Vayanasala of rural Kerala

www.usharamachandran.com This is a painting of small 'vayanasala'(reading room) a converted godown ,where the local people can read the papers and books for free.Very, very common some time back .This kind of reading rooms are among the institutions which made Kerala what it is today,so different from other states of India--taught the common man on the road to think and discuss.I am told these are fast vanishing from the face of small towns and villages of Kerala. A photo in The Hindu taken by Thulasi Kakkat gave me the idea to paint this.

The divine link.

The' poojari' dropping prasad into the eagerly extened hands of the devotees.A scene seen after every pooja at the popular temples of Kerala.

Does the animal have a chance?

This a sketch done today of "Jallikattu".This is a pastoral-macho sport of Tamil Nadu.It is staged during 'matu pongal'. Some what similar to the 'running of the bulls' of Spain. I have used pen ,pencil and oil pastels to make this sketch.

'Ganga snaan' of Naga Sadhus.

This is a sketch of 'naga sadhus' on paper with graphite pencil.

Sadhus or holy men in Hinduism belong to many sects .Once they join a sect after their rite of 'initiation' they are considered 'dead'as far as their life till then is considered.

As sadhus they begin a new life.The life they led till then is considered their'poorva janma' and as sadhus they are reborn again.

These sadhus are at their morning snan- in Gaga on the occasion of 'ardh kumbh mela'which occured in Jan this year.

As we know 'naga sadhus' cover themselves only with holy ash or'bhasm'.They are one of the earliest sect of sadhus in India.Even in the extreme cold of the Himalayas they cover them selves only in ash.They seem to lead a happy life.