Dina Nath Walli

Dina Nath Walli (Dinanath Walli), also known by his pen name Almast Kashmiri (1908–2006), was a renowned water colour artist and poet from Srinagar city in Kashmir valley. He was the part of the modern art movement in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and was known for painting everyday scenes of Kashmir.
He lived in Badyar Bala area of Srinagar, which has been home to many Kashmiri Pandit artists including S.N. Bhat and Mohan Raina.

Early life and education

His father died at very early age. He had his early education in Srinagar, then he continued his three years course at Amar Singh Technical Institute, Srinagar and then he moved to Calcutta in 1930 for his further training, where he learned various forms of art under the guidance of Percy Brown, principal of the Government College of Art & Craft at the University of Calcutta.

Career

In 1936, he returned to Srinagar, where he concentrated on landscape painting in water colours mainly. He was also awarded gold medals by the government of Kashmir in 1939 and in 1940 he was awarded a highly commended medal from the Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta.

He was aware of various forms of modern art especially Salvador Dalí's surrealism, Pablo Picasso's Cubism, expressionism, impressionism, Pop art and Abstract art. His paintings are good examples of impressionism, they are unique in their own way. He had also produced an album of 12 paintings.

Under his pen name of Almast Kashmiri, his "accent on realistic art or people's poetry", is best seen in his two collections of his poetry, Bala Yapair (This side of Mountains, 1955) and Sahaavukh Posh (Desert Flowers, 1981).

Personal life

He was fond of music and was closely attached to musical instruments mainly violin, flute, sitar(Indian string instrument). He is survived with one son and three daughters. After marriage of his children he moved out to Karnal with his son, Dr. T. K.Walli in the 1980s.

Solo shows

1. He did first one-man show at Nedou's hotel, Srinagar 1953, opened by Percy Brown.
2. He did second one-man show at Jehangir Art Gallery, Bombay on January 1954, opened by late Sh. S.K.Patil
3. He did third one-man show at AIFACS, New Delhi on December 1954, opened by late Shri Sardar K.M.Panikkar
4. He did fourth one man show at NDA, Pune, 1955
5. He did fifth one man show at Artistry House, Calcutta, 1956, opened by Dr. Kail Dass
6. He did sixth one man show again at AIFACS New Delhi, 1964
7. He did his seventh show at Rabindra Bhawan, Lalit kala Academy, New Delhi
8. His eight show was done at Kuwait, in 2004
9. His ninth show was done at Kala Kendra, Jammu, on March 2010

Works

Kashmir Water Colour Paintings, by Dinanath Walli. Walli, 1970. Sahraavuky posh: desert flowers, by Dinanath Walli. Metropolitan Book Co., 1978.
To view more of his works, visit http://ikashmir.net/dnwalli/doc/dnwalli2.pdf and http://www.koausa.org/Paintings/Walli/index.html Collection of reviews from different sources are shown in the form of pdf- http://ikashmir.net/dnwalli/doc/presscuttings.pdf

Paintings

1. Riverside temple, 1956
2. A house boat in moonlight, 1967
3. Dal lake from above Shalimar garden, 1954
4. River-side shops, Srinagar, 1946
5. Nangaparbat mountain seen from Khilanmarg, 1945
6. Way to Makhdoom Sahib's shrine, Hariparbat, 1950
7. KutakulCanal in Autumn, 1953
8. Maisuma back street Srinagar, 1949
9. Maisuma back street Srinagar, 1949
10. Kashmiris enjoying almond blossoms near Hariparbat 1952
11. Nangaparbat mountain from Khilanmarg, 1949
12. Gujjar shephardess, 1943
13. Mar canal in spring, 1943
14. Mar canal in downtown, Srinagar, 1948
15. Houses on islands near Dal lake, 1965
16. Houses near Dal backwaters, 1961
17. Hariparbat from Nagin Lake, 1958
18. Gate leading to Makhdoom Sahib's shrine, 1952
19. Mar canal near Bohri Kadal, 1946
20. BARAMULLA Street, 1950
21. A view from Akber's Gate in spring, 1952
22. Mount Mahadeo in spring, 1969
23. Ferry boats on River Jehlum, 1956
24. Paddy fields near Mount Mahadeo, 1966
25. Mar canal in early spring, 1945
26. Mount Affarwat and Pirpanchal seen from Dal Lake, 1967
27. The Dal Backwaters, 1965
28. Jehlum Valley road in Autumn, 1954
29. Zabarwan hill from Dal Lake, 1963
30. Shapherdess, taking care of her flock, 1951
31. Village shops near Hazratbal Mosque, 1949
32. Dal Lake in winter, 1951
33. Kashmir in winter, 1947
34. Nagin Lake at evening time, 1944
35. Mount Mahadev from village Kreshbal, 1952
36. Saffron fields at Pampore, Kashmir, 1955
37. Village Bemuna Kashmir(now a posh colony in Srinagar), 1961
38. Akber's Bridge, Rainawari, the water way leading to dal lake, 1954
39. Shah humdan Sahib's Shrine on the bank of river Jehlum, 1946
40. The horses on the Bund, Srinagar, 1948
41. Night scene at Habba Kadal, Srinagar, 1950
42. Dal lake in summer, 1951
43. Circular road Gulmarg, 1943
44. Pirpanjal in Autumn, 1945
45. Village Mattan on the way to Pahalgam, 1943
46. Mount Mahadev from River Jehlum, Srinagar, 1943
47. Road to old airport, Srinagar,1943
48. Village houses in Kashmir,1941
49. Nangaparbat Mountain from gulmarg, 1941
50. On way to Amarnath Cave, 1941
51. Chinars in Autumn, Kralapora Village, 1941
52. Mount Affarwat from Gulmarg, 1942
53. Road to Old airport, Srinagar, 1943
54. Mount Mahgadev from river jehlum, Srinagar, 1943
55. Village Mattan on way to Phalgam, 1943
56. Circular Road Gulmarg, 1943
57. Water way to Dal Lake, 1943
58. On way to Gulmarg via Baba rishi, 1944
59. Shankrayacharya Hill from river Jehlum, 1945
60. Nangaparbat Mountain from Khilanmarg, 1945
61. Dal Lake at evening, during autumn, 1945
62. Pirpanchal in autumn, 1945
63. Shah Humdan Sahib's shrine on the bank of river jehlum, 1946
64. River side shops, Srinagar, 1945
65. Houses on the Bund, Srinagar, 1948
66. Maisuma, Black Street, Srinagar, 1949
67. Shashnag water, Pahalgam, 1950
68. Way to Makhdoom Sahib Shrine, Hariparbat, 1950
69. Village sebden- Women pounding paddy, 1951
70. Road to Pirpanchal in spring, 1952
71. Street in Rainawar, Srinagar, 1953
72. Kutakul Canal in Autum,1953
73. House boat in Nagin lake, 1954
74. Dal lake form above Shalimar gardens, 1954
75. Street on Bund, Srinagar, 1955

Known Collections

1. Taj Hotal, Bombay
2. Chandhigarh Museum, Chandigarh
3. Kashmir Govt. Museum, Srinagar
4. Dhoommal Art Gallery, New Delhi
5. Tariq Raiab Museum, Kuwait