The painter, Raja Ravi Varma was a trail-blazer when it came to depiction of mythological and religious figures in the last century. Since then, prints of his works have found a place in every traditional home across the country. When we think of a Krishna or a Lakshmi or a Saraswati, the standard is Ravi Varma. If Lord Krishna appears before us, and looks any different from these paintings, for sure, we will reject the original! In terms of grandeur, grace and beauty, Ravi Varma's paintings have no parallel.
Many a budding artist tries his hand to copy these works. We get elated when our amateurish painting gets a few words of praise! To know where we stand, in comparison to the Master, the original paintings are a must-see. It is a humbling experience.
Ravi Varma's works are predominantly found in two galleries: The Jaganmohan Art Gallery at Mysore and the Sri Chitra Art Gallery at Trivandrum. If you've not seen either of them, plan for it! It's time...well spent!
The Sri Chitra Art Gallery is housed in a 160 year-old structure. In 1935, the monarch of Travancore converted the building into a guest-house. Today, it showcases several Ravi Varma paintings.
It is difficult to do justice to these paintings in the short time at our disposal. We look at the plaintive expression of the little girl clasping her knee in "The Beggars". Soon, Damayanti's radiant face drags us! Before we can see the picture in full, we get distracted by Shakuntala! And immediately get pulled into Draupadi sprawled on the ground at King Virata's palace. In a moment, the eyes have moved onto "Rukmangada". And ere long, to Ravana, Sita and Jatayu! You get the feeling now.....? It is simply a problem of plenty! We are spoilt with such riches, heaped and piled up, all in one place!
We gaze at each painting, studying it now from far, now from close-quarters.....trying to take in......as much as we can, the technique used for the face, for the "zari-work" on the sari, for the backdrop, for the multitude of expressive figures in each composition!
Apart from Ravi Varma, the gallery has other exhibits- works by his uncle, his brother, his sister and son! Evidently, painting runs in the whole family! Roerich's paintings form an entire section.....in their characteristic flat tones and predominant usage of blues and violets. It's impressive.
We glossed over the rest of the sections....Tibetan "thangas", Balinese paintings, Japanese works, miniature paintings, calligraphy from the days of Aurangzeb, a Persian translation of the Mahabharata....it's an assorted collection.
As we wear our slippers and head out of Sri Chitra, we are truly inspired. The mind is full, the ideas are many....and the hands twitch in impatience! It's time to take the oil-paints out of the shelf .....get a new canvas board....and paint away!
Who knows....who knows...the next work to rival a Ravi Varma......may take shape in our own garage!!! Inspiration is such..... it often borders on childishness!!!
The zoo!
Sri Chitra is part of the same museum complex as the zoo. Spent the rest of the morning ambling around the zoo.
The zoo is a debatable topic. Part of us says it's wrong to keep animals in captivity. The other half says...at least they are cared for! They get regular food without having to hunt! How bad can that be!?
The Trivandrum zoo has a nice collection. The big ones- lion, tiger, leopard, hippo and rhino. The also-rans like deer and bison and monkey. The "I don't care" ones like peacocks and owls and parrots. And a section for reptiles.
As it turned out, the bear was in hibernation and couldn't be spotted. The lion was sleepy and crouched in the distance. The rhino merged with the rock-formation and could barely be seen except when the rock appeared to be on the move!
The most interesting were the hippos. Five of them....and a loner...all in one pond! When it was time to feed, five social hippos egged each other with loud grunts.... and trooped out of the pond to the open-area close to the enclosure. Their biological clock was spot-on! Within minutes, food was served by the attendant. The hippos cleaned it up in no time!
The loner continued to sulk in the water!! Poor thing! Wonder what upset him so much! May be, the rest of them ganged up and cut a joke, which was in poor taste? May be!
As we turned the corner, a tiger paced about his cage impatiently. There was anger in the gait, ferocity in the heavy breath and displeasure in the low-growl. May be, the food was late. He looked plain menacing. The deduction was on the dot! As the attendant walked to the cage (thankfully, from the outside) and held the bar, the tiger pounced at him....in one lightning move! Had the bars been absent, it would have been all over! Such was the strength and the awe-inspiring....raw...power!
In High School, we read this poem by Harindranath Chattopadhyaya.
I am not afraid of a tiger,
I am seven years of age,
I am not afraid of a tiger,
When it rumbles and roars in rage,
I am not afraid of a tiger,
Provided..........it is in a cage!!!
It says it all!!!!
Many a budding artist tries his hand to copy these works. We get elated when our amateurish painting gets a few words of praise! To know where we stand, in comparison to the Master, the original paintings are a must-see. It is a humbling experience.
Ravi Varma's works are predominantly found in two galleries: The Jaganmohan Art Gallery at Mysore and the Sri Chitra Art Gallery at Trivandrum. If you've not seen either of them, plan for it! It's time...well spent!
The Sri Chitra Art Gallery is housed in a 160 year-old structure. In 1935, the monarch of Travancore converted the building into a guest-house. Today, it showcases several Ravi Varma paintings.
It is difficult to do justice to these paintings in the short time at our disposal. We look at the plaintive expression of the little girl clasping her knee in "The Beggars". Soon, Damayanti's radiant face drags us! Before we can see the picture in full, we get distracted by Shakuntala! And immediately get pulled into Draupadi sprawled on the ground at King Virata's palace. In a moment, the eyes have moved onto "Rukmangada". And ere long, to Ravana, Sita and Jatayu! You get the feeling now.....? It is simply a problem of plenty! We are spoilt with such riches, heaped and piled up, all in one place!
We gaze at each painting, studying it now from far, now from close-quarters.....trying to take in......as much as we can, the technique used for the face, for the "zari-work" on the sari, for the backdrop, for the multitude of expressive figures in each composition!
Apart from Ravi Varma, the gallery has other exhibits- works by his uncle, his brother, his sister and son! Evidently, painting runs in the whole family! Roerich's paintings form an entire section.....in their characteristic flat tones and predominant usage of blues and violets. It's impressive.
We glossed over the rest of the sections....Tibetan "thangas", Balinese paintings, Japanese works, miniature paintings, calligraphy from the days of Aurangzeb, a Persian translation of the Mahabharata....it's an assorted collection.
As we wear our slippers and head out of Sri Chitra, we are truly inspired. The mind is full, the ideas are many....and the hands twitch in impatience! It's time to take the oil-paints out of the shelf .....get a new canvas board....and paint away!
Who knows....who knows...the next work to rival a Ravi Varma......may take shape in our own garage!!! Inspiration is such..... it often borders on childishness!!!
The zoo!
Sri Chitra is part of the same museum complex as the zoo. Spent the rest of the morning ambling around the zoo.
The zoo is a debatable topic. Part of us says it's wrong to keep animals in captivity. The other half says...at least they are cared for! They get regular food without having to hunt! How bad can that be!?
The Trivandrum zoo has a nice collection. The big ones- lion, tiger, leopard, hippo and rhino. The also-rans like deer and bison and monkey. The "I don't care" ones like peacocks and owls and parrots. And a section for reptiles.
As it turned out, the bear was in hibernation and couldn't be spotted. The lion was sleepy and crouched in the distance. The rhino merged with the rock-formation and could barely be seen except when the rock appeared to be on the move!
The most interesting were the hippos. Five of them....and a loner...all in one pond! When it was time to feed, five social hippos egged each other with loud grunts.... and trooped out of the pond to the open-area close to the enclosure. Their biological clock was spot-on! Within minutes, food was served by the attendant. The hippos cleaned it up in no time!
The loner continued to sulk in the water!! Poor thing! Wonder what upset him so much! May be, the rest of them ganged up and cut a joke, which was in poor taste? May be!
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| Hippo at T'drum zoo....ink and water-colors |
As we turned the corner, a tiger paced about his cage impatiently. There was anger in the gait, ferocity in the heavy breath and displeasure in the low-growl. May be, the food was late. He looked plain menacing. The deduction was on the dot! As the attendant walked to the cage (thankfully, from the outside) and held the bar, the tiger pounced at him....in one lightning move! Had the bars been absent, it would have been all over! Such was the strength and the awe-inspiring....raw...power!
In High School, we read this poem by Harindranath Chattopadhyaya.
I am not afraid of a tiger,
I am seven years of age,
I am not afraid of a tiger,
When it rumbles and roars in rage,
I am not afraid of a tiger,
Provided..........it is in a cage!!!
It says it all!!!!
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