Allahabad, Dec 31 (IANS) An Uttar Pradesh artist has prepared a 60-foot-long greeting card to welcome the new year and bid farewell to 2009.
Titled Memories 2009: Lost and Found, the card carries portraits of personalities who received honours for their achievements and those who breathed their last in 2009.

The work of the 25-year-old artist, R.K. Chitera, 25, is being displayed at the Chandra Shekhar Azad Park here.

“With the 60-foot-long greeting card, I have tried to collect painful and joyful memories of 2009,” Chitera told IANS.

“I am quite satisfied with my work as people are turning up in huge numbers to see my greeting card…They are appreciating my work and I am grateful to them,” he added.

The card is in the form of a painting done on a 60-foot canvas that carries portraits of personalities, who received distinguished honours for their achievements and those who breathed their last in 2009.

A section of the card depicts tragic moments like the Mathura train accident, cyclone Aila that hit West Bengal and other heartrending events that rocked different parts of the country.

“Through my card I have also attempted to pay tribute to important figures like noted Hindi poet and Gandhian Vishnu Prabhakar, veteran filmmaker Shakti Samanta, senior journalist Prabash Joshi and others who died in 2009,” said Chitera.

“Likewise, I have also tried to congratulate personalities like music maestro A.R. Rahman, superstar Amitabh Bachchan and others for their notable contribution in their respective fields.”

Allahabad resident Anag Verma, who came to have a look, said: “It is not just a card. If you see it you will feel the pictures drawn by Chitera are talking to you.”