Incredible India on two wheels

Personal Account

This Delhiite enjoys long traffic jams and waiting at red lights. Wonder why?

Nishat Rehman, an artist and self-confessed travel junkie, has painted her scooty with the memories of her travels – impressions from Kashmir, Rajasthan, Bengal, Tamil Nadu - almost every other tourist hotspot in India. People stop her on the roads and enquire ‘where can I buy such a piece from?’

Nishat is a student of Visual Communication at the Delhi College of Arts. She is fond of travelling and ‘telling stories of what she sees and experiences.’ She explains, “My dad is a government employee, so we would get lots of leave travel concessions every year and head off to faraway places. As I grew up, I realised that I love travelling. Not only does it give me inspiration as an artist but there is so much to learn from
each place.”

With a nomadic lifestyle, came the artist’s need to document her emotions. “I was looking for an appropriate canvas when I remembered my old Scooty. My scooty travels with me everywhere, so there couldn’t be a better place to put together these images. Effectively, I not only take along my memories wherever I go but also present a kaleidoscopic view of our country through colourful and engaging visuals to fellow motorists.”

Her regular scooty is indeed an unofficial ambassador for Incredible India now. Right in the front is an orange blazing sun which she says is a regular feature wherever you travel in the country. Below it appears a cute pair of puppets from Rajasthan. On the sides are the backwaters of Kerala and a Kathakali dancer, beaches of Mumbai, Bihar’s reclining Buddha, Kolkata’s Howrah Bridge, Sikkim’s prayer flags and Kashmir’s houseboats.

She has also devoted considerable space to the wildlife of India. A large headed elephant, a rhinoceros and birds adorn this section. Then there are some exotic food items like the breezy drinks of Goa and the paan of Lucknow. All in all, it goes on to make for a cute, colourful and thoughtful portrayal of all that is worth experiencing
in India.

She says, “My family adores it and friends like to take it out often. But I most enjoy the comments I get from people on the roads. Last time I was asked, “Where is the factory where you manufacture these scooties?”