Editor Carla Geerdes
The morning of 9th January Shivani Bothra picked us up and took us to the Bothra family’s home by car. We looked forward to relaxing days with our friends. Only when we had recovered by sleeping until lunch we got aware that the days behind us were not only eventful, but also tiring. We knew all members of the Bothra household from former stays, four years ago was the last. In the meantime Shivani Bothra had completed her second degree programme in the study of religions in the USA. Her husband Sanjeev Bothra had completed his dissertation and waited for the announcement of the date to defend his doctor’s thesis in Design, written supplementary to his professional tasks. When we reached the house of our friends, Sanjeev Bothra was abroad on one of his many official journeys. On the eve of 10th January he was expected back in Jaipur.
At Anuvibha Bhavan we had no time to upload the many photos for HN4U. Moreover some work had to be done on them. On the evening of 10th January all was complete, and Christian Geerdes in collaboration with his son Raoul in Berlin was able to bring all photos online together with data on the conference. Again there was a very good cooperation Jaipur-Berlin. Thanks to Rudi Jansma who had sent the informations available until then to Raoul.
So had been done what had to be done, and we were looking forward to the relaxed day ahead, before we continued our trip to Bangalore in two days. Next morning Sanjeev Bothra already announced a very interesting day in front of us when we all had breakfast. The in Asia very famous artist Himmat Shah had asked Sanjeev Bothra to compile a coffee-table book on the artist’s terracotta sculptures. This resulted in a very extraordinary book, rather a folio. It does not only contain very successfully presented photos of the artist’s work, but is in its form, arrangement and the materials used an object of art itself. Himmat Shah was so much taken by Sanjeev Bothra’s work that the work relation between them very fast developed into friendship of soul mates, as both of them later radiantly disclosed. Hence we did not hesitate to accompany him to the house of his friend and client Himmat Shah.
This beautiful front garden is the entrée to the house of the artist Himmat Shah.
Himmat Shah (l., talking to Christian Geerdes) showed us his house and his work.
"This is ma store room," the artist said smilingly.
This sculpture stands on the ground floor.
This one also
Shivani and Sanjeev Bothra with Himmat Shah in the latter's living room.
The artist’s house was like a living exposition of his work. He said that he hardly can imagine his life without his sculptures in each and every room and corner of the house. That’s why it is so difficult for him to sell his work. Except for the terracotta sculptures. Those had been created for vending, as many of his friends had urged him to retail one of his art works to them. Himmat Shah confessed smilingly to be in some way forced to sell the terracotta sculptures for reasons of lacking space in his house to expose them there and for livelihood reasons. Further, huge and heavy sculptures also create bigger logistic problems, when they were sold. We laughed a lot and were happy to be in the humorous presence of this gentleman, who does understand like only few to perceive every creative moment of the present and to live joyfully in it. Successful in the world, a great spiritual soul, it was an enrichment to have met him. In him both is alive, Old and New India.
There was another occasion in the evening to meet him. The Bothra family had invited him and Prof. Kusum Jain for a delicious and festive dinner. For us it was also an occasion to meet again with Prof. Kusum Jain who had become a close friend of Shivani Bothra over the years of working together.
It was a cheerful group of people in high spirits being united around the Bothra family’s dinner table, meeting personally only once in several years, but always in such good understanding as if it was yesterday they had met last.
Preparations for Dinner: Shivani Bothra, Prem Bothra, as well as Dilipwith his wife and daughter.
The beautifully arranged dinner table
In the house of the Bothra Family we were shown a poster with photos of artful decoration of buildings by Himmat Shah, as he had done for a highschool in Ahmedabad, Gujarat,about 1972.
A successful evening with Prem Bothra, Prof. Kusum Jain, Himmat Shah. The coffee-table book on the terracotta sculptures lies on the little table between the two ladies.
Prem Bothra and Carla Geerdes joking with Prof. Kusum Jain. This could have lasted for some more hours.
For us there was only left to finish the packing and then sleep. Very early next morning our friends planned to drive us to the airport. They smilingly told us that they do not want us to call a taxi as we had tried to propose several times. And they were so right; it was much nicer with them.
