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He paints only Ganeshas

He has done over 1000 paintings of Ganesh and continues to keep the faith

PERFECT POISE One of the Ganeshas painted by Bala Bhaktha Raju

Vinayaka, Gajanana, Ganesha... there are 108 different names so what, Bala Bhaktha Raju has done over 1000 paintings of the most forgiving lord. For the third year in a row he is holding an exhibition of his creations at the Lakshana Art Gallery in Masab Tank. Enter and you will be amazed at the faith of this man who paints only Ganesh and nothing else.

On show are some 64 paintings done in various styles and showing various poses of the lord. If the watercolour paintings have hues and strokes blending the image into an abstraction, the acrylics are more ponderous with the image of lord emerging only from a distance.

Step in closer and you will see the work of acrylic tubes and painting knives.

It is childhood love. "One day I walked into Sarovar restaurant with my father and saw a few paintings of Ganesh. From that moment I have been in love with image and have tried to paint at various times. Another thing that adds to my inspiration is the way the 10-day festival is celebrated in Hyderabad with all the colour and gaiety," says Bala Raju whose dial tone is also a song about Ganesh.

Talking about his art, Bala Raju, who has worked as a jewellery designer before taking his painting vocation seriously, says: "The colours are dictated by faith. That's why you see so many of my paintings either in saffron, shades of red, or blue. It is a beatific thing to see the colours and canvases evolve into images of faith. "Other people paint cats, dogs, women and nature I paint only Ganesh," says the artist when quizzed about other subjects that interest him.

SERISH NANISETTI

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