Calligrapher artist Bhattathiri with works based on Kumaran Asan’s poems at his gallery for Malayalam calligraphy, Ka Cha Ta Tha Pa, in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo Credit: Athira M
Celebrated Kumaran Asana, one of the greatest poets of Malayalam literature, is veteran calligrapher Narayana Bhattathiri, better known as Malayali Artist Bhattathiri. The prolific artist, who has been pushing boundaries as a calligrapher over the past four decades, is organizing an exhibition of verses from Asana’s works in connection with the poet’s 150th birth anniversary. tasks performed What did you want?Bhattathiri’s gallery malayalam calligraphy in city.
Calligraphy work by artist Bhattathiri featuring lines from Kumaran Asan’s poem on display at the Ka Cha Ta Tha Pa Calligraphy Gallery in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Since 2015, I have been posting calligraphy works on my Facebook page every day, and they all contain lines from Malayalam poems; Some 200 of them are from Asana’s works alone. I thought it would be appropriate to display some of his works on his birth anniversary,” says the artist.
There are 31 works from the collection on display. “It was difficult to choose the best of the lot. So I decided to organize a 20-day exhibition. It started on 20 April with the current set of tasks. Another batch of my collection will be on display during the last 10 days of the exhibition,” says the artist.
Calligraphy work by artist Bhattathiri rendering lines from Kumaran Asan’s poem on display at the Ka Cha Ta Tha Pa Calligraphy Gallery in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Bhattathiri says he has always admired the works of Asan, who revolutionized Malayalam poetry with his writings. “Of the three names in the modern trio of Malayalam poetry – Asan, Vallathol Narayana Menon and Ulloor S Parameshwara Iyer – I have drawn more from Asan’s works than the other two,” he shares.
Some of the important works of Asana in the displayed works are lines like Prarodanam, Chintavishtayya Sita, Karuna, Chandalabhikshuki, Durvastha, Veenapuvu And florist among others. “I like to take verses that rhyme on the second syllable and that are Vritham (meters). Some works were done especially for this exhibition, such as some lines compassion And Prarodanam” he says. There is more than one performance with verses Prarodanam Which was written by Asan in 1919 in the memory of his contemporary and literary legend AR Raja Raja Varma.
Calligraphy work by artist Bhattathiri featuring lines from Kumaran Asan’s poem on display at the Ka Cha Ta Tha Pa Calligraphy Gallery in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
main attraction of Works of Bhattathiri Such has been the precision with which he blends fragments of poems into various geometric shapes and sizes. “I do not plan ahead as to which rhyme should be chosen. It is decided only when I start working. I enjoy more about the whole exercise as I experiment with the alphabet and words,” they say. As the characters go for makeovers with curls, twists and turns, the choice of colors adds to its visual appeal.
Calligrapher artist Bhattathiri exhibited works based on poems by Kumaran Asan at his Malayalam calligraphy gallery Cha Tha Tha Pa in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo Credit: Athira M
Lines from Asana’s lesser-known literary works such as ‘Thottathile Ettukkali’, a lovely poem on the spider, from his compilation Pushpavadi, also get a place in this show.
The exhibition continues till May 10 at Cha Ta Tha Pa, Forest Office Lane, Vazhuthacaud from 9 am to 8 pm.