Karnataka   

Giving vegetables a new image

Creative spirit: Harish Kumar at the flower exhibition in Chitradurga.

Chitradurga: In pursuit of his need for creative exploration, Harish Kumar, a computer instructor at Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College, Shimoga, has mastered the art of vegetable carving.

His work, currently on display at the 17th annual flower and fruits exhibition being held by the Department of Horticulture here, is drawing many visitors.

Though he has created several attractive miniature carvings out of vegetables, the most interesting is his work on watermelons. He has carved images of various Jnanpith Award recipients and those of actor Ganesh and Vonake Vobbavva on 12 watermelons.

Mr. Kumar has been interested in painting since childhood, but he began vegetable carving only three years ago. “I had heard of vegetable carving from my sister who lives in Mumbai. I even saw such carvings on television, which gave me the impetus to try it out. I once carved the image of a woman, which turned out well. Since then I have been taking it seriously,” he said.

Asked how long the carvings last, he said that vegetables could be preserved for three days at most by maintaining its moisture content. “If water is sprinkled on the vegetable or it is covered with a wet cloth, it can be preserved even for four days,” he said.

He takes anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour to carve an image.

He has participated in several events and won prizes. He says his favourite carving was one of a three-foot-tall dinosaur made out of bitter gourd. He conducts classes for students to promote vegetable carving. “I get invitations from many people to hold classes. Three days are enough for anyone to learn the basics of the art, and the rest is left to the individual’s desire to practice.”

His wife Kavita, who has accompanied him to the exhibition, is delighted with her husband’s hobby. “I feel happy and proud when people compliment him on his abilities,” she said.

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