Harshini Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jul 29: Some hobbies develop out of creative mindset while some others take shape as tools to keep away boredom. Meet Venkataraman Bhat, a BSc degree holder from Padu Alevoor here.
Although Bhat is a graduate, he relied on self-employment to eke out a living. He is 71 years old now, but even now, intricately made artefacts made by Bhat by using coconut shells with deft hands emerge like master pieces. Bhat is able to create intricately made things which can make any showcases look very beautiful.
Bhat says that in appreciation of his talent, Alva's Education Foundation has bought 18 of his best creations. So far, he has never spent his money to organize exhibitions of his artefacts. He says that he opts to go to a programme if the organizers invite him and pay to him the transport expenses. Bhat has so far arranged exhibition of his creations at various places like Davanagere, Chitradurga, Ranebennur, Mangaluru and other places. He was running a grocery store and about eight years back closed it down. Now creating artistic things out of coconut shells has been his full time job since several years. He has been experimenting with his artistic skill. Since the last four years, he has been providing art training to students of a school at Manipal.
Venkataraman Bhat was chosen twice for the annual exhibitions organized by Karnataka fine arts academy in 1993-94. He also was felicitated at an exhibition held by Coconut Corporation of India. His skilful creations also had attracted the attention of lot of people at the GSB convention held on a large scale at Mangaluru. The artefact made by him which projected penury came in for special attention at the exhibition held at Kochi. Figures of Sri Madhwacharya Vadiraja, Swami Ayyappa, Swami Vivekananda and other skillfully created forms can be found in his collection.
Bhat also is adept at crafting. He says his mother has been his inspiration. The first ever artefact he created he says, was of Lord Ganapati. He creates art forms in coconut shells by using glass and sharp objects. Bhat confesses that he took about 11 months to create Lord Ganapati's form having four faces. As he was at Davanagere for long, he knows a large number of people there. He had bagged the 'district golden' award in that district. So far he has taken part in about 42 exhibitions. Although he is 71 now, his enthusiasm is like that of a young man. He wants to narrate his difficult days. His wife, Vijaya, extends full support for his work. So far, the government has not recognized the talent of this aging artist. Even though he is eligible for pension, he is not getting it. He feels that appreciation by an art lover buoys him to do more.
Things created by Bhat have filled nook and corner of his house, and because of the artefacts he created by putting in hard work since decades, his house itself looks like an art gallery.