Among the artists who have made Mysore their home is Ganjifa Raghupathy Bhatta whose original name, in fact, is just Raghupathy Bhatta. The word Ganjifa in his name is a prefix he acquired because of his pioneering work on the lost art of Ganjifa miniature paintings which he revived very successfully. As a creative artist he has experimented and worked on a variety of subjects and technique. His works naturally have attracted attention not only in this country but also abroad where his paintings are displayed in museums and art galleries. He had held exhibitions in London and Japan successfully. Raghupathy Bhatta's speciality is in painting on subjects from Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavad - Gita and Upanishads. He studies these epics where the physical features of certain characters, like for example, Lord Sri Rama or Hanuman, are given in minute details and Raghupathy Bhatta creates these characters on his canvas as per the description given in those epics. That is something unique and therefore he is special.

At age 50 and having studied in Chitrakala Parishat under the scrutinising eyes of its Founder-Secretary, the legendary Prof. M. S. Nanjunda Rao and having received many awards, including one from the President of India, Raghupathy Bhatta need not really speak. His art speaks rather eloquently. Yet I was able to provoke him to speak. Here is an excerpt of the interview.

You made name and fame more as a Ganjifa artist. Why Ganjifa?
No, no. You are wrong. I only revived a dying art called Ganjifa. Did research on the subject and travelled to Orissa, Bihar and other parts of Northern India where the Kings and Nawabs used to play with Ganjifa playing cards, also called Chadh. I also did some study on Ganjifa that was in vogue during the period of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III of Mysore.

But you are identified and easily known to people as Ganjifa Raghupathy Bhatta. In fact when I was introduced to you for the first time some 10 years ago at a function I could immediately recognise you because you were introduced as Ganjifa Raghupathy Bhatta.
That is true and I must thank Taranga, Kannada weekly and newspapers for recognising my service to the art of Ganjifa. It was Taranga editor Santosh Kumar Gulwadi who rechristened me as such. But let me tell you, I am less into Ganjifa painting these days and more into my own art that is inspired from our epics and therefore some of my works are spiritual in nature.

On what subject do you paint these days?
I paint against orders from the patrons. Right now I am painting episodes from Mahabharatha for a book to be published by a Mumbai patron.

I know of your paintings relating to Jaganmathe, meditation etc. In fact you exhibited this kind of paintings in Japan where you had been with the Udupi Puthige Seer for a world religious conference. What was the response?
Response was good. That's because foreigners who saw the paintings might not have understood the meaning (Bhatta flashes a smile), but surprisingly they showed keen interest in Hindu spiritualism. That is why my paintings are bought mostly by foreigners.

Shall we call your art traditional?
Merely because I choose subjects from epics and Hindu scriptures it doesn't mean it is traditional. I give the traditional subjects a contemporary touch with my brush and colour. Some of my human characters are drawn with sharp pointed features to which style the epic characters lend themselves well, creating a spiritual aura.

Can you elaborate?
Traditional painting is what is done according to old Sampradaya (tradition), as per the rules, technique. I defy all this and create my own art out of my own imagination.

For how long have you been painting?
For over 35 years. I have done no other work except painting. I am not educated enough like you to work with the pen. I work with the brush and the only language I know is painting.

But when did you begin your career as a painter?
I began in 1981 as a professional painter with Kaavi Kale which is primarily “"line drawing”! And then moving on to traditional painting from religious book of characters like Yashoda, Krishna as per Mysooru Sampradaya. But in my early years of struggles I have painted cinema posters and even milestones (he smiles).

Don't worry, even M. F.Hussain also did the same in the early years. Your first sale?
A painting of Seetha Swayamwara of 2x3 ft size for Rs. 500 purchased by an Indian tourist.

So you have stopped working on Ganjifa?
Not exactly. Earlier I had done 330 Ganjifa card set of Chamundeshwari Chadh. Similarly I have done Dasavathara 120 cards. Ramayana 96 leaves. I was keen on doing Sarva Samrajya Peetika Ganjifa cards with 600 leaves. It would take two years labour of love but no one sponsored or commissioned the project.

Will you do it if someone commissions it?
Absolutely, with pleasure.

How much will it cost?
About Rs. 5 lakh.

Whom do you consider as those who helped you to grow as an artist.
Of course, Prof. Nanjunda Rao, my Guru; Dharmadikari of Dharmasthala D. Veerendra Heggade; Artist P.R. Thippeswamy, Santhosh Kumar Gulvadi, former Editor of Taranga and many others. But I should specially remember Mathoor Krishnamurthy and Nandakumar of Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, London. But for them I could not have held my exhibition in London and see some good money for the first time in my life.

What are you working on at present?
I am doing a series of paintings on Ramayana and plan to hold a one man exhibition. Mathoorji has told me that he would help me in that. Incidentally I am introducing Kannada calligraphy in my recent paintings following the tradition in Japan and China. I think these paintings of mine can be called "innerism" because the subjects relate to the inner world rather than the outer world.

The artist can be contacted at raghupathybhatta@ gmail.com

K. B. Ganapathy
Courtesy: Star of Mysore