Mazgaon-based artist captures Ramzan spirit in her paintings

Zaikr (devotion), Shukr (gratitude), Sabr (patience) and Raham (mercy) are some of the features associated with the holy month of Ramzan. Now, city-based artist Salva Rasool has created a series of paintings inspired by these fine features of Ramzan.
Seated at her Mazgaon home, Rasool recently shared thoughts on the importance of these works of art.
"People generally associate Ramzan with fasting and feasting. Actually this is the month for intense reflection and time to show utmost mercy and gratitude, patience and devotion," she said.
"I have created paintings which evoke these feelings not just among Muslim but non-Muslims too."
A graduate from J J School of Art, Rasool has painted Islamic themes for long but her latest series speak of her flair with Arabic calligraphy which she is learning from an Ustad (master) in Bangalore.
"With passage of time, you evolve as an artist and a human being too. My works on mixed media evoke feelings of love, mercy and tolerance. These are essentially intrinsic to the spirit of Ramzan," explained the artist who has created a niche for herself in painting using beautiful Arabic calligraphy as strokes.
"When I began three decades ago, I didn't realise that Arabic calligraphy is such a rich art. It was during the Covid pandemic that I joined some online classes from Ustads in China and Turkey and began learning Arabic Calligraphy," she said.
"Then I met Ustad Mukhtar Ahmed in Bangalore who took me under his wings and taught me this beautiful art," added Rasool whose paintings not only decorated some of the most beautiful homes in India and abroad, but also a guesthouse for pilgrims in Karbala (Iraq).
The battle of Karbala has a huge significance as it is here that Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussain and his companions and many family members were martyred by the Ummaiyad king Yazid's army. Tenth of Muharram or Ashura commemorates Imam Hussain's martyrdom. Rasool said that the Arabic calligraphy is very old and her Ustad traces his mentorship to Hazrat Ali, the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law.
Hazrat Ali did calligraphy in Kufic style and transferred it to his disciples who in turn taught it to their students. And it went down history through a lineage of disciples. She said her Ustad comes from that lineage. Having learnt it from different Ustads, Rasool wants to teach the art of Arabic calligraphy to youngsters.