Twenty six-year old engineering graduate, Sahil Manzoor believes that he can revive Kashmir’s art and culture as a sand artist.
He belongs to Dana Mazar locality of Safa Kadal in old city Srinagar.
Under the local administration’s initiative to beautify the city, he has made a mural in Jahangir Chowk of uptown Srinagar. He also set up a wall of kindness for the poor and needy to help them with warm clothes in the bone chilling winter.
Sahil said he took to sketch drawing, paintings, portraits and murals right from the age of 6.
“I made some money through my sketch drawings and paintings. This gave me financial independence from a very young age.
“I have tried to revive and relive our art and culture through sand art, sketch drawing, paintings, murals, etc.
“The inspiration and goal of my work is to keep the true Kashmiri culture alive and make sure that the world knows of it and my work is able to accomplish this.
“Everyone is a poet, but for people who do not know their way through words, they use art to write poetry in motion.
“It was during the lockdown post August 5, 2019 when I started taking this art form seriously.
“The fact that people kept saying there is no career for artists in Kashmir, has been the mightiest source of motivation for me. I like to be connected to my roots in times that we are currently living in, with very little or no hope left in the majority of the society”.
Son of a carpenter, Sahil calls sand art ‘poetry in motion’.
In 2010, Sahil got inspired by Persian sand artists. By watching videos, he started practicing in 2017.
“I want to make my team, who will showcase Kashmir throughout the world”, he said.
Sahil has created his equipment with the help of his carpenter father who has not opposed his son saying goodbye to his engineering career.
In his profile, Sahil has six jobs listed, creative art director, artist, business consultant, graffiti artist, sales representative, and customer services management.
