A sweet start to the year

Imagery and Inspiration

Anjani Reddy, artist

For me the process of painting originates from a sub conscious state of mind. The subject matter of my painting is either nostalgic or from my imagination. Therefore, Makar Sankranti being one of the most colourful festivals naturally lends itself to beautiful compositions.

Sankranti celebration at our village home with the entire family was great fun. The winter season crops were just about to be harvested, we as children enjoyed visiting, especially the sugarcane being made into jaggery.  We got up early to decorate the entrance of the house with elaborate colourful rangoli, while the women prepared special festive food. Makar Sankranti celebrations of today are not different from the past, they just got hi-tech, I was surprised to see the traditional decorated bull ‘Gangireddu’ had a  QR code pasted on the forehead. From my memories and imagination, Sankranti has found a way on my canvas too.

I  live in the Tekmal village of Medak district so festivities here still stay true to how Sankranti was celebrated decades ago. The festivities in different regions and culture are different, so I went to regions of Andhra and saw first hand how grand the celebrations were. From kodi pandem (cock fights) to entire communities getting together, it is a very joyous occasion and this is something I have translated into my works. The colours of Sankranti are always bright and my canvases therefore try and use bright reds, blues and greens to denote the general happiness of the occasion.

Two things that have changed drastically over the years. Earlier people used to participate in the festival wholeheartedly now due to constraints of time it has come down. Another was how we used to make kites from old newspapers while the manja was made of rice and ganji. My paintings always hark back to the gentle celebrations of the past. Tailor Srinivas, artist Slice of life work

A visual inspiration

Laxman Aelay, artist

What you observe around you is undoubtedly a source of inspiration. Sankranti, being a festival of many colours, holds a deep sense of nostalgia. The festival’s essence is profoundly inspiring as it is firmly rooted in tradition. My canvases, consistently incorporate the visual wonders of Indian festivities in both creation and narration. Cherishing these special memories in my heart and mind, I’ve crafted paintings depicting the holy cow ‘gangireddu’, using vivid colour pigments to portray the rice harvest process and the journey on a bullock cart wheel. This experience transports me back to my village, Kadirenigudem. As kids, we, young men, joined women in crafting rangoli and helping in the kitchen to make delicacies like Regi pallu, gobbamalu, and muggulu, which hold a special place in my heart. We joyfully flew kites ahead of the festival, and recently, I acquired and painted a half-century-old bullock cart wheel in vibrant Sankranti hues—a significant addition to my life.

The magic of yellow

Supraja Rao, owner, Kadari Art Gallery

Nuvvulu belam tini noorellu bathuku...
Nuvvulu belam tini teeyaga matladu
(Eat sesame seeds and jiggery and live a hundred years...Eat sesame seeds and jiggery and speak sweetly).

After the pooja my mother would give nuvvulu with bellam as prasadam to all of us — me, my father and brother and speak these words. This is a tradition that is very dear to me and I say the same to my daughter. For me Sankranti will always remind me of my mother as her birthday was on January 14 and those days Sankranti used to fall on that day!

As a gallerist, I now understand that it is an important harvest festival. While this may not be widely comprehended by most city-bred people, for a farmer, it is a harbinger of life. To me, it’s about celebrating hope and setting out good intentions in the universe—may there be good rain, a bountiful harvest, and prosperous crops; this is a very sacred aspect of the festival. I genuinely appreciate this, and in today’s context, I hope that farming and agricultural professions receive the respect and recognition necessary for people to embrace and practice them, rather than shifting to other jobs. I have a fondness for the colour yellow as it symbolizes hope and sunlight.