Bring home Ganesha for prosperity

People decorating their homes are increasingly opting for paintings as décor elements, especially paintings of Ganesha. And City-based artist Bala Bhakta Raju’s works in their bright hues and pristine beauty are the most sought-after

Water colours, acrylic, oil paints, charcoal – the mediums may be different, but the theme is Ganesha in his many forms and colours. City-based artist Bhala Bhakta Raju may have painted the Elephant God thousands of times. And every time, the demand for his work only increases, prompting him to do more. This time, his Ganeshas displayed at ICONART gallery hold the lotuses in two colours – white and pink signifying the Goddess of learning and the Goddess of wealth. “I wish to bring happiness into homes with my Ganeshas,” says the artist.

When people decorate their homes they wish to add paintings as décor and one of the favourite themes that people choose is a Ganesha. Today Bala Bhakta Raju’s name is synonymous with the paintings of the Elephant God and it is a wonder how he does it. “When I travel to other cities and watch artists bring out such great creativity in painting Ganesha, I am amazed,” shares the modest artist who is happy with his work and the recognition it brought him in the years. A self-taught artist, he was a graphic designer who worked for an advertising agency for a long time before taking up painting as a full-time vocation. He has recently completed BFA, more as a formality. His day starts with a visit to the temple before embarking upon his painting.

“Earlier I used to go occasionally to a temple, but now it has become my part of my routine,” he shares. Not that Raju has never made paintings in other themes. He has painted people and the many emotions that the paintings evoke are only accentuated with through colours. “As far as homes are concerned most of the people prefer to buy my Ganesha paintings in bright colours, especially the red ones. However senior artists like Laxma and Vaikuntham admire my water colours,” he shares. He has done many shows in the city and across India. And he is currently planning to paint one lakh Ganeshas on a huge 100 feet canvas and hopes to complete it by next year.

- RK