Window
Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 30. 4. 23
Raja Ravi
Verma@175
Raja Ravi Varma (29
April 1848 – 2 October 1906) is considered as one of the pioneers of Indian
Modern Art. However, he would be more remembered as a man who brought gods
home. Using self-taught European naturalism, he visually reinterpreted the
Indian mythological characters, Gods and Goddesses to give them a ‘real’ look
and feel. It is like bringing them from the unreachable lofty pedestal to the
easy reach of common masses.
Born on April 29, 1848, in Kilimanoor, village in the princely
state of Travancore (now part of present-day Kerala, India), Raja Ravi Varma's
artistic journey began at a young age, with his talent for drawing and painting
evident from an early age. He received formal artistic training under Rama
Swami Naidu, a well-known painter of the time. Varma's artistry soon caught the
attention of the then-Maharaja of Travancore, Ayilyam Thirunal, who became his
patron and supported his artistic endeavours.
One of Raja Ravi Varma's significant contributions to the world
of art was his unique style that combined Indian sensibilities with European
techniques. He was among the first Indian artists to adopt oil painting as a
medium, a technique he learned from the Dutch artist Theodore Jensen.
Varma's works were known for their realistic portrayal of human
figures and the use of bold colors, making his paintings distinctive and
evocative. His compositions often depicted mythological and historical
subjects, religious deities, and scenes from Indian epics, capturing the
essence of Indian culture and mythology.
He also made efforts to make his paintings accessible to the
common masses by printing them. He established a press in Bombay in the late 19th century
and got many of his paintings of Gods, Goddesses and scenes from puranas
printed. These lithographs made Varma's art more accessible to the masses and
popularized his works across different regions of India. His portrayal of gods
and goddesses in these prints helped to redefine the visual representation of
Hindu mythology and played a significant role in shaping the modern Indian
visual culture.
Raja Ravi Varma's
artistic genius also extended beyond the realms of mythology and history. He
was known for his portraits of royalty, nobility, and prominent personalities
of his time, capturing their likeness with precision and artistic flair. Some
of his notable portraits include those of the Maharaja of Travancore, the
Maharaja of Mysore, and renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore. His portraits were
highly sought after and adorned the walls of palaces, mansions, and art collectors'
homes.
He also made
significant contributions to the field of printmaking and sculpture. His
sculptures, though relatively fewer in number, were highly detailed and
reflected his mastery over three-dimensional art forms. His prints and
illustrations adorned various publications and book covers, adding a visual
dimension to literary works.
Apart from his artistic achievements, Raja Ravi Varma was also a social reformer and visionary. He was an advocate for women's education and fought against social evils like caste discrimination and child marriage. He believed that art could be a powerful tool for social change, and he used his art to convey messages of social relevance and cultural importance.
Mobile Phone
This April the ubiquitous mobile phone turned fifty. It was on 3
April 1973 that Marty Cooper made the first ever call from a New York
street on a large “personal, handheld, portable cell phone”
The world of communication never remained the same from that
day. From its humble beginnings as a bulky and expensive device used only by
the wealthy and influential, the mobile phone has now become an essential tool
used by billions of people worldwide. Presently over 5 billion people
worldwide, including almost 1 billion in India own a mobile phone, and over 3.8
billion own a smartphone.
Mobile phones have now become one device for multiple gadgets
and works. A mobile phone can now double up as a watch, calendar, camera,
audio-video recorder, calculator, compass, thermometer and many more devices.
Besides communication across languages, it is used in education, entertainment,
business, banking, market research and many more areas. Its potentials are
still unfolding.
Heat wave
This year for the first time schools were closed in Meghalaya
for the heat wave. Schools were also closed in West Bengal and Tripura. In
Odisha, schools were closed, classes were held online. According to several
recent studies, India's scorching heat is responsible for causing
fatalities, illnesses, school closures, crop losses, and hindering the
country's progress.
A recently released study by Ramit Debnath-led team of
scholars from the University of Cambridge shows that “heat waves make more
Indian states vulnerable to climate change than previously estimated with the
climate-vulnerability index (CVI). The heat waves in India and the Indian
subcontinent become recurrent and long-lasting, it is high time that climate
experts and policymakers reevaluate the metrics for assessing the country's
climate vulnerability. This offers scope for developing a holistic
vulnerability measure through international cooperation and
partnership,"
Heat waves are getting more intense in India, putting 80% of the
country's people in danger, which remains unaccounted for in its current
climate vulnerability assessment. If this impact is not addressed immediately,
India’s progress towards sustainable development goals will be seriously
impeded- the study warns.
Tailpiece: Turning crisis into opportunity
With LPG prices hitting the roof, now rotis could
be made on the bonnet of the car, thanks to the harsh Sun.
(Courtesy: Social Media)
This column is published every Sunday in Sikkim Express and www.prameyanews.com
++
A compilation of
this weekly column published in 2022 has been published as an e-book, titled
Window Seat 2022. Readers, interested to get a complimentary copy, please send
your email id to mrinalchatterjeeiimc@gmail.com
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