Art Pilgrim

 

I hail from a place called 'Ghoti, near Nasik. I have some unforgettable   memories of the time I have spent in 'Ghoti' My father is a cloth merchant. We own a cloth shop there. My father and brother run this shop. Amongst our chief customers we have , 'Thakari people, specially thakari women coming of us. These women have a unique costume and a distinctive type of ornaments. The kind of the blouse (they call it choli) they wear has a peculiar border with a variety of designs on the main cot. i don't remembers, exactly since when did I start observing these women with their wonderful affair and lovely ornaments but one is certain that they     have fascinate me all through! And my fascination of these rustic beauties sooner found a way of expression through my paintings. I can proudly say that, with my minute observation of these 'Thakari people, specially women'. I can paint as many varieties of emotions as one can.

'Thakari people' are light little dark in colour. for they have to work under  Sun all the time. So I have selected 'blue' colour to depict their dark skin. These women have apecntiar affair, with 'choli 'they tie a piece of l cloth round their waist (they call it 'Phadke').  After shopping, whatever litter they have purchases, they out in this piece of cloth and wound this cloth around their waiste. Besides this every 'Thakari' woman wears a big silvery bangle sort ornament on tier arm called 'Bajubandh' and one big thick silvery payal called as 'Toda' . All these have charmed me a lot. I have been so passionately fond of them, their costume  and all that. that I have already drawn many picture covering aforesaid minute details, and still can paint many more.

All in all what I feel is observing these 'Thakari people' and trying to capture them in my painting has influenced me very much. It has developed an insight in me. For I feel it is always a thrilling experience to portray them, their emotions. And his experience has benefited me a lot!

 

Swapna Malvade

Pune