Ritusamhara - a Pageant of love and art

How often do we collect bill slips? How often do we save old letters and read them and re-read them till we soak up the words? For those of us who love vintage paper or vintage records, here's a display with a lemony twist: Bakula Nayak, an architect turned artist, chose simple vintage articles that we seldom ignore as the canvas for her art work. 

The exhibition, that will be held till September 2, 2019, at Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, is a double treat: for those who love to rewind back in time, look at that gramophone or read a letter neatly hung on an examination pad; and for those who like Indian poetry. Bakula has painstakingly included the verses of Ritusamhara by Kalidas. The book is an epitaph to the six seasons of India. I call it an epitaph because we don't witness six seasons anymore. I have read a few verses of the book, translated by Ranjit Pandit, spouse of Vijaylakshmi Pandit, and it is a hard read.

I had the fine opportunity to speak with Bakula, a humble, talented artist.

N: Why did you think of this exhibition?
Bakula: Love is a subject I draw upon all the time. I think the world needs more of it. Love makes us better people -- whether we give it or receive it; makes us stronger making us feel like we can take on anything, makes us more empathetic to other people's situations and definitely makes us better human beings. The world as it is today is polarized and I thought it might be appropriate to remind ourselves to be kinder and spread a whole lot more love in this universe.

N: Why did you choose Ritusamhara?

Bakula: I started a series called the Unplugged series, my visual interpretations of the literature that I have read and enjoyed. Art and love have always intermingled in my mind and I have no boundaries between my reality and my illusion as I read them. One of the ways I have found to enjoy ancient Indian Literature is by reading their English translations. Unable to contain my excitement (and given that I share a lot), I started the Unplugged series -- my own personal journey to discover and express the chosen subject.

The literature is not presented from an academic or an expert's point of view but it is merely the personal journey of an artist whose soul was touched by the work of another. And since many of these texts do seem to have an appeal which transcends national, religious, and linguistic borders, I hope it would open the doors for me, my children, and my audience, to take their own journeys through these works.

At some point, I found Ritusamhara in my readings and of course that caught my attention because it was all about love. But upon reading more, I realised how much more beautiful it was. This is a set of six paintings that are inspired by translations of Kalidasa's Ritusamhara. An epic poem that describes not merely the seasons in flux but the feelings awakened by the changing seasons in pairs of lovers. Although romance is the crux of Kalidasa's poetry, my inspiration stems from other subliminal messages in it that moved me. He realises that the world was not made for man; that man reaches his full stature only as he realizes the dignity and worth of life that is not human. So his poetry does not only talk of romance but gushes in great detail about nature and the other creatures that inhabit our earth.

The thought which seems to be uppermost in the poet’s mind is, how glorious it is to be beautiful, to be happy, to be young! He proposes to take life at its face value--to take what comes, rain or shine. The joyous acceptance of life which he regards as changeful, fluid and active struck a chord in me. These six paintings are different thoughts that touched my soul upon reading this beautiful poem that took off on a journey of their own in my mind and on my paintings.


N: Since when have you been painting?

Bakula: The last six years. 

I painted when I was a young child because of my mother and I gave that up in my teens when I lost her, and returned to it when I was 40 and lost my father. My art was my solace in my hour of grief.

N: How long did it take for you to complete each piece?
Bakula: I don't really time it. Somedays I go at it endlessly and sometimes life distracts - my three kids and the house takes precedence. I am not really sure.


N: Do you plan to host more exhibitions in the future in Hyderabad?
Bakula: Yes, Hyderabad in recent years has become second home. KARA is an art festival by Dr. Reddy's Foundation that happens every year in Hyderabad and I am a part of that team. It is my happy place - a great platform to engage with and learn from artists and art lovers alike. My relationship with the city is driven by that and I have found so much love here through my art that I keep coming back - exhibition or not. Thank you for the love, Hyderabad.

N: Any message for your audience?
Bakula: Make Love. Make Magic. Make Tea. Not war

Thank you so much, Bakula, for obliging to my request. What I liked was the classics placed at the end of the painting exhibition that one could pick and write a message to Bakula.