The Kochi-Muziris Biennale provided an interesting interim stop for members from a 50-strong group who are walking from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.
The 'Walk of Hope' under Sri M, 66-year-old spiritual guru of Bangalore-based Manav Ekta Mission, started on January 12 and will traverse through 11 states over 500 days.
A few members of the group, which is walking the length of the country to spread the message of interfaith harmony, took a break on their Kochi-leg of the journey to visit the Biennale.
"I wish all those on our walk would come down to see the Biennale," said Anitha Loganadan, who runs a school in Bangalore.
"I feel they should come here and do their meditation; the atmosphere is so fantastic'," Anitha, who studied at Chennai Government College of Fine Arts with Biennale artist Valsan Koorma Kolleri, said and suggested the trip to the walkers, who are disciples of the Malayali guru.
In fact, while stopping at Kolleri's 'How Goes the Enemy' it proved irresistible to some of the walkers to do a 'sirsasana' or the headstand next to a laterite sculpture of a man standing on his head.
"The venue is so beautiful and as we walked to the arch in Pepper House, we saw clear water spout out of Gigi Scaria's bell, juxtaposed against a dredger spewing muck; it made an amazing image," said Monet Zubieta, who teaches inter-cultural studies and yoga in San Francisco.
"The fragility and fragrance of (Benita Perciyal's) incense sculptures were beautiful. We can't think of a better place to be."
The 'Walk of Hope' consists of a diverse group of young and old from various professions, including top government officials to CEOs and homemakers.
