Unmask yourself to find your true calling: Mahesh Elkunchwar

 

 

 

“Unmasking yourself to yourself, trying to find your true identity, discovering yourself is what defines me now,” was the profound thought that Sahitya Akademi Award winner Mahesh Elkunchwar disseminated during the inauguration of event ‘Celebrating Literature’ held under the auspices of ‘The Hitavada’. Addressing an august gathering comprising celebrated and accomplished writers of the city, Elkunchwar, the chief guest, was very clear in his thought process wherein he stated that “an artist can never be greater than the medium. For any artist immense joy and satisfaction should come from what he pursues.” Money and fame, according to Elkunchwar, should not be the crux of following an art. The celebrated playwright, who, much later in life, ventured into the world of writing felt that ‘words are inadequate to say what he wants to.

 

The world of literature is a very vast territory, it goes beyond the grasp of human intellect, and so it is eternal, and it is indefinable.” But in the same vein he explained that human intelligence is limited and words are artificial. “When any artist, let’s take the case of a writer, is seeking eternity, words are not enough. Many famous writers withdrew into silence when they wanted to go beyond words and wanted to discover themselves,” said Elkunchwar, who again highlighted the fact that ‘we are too small an entity to contribute to the medium in which we want to express ourselves.’ “The question that you should ask is how the medium has contributed to your growth, and whether during this process of the artistic pursuit ask, ‘Am I growing? Am I becoming a better person, for ultimately it is this knowledge that comes to you through the answers that will purify you,’” he asserted. Commenting on his own journey, Elkunchwar stated that he gained profound insight after a conversation he had with noted Kathak exponent Rohini Bhate who’d mesmerised audiences for well over 65 years.

 

“When I asked her whether she had arrived at her destination, she was quick to respond with ‘I didn’t want to go anywhere.’ And that set me thinking as to where am I going in this pursuit of excellence in my chosen field.” “Today,” he said, “I am a shamelessly happy man, who finds great pleasure in things that one might find mundane - I love pottering around the garden, cooking my own meals, cleaning my bathroom, browsing through emails...” Elkunchwar vociferously disapproved of the awards that are bestowed upon artists for their work. Speaking for himself, he said, “I do not need awards to tell me who I am, I don’t want to continuously live on borrowed time, wearing a mask, people defining me according to their likes, their convenience.

 

Do I stop breathing if the world doesn’t take cognisance of me and my work?” He concluded his address by emphasising that all writers should employ words to tell the truth and nothing else. “Be committed to the enormity of your profession and let the engagement with words be responsible.” Earlier, Dr Supantha Bhattacharya introduced Elkunchwar. He was accorded a warm welcome by Vijay Phanshikar, Editor of The Hitavada, who, in his address later appreciated the contributors for their contribution towards adding a lot of value to the newspaper. “We are celebrating literature today and celebrating the people who want to express themselves through their words and verse.”