Lord Ganesha guides this artist on path to recovery from crippling illness
| Date :06-Sep-2019 |
Sanjay Ambolikar with his Ganesha after final touches.
By Nandu Andhare :
HE IS a Bachelor of Fine Arts Commercial artist, who shows his robust fine-tuned muscular body with pride. He is a very good landscape painter and a sculptor, whose creative fingers can create mind-boggling forms out of nothing. This creativity and total faith in the Almighty have served Sanjay Ambolikar tide over a major health ailment. Misfortune struck this artist last year when he was diagnosed with a Benign Tumor whose growth inside the spine can cripple movement and also affect bladder. Ambolikar underwent a surgery and doctors advised him physiotherapy. Coming out of the hospital, Ambolikar was drawn towards Lord Ganesha as it was Ganesh festival. The artist in him beckoned Ambolikar to try his hand at making Ganesha idols. He stood on his walker, in front of the idol of Lord Ganesha and sought blessings to give him strength to fulfill his heart’s desire. Soon he was involved in making small idols of the Lord. “I lost sense of pain and forgot about absence of sensation in my left leg and got totally involved in making idols.
I was surprised in knowing that all my medical problems subsided when I was deeply involved in making of the idol,” said Ambolikar, who serves at the Geological Survey of India as a draftsman designer. Ambolikar is a fitness lover but doctors had warned him against overstretching of body after the surgery. However, he was fully dedicated towards making of idols this year. “This year, I was in time to get down to work in making idols. This time I have made a big idol for the society I live in and it is drawing crowds. At the same time it is giving me immense satisfaction of seeing the hint of happiness on the face of the Lord. It assures me of ultimate recovery from my illness in the long run,” Ambolikar said. The idol he made at Om Satyam Exotica, Hazari Pahad, shows Ambolikar’s creativity and deft strokes despite the ailment. When asked about his other likings, the 43-year-old artist said, “I have worked closely in Bastar in company of tribals and I got totally involved in their wood carving art and Dhokra Work in bell metal. I also have a good hand in painting landscapes in water colour, a hobby I intend pursuing.” In spite of the bothersome constant reminder of illness, Ambolikar appears quite bold and positive in his desire to get over it.
Physiotherapy is showing good results and he hopes to be fully fit for next year’s Ganesh festival, to dance in the programme. Ambolikar’s creativity is his support and confidence-building medicine. He is ably supported by mother Janaki, wife Chaitali, daughter Aarushi and friends in the society, who constantly keep him in high spirits. “I got a great support from my family. The encouragement from my society has pumped confidence in me. I hope to regain full fitness on their great support,” Ambolikar said.