Delhi celebrates IMD's 150th anniversary with street murals

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a special art project. Delhi Street Art (DSA) has painted 38 large murals on the walls of Mausam Bhawan, where the IMD is located. This celebration highlights the connection between art and weather. Rabindranath Tagore, the renowned poet, has a historical link with the IMD. He and his wife would often sit under a tree at the department's old headquarters in Calcutta, where it was founded in 1875. The murals created by DSA include various themes about weather, mythology, the IMD's history, and modern weather technology. The project engaged 40 artists for four weeks. Some murals are as tall as 20 feet. They depict figures like Chanakya, who predicted weather using statistics, and Kalidas, known for his poem about the monsoon. They also show scenes that help farmers and fisherfolk in understanding weather changes. Mayuri Saini, the director of DSA, mentioned that the artists included information on safety measures for severe weather events like heatwaves and cyclones. The art aims to educate the public while celebrating the IMD's achievements. The murals also honor Yogesh Saini, the founder of DSA, who passed away last year. He started the DSA 13 years ago with a vision to beautify Delhi. Mayuri feels proud that this project honors his legacy. The imagery in the murals showcases various aspects of weather, from cherry blossoms to hailstorms. DSA has created many public artworks across Delhi, but many have faded over time. Mayuri believes in continually creating new art to engage with the community.