Through the Beholder’s Eyes

important. These leaves are known to have medicinal and therapeutic value. Many of these fortify immunity,strengthening it before the chilly winters set in,” says Panda,adding,“This is the knowledge

our ancestors wanted to pass on to us. It is important that we conserve these trees.”

Panda’s Ganapatis highlight leaves that have been incorporated into the arrangement. “Arjuna leaves,for example,are beneficial to the heart. Mango and pomegranate leaves are immunity fortifiers. There is also a meditative and contemplative Ganesha formed of datura leaves,which have potent sedatives and myriad therapeutic qualities,” says Panda. She seeks

to give out a message to the

youth,“I want the youth to appreciate the bounties of nature and

also understand how important its conservation is.”

On the other hand,Jyotsna Deshpande’s art — on display at Darpan Art Gallery — is a result of the comparison she draws between the south Indian and north Indian visual representations of Ganapati. “I researched on the evolution in the form of Ganesha over the years. The old depictions date back to the 4th century — the era of Gupta dynasty. One striking change that appeared after the 11th century is an extra pair of hands. Before that,Ganapati idols had two hands,” says Deshpande,whose works are filled with many such interesting insights.

“Another set of additions happened during the 12th century in south India. Ganesha was given the rat as a vehicle and the cobra around his belly. South India,during that time,had several sugarcane fields,which were infested by rats,so Ganapati seated atop it was a symbol of suppression and the snake represents a natural enemy of rats,” says Panda. He adds,“Similar was the case in east India,whose inhabitants were also sugarcane farmers. But in Kashmir,where there were no sugarcane plantations,Ganapati sat on a lion.”

Moving away from mythology and traditions,artist Satish Ghatpande’s images of Ganapatis share his own obsession with music. His artworks,being exhibited at Papertells Art Gallery,portray the Swarganesha. “The three paintings I have exhibited here are part of a series of seven paintings,four of which are sold. The original series had elements of saptasur (seven notes) and saptarang (seven colours of the rainbow),” says Ghatpande.

He says that his aim was to create a mood. “The series initially comprised Ganapati rendered in seven different colours playing seven different instruments,” Ghatpande adds. Ghatpande,who is also a sculptor,has used an air brush to accentuate shadows to give his paintings a 3D quality.

Picking one of the three exhibited paintings,Ghatpande says,“This work shows Ganapati playing the tabla. I have rendered it in shades of orange. Since Ganapati is playing the tabla,whose sound is dense,I have imagined the sound as circles,which form the background.”