Creative under incredible odds

“Most of the people say after seeing my paintings that that it appear that despite your physical limitations it appears that your mind is still very alive and very creative,” said Saghamitra. Despite serious physical limitations due to the disease Sanghamitra has participated in a number of group exhibitions held various academies with regular artistes. Since last two years she has not been able to move freely but after being hospitalized whenever she has gained little strength she has found the energy to indulge in the her creative pursuit with her brush strokes. She now years the days when she her travelled the entire length and breadth of country on her own,which she says has been the main fodder for her creativity . Her paintings are these days quite sought after and in the exhibition of paintings of art teachers of government schools in the state she has participated since last seven years.

Sanghamitra paintings mostly reflect the various moods of nature ,the light and shade play on the mountains and forests and morning and evening descending on the nature. Her paintings reflect the rich heritage which s he has imbibed from Santiniketan.

She is also quite sought after and many government school invite her to judge the paintings and sketches of the students. “: These days the children are taught in a very mechanical manner. They are asked to copy from the drawings and paintings of there teachers on the contrary when the teachers should speak to the children and try to bring out the creativity from within,” says Sanghamitra.

To her painting is a away in which she has been able to overcome her physical limitations. With whatever life remained in her she has she wants to paint. Her staff quarters at the Calcutta Women’s PTTI is surrounded by tress from all sides and her love for nature reflects ion her paintings of flowers,trees and forest.

Whenever she has an exhibition lined up she derives enough strength and paints scores of painting sitting hours together at a stretch without any signs of fatigue.

“ My only grudge is that I cannot give the time that I should have given to painting. Whenever I am not well I keep lying and think about the nature and how to reflect it on the canvass. I wish I could paint more and more,” she says.

Along with the love for canvass like many others who have been fortunate to be associated with Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s abode of peace ‘Vishvabharati’ she has imbibed every aspect of philosophy and teachings of the poet.

“Gurudev is present in our thinking, I have always derived strength from him and with his philosophy of life,. With that strength I have managed to fight with the disease and give whatever little to the society,” she says.