Sunday 20 March 2016

LIFE OF AN ARTIST: CHAPTER II

Art + someone = Artist


One great story leads to another. After talking to Sultan Baig, we wandered ahead from one colourful shop to another. Sultan introduced us to a few of his friends he had made in Ahmedabad Haat. We met Ravi, a middle aged man with a big smiling face, Mullah kaaka (uncle), an old man sleeping & waiting for his first customer of the day in evening… etc

PC :- Jahnavi Pandya


Next day, Sultan was leaving for Mumbai in hope of earning as Ahmedabad had proved to be a fruitless journey. His taxi had almost reached the gates when Ravi came running from the gate & stopped him. His anxiousness for Sultan, whom he had met only a few days ago, to drop him to his 
station regardless to his own shop left me confused & well… respect.

We decided to wait for Ravi to come back. My curiosity would’nt let me leave without exploring this man’s mind who, till yesterday, was a sweet but average artist. Why so much love in a friend of few days? More like a competitor actually!

PC :- Jahnavi Pandya


RAVIKUMAR belongs to Bihar. We sat by his shop where a few kids started showing us MITHILA paintings on hand made paper. Ravi not only makes painting for a living, but taught these kids for free only because he promised them! They destroy his work by cheating on labour but he only laughs! 

Ahmedabad Haat is a road themed market with shops on left & right. The shops at the back rarely get any business while the shops at the front or beginning of the gate get all the customers. Ravi was offered a shop at the front but he declined when a fellow competitor requested him to exchange shops. We visited Ahmedabad Haat regularly. Imagine our happiness when we saw him moving to a shop in front, only to see him moving back to a poorly located shop the next day. But he was still happy. An artist living on meagre supplies, slow demand & poor profits is giving up his opportunity for an unknown person is not something I have ever seen before.

PC :- Jahnavi Pandya


Their handmade sheet is made of cotton (60 %) and paper (40 %). The beautiful images of love, childhood & abstract was hanging from their shop walls on Sari(Indian 9 yard cloth draped), Chunri (Indian cloth worn with Salwar Kameez) and curtains of Tasal silk, Paper silk, Silk & Cotton. His paintings are carved from POINTED BAMBOO. Inspiration from Ramayana & Mahabharata were evident from his art works. He uses natural colours made from babul, neem, flowers & vegetables. 

Natural beauty remains in youth forever. One painting takes about 15 to 16 days. A repeat work takes 8 to 9 days. In business from last 3 to 4 years, he pays tribute to his brother-in-law as his guru (teacher). He ever wishes to leave MITHILA PAINTINGS, it helped him earn to complete his studies, it has given him a source of income, a house & satisfaction.


These paintings are called as “ MADHVANI PAINTING “or “ MITHLA PAINTING “.
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

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