on way to Phalgam, 1943
  56. Circular Road Gulmarg, 1943
  57. Water way to Dal Lake, 1943
  58. On way to Gulmarg via Baba rishi, 1944
  59. Shankrayacharya Hill from river Jehlum, 1945
  60. Nangaparbat Mountain from Khilanmarg, 1945
  61. Dal Lake at evening, during autumn, 1945
  62. Pirpanchal in autumn, 1945
  63. Shah Humdan Sahib's shrine on the bank of river jehlum, 1946
  64. River side shops, Srinagar, 1945
  65. Houses on the Bund, Srinagar, 1948
  66. Maisuma, Black Street, Srinagar, 1949
  67. Shashnag water, Pahalgam, 1950
  68. Way to Makhdoom Sahib Shrine, Hariparbat, 1950
  69. Village sebden- Women pounding paddy, 1951
  70. Road to Pirpanchal in spring, 1952
  71. Street in Rainawar, Srinagar, 1953
  72. Kutakul Canal in Autumn, 1953
  73. House boat in Nagin lake, 1954
  74. Dal lake form above Shalimar gardens, 1954
  75. Street on Bund, Srinagar, 1955

Known Collections
  1. Taj Hotal, Bombay
  2. Chandhigarh Museum, Chandigarh
  3. Kashmir Govt. Museum, Srinagar
  4. Dhoommal Art Gallery, New Delhi
  5. Tariq Raiab Museum, Kuwait

References
  1. "Modern art in Kashmir reflects contemporary realities". Sify News. 8 January 2011.
  2. Datta, p. 139
  3. Dina Nath Walli Kashmiri Overseas Association.
  4. Trilokinath Raina (1998). Dina Nath Nadim (Makers of Indian Literature). Sahitya Akademi. p. 14. ISBN 812600441X.
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