Labour of love
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Pankajaksha's book on sculptures in Karnataka is exhaustive
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Karagunda T. Pankajaksha who hails from a family of sculptors has had his training in Bharadwaja Sculpture School, Udupi, and K.P.J. Prabhu Art School, Bidadi. Adept in both wood and stone carving, he has executed several prestigious sculptures including Herambha Ganapathi in Hattangadi, and majestic elephants in Dharmasthala. His works have been acquired by both connoisseurs and organisations. While Canara Bank Head Quarters displays his intricately carved Darpana Sundari, ornately rendered deities decorate several emporia within the State and outside. Winner of Karnataka State Award (1994) and Shilpashree Award (1996) he has participated in exhibitions and sculpture camps.
Not content with his ability and achievements, Pankajaksha had for some time felt a need to undertake an intensive research on the traditional sculptures of South India. He tried to obtain material for his research by visiting libraries and going through available publications. "I was not satisfied by the existing material," he says. "They seemed to be sporadic efforts or written only for academic purposes. There was nothing for easy reading, particularly written for budding sculptors. It was then that I thought of a book, which could fill this gap. I envisioned that this book to be an academically sound and user-friendly handbook... By then, I had enlisted myself to study under the guidance of Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao. He too encouraged me to work on a book on South Indian sculpture which would highlight all the details and aspects of the art."
It was quite a task for the sculptor to not only research on the project but also to enlist support of several institutions. "India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) responded splendidly to the project," recalls Pankajaksha. "They encouraged me with their ideas and opinions and provided financial assistance for the research portion with a grant. This was followed by another grant from Sir Ratan Tata Trust which helped me bring out the publication. Finally, Karnataka Shilpa Kala Academy encouraged me by lending a helping hand in distribution of the book."
As part of the project, Pankajaksha visited several museums, art galleries, libraries and resource centres, and poured over many available books and publications.
But his primary source of information and inspiration came from the many temples he visited: Hampi, Shravanabelagola and several Chalukyan temples (in Karnataka), Chidambaram, Madhurai Meenaxi temple, Kumbakonam, Mahabalipuram and many others. Pankajaksha, who firmly believes that knowledge of shastras is essential to any study of traditional art or sculptures, went on to learn Kashyapa Shilpashastra, Vishnu Purana, Shri Tatvanidhi, Brahmi Chitrakarmashastra and Dyana shlokas, and integrated them into his research and publication.
The outcome of these efforts, Shilpa Soundarya, is a hardbound volume of 300 pages and incorporates nearly 1000 sketches and 250 photographs of Chalukya, Chera, Chola and Hoysala sculptures. "It is common knowledge that sculptural practices revolve around the mediums of wood, stone, metal and clay. I chose to elaborate on the hard stone Chalukyan sculpture, soft stone work of Hoysalas, metal works of Cholas and wooden memorials of Chera style."
Even on a cursory glance, one is struck by the amount of detailing the 35-year-old author has provided through visuals and transcripts.
The book elaborates on several themes like mudras, proportioning, posturing, weaponry, ornamentation, arches, and pedestals by offering detailed explanation and supporting data.
Pankajaksha is striving hard to reach the book to the right audience; in fact, he hopes it would motivate a new breed of young enthusiasts to take up an even more critical and aesthetic examination of sculptural practices. "I hope we will eventually have a group of enlightened commentators on sculpture too. "
Shilpa Soundarya is priced at Rs. 300 per copy. For copies, Pankajaksha can be contacted on 28430553.
GIRIDHAR KHASNIS
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