Pakistani makes Mahatma Gandhi`s portrait with blood

It was a rare event to see a Pakistani draw a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi and, that too, with his blood. Abdul Waseel presented one such creation of his Sunday - the birth anniversary of Gandhi - at the Gandhi Darshan here.

"I think this is the best way to tell people of both the countries that its time we forget hostility, and live together. I know Mahatma Gandhi professed non-violence, but my blood to pay him tribute means no more blood sheds should be there on any side of the border," said Lahore-based Waseel, who had come here to pay his respects to Gandhi.

"People have been giving mixed response to my way of paying the tribute. I hope this melts hearts," Waseel added.

Popularly known as `Painter Babu` in Lahore, Waseel owns a small shop on Allama Iqbal Road. The calligrapher made the portrait back in 2009 by drawing blood from his veins with a syringe.

"I had the Mahatma`s image sketched in my mind. I wanted to bring it on canvas," Waseel said, adding that he also has drawn portraits of former Pakistan prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela with blood.

He presented Gandhi`s portrait to Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, the granddaughter of the Mahatma and vice-chairperson of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti near the Rajghat.

"Somewhere we have lacked in carrying forward what the Father of the Nation left for us. The two minute silence is a call to look inside and know how violent we are," Tara Gandhi said before the two-minute silence, titled `moment of introspection`, was observed at 12 noon at the memorial.

Born this day in 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti across the country. It is also marked as the International Day of Non-Violence. He was assassinated Jan 30, 1948.