Tanjore paintings-Indian Traditional Art

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Tanjore paintings originally belong to Tamilnadu and dates back to 1600 AC or so. The art form flourished under the patronage of Maratha Kings. The art could only be fostered by royal patronage as it wasn't just limited to drawing and painting,but also involved the usage of  gem stones and gold sheets. These original 24carat gold embellished paintings catered to palaces and temples in South India and decorated the royal homes. They were once part of the wedding gifts of rich south Indians. The art can be seen adorning the walls and ceilings of Madurai Meenakshi Temple and other big temples in the South. These paintings were gifted to dear ones, in special occasions also. Nowadays #Tanjorepaintings are the  ‘in' things in the interiors of the rich and famous as interior designers too wanted it to be a part of home décor.

In times when the art connoisseurs were Rajas and Maharajas, it is told that original precious stones were used to adorn these paintings. It is also believed that if a Tanjore painting of infant Krishna is kept in the room, a new born will resemble him. Likewise, a Radha-Krishna painting will help you to have a love laden married life.

Each painstakingly done works reflects the dedication and commitment of artists. Usually god and goddesses are the main subjects’ .Avoiding any kind of mixtures, the paintings with primary colours and generally made on cloth pasted on to a wooden plank. A special adhesive (Arabian gum and flour) is used in raised levels for jewels, drapery and architectural elements like pillars and temple pavilions. This is then embedded with semi-precious stones and pearls and covered with 24-carat gold leaf. The cost ranges from Rs. 1000 for miniature paintings to lakhs for gigantic ones, based on the size, embellishments, quality of work, and artistic details.

 Tanjore paintings are deeply rooted in tradition, hence innovative within certain limits only. This ancient art form flourished during 16th to18th century, when many striking temples were created by the rulers. Hence the deities were portrayed according to the mural art measurements. Nowadays more proportionate figures are made.. Today, just as any other form of art, Tanjore paintings is undergoing changes, and the evolution is seeing finer versions taking shape, and newer colours are also being introduced. In the place of wooden planks, now marine plies are used. Natural colours are replaced by acrylics, or poster colours. Teak wood frames are replaced by synthetic frames. But the procedure and use of gold foils and stones are still the same.
How Tanjore paintings are made-

1. The first step  is Board preparation. On a Waterproof wooden board, white cotton cloth is pasted and coating work is done with mixture of lime stone powder and gum so that the meshes of cloth are closed. Then polishing is done for a smoother painting surface.

2. Next outline of the painting is drawn

3. In this step is the fixing of the Stones, in ornaments and other decorative areas.

4. Muck work is done with lime stone powder and Arabic Gum. The base for ornaments and embossed areas are done.

5. Fine designs are made over Base Muck work, where ornaments, are drawn with thick muck compound and will be left to dry completely. 24ct Pure gold foils is pasted over the embossed work and Brush design work. The gold foil is cut in suitable shape and size to suit the paintings and will be pasted with gum.

6. The finished paintings are coloured using either using natural colours,or acrylic paint. Then Framing of the painting is done.

&7.Finished painting....

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Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesha is the God of   knowledge and the remover of obstacles.He is the older son of Lord Shiva. Lord Ganesha is also called Vinayak ( knowledgeable ) or Vighneshwer (god who  remove obstacles). He is worshiped, in the beginning of any auspicious performance for blessings and auspiciousness.

He has four hands, elephant's head and a big belly. His vehicle is a tiny mouse. In his hands he carries a rope (to carry devotees to the truth), an axe (to cut devotees' attachments), His fourth hand's palm is always extended to bless people. In this painting it is in abhaya mudra. 
Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, ' is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of  Lord Ganesha.In western India,especially in Maharashtra,the grand festival lasts for 10 days ending on the day of 'Ananta Chaturdashi'On this day,Ganesha is placed in homes and common Ganesha mandals,and worshiped though out these 10 days..on the 11th day the image is taken out in procession,to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash .It is believed that Sree Ganesh will take away  with him all  the misfortunes of his worshipers.

                                       

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                                                website  www.sheelapadmanabhan.com

                                           
                                             

IT IS RAINING OUTSIDE

                                                water colour on handmade paper
                        

Chinese fishing net

CHINESE FISHING NETS (CHEENA VALA).

In Cochin there are fixed land installations of an unusual form of fishing; these are the Chinese fishing nets.Chinese fishing nets locally known as Cheenavala is operated by a team of up to six fisher men. It is beautiful sight to see the fishing nets on the backdrop of setting sun. Their size, their elegant construction and the slow rhythm of their operation is quite hypnotic. It is said that these nets were introduced by the Chinese and hence the name.

                                           Chines fishing net-My water colour painting on paper
                                               Website  http://www.sheelapadmanabhan.com/

             

Holy Ramayana month

Ramayana Masam in Kerala is observed in the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam (July – August).  In this month, the Epic Ramayana is read in traditional Hindu houses and in temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

The Karkidakam month is the last month in the Malayalam calendar and is referred as ‘panja masam’ or the month of scarcity. The monsoon is at its peak in this month; and during olden days majority of the people who depended on agriculture will be confined at home due to heavy rain.

To ward off nature’s fury people used to read the Ramayana Throughout this month

After lighting the evening lamp, people sit before nilavilakku (traditional Kerala lamp) and recite the malayalam version of  Ramayan, Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilippattu written by Thunchath Ezhuthachan. Reciting begins on the first day of the month and read in such a way that the story  is completed by last day of the month ..In 2013, the Ramayana Masam begins on July 17 and ends on August 16.

 

The story of Lord Rama is both a spellbinding adventure and a work of profound philosophy. It is a beautiful and uplifting tale of romance and high adventure, Depicting  the saga of Rama, a great king of ancient India. Rama, the prince of Ayodhya and his beautiful wife Sita was send in exile as a result of his step-mother, Dasharatha’s second wife, Kaikeyi's evil plot, so that her own son Bharata, to become king.

Rama, along with, Sita, and faithful brother Lakshmana, is exiled to the forest for fourteen years, where Sita is kidnapped by the powerful demon Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka. Along with his brother Lakshmana and a fantastic army of Super natural monkeys Rama set out to find his beloved Sita. They attack Ravana’s army, and after a fierce battle, succeed in killing the demon king and freeing Sita, reuniting her with Rama.

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Theyyam-theatrical arts of Kerala.

 My native place Kannur(Kerala,India) is a seat of north malabar's ancient folk art The Theyyam.This folk art is a mixture of dance, music, mime as well as hero worship.

When the rainy season is over, the Kavu (Temple) and ancestral homes with its adjoining fields will be welcoming the Theyyam Season. The festival begins on the 10th day of the Malayalam month 'Thulaam' and concludes by mid of 'Edavam' (June first week) though there are more than 400 theyyam, the most prominent Theyyams are those of Raktha Chamundi, Kari Chamundi, Muchilottu Bhagavathi, Wayanadu Kulavan, Gulikan and Pottan.

Theyyam is the dramatic presentation of the sagas of heroes of yesteryear s. The stage-practices of Theyyam and its ritualistic observations make it one of the most fascinating theatrical arts of Kerala. The dancer along with the drummers recites the particular ritual song, which describes the myths and legends, of the deity of the shrine or the folk deity to be propitiated. This is accompanied by the playing of folk musical instruments such as Chenda, Veekuchenda, Elathalam and Kuzhal . Props such as swords, shields, bows, arrows and other weapons are also used. Lighted torches are held during the nightly performance to highlight the dramatic effect and to maintain a fiery ambiance.

The head gear is decorated with cloth, flowers and palm leaves. In some Theyyams very long Head gears (50-60 feet) are also used. A bold colored base is painted on the face and intricate designs made on it. The different styles of these designs depend on the Theyyam being performed. The skirts are made of bamboo splices and coconut sheaths painted red and black or from red cloth tied around bamboo sticks.

                                                    Muchilottu Bhagavathi,

                                                       My acrylic painting 
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                                            Theyyam Performance at Ancestral  home

Mohiniyattam- Indian classical Dance

DANCER:            Mohiniyattam is a traditional dance form of Kerala.

                                                       Acrylic painting on canvas
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This is a solo, semi classical form of dance involving delicate footsteps and subtle expressions. The word Mohini means a maiden who steals heart of the onlooker. The dance form depicts love and devotion to god, especially Lord Krishna. The costumes are sober yet attractive which includes white cotton sari with blouse and heavily pleated waist cloth all bordered with exquisite kasavu.The tresses are made in the traditional style made in to a bun in the left side, bedecked with jasmine flowers. In this picture, the dancer is performing Mohiniattam in the dance floor of a temple. She is wearing traditional ornaments like kasumala (kasu – gold coin) an ilakkathali ( choker with scores of small lockets that vibrates on the smallest movement )and Necklace, and   thick golden waistband.

 

                 
                 
                                            

My first Guru

It was rainy season again.After the first rains the replanting of rice plants starts. The small canals in between the fields will be filled with water. There will be so many small fishes inside it .I liked to catch fish with thorthu (a small bath towel) and then let them go to water again...Workers will be busy planting saplings, and they will sing also, to speed up their work.

Achchu was going to field to give tea to workers.I accompanied him silently as I am sure that if mother noticed she won’t allow me to go.The big canal will be filled with water  in rainy season and there will be heavy flow in it. So crossing it through the coconut wood bridge during rains was a big no. When we reached, the ladies were singing a song about “makkam”, a beautiful lady, who was the only sister of 7 brothers, and who was murdered along with her son Chathan and daughter Cheeru on the instructions of her sister in laws…I felt bored as I heard the story so many times. So i started catching fish.  Suddenly somebody noticed that my grandfather was coming towards the fields. He was on a short visit to see my mother. Whenever he was around, he used to visit fields to oversee works. I become very upset. as for sure, he won’t allow me playing in water, and he will take me back home…

“So, You don’t want him here ..?Asked vayalile Mathi(madhavi, as she was coming from a faraway place called  kolathu vayal, she was called like that.) I said” no… He won’t allow me to catch fish.”

“See how he will vanish from here.”Thekkumbadan meenakshi told with a big laugh…I was not sure about what magic they are planning so that grandfather will vanish.

But all they do that was singing again, now in a louder tone…

Eevaka pennungal bhoomeelundo (is such beautiful ladies are there in earth)

Manathunenganum potti veeno,( is she came from the sky-heaven)

Bhoomiyil ninnenganum mulachu vanno,(or is she came from beneath earth)

Khithappoo  polathe niramamanappa,(her colour is like that of kithapoo-kewra flower)

Panangula polathe mudiyentappa..(Her hair flows like palm leaf)

Erambala kunki, kunchi kunki, (she is Ms kunki of Erambala)

kuliyum kazhinchu varavayi kunki…(She is on her way from pond after taking a bath)

The last two lines were entirely new ones, so I listened. The song went on like a mother persuading her daughter, Kunki to marry Erambala Koman(my grandfather!)The Mother was praising him like

Kathil kadukkan,pulinaghavum,(he is wearing  kadukkan-a stud with precious  stones ,And a special gold chain)

arraru kandalum thirunchu nokkum,(no body walk past him without having a second look)

Varam varavangu  kunnu pole, (about his monthly earnings-his earnings from field rental is like a mountain))

pattam varavangu kadalu pole,(“ his earnings from lending out land is like an ocean)

Komanu ninneyangu pothichalu,(if Koman agree to marry you)

Neeyalle nattile thampuratti..(You can live like a princess)

By then grandfather was in varambu(the walking path in between fields).As  he heard his name in the song, he also began listening the song.

Now came Kunki”s reply

Velichinga polathe kannentamme,(his eyes are like small tender coconuts)

Kumbalanga polathe vayarentamme,(His tummy is like a large pumpkin)

Padavalam polathe kientamme, (His hands are like snake gourds)

Chattukam polathe kalentamme.(His legs are like a spattle-a little spade used to take dosa from thava)

There were few more lines which I couldn’t remember now...Any way at last she turned down the proposal saying that he is not a match for her.

Grandfather became so angry and shouted “will you stop this nonsense?”. Then he  dragged me to home.

Reaching home, he scolded my mother. “Why do you allow Pappa to go to the fields? There are other children here .nobody does that. Those ugly fellows will make her bad…, uncultured liars.”He shelled out so many bad words. Mom was clue less about what made him so angry, she told me to wash my feet with permanganate solution, thinking that grandfather didn’t liked me playing in muddy waters..For sure I know that the workers were not ignorant people..On the other hand they were a treasure house of folk wisdom. They taught me so many things, like how to predict rains seeing clouds,how to recognize medicinal plants,  how to plant saplings etc etc..They told me so many stories, about so many customs, so many legends, all of which my siblings were unaware of.

Later on mother asked me about what happened in the fields, I told her about the song. Grandmother and mother had a hearty laugh. I was 8 or 9 years at that time, so marriage and lost love were beyond my imagination .Mother told though grandfather had a cousin Kunki, she was much older than him, and marriage between them was impossible. The entire story were only their imagination…And ugly description about his figure might have the reason why he become angry..But next time when I went to fields, I pleaded them to sang the full song...They didn’t. Never did they repeat it. They confessed that it was an instant parody.

The anti climax was that during his next visit, grand father taught me how to draw human figures…He might have thought that otherwise I will portray him with velichinga in place of eyes, padavalanga in place of hands. He also showed me how I can draw in the back side of calendars so that my father won’t notice. (My father was dead against me drawing in my school books… (Art was not a good thing for elite girls at that time!)Thus he became my first Guru.

                                                  

                                      website for image- www.sheelapadmanabhan.com
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Withum withayum-Rice seeds and Planting

        

Come vishu, the first day of Malayalam month of Medam (April to May) Preparations for the new #rice cultivation starts.. On the Vishu day, the spade and plow will be decorated using rice powder and flower garlands, and prayers done. The senior-most member of the family and others enter the rice field with the decorated plow and spade. Small channels (called chal in malayalam) are then made in the field. This is followed by covering the field with cow dung and green manure. This filed is later used to grow rice. This cultivation during the South West Monsoon is known as virippu krishi.

Rice seeds are then measured in to jute sacs and the sacs will be tied with plantain threads. They are then soaked in water over night. Next day, the soaked seeds will be spread over wet jute sacks .they will be covered by wet sacs also. Some weight (big stones) will be put above them. Within two days, they sprout. Seeds are sown by hand to plowed fields. After 30-50 days of growth, the seedlings are transplanted in bunches to flooded fields when monsoon sets in .By then they will reach a certain size say about 1 ½ feet. #Harvesting begins when the grain becomes yellow and the plants start to droop in during September- October months.

  

                                                     Witha- an oil painting on canvas
                           Grand father supervising workers as they are  measuring rice seeds  for sawing in fields.
                           website for image- www.sheelapadmanabhan.com
                           
                            

Ladies after bath

                                                            Ladies after bath

“You should pay extra charges for this” ..Our maid servant Ammalu demanded. She was oiling my sisters long black hair. It was when sister just delivered a baby girl, mini, and I was sitting there to see when she will open her little eyes and look at me…Ammalu continued...”And I will do this free for Pappa (me) when this time come for her, she won’t be having this much of hair any way..”

I cried a lot then. My sister tried her best to pacify me...”See, your features are like Dhevi vellimma.(Father’s elder sister.)you also will have long hair when you are grown up..But I started crying louder, though  vellimma had long curly hair,she was a well built, dark lady who was never a favorite with me..I stopped crying after a secret promise of Feradol(a sweet medicine popular that time,meant for ladies after delivery which young girls were not supposed to take)) But there started my lifelong longing for long hair like my sisters. My sisters were having wheatish colour, and long straight hair. I was on the darker side having curly hair…I always felt that I was the black sheep in the family..I started applying all types of hair oils, shampoos etc, hoping that my hair will grow fast..Nothing happened. Mother used to prepare a medicated oil for all, with many herbs,and nobody leaves home without a bottle of that oil. She used to put burned coconut shell powder also in the oil which gave a darker color to hair..But I didn’t trusted in it, applied bottles and bottles of arnica hair oil,neeli bhringhadi,kunthalakanthiayurvedic oil,and almost all the oils which appeared in Vanitha(a ladies magazine)and my effort  still continues..

When i started my profession as a painter,i painted  all ladies with long hair.This painting is one among them...

Two ladies sitting in the varanda, adjacent to the central courtyard ,wearing traditional Kerala dress-mundu and veshti.

In olden times,It was a practice to smoke the long hair of Kerala women after the bath. Red hot-coal will be  taken in a small brass vessel with a long handle and medicinal herbs will be added to it. Resulting smoke imparts a nice smell to the hair and freed it from infections.

                                                               Oil on canvas

                                             Jahangir art gallery show  Mumbai