Pics: Hamanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 22: Local artists Purushottam Adve and Jayavant, who had planned to hold an art exhibition of the paintings of Lord Ganesha, known as the one who has the capacity to create or destroy obstacles, in a hotel in Manipal on Friday August 21, could not go ahead with their plans.

The duo had said that they would exhibit paintings of Lord Ganapati in various forms like Vaishnava Ganapati, Ucchishata Ganapati, Simha Ganapati, Bala Ganapati, Varada Ganapati etc., at this exhibition. However, on Friday morning, a large gathering of agitators, who claimed themselves to be connected with 'Sanathana Samste', approached the hotel and insisted on cancelling the exhibition. Their contention was that the paintings the artists wanted to exhibit, were against the features of the elephant-god, as depicted in Hindu traditions.

Reportedly, the agitators showed a painting that they had brought as reference, and wanted the paintings to conform to the features depicted therein. They also threatened the artists with retaliatory action, if they went ahead with the exhibition. The hotel management then developed cold feet, fearing that its building might suffer damages in case the threat of the protestors came true, and withdrew permission for holding the exhibition.

The art lovers, who thronged the hotel to glance through the paintings, had to return disappointed, as a result.

Sandhya Pai, editor of a Kannada weekly, who was requested to inaugurate the exhibition, went ahead and inaugurated the exhibition, without any paintings in place. The artists said that they have filed a police complaint and that their paintings would be on display at Drishya Art Gallery in Udupi on Saturday August 22 and Sunday.