The Hindu Business Line : Fusion time in Kerala murals

I am sorry my English is not good... I find it very difficult to converse in that language," says Sadanandan P.K. apologetically, as he tries his best — in a mix of Malayalam, Tamil and English — to explain his paintings to you. But his mural paintings in traditional Kerala style need no interpreter... they speak for themselves. Vibrant colours and dramatic details bring to life stories you have perhaps heard from your grandma or read in your favourite Amar Chitra Katha series.

Kerala murals are known for their emphasis on beauty, clarity and symmetry. Accentuating dramatic scenes with elaborate costumes and rich ornamentation, these murals are somewhat similar to dance forms like Kathakali. Murals were used to depict religious and mythological stories, and predominantly in temples. Artists have to follow strict codes that govern the depiction of figurines and expressions, something that is followed even today.

However, Sadanandan has, over the years, evolved his own style that "draws inspirations from the Ajanta and Ellora paintings." The predominant blue in his murals, a deviation from the traditional Kerala mural style where red is the principal colour, is striking. He says the colour scheme is based on the psychological aspects of the characters portrayed. "It mainly depends on the basic gunas laid down by Hindu scriptures — Satva, Rajas and Tamas. Green or blue is usually used for Satvik (pure or divine); red and yellow for Rajasik (valour, passion, etc); and black for Tamasik (impure, sinful behaviour, etc)," explains Sadanandan.

This colour symbolism is best reflected in his work at the St Francis Xavier's Church in Thrissur. It was during its renovation that the artist was asked to paint murals depicting important events from the life of Jesus Christ. He set about creating 14 murals that depicted the `Way of the Cross', assisted by Bindulekha, his sister-in-law.

The blue colour stands out in the murals measuring 3 ft by 2 ft. "You can never see such extensive use of blue in the Kerala mural form. I used blue to create a feeling of infinity and depict the satvik nature of Christ," he says.

The aim was not to dramatise the whole sequence of events, but to create a spiritual mood. The effort was a success, as a lot of devotees, initially apprehensive, appreciated the murals. "They were worried whether Biblical stories could be depicted using traditional Kerala murals, which were till then used only in Hindu temples," says Sadanandan.

The church murals are an attempt at fusion. Though the costumes and facial features have a strong West-Asian influence, Sadanandan has used Indian motifs and patterns, but in a very subtle way. "Many churches all over the world have exquisite murals. There is no challenge in replicating them here. My aim was to `Indianise' the concept, and create something unique," he says. Though he looks at religion as a way of reaching the Almighty — "just as rivers take different routes to reach the sea" — he says he took enough care not to hurt anybody's religious sentiments when he took up the church mural work.

His research on this subject is evident when he explains Biblical themes, drawing parallels with stories from Hindu mythology and concepts. For instance, the mural that adorns the ceiling at the altar — Divine Soul (15 ft by 10 ft) — draws inspiration from the chakra concept in Hindu scriptures. The circular pattern has 64 flowers depicting the 64 art forms; but "here we avoided using the lotus flower (found in the chakra), which symbolises Hinduism. Instead the murals have 64 roses, and people immediately connect roses to Christianity," says Sadanandan.

"A sound understanding of the basic tenets of a religion is very essential before commencing such work. In fact, I studied the Bible for nearly six months," he adds.

He acknowledges the support of Father Paul Vattakuzhi in this endeavour; "He not only commissioned the work to me, but also gave valuable inputs during the entire project, which took over three months to complete."

Sadanandan uses vegetable and herbal dyes for his paintings. Ochre red and yellow are produced from laterite stones, blue from indigo plant, and black from lamp soot. All other colours are got by mixing the basic colours, he says. The gum extracted from the neem tree is used as the medium. Even the brushes are made from certain types of grass and tree root. The outlines are drawn using sharpened bamboo pieces.

A diploma holder in mural painting from the Institute of Mural Painting, Guruvayoor, Sadanandan has also assisted his teacher, Mammiyoor Krishnankutty Nair, in painting murals at the Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. "It was a massive project. We did murals on a 2,500-sq-ft area, which took us almost four-and-a-half years to complete," he says. His murals also adorn several hotels, corporate offices, and celebrity homes. A canvas (68cm X 50 cm) from his Sakunthalam series costs Rs 20,000.

He has also successfully transported mural art from the wide spaces of walls to smaller canvases, without compromising on the intricacies of the art form. "I have devised a technique to draw murals on canvas, inspired by Tanjore painting, that has the same effect as that of wall murals," he says.

His exhibitions — solo and group — at the Prithvi Gallery, Cymroza Art Gallery (both in Mumbai) and the Right Lines Art Gallery in Bangalore have been critically acclaimed.

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