Art Journey of Anuradha Thakur - Publication Design by Sakshi Chaudhari

ART JOURNEY OF ANURADHA THAKU R

THAKU R

ART OF ANURADHA

JOURNEY

Contents AboutIntroductionAuthor’sForewordNoteAnuradha Thakur The Beginning An Experience...Of Black Memories of Gadchiroli 1 Memories of Gadchiroli 2 Memories of Gadchiroli 3 ReferencesAcknowledgmentConclusionAppendixPaintingAnandBhagoriaJhabuaACursonalonsPilgrimplaceMelaseries 72717064605652484238343026221814100908

-Anuradha

Foreword 8

When we look at the clear blue water from the high mountains, we see big round rocks heaped here and there in the water. The upper parts of the rocks are above the water and are dry but the rest lies comfortably in the trasparent water.

In my world of comprehension and expression through colour, line, form, and texture, the medium of ‘words’ seemed to be out of my reach. As I was wandering in the jungle in Dandeli. I saw the sunbeams shining from behind the leaves showing the different shades and hues and creating a rhythm. As I walked on the path flanked on both the sides by green trees. I saw a milky white waterfall amidst the cool green hills. The trees were very dense and the sunbeams filtering through them were showing me the way through the dark shadow of the trees.

I came across many snake holes and the sunbeams were playing on and around them. Those snake holes and the sunbeams created an illusion of castles from fairyland. The path ahead seemed to have disappeared into the greenery. A stream of water was flowing nearby.

The sunbeams descended on the clear water of the stream and made a promise of friendship across the dense darkness. This experience helped me understand the meaning of life. Our deeds in life, the work we do according to our abilities, enter in our life sprinkling colours and create a rhythm. A goal in our life beckons us like a milky white waterfall that we see in front of us. We are also attracted by illusions of castles that seem to remind us of fairyland. Even though the path is dark, sunbeams are able to light up the path through the dense darkness. There are poisonous snakes hiding somewhere around. The clear water of the streams keeps us company in the form of friendship. The different colours in my life, the milky white waterfalls, sunbeams descending through dense darkness and streams of crystal clear water; that have been a part of my life.

My journey and pictures in this book represent just the top of these rocks in the water. The memories of the relatives around me, my friends, my students, my travellimg, people I met during my work and the environment around me that filled my life with abundance are represented by the part of the rock in the quaint waters. Thakur

Author’s Note

You’re about to see how art and writing can be combined. But, it’s important to note: The art came first. I enjoyed reading Anuradha Thakur’s articles. When I read about her, I felt as if I was rather listening to her as she narrated her experiences, with a sense of nostalgia, knitting them together into the present moment bringing in the warmth of a human understanding of life. As the book is about her paintings and her art journey, one can feel the beauty in simplicity that is reflected in her paintings. It feels as if it is an unplanned narrative that comes straight from the heart and so seems to be so pure that it connects to you and me and to the universal laws of life. Her narratives create an impression as if she is thinking out loud with an honesty of soul as she appropriates her present moment with what she remembers of her experiences and then spontaneously culminates into the discernment of the universal principles of life through them.

Introduction 11

Art Journey of Anuradha Thakur book have the expression of emotions, colours, shapes and forms that have been manifested through her paintbrush that connects with the Divine and consistently and effectively give expression to the sensitivity in her art.Exibitions of her paintings have been organised in many places in India and abroad. Many devotees of art have delighted in her delicate and sensitive world of forms that they have experienced in her paintings and her writings, through her publications, exibitions, workshops,demonstrations, guidance, interviews, conversations, speeches and even, simply associating with her. Anuradha has been awarded the state level prize at the state level exibition. She ranked first at the State level in the Art Teacher’s Diploma course. She was awarded the first prize in the state for her research article on the theme, ‘ Qualitative development and behavioural changes in students through the medium of art.’ She was awarded the National level prize for her painting at the national level exibition held at the Lokmanya Tilak Art Exibition.Anuradha’s paintings have been appretiated at solo exibitions and group exibitions at various places in India like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Goa, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. She participated in ‘International Artist Camp Mystic Village Pune’, ‘National Artist’s Camp, Hyderabad’ and ‘Women for Women Healing Brushstrokes’ along with twenty five international artists from countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Her paintings, that were outcome of her participation in these camps, have been selected for Manyexibitions.ofher painting have became a part of art collections in India and abroad. Many more paintings are taking from through her brushpaint to create an experience of beauty in colours and shapes.The Divine Element stimulated by itself found expression in the form of Maya through the five basic elements of fire, water, earth, air and energy in various tangible and intangible ways. Out of all these forms, the human form wanted to experience the aesthetic aspect of its own Divine Element and also make it possible for others to experience it. And so, it created the arts such as Music, Dance, Painting, Sculpting, Acting and Poetry, to be able to establish a communication between Anuradhahearts.Thakur is a well known artist, art teacher with a social consciousness and wields great artistic sensitivity. She is a person who is filled with compassion towards the dalit, downtrodden, 12

Anuradha Thakur explores every kind of experience of life: small, great, happy, sad, rural, urban with the sensitivity of an artist. When she presents her experiences in the form of words, her sense of beauty emerges very naturally and also touches upon her study of art.

Anuradha’s experiences in this search find expression in her articles in the newspaper column Kavadse. They radiate beauty and compassion. She has given a beautiful expression to the various experiences of a woman as an artist, her experience of beauty, her devotion to art, social work, social development, a woman’s world of friendship, mother, sister, homemaker and her culture When these experiences were given the form of words in the forty nine articles in Kavadse it was but natural that the words created images, pictures beyond the world of words. These articles created an urge in the connoisseurs of art and the world of art itsel to experience that which was beyond words. The series of articles in Kavadse started on the eleventh of January 2008 with the article, ‘The Me within Myself.’

The tribal lifestyle unravelled the world of emotions of a complete culture. The melody of life is experienced in her series of paintings titled ‘Music of Life’, ‘Autumn’s Harmony’ and ‘Festive Rhythm’. The articles in Kavadse also pulsate with the rhythm of the celebration of life. She comments how the development of a personality can be seen in the kind of rhythm created in lines and colours. In many of the articles her thought related to art have been expressed.

women and children and so, is also an affectionate teacher. The vastness of her experiences keeps on widening and as it widens she particularly gathers the bud of beauty that she experiences in social, cultural and human contexts. She has a particular attraction and compassion towards tribal life that makes happiness and beauty bloom even in the most oppressive situations as they live in close association with nature. She tried to trace the rhythm of life among the tribal people and compared it with human life in its totality.

The last of the series appeared in the Loksatta on the twelfth of december. The accounts of her experiences in Gadchiroli and other tribal areas are very intresting.

AnuradhaAboutThakur 14

Artist Anuradha travelled to many such homes and its soul. She climbed the hills of Maharashtra, strolled through the narrow lanes of Gujarat, walked the deserts of Rajasthan, roamed the valleys of Himanchal and climbed the mountains of Assam. With complete passion and devotion to her work she has always personally visited all the locations that have inspired her to paint, be it the remote undeveloped villages in forest or the unexplored hamlets grounded on the top of mountains.Anuradhais the Indian artist who has captured the essence of India’s tribal people in all their spirit and sancity. Anuradha’s paintings have been influenced by the lifestyles of tribes during her association with Dr. Abhay Bang.Further her extensive travels across India gave her a wider experience with various tribes in the region which stretched from Gujrat in the west to the Sikkim and Nepal in the northeast.She has wandered through all these wonderful people’s lives, sometimes aimlessly, to just be one out of them. She would sit with them, sketch their stories tentatively or capture the moments in her camera. She has times she would just be there doing nothing only admiring them. at action they did be it their festivals, hard work or a daily cooking core. She turned into their moves to understand their joys and sorrows. What she found in return was peace, warmth and compassion for her, for each other, for their culture and for their culture and for their mother nature. She came back flying with beautiful shades of colours and rhythm. With her unique style of painting she creates a spectacular composition on her canvas with black lines, vibrant colours and deep earthern shades depicting their darkness, joys and root Nowconnections.weknow Anuradha Thakur as an artist whose paintings adorns the wall of prime ministers office, who was chosen one among a 100 women achivers by ministry of women and child development. Her TEDX talk at BITSHyderabad, whose paintings are showchased in exibitions accross the globe. But before all this anuradha’s journey was not easy

Whilepeople.conducting these projects she got an opportunity to work with the gond community. This splash with the gond community was a turning point in her life. 22 years of her graduation, they inspired anuradha to pick up the brush again to portray the life of the tribe, their culture and significance. At 40, she started her first painting with canvas depicting the tribal community. Her travel across the length and breadth of country enriched her experience with different tribes. These are well portrayed in her work. Anuradha’s unique style has made her stand apart from her contemporaries. Anuradha has sensitively brought out simplicity, transparency, contentment in life and celebration of life using black on whte canvas with earthern colors. It’s appreciable that she has shown different textures using black lines to express minute details, emotions and depth in her paintings. Her journey into Kutch tempted her to add colors in the series ‘music of life’, otherwise black and white paintings. Yet through all this transformation, she has retained her signature style to bring out sensitively emotions like expectation, shyness and fun in stark black colour.

right from childhood to the present as an artist taking an untrodden path of exploring tribal life through her paintings black on white with the splash of other colours. Her journey began at rahuri sugar factory, a school made of bamboo walls and roof which often blow away. After graduation she worked for rural and slum children to bring in quality and development and positive change to their behaviour. This was her belief since childhood that art can help imaging an impact on society as it has no language barriers. This project was recognised by the state educational boards and she was granted state award for it. She also worked with the NGO at Aurangabad and conducted art and craft workshops for rural

BeginningThe 18

From school days only, anuradha was fond of drawing subject. Her teachers used to say that she should make her further career in pune’s art school. Anuradha’s father subhashchandra used to work in rahuri factory as electrical engineer in sugar factory. Her mother ratnamala used to take singing and sewing classes for girls. Anuradha completed her primary and secondary education in Shree Chatrapati Shivaji highschool in rahuri factory. After that her Vaychal Sir requested to anuradha’s father that she should do her further education in fine arts in pune.

In those days parents used to not get easily ready to send their children in pune, but anuradha’s father send her to pune for her studies. In 1975, anuradha taken admission in pune’s Abhinav University Fine arts.There also she was excellent in her studies. But she was not intrested in western style of paintings, so she started to explore her paintings. Due to her paintings, Ahmednagar became famous in all over India. In this five years of course she learned a lot of things. She became good at sketching. Anuradha started to work with self service organization. She also teached drawing to poor childrens by using line book and crayons. As a result, anuradha’s art therapy became very useful for students behaviour. She started to teach drawing using 12 poster colors only. After that she started taking drawing Anuradhaclasses. used to go in rural areas for on the spot sketching. Mainly she started to travel in tribal areas and started to observe their culture. At that time she did’nt have cameras for taking pictures of tribal life, so only option was to do on the spot sketching. After coming back to home, she make some compositions from those sketches. After all of this the actual painting starts on canvas. She started to attend cultural programs in tribal areas. Through her paintings she wanted to show the positive way tribal people lead their lives. She did’nt want to communicate any negative thoughts to people. She have always found more positive vibes than negative during her visits and that’s why she wanted to bring it in her paintings.Its not her nature to talk negatively or

Anuradha says that it never happens that she can’t think of anything about new ideas for paintings. She continously have many ideas of paintings series in her mind. Many times people tell her that she should atleast play music while painting, but when some new ideas come to her mind, she don’t need anything else. She concentrate fully on exploring those ideas.

While painting it gives her lot of happiness and because of that she never feel like stopping and going somewhere or doing something else. A free soul, her work focuses on the internal world of tribal,traditional life and culture and links us deep into another world with its own internal pulse ans rhythm.

show negativity. Anuradha thinks that, there are many things which are positive and can bring happiness, so if we neglect negative things, we can find lot of happiness in life and that’s why she think it’s better to neglect it.

OfExperienceAnBlack 23

Thus, at that time it was imbided on anuradha’s mind that if black colour or a dark colour like black was absent in a picture then the picture looked hazy. Black colour gave the shapes a kind of depth. If a black coloured shadow is not shown

Anuradha says that black is considered an inauspicious sinister and mystifying color. She said that during our college time we all used to sketch our drawing with faint lines, all of us we’re scared that dark lines would highlight our mistakes and would be difficult to correct. One of her professors was very particular about using dark lines, he used to say that using black lines shows your confidence and completeness of the drawings. After that anuradha threw her pencil and started using black pen for her on-the-spot sketchings. She was so thrilled that her brush called bravely and freely unleashed many shades though colors enter on her canvas black never lost his spector. On her canvas colors could freely breathe, they made space for each other to co-exist for themselves these appropriate colors march in a rhythm representing beauty of the tribes. Black is a very heavy color even a single incorrect stroke and entire painting can be ruined, that is why one need a very clear and transparent mind to work with black color. She says that there should also be a sense of courage within artists mind that is why using black always seemed to be a challenge for her but once she connected with this clarity and transparency of tribe’s, black came easily, naturally onto her canvas. There is also one story behind this, once a women from anuradha’s neighbourhood commented amongst themselves at a wedding ceremony regarding another woman who had worn a black coloured saree that why wear such all illomened colour on such an auspicious occasion. Anuradha’s attention diverted to that woman. That beautiful woman with a fair complexion was a professor and had draped a black saree exquisitely embroided with jari and mirror work. But it was as if the black colour has eclipsed the beauty of the saree from their sight.

The black colour took anuradha back to her college days. The famous sculptor D.S.Khatavkar was her teacher. He would crack jokes while he taught. When he began to teach sketching he would always make this humorous comment. He would say to the class, “Blacken it up. Blacken it up. Everyone should know how to blacken it up.”

uncompromisingly,

The context was like this: in the proportions etc. It was out of this fear that if the lines in a picture were darkned or a part was shaded darker, those mistakes would become conspicuous and so everyone would sketch very lightly. Seeing such faint sketches he would always make this retort.

In order to use black colour the mind has to be transparent. Skillful, capable hands and mental courage are also required. The black colour took deep root in anuradha’s mind because of these characteristics. The use of black colour seemed like a challenge to anuradha and she did not realize when it entered into her paintings and became a part of her style. Black lines and black shapes on a white canvas helped her to effectively represent the transparency in the tribals way of life. The balance accomplished in a black picture and rhythmic black lines that lend large black figures a delicate grace, has many times become a topic of discussion. A senior art critic, Firoza Godrej, commended anuradha’s charecteristic style. But if the use of black colour in her paintings is seen from a superstitious point of view then, her skill in handling that colour effectively would prove to be of no value. The darkness that slowly spreads after the sun sets, the evil deeds done in the pitch black darkness of the night, superstitions generated from these occurrences, black magic, have all come to be associated with black colour. A sense of horror has become associated with the black colour in the minds of most people. If one can look at black colour during rituals and traditions without the lenses of superstitions, there would be a different kind of realization. Many more meanings of the black colour would surface. The black colour took anuradha back to her college days. The famous sculptor D.S.Khatavkar was her teacher. He would crack jokes while he taught. When he began to teach sketching he would always make this humorous comment. He would say to the class, “Blacken it up. Blacken it up. Everyone should know how to blacken it up.” The context was like this: in the proportions etc.

then all the shapes appear to float like ballons. Black colour provides them with stability. Similarly, the sharpness of light is mellowed because of the shade given by black colour. In life also, the black coloured shadows is an important as the white coloured light. Black colour gives the picture an exactness and completness! Black colour is the indelible line carved on stone! It has such tremendous weight that even a small mistake while drawing a single black line can damage the balance of the complete picture. Therefore, black colour cannot be used by a person in a disturbed state of mind.

1GadchiroliofMemories Maharashtra 27

Gondi women had to roam in the forests to collect leaves that they stitched into plates, moha flowers and *tendu leaves. Sometimes they roamed in groups and sometimes alone. A Gondi man is known to be loyal to one wife. Therefore, Gondi women do not fear any coercive advances from any Gondi man. They returned to Dr. Bang’s Shodhgram in the evening. The young *Gond boys and girls were practising folk dance. The arrangement for their accomodation had been made in the rooms of the institute by Ranitai.

Anuradha could sense a lot of casualness 28

Anuradha shared one of the memories when she went to Gadchiroli. Anuradha told that, they were walking along a broad stream. The stream was flanked with very tall bamboo clusters. The way in which the light rays shone from behind the leaves of new shining bamboo shoots, it made the bamboo plants look like a painting of trees made up of starlight. They also came across a 150 year old bamboo cluster on their way. They were moving forward crossing streams ans rivulets and delightful waterfalls. She was with Sachin and and an activist who worked in Dr. Abhay Bang’s Shodhgram (SEARCH). They had now entered into the dense forest. At noon, the sunbeams that slipped through the canopy of gigantic trees sparkled like diamonds when we reached the forest floor. There was the rustling sound of the trees anuradha’s mind was amazed seeing the scenes that one never comes scross in the cities. They was wandering through the forests of Gadchiroli by the courtesy of Dr. Abhay and Rani Bang. They had been roaming around since morning. They did not come across any man, vehicle or even a tea stall. It was good that they had bought a bottle of water along with us. They stopped for a while to rest in the afternoon. There wasn’t the hint of any human there. Suddenly, a woman emerged from the thicket and came to the place they were sitting. She had wrapped around her a sparse saree that reached up to her knees. She had worn a thick silver belt around her waist, earrings with beautiful designs carved in it and studded with stones, toe rings and an axe hanging from her shoulder. She had a line tattooed across her forehead like a belt tied around her head. Her legs was tattooed up to her thighs and her hands were full of tattoos. Sachin understood the *Gondi language and could speak a bit of broken Gondi. Her name was Jaywanta Naitam. She had worn the ornaments that she had inherited by tradition. There ornaments cannot be bought. Sachin then told anuradha more about her in answer to the questioning look he saw on anuradha’s face.

Gondi: a member of an indigenous people living in the hill forests of central India. Gond: relating to the gond or their language. Tendu leaves: The tendu tree (Diospyros melanoxylon) is found widely across central India. “ ”

When she expressed her apprehensions about such free mingling boys and girls Ranitai said, “ If a boy and a girl fall in love with each other here, we are not worried whether the boy would cheat on her,etc. once both of them decide to start family, they never desert each other, they simply start living together because most of them do not have money to arrange for a wedding feast. They have nothing to fear. They can get married even after they have two or three children. Many of the children her attend their parents wedding!”

Anuradha saw the same kind of freedom, when it came to romance, in the culture of today’s modern generation that celebrates Valentine’s day. But she realized that the most important aspect that made this tribal culture stand apart was the loyalty that a man had to one wife... If a boy and a girl fall in love with each other here, we are not worried whether the boy would cheat on her,etc. once both of them decide to start family, they never desert each other, they simply start living together because most of them do not have money to arrange for a wedding feast. They have nothing to fear. They can get married even after they have two or three children. Many of the children her attend their parents wedding!

among the boys and girls there. Gondi people were not self consious regarding their gender differences during their interactions. They had placed their hands on each other’s shoulders and were dancing freely.

Anuradha began to contemplate that while running a large institute like Shodhgram, it is important to be cautions about such aspects.

GadchiroliMemoriesof2 Maharashtra 30

In front of some huts there were wooden pillars on which geometric designs were carved. It is a tradition among them to fix such a pillar during a wedding ceremony or religious ritual. In the front yard of a house a log was kept horizontally across the gate of the hedge. On that log a slipper was fixed with its sole facing up. Sachin, draw anuradha’s attention to it, informed her, “This is a sign that a baby has been born in that Ahouse.”vessel of water was kept in front of the house. It was a rule that everyone should see this sign and enter into the house only after they washed their feet. Anuradha was impressed to see such care being taken of the new born baby and its mother. But when she actually entered the house she saw the arrangements for the baby and its mother were made in the stable nearby! The woman was not allowed to stay inside the house after she delivered the baby. She saw her sitting in the stable, beside the cattle, shivering. In front of the house there was a large bamboo basket about six feet in diameter kept at a height of about a foot or two under the roof. This basket was used to store rice in a wooden mortar and were singing to its rhythm. This mortar was a lever with a horizontal wooden log. A pestle was fitted at one end of the log. Under it a circular carved stone was fixed into the Oneground.ofthe women would lift and push the log up and down with her legs, like a seesaw, maintaining her balance with the help of a rope hanging from the roof. Another woman would sit down and do the work of adding and removing the grains from the pestle. The rhythms that the complete process generated were such that she couldn’t withhold the temptation to make a quick sketch. A medium sized, rounded bamboo basket was hung with ropes tied at four points from a bamboo beam 32

Anuradha shared her another experience in Gadchiroli. She was walking through tall bamboo clusters and forests of gigantic plants and creepers. Soon, she reached at tribal settlement. She could see small huts with hedges around them. When she went closer she saw that the roof of each hut had creepers of a flask shaped gourd twined around it. “ This gourd is not eaten. She was told.” When this gourd dries up it is scooped from inside and used like a vessel for drinking,“ informed sachin. Many gourds and pieces of bamboo that could be uses as vessels were tied together and hung from a peg near the door of the hut.

that projected from the front of the roof of a house. A baby was fast asleep inside it. Just next to it there was a hen’s coop made from bamboo, about five feet in height at the level of the hanging cradle. Under the coop there were piglets kept in a small enclosure. It appeared as if the birds and animals were all set to attend to the baby and entertain it as soon as it woke up! Anuradha was able to observe the tribal life in Gadchiroli very closely during these few visits.The women there were seen working continously. They wouldn’t do only domestic work. They were seen working in the fields in the sun. Many of them were seen tilling the fields with buffaloes before the rainy season.

33 Moha : meaning long and wide leaves plant.

Anuradha saw many women planting rice in the paddy fields filled to the brink with water with their feet anchored in the soil taking the onslaught of the heavy rainfall on their bodies and bearing the glaring sunlight that allowed a little warmth in the midst of the cold rain. Anuradha met them in the forests collecting Moha flowers and leaves to stitch into plates. Faced with adverse conditions, in the absense of facilities for health care, bearing the heavy burden of traditions; the women of Gadchiroli live their life with remarkable tenacity. In front of some huts there were wooden pillars on which geometric designs were carved. It is a tradition among them to fix such a pillar during a wedding ceremony or religious ritual. In the front yard of a house a log was kept horizontally across the gate of the hedge. On that log a slipper was fixed with its sole facing up. Sachin, draw anuradha’s attention to it, informed her, “This is a sign that a baby has been born in that house.”

GadchiroliMemoriesof3 Maharashtra 34

After the ceremony of naming the baby all the guests were offered some beverages in a flasked shaped gourd. The ceremony was followed by dinner but we moved on immediately.

At one side of the yard, food was being cooked and on the other side baby was being bathed. It was the ceremony of giving the baby its name.

Garlands made of fresh flowers and leaves were tied to the hut, the entrance door and the small pandal erected in the yard of the house. Anuradha entered into the hut. The men folk were happily seated on the wooden cots and on the ground.

Anuradha told that, she was eager to see the cock market. The people would gather at the cock market in the afternoon, but, because she had to cross many forest to reach there, she left for market in the morning itself. On her way, she came across some things buried in the ground. She could make out some parts of a bicycle, some utensils, clothes and similar things that were exposed. She was informed in those parts it was practice to bury the favourite objects of a dead person during his funeral and make a memorial for him. Some of the mud covering the objects had flowed away as that place was on raised ground and so, some parts of the objects had been exposed. A chill ran down her spine as she listned to sachin in the scary silence of the forest. It reminded her of the Egyptians and their culture. Anuradha saw some people going for a hunting spree. They had wrapped a loin cloth, carried bows in their hands and had hung bags made from bamboo on their shoulders. They had take some pebbles along with them. They were waiting foe a prey. Anuradha reached to tribal village at noon. There was a great hustle and bustle in front of a house.A small flat wooden stool has been arranged in the gateway of the yard of that house. Guests entering into the house were asked to stand on this stool and some women there would wash their feet. After that the guests were welcomed by the women in the traditional way. A plate with a small lamp burning in it and some auspicious things was waved around the face of the guest. Some women were sitting near the fence stitching leaves would be used as plates to serve food in.

The young boys had worn shirts and trousers. Old men sitting there were wearing only loin cloth. The women were hustling around seeing to everything right from the welcoming of the guests to the cooking. The women who came as a guests immediately took up some kind of work.

Anuradha reached a large clearing in the forest. Two or three men with cocks in their hands

37 Ghotul: A ghotul is a spacious tribal hut surrounded by earthen or wooden walls.

were seated on the rocks there. After she looked around she saw that there were many men with cocks in their hands sitting up in the trees surrounding the clearing. She reached there at the most appropiate time. Many more men from several neighbouring villages were coming in from all directions with cocks in their hands. A good crowd had collected and the cock fights began. Sharp blades were tied to the legs of the cocks. The cocks were tied with ropes and proved to fight each other. She could not watch these bleeding cocks for long. The cock market was the only place where we did not see a woman! Only men were involved. While returning, sachin showed her a special hut, called a Ghotul, in the village. There were a pillar with geometric shapes carved on it in the hut. The cultural and recreational programs were conducted in this Ghotul. The T.V room in Dr. Bhang’s Shodhgram was constructed in a similar fashion and was also called Ghotul. It had begun to get dark. She saw a bonfire there. There was no arrangement to protect against the cold so, a bonfire was a daily necessity. Everyone sat around the fire chatting after the day’s hard work.

The young boys and girls were preparing for the traditional Rela dance. Anuradha had chanced upon this experience that pointed to the ability of human nature to search for moments of happiness even in the most adverse situations. On her way, she came across some things buried in the ground. She could make out some parts of a bicycle, some utensils, clothes and similar things that were exposed. She was informed in those parts it was practice to bury the favourite objects of a dead person during his funeral and make a memorial for him. Some of the mud covering the objects had flowed away as that place was on raised ground and so, some parts of the objects had been exposed. A chill ran down her spine as she listned to sachin in the scary silence of the forest. It reminded her of the Egyptians and their culture.

Cursonalon 38

Anuradha and her team were wandering through the forests of Gadchiroli towards a tribal village. They came across a small clearing that was fenced in a small hut in it.There was a slide, a see-saw and some hand bars in that enclosure. They entered the hut. Some childrens were engrossed in making some craft articles. There was cupboard inside the hut. Some toys, story books and newspaper were kept in that cupboard. This was called Cursonalon meaning children’s hall. It had been erected with the help of Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang. The children had laboured together to build the hut and prepare the playground. When this was done, all the other equipment was supplied by Shodhgram. Many such Cursonalons had been erected in the tribal settlements. A trained activist from Sodhgram would provide guidance to the tribal children in the TheCursonalons.Cursonalonproject had been developed to serve the personal needs of the children of a mouldable age and it proved to be a boon for the children there. Harmful habits like eating Gutka and alcoholism had found their way to the tribal settlements also. The Cursonalons had organized events in which the packets of gutka were burned in bonfires as a message of condemning gutka. The Cursonalons had made many things possible such as; spreading awareness about health concerns, providing guidance to adolescent children regarding their problems, shaping activists for Shodhram’s activities in the future and improving the standard of living of the tribal people without disturbing their regular way of life. These children were also given training about farming. These children had just been taught how to graft plants. Children had very efficiently prepared grafts of plants. There was no televison in those parts and so, the children there had a lot of time. The Cursonalons were working to channelize the power of youth in the right direction. Along with the projects organized for the childrens, some projects were organized for the men and women also. There were certain limitations in the way work could be done because of which it became necessary that some things had to be given priority over others. Dr. Abhay and Rani Bang had felt that the tribal people should decide these priorities. However, the villagers were not able to speak out frankly during the discussions. So the Bang couple thought of a fantastic plan. There was a temple of the Mother Goddess Danteswari on the campus of Shodhgram. A fair was organized every year 40

in honour of the deity. During this fair, some boxes with a slit in them were kept on a table. On each of these boxes a picture of a different kind of disease was drawn. The villagers were given leaves in their hands. They were asked to go in a queue, one at a time, and put the leaves in any of the boxes according to the cases of the disease in their village. This provided the Bang couple the proportion of the number of cases of the different diseases in their village. The result of this kind of voting proved their expectations Thetrue.

villagers were not able to come forward and openly discuss the diseases that they suffered from but this secret ballot box method revealed many things. The diseases that the men suffered from were revealed. Projects that dealt with diseases that men suffered from were taken up along with the projects for malaria and health concerns related to mother and child. This kind of voting helped Dr. Bang to make the priority list for his different projects. Dr. Abhay and Rani Bang had the knack to develop many such methods to organize programmes for the tribal people without causing any disturbance to their culture. Dr. Abhay and Rani Bang had completed their higher education in America. They planted the seed for Shodhgram in two small rooms in Gadchiroli along with their two small children even in the absence of any kind of amenities. This seed has grown to be a wide spreading banyan tree today. Both of them had offered themselves, just like sandalwood, to work for the welfare of the tribal people here. Even the name of the house is ‘Chandan’. The Cursonalon project had been developed to serve the personal needs of the children of a mouldable age and it proved to be a boon for the children there. Harmful habits like eating Gutka and alcoholism had found their way to the tribal settlements also. The Cursonalons had organized events in which the packets of gutka were burned in bonfires as a message of condemning gutka.

Chandan : Sandalwood

41 Gutka : a preparation made os basically of crushed areca nut and tobacco with other flavours. It is a stimulant of greater intensity than tobacco and considered to be carcinogenic.

“”

PilgrimAPlace 42

Whenever Anuradha went to Gadchiroli she was always very eager to experience the lifestyle in Shodhgram, the warmth of their hospitality and the life of the tribal people. The entrance to Shodhgram is decorated with the pictures of tribal people. There is a temple of Maa danteshwari, the deity of the tribal people on the left inside the entrance. A fair is oranizes there every year in honour of the deity. There is a hospital to the left of the temple. Straight down the road is the office and dining hall and to the right the residential quarters. All these buildings are shaped like the tribal huts. The walls are plastered with cement but there are imprints of the palms of hands on it as if the cement had been patted on to the walls. They are even painted the colour of mud. The institute is designed in such a way so that the tribal people should feel that it is like their own settlement. There is a separate building for the library. There is a hall for yoga named ‘Patanjali’. The road went farther down to the fields in Shodhgram. The road was flanked by Hadga flowers and other trees..in such a place of natural beauty the old and the young in Shodhgram go for a walk at five at dawn. Some walk around while some cycle.The institute is frequently visited by eminent personalities.The Bang couple always provide them with warm hospitality. These visits do not disturb the daily routine at Shodhgram. Two days of the week are allotted for manual labour. The guests also enjoy participating in the work. They can enjoy the pleasure of working in the mud with their hands, a pleasure that had become so rare in urban areas. The old and the young gather together in a hall for prayers in the evening. The guests are introduced to the people after the prayers. Two or three of those gathered there would talk about the important events of the week.There is some discussion on those issues. The people gathered there include small children, housewives, people who have completed their doctorates, experts in various fields of knowledge and so, the topics that are taken up for discussion could be something very trivial or even a research paper recently read on issues of global significance. Even then, the subjects would be presented after a considerable study.

Dr.Bang’s reading would always be more expansive than the others. His concluding remarks that summed up the issues discussed would greatly benefit everyone there. A Moha tree grew in the doorway of the dining hall and so the hall was called Moha mauli, meaning ‘mother 44

The poet grace seen the invitation card to the exibition of anuradha’s painting’s titled ‘Autumn’s Harmony’ with one of her friends. He had seen the sketches in that invitation card and when he saw my sketches in that invitation card and when he saw my sketches at shodhgram he immediately recognized her. Conversing with him and listening to him as he spoke in his serene voice at the dining table during those few days was a unique kind of a feast there. There wasn’t a moment spent at Shodhgram that could be forgotten. Nobody who visits Shodhgram would be able to forget even a moment spent there. Seeing my earnest interest in the life of tribal people, Dr.Abhay Bang had made all the necessary arrangements for me with a lot of consideration. Anuradha was able to experience the jealousness in his work, the discipline in the work he did, his attitude for research, his mentality to help everyone with him develop along with him and his delight in art.

Moha’. The building had only a roof a balustrade because of which there would always be a flow of fresh air. Many food items that the guests would like were prepared there. Salads, sprouted beans, boiled nuts and a fruit would surely be a part of the meal. We had the opportunity to converse with the famous Marathi poet Grace, some journalists from Mumbai doctors from different parts of the world who had come to attend a doctor’s workshop, and many such people in this dining hall. A doctor narrated what the possible outcome of a visit to Shodhgram could be. He said, “ Many people go to visit pilgrim places but only a few of them are inspired by a feeling of devotion and attain a healthy, philanthropic attitude. Some people are affected by their experience there while some simply have the satisfaction of having visited a pilgrim place.”

45 Hadga : commonly known as white dragon tree, is a traditionally revered Ayurvedic medicinal plant “ ”

The award that Dr. Rani Bang had received at the hands of the President of India, and many such awards that both of them had received were truly meaningful. Many people go to visit pilgrim places but only a few of them are inspired by a feeling of devotion and attain a healthy, philanthropic attitude. Some people are affected by their experience there while some simply have the satisfaction of having visited a pilgrim place.

49 Jhabua Madhya Pradesh

50 Anuradha went to the tribal hut that was at the edge of the road. That hut had only one door and it was just two feet high. There was no window or even a small hole for ventiltion People were living along with their animals inside that house. It was pitch dark inside. Nothing could be seen. Anuradha went inside with her camera. She just took two or three photographs at random. Some glimpses of the inside of that house could be seen in the camera’s flashlight. She clicked some more

Afterphotographs.shecame outside she saw in the photograph that there was crude stove in the kitchen. All the vessels were made of mud. One vessel was un the shape of a handkerchief with all its four corners raised a bit. There were huge iron spoons. Seeing anuradha the men working in the fields nearby came towards her. The man explained the reason why the house did not have any windows: at any point of time here, a poison tipped arrow could be shot inside the house, and so the houses are built like this. Two or three drums for storing grain were smeared with cow dung and kept in the front room of the house. A year’s ration of Maize corn had been stored in them. Near the door there was a wooden stand of shoulder’s height on which there were beautiful designs and a mud pot containing water brought from the valley had been kept. It had been kept on such a high stand to protect the water from animals. There were arrows kept in the corner. The arrows had sharp iron tips and were tied up in bunches of sevens and eights. Kundanpur was a village in Jhabua district. Bhils and Bhilals are the major tribes that live in this region. The Bhilals are more progressive than the Bhils but even then many of their practices and traditions are similar. Mr. Rakesh Shuklaji had spared some time for anuradha, to accompany her to these parts. His father had been a collector and he was an officer but they had good knowledge about the tribal people, and so, he was eagerly showing her all the places and things in and around these parts. In the vehicle Shuklaji praised the dish called Paniya eaten in these parts. “ If one go without tasting Paniya then one would have missed the real taste of Jhabua” said Shukhlaji. Paniya was prepare by making balls out of maize flour and after sticking the leaves of the Palas tree on both its side they were roasted on coals. Maybe they are called Paniya because they are roasted within paans the word for leaves. It was a dish

51 just like dal baati but the baatis were made of maize flour. The flavour of the maize grown in the soil of Jhabua was different. The taste of pure ghee and dal poured over the paaniya could defeat the taste of any other meal at any star hotel. Everyone ate to their heart’s content. In this way she enjoyed the taste of the soil of Jhabua as she roamed the tribal area of Jhabua. Mr.Agarwal, the general Manager of L&T Company, his wife and anuradha’s friend Anjali, Rekha and Sandhya were travelling with her.This was the first time that they were seeing a tribal area and so all this seemed stranger to Athem.village or a culture comes into existence from the amalgamation of nature and society. One experiencesthis when one observes a culture keenly. Anuradha got to see how nature and society influence one another. Palas : Flame of the forest. Baati : a roasted ball of dough made with a lot of Dalghee:pulses cooked to a pouring consistency Kundanpur was a village in Jhabua district. Bhils and Bhilals are the major tribes that live in this region. The Bhilals are more progressive than the Bhils but even then many of their practices and traditions are similar. Mr. Rakesh Shuklaji had spared some time for anuradha, to accompany her to these parts. His father had been a collector and he was an officer but they had good knowledge about the tribal people, and so, he was eagerly showing her all the places and things in and around these parts.

53 Bhagoria Madhya Pradesh

Anuradha left to go to a fair in bakhatgadh, a village in Madhya pradesh near Gujarat’s border. A big fair was set up at Bakhatgadh. Long black green coloured sugarcanes had been bought there for sale. Some children had taken the sugarcanes in their hands and were dancing together in groups while other groups were roaming around playing on the flute.Their flutes had been decorated with beads strung and woven into attractive designs and long tassels.

Anuradha Thakur collected a lot of information about Jhabua. Eight to ten days before the festival of Holi fairs are set up in the villages near Jhabua. A large number of young boys and girls attend these fairs. During these fairs if a boy takes a liking to a girl, he offers her a paan. If she accepts it, he takes her away with him. If she doesn’t, he kidnaps her. If the girl resists him and is successful then nothing can be done about it. The runaway couple return on the day of Holi and then get married. This festival is called Bhagoria. It is harvest time at Bhagoria and there is a lot of money at hand and so there is a lot of buying and selling. The tribal people in those parts come together in a very special kind of happy atmosphere wearing their traditional costumes and dance to the beat of different musical instruments. That is why anuradha scheduled her visit to this tribal area at the time of Bhagoria.

Some boys had worn white clothes and turbans that were two inches broad in the front jutted three inches out from the forehead. They had worn many chains in their necks and woolen nets hung from their waist to their feet and colourful woolen tassels were stiched into each square of net.Some boys had worn only a dhoti. Their bodies were colourful figures right from their face till their feet. At their waists they had tied belts with round bells about four or five inch in diameter. They had worn caps made of tall peacock feathers and glittering ribbons. Some of them had large flask shaped pumpkins that hung from their waist. They had big drums and clairnet like musical instruments. They danced with such zeal that they did not notice the people near them. if the people near them were not careful enough, the dancers would dash them and continue to dance without any interruption. Some boys had painted their bodies with coal black colour and were roaming about wearing only a waist colours. The girls were moving around in dresses of vibrant colours. Ten to fifteen of them in a dance group had worn the same kind of clothes.Their dresses were made up of a skirt, blouse and a long scarf draped across the shoulders. All of them had the same kind of ornaments.They wore a special tribal

Paan : areca nut wrapped in betel nut leaf

55 necklace, spring-like, made up of many rings joined together horizontally and vertically. Some of them had worn a chain at their waist. They wore rings on every finger. On their fingers they wore brunches of silver beads that resembled bunches of grapes and these were joined to all the bangles they wore in the hands.

One man there told anuradha that in those parts the boy gave the girl’s father almost one to two lakh rupees as bride price. He gives her silver ornaments worth almost forty to fifty thousand rupees. Anuradha felt good when she heard this because at least in these parts people wouldn’t be sad if a girl was born to them. On her way back, she waited at a police station. While chatting with the inspector she said that there may not be any cases of dowry deaths because of the reverse dowry system here. Even the girl’s parents must be happy because they get so much money as dowry. But he explained and said that things were not as satisfying as they appeared. The amount that the girl’s father recives gets over as he distributes it among the committee of village elders, and spends it all for the marriage ceremony and feast. The money given by the boy’s father is taken on loan. They keep the girl’s ornaments with the goldsmith for safely. He charges them for the safe keeping. They cannot afford to pay that much. The ornaments then become the property of the goldsmith.The vibrant pictures of these girls dancing away happily that was before anuradha’s eyes, then, took on a pitiful withered look.

Eight to ten days before the festival of Holi fairs are set up in the villages near Jhabua. A large number of young boys and girls attend these fairs. During these fairs if a boy takes a liking to a girl, he offers her a paan. If she accepts it, he takes her away with him. If she doesn’t, he kidnaps her. If the girl resists him and is successful then nothing can be done about it. The runaway couple return on the day of Holi and then get married. This festival is called Bhagoria.

56 AnandMela

Anuradha and her friend was thinking about a solution to this problem and it was brought to their attention that the men went to work as laboures and so did not have any time, but the children ages ranging from 10-14 years, were available. Those children who were intrested were trained to grow a kitchen garden irrigated by domestic sewage water. The organization helped by providing seeds, fertilizers and such 58

On enquiring anuradha came to know that their daily diet consisted of only Bhakri and Thecha made of red chillies. Generally, vegetables were not available so the possibly of eating vegetables regularly seemed hopeless.

Anuradha shared one of her experience when she went to Anand mela. She told that all the childrens in the anand mela were overflowing with excitement. The venue was a very desolate village. It was difficult for these childrens to get food and so getting good clothes was something very improable. Each one had worn clothes that were threadbare but washed clean and had some traces of colour. Anuradha organized a workshop for them on making ornaments from Begdi paper. They had all, very fondly, worn those paper ornaments in their neck, ears and around their ankles. There was no question about them wearing any make up but they had been taught to draw big decorative designs on their foreheads using Gandh colours. They were all engrossed in admiring themselves looking were pretty with the colourful designs on their foreheads and their glittering paper ornaments.

Some days ago, anuradha’s friend called her, through NGO, to organize a workshop for these children to teach them to make paper ornaments. After the camp her friend showed houses of some children that were ‘kuccha’ huts. The houses were built close to each other. There wasn’t much space around them. But infront of their houses or at the sides each one had made a kitchen garden within an area of approximately 10 sq. feet. Vegetables like green leafy vegetables, chillies, coriander, cauliflower, brinjal and beetroot were growing in it. They had built a fence around the garden with throny branches. All kinds of vegetables creepers like rigid gourds, snake gourds, cucumbers and tendli were growing over the fence. The blossoming kitchen garden lent the huts a refreshing look. Her friend informed that “Most of the people living in this area had stunted growth. This would have a bad impact on the health of the next generation. One of the reasons for this stunted growth could be malnutrition.

Anuradha organized a workshop for them on making ornaments from Begdi paper. They had all, very fondly, worn those paper ornaments in their neck, ears and around their ankles. There was no question about them wearing any make up but they had been taught to draw big decorative designs on their foreheads using Gandh colours. They were all engrossed in admiring themselves looking were pretty with the colourful designs on their foreheads and their glittering paper ornaments.

Thecha : A pungent preparation of red chillies and garlic crushed together. 59

things to those who needed it. The children got intrested in all these activities right from the germination of seeds to the growth of the saplings to plucking the vegetables. The way the kitchen garden looks today is a result of all these Vegetablesefforts. were ready to be plucked, but they did not know how to cook them properly. Anuradha organized camps for the holistic development of children. The camps were based on topics like education, art, sports, health and cleanliness of the surroundings. She also organized camps for some children and their mothers on cooking nutritious food. She taught them the methods to prepare nutritious and tasty meals. Anuradha provide diet charts that would ensure that all nutrients would be consumed at breakfast, lunch and supper.Now that they had learnt something that had benefitted them, they themselves thought up the concept of the Anand mela so that they could share their knowledge with others in the village. The Anand mela would have far reaching effects influencing their lives so this was a very special Anand mela to anuradha.

Anand : joy, happiness Mela : fair, gathering of people Gandh : A colourful semi liquid substance that is used to decorate the forehead with designs.

Kuccha : improvised Bhakri : A preparation of jowar or bajri flour dough patted into a thick flat circle and roasted.

60 Rhythm of the seasons

61 Festive Rhythm

Festive Rhythm 62

Valley of Ethnicity 63

64 Appendix

66 Solo exibitions 2019 - ‘Folk Roots’, Art2 day, Pune 2019 - ‘Song of Ethereal Lands’, Anrodhan Art Gallerries, Pondicherry

2018 - ‘Colors...The Appligue of Rhythm’,Park Hyatt, Hyderabad 2017 - ‘Innate Folklore’, Park Hyatt, Hyderabad 2013 - ‘Realms of Ethenicity’, Chandigarh 2013 - ‘Ethnic Serendipity’, Novtel, Hyderabad 2013 - ‘Serene Harmony’ at India International Centre, New Delhi 2013 - ‘Traditional Beats’ at Novotal, Hyderabad 2012 - ‘Traditional Beats’ at Lalitkala Academy, Delhi 2012 - ‘Transcending Rhythm’ at Art2 Gallery, Hyatt Regency,Pune 2012 - ‘Serene Harmony’ at Novotel aiport, Hyderabad 2012 - ‘Rhythmic Life’ Art2 day gallery, Pune 2011 - ‘Transcending Rhythm’ at Amdavadni Gufa, Ahmedabad 2010 - ‘Rhythm of the Seasons’ at Gallerie Leela, Mumbai 2010 - ‘Rhythm of the seasons’ at the Corner House, Hyderabad 2009 - ‘Festive Rhythm’ at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai 2009 - ‘Festive Rhythm’ at India Art Gallery, Pune 2007 - ‘Celebration of Life’ at Art2 day Gallery, Pune 2006 - ‘Music of Life’ at India Art Gallery, Pune 2005 - ‘Music of Life’ at Lakshana Art Gallery, Bangalore 2003 - ‘Autumn’s Harmony’ at SUN & SAND, Pune Group Shows 2012 - ‘Wake uo your walls’ City Centre, Sofia, Bulgaria 2011 - ‘Frames of India- 2’ at Pegasus Art Gallery, Hyderabad

2019 - ‘Women of the Future Awards 2019’, Jaipur 2019 - ‘iWoman Global Awards 2019’ 2019 - ‘Purnavad Kala Award’

2010 - ‘A Journey of Expressions’ at jawahar kala Kendra, Jaipur

2008 - International Artist’s Camp Mystic Village, Pune

2010 - ‘A Journey of Expressions’ at Abstract Art Gallery, Bangalore 2010 - ‘A Journey of Expressions’ at Chitrakala parishad, Bangalore

2009 - National Artist’s Camp, Karnataka

2010 - ‘Amalgamation’ at Kala Academy, Goa

2011 - ‘Canvas of India-Feb 2011’ Kalanivarana Art Center, Hyderabad

2007 - ‘Different Palettes’ at Art Entrance, Mumbai 2006 - ‘Colours of Life’ at Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai 2006 - ‘Art for Water, Water for Life’ at Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai 2006 - ‘Symphony’ at Lakshana Art Gallery, Hyderabad

2004 - ‘Black and White, White and Blacl’, at Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai Camps

2007 - National Artist’s Camp, Pune

2010 - ‘A Journey of Expressions’ at State Art Gallery, Hyderabad

2013 - 10th National Art Festival at Gangtok, Sikkim. Organized by Lalitkala Academy, New Delhi 2011 - ‘Artists in Residence’ by Pegasus Foundation at Hyderabad

2006 - ‘Women for Women- Healing Brushstrokes’ An art Camp involving 25 women artists from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka Honours

2013 - Abhiruch Gaurav Award for the book Anubhutinchya 2013Spandanrekha-Varecha

-Conducted orientation for Primary Teachers based on new syllabus.

-Workshop in Arts and Craft for adolescent girls in 70 villages in Paithan

2013 - Kavi Anant Fandi Award for the book Anubhutinchya 2008Spandanrekha-Awardin

-Number of Art and Craft workshop for children in Maharashtra -Picture project for books to bring awareness about watershed project, repairing of hand pumps and health care for rural population.

All India Lokmanya Tilak Art Exibition, Pune 1992 - State award for Research paper on Student Qualitative Development & Behavioural Changes through art as a medium.

1983 - A.T.D (1st in state) 1982 - State Art prize in State Art Exibition

Vagh Award for the book Anubhutincha Spandanrekha

2010countries-Illustrations

2010 - One painting from the ‘Festive Rhythm’ series were chosen to represent India in CFM calendar featuring artists from 12 different done for ‘Oxford University Press’,UK

2005 - Illustrations done for ‘Hesperian Foundation’ California

-Arts and Craft Training Program for Angawadi Teachers.

Achievements 2012 - Twelve paintings from ‘Song of Nature’ series have been selected for CRY calendar 2012 & Greeting cards

68 2013 - Dr.B.P.Hiwale Award for the book Anubhutinchya Spandanrekha

69 Taluka, -CompiledMaharashtraabookon cards by motivating children ‘create the cards’. Chitre, a book on Rangoli, compiled with the design created by ladies was brought out. the and for many books in India and abroad Research on drawing grade exams was accepted by Maharashta State education Research and Traing Board (1994) Aet in daily Sakal, Loksatta, Tarun Bharat and Gavakari ‘Women and Sahitya Sammelan in daily Kesari’ - Park Hyatt, Hyderabad - Novotel, Hyderabad - Dr.Abhay Bang’s Institute ‘Search’ Capt. B. R. Vijayendra, Director, Ficus Pax Pvt. Ltd.,Bangalore - Rajul Bodhana, ‘Geeta International’, Hong Kong - Niranjana Shah, USA - Larson & Toubro, Ahmednagar - Cumins College of Architecture, Pune - Wall murals for ‘Malpani Balabhavan’ Sangamner, Maharashtra - Firoza Godrej, Cymroza Art Gallery. Many other collections in India and abroad.

-Designed

-Rangoli

Collections

illustrations

- Series on

-Action

Articles Published - Column in daily Loksatta for 3 years - Write ups on

greeting

covers

Anuradha Thakur as an artist whose paintings adorns the wall of prime ministers office, who was chosen one among a 100 women achivers by ministry of women and child development. Her TEDX talk at BITSHyderabad, whose paintings are showchased in exibitions accross the Throughglobe. her paintings she wanted to show the positive way tribal people lead their lives. She did’nt want to communicate any negative thoughts to people. She have always found more positive vibes than negative during her visits and that’s why she wanted to bring it in her paintings. Her paintings brings us closer to the tribal people live and their culture. The vastness of her experiences keeps on widening and as it widens she particularly gathers the bud of beauty that she experiences in social, cultural and human contexts. She has a particular attraction and compassion towards tribal life that makes happiness and beauty bloom even in the most oppressive situations as they live in close association with nature. She tried to trace the rhythm of life among the tribal people and compared it with human life in its totality. This journey continues......

70 Conclusion

These are the milestones in Anuradha’s illustrious journey with brush. ‘Anubhutinchya Spandanrekha’ , ‘Sketches of Rhythmic Experiences’ these books are about Anuradha Thakur. She has published books on Rangoli designs. The pictures of her paintings are found in art catalouges. Exibitions of her paintings have been organised in many places in India and abroad. Many of her paintings have become a part of art collections in India and abroad.

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude Anuradha Thakur, Sambit Kumar Pradhan, Nayna Yadav and Honey Panchal , whose valuable guidance has been the ones that helped me patch this project and make it full proof success their suggestions and instructions has served as the major contributor towards the completition of the project.

Then I would like to thank my parents who have helped me with their valuable suggestions and guidance has been helpful in various phases of the completion of the project.

Acknowledgement

72 - Divya Marathi article by Bhushan Deshmukh - Sketches of Rhythmic Experiences - Anubhutinchya Spandanrekha - Indian art collectors - TEDx Talks - Artzolo.com References

73 Printed at Shree Vahanvati Binders & Printers Shop no. B-15, Basement, Vijay Shopping Centre, Near Hotel Haveli, Sector 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat Phone no: 9714387708 All the pictures in this book have been sketched and painted by the Artist Anuradha Thakur herself. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permisson of the copyright owner. ©2019. All rights reserved.