LARKANA:Full and small size statutes of Mohenjo Daro king priest, dancing girl, ox-cart and others are being prepared in Balhrej near Mohenjo Daro.
This artifacts are being made by an artist for earning livelihood to support his poverty-stricken family.
In this connection, artist Muhammad Ilyas Thahim told media on Monday that he prepared statues of those artifacts found from the ruins of Mohenjo Daro using special mud (potter’s earth or clay), lime, white cement and plaster of Paris.
He said dancing girl, king priest, ox-cart, necklaces and other things made by him in same size and similar shape, are always procured by the tourists that come to visit world-famous monuments of Mohenjo Daro and in this way his artistic things had been taken to various countries of the world.
He said exhibitions were held at government level, but he had always been ignored adding if he was invited there to display his inventions of Mohenjo Daro artifacts, the ruins will become more famous globally.
He said he had established an stall at Mohenjo Daro to sell his artistic inventions. He said different NGOs also procured from him his material to display during their mega events of cultural seminars and workshops.
Artist Ilyas said that he was working on these rare things since last 20 years but he had never been invited to government exhibitions anywhere. He appealed to Sindh government’s culture, tourism and archaeology department to help him reach the international market so that his prepared artifacts could be recognized at world level.
He further appealed that he might also be invited to all cultural exhibitions so that he could also be able to introduce the clay-made artistic material of Indus Civilization.
His villagers Imtiaz Mangrio, Javed Abro, Salim Solangi, Irshad Solangi and others told this scribe that they were watching Ilyas doing this magnificent artistic work when they were child. They said foreign tourists during their visit to Mohenjo Daro always show keen interest in his arts and they procure and take away with them as a treasure. They said if Ilyas is able to get government patronage he will become one of the known artists of the country.