Venture in Bengaluru administering mural art in small doses

Bengaluru: It is said when Guruvayur temple caught fire in 1970, which destroyed the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) and the paintings on the walls, Kerala woke up to the fact that there are not many artists practicing that particular style of wall murals anymore. Then began the long journey of its revival.

Over the years, this traditional art form had to adapt to modern demands – walls to canvas is the biggest of them all. Also, to make it popular, mural painting proponents realised that they should be open to it being taught in “smaller doses”.

Traditionally, learning this art form involved rigorous training that included mastery of scriptures and shlokas. For instance, the Institute of Mural Art started by the Guruvayur Devaswom in 1989, demands five years of dedication from its students.

But Satheesh Thayat, a student of the institute, is more practical. “People need to first understand the charm of the art form, so that they can decide to devote more time to learn it,” he said.

The seven-day beginners’ workshop organised by Sarang Cultural ventures is one way of getting first-hand knowledge of the art form, he said. The next workshop is slated for May 15 and will be held in Rangoli Metro Art Centre in MG Road, Bengaluru.

“You don’t have to be an artist. In our previous workshops, we had software engineers, air hostesses, architecture students, HR heads, homemakers, and bakers,” said Gautam Sarang, an IT professional himself, who heads Sarang Cultural Ventures that help artists organise workshops.

So far, the organisation has conducted six beginner and three advanced workshops in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Goa and Mumbai. “We have also showcased the artform in Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath’s annual art fair, Chitra Santhe,” added Sarang. Apart from Thayat, workshops were also taught by Sasi Edavarad who studied in Kerala Mural Institute in Aranmula and Suresh Muthukulum, who heads the Aranmula institute.

For Purnima Tammireddy, who had attended the workshop in 2016 first, it all began as an escape. “I was going through depression and was being treated for it. My sister, who is more artistically inclined, pushed me into it as she thought it would do me good. I thought let me just have fun for seven days. But the teacher and the organisers were very serious about it – they wouldn’t let us slack off. We were expected to do what we signed up for. For two days it was a struggle, then I got my groove and began to challenge myself more.” Tammireddy said without realising at the time she found the perfect therapy for her depression too. “I used to suffer from insomnia too. Seeing my interest in Kerala mural painting, my therapists included that in my routine – paint before going to bed. It worked for me.” Gautam said the workshop is not about completing one painting. “You cannot be an expert mural artist in one week. But we introduce people to various elements of the artform along with its traditional usage, meaning, and placement. We teach them what colours signify for instance, why certain forms are painted in one colour in one painting and a different colour in another… What people take from all these depends on their level of interest, dedication and patience,” he added.