Shilpashree T Baskaradoss
By AASAWARI SHENOLIKAR :
Celebrated across cultures and generations, Lord
Rama s story transcends religious boundaries,
motivating millions to uphold the values that he is
associated with - truth, humility, integrity, an
unwavering devotion to duty, compassion - both in
their personal and social lives. Embodying these
timeless virtues, his life offers lessons on
leadership, courage, and family values. The
Bharatiya Sanskritik Kendra at Nagpur, through
innumerable paintings brings alive his epic saga,
and also pays tribute to our courageous heroes
who fought for their Motherland...
“Ramayana, is more than just
a tale; it is not only an integral part of India’s collective
consciousness, it’s a treasure trove of life lessons that
has taught generations about responsibility,
loyalty, love, ethical conduct and the neverending pursuit of virtue. We have all grown
up reading and hearing from our elders stories about Lord Rama, heard praises about
Ram Rajya and many a time have sought
eternal wisdom from its verses that resonate
with astuteness. Transcending time and culture, it is this journey of Lord Rama - from
his birth to coronation - depicted in detail
through 108 paintings - that finds a place of
pride at the Bharatiya Sanskritik Kendra,”
says Shilpashree T Baskaradoss, the man
who shaped Banwarilal Purohitji’s vision of
‘enriching the future generations of India’.
Having contemplated for a long time to
create a monument with the object of promoting love for Indian culture and evoking
patriotic feelings in the young generations,
Banwarilal Purohit, ex-Governor, Assam,
Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, during his
stint as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, got in
touch with renowned artist T Baskaradoss,
and after much contemplation, they zeroed
in on the concept which today stands tall as
a unique monument, the one and only of its
kind in the country, that honours heritage
and patriotism. “Purohit Sir’s vision of having one such Kendra in Nagpur, the heart of
India was what I translated and brought to
life,” says the divinely gifted artist who visited the site, drafted the first blueprint,
measured, sketched, drew, planned and collaborated - in short, lived and breathed
about the Kendra, until it was completed
and inaugurated on July 5, 2023 at the
hands of President Droupadi Murmu.
“The only instructions I received were,
‘We would like Tulsidas’ Ramayana to be
depicted through the paintings’. I, and my
team were given an absolutely free hand,
which is why the project was completed in
record time. With no interference from any
agencies, all I had to do was concentrate on
painting and setting up of the Kendra in all
its glory,” says the soft-spoken artist, who
has received numerous awards for the spectacular body of work that he has produced
from 1973 - the year that he graduated from
College of Art & Crafts, Kumbakoman, till
today.
The period when Covid-19 brought life to
a standstill, proved to be a boon to
Baskaradoss, as it was during this time that
he dived headlong into the project, and
worked, not on a single painting, but on
several at any given time. “I was clear in
my vision, having detailed everything I
wanted in each painting,” he explains,
revealing how meticulous he was in his
work. His previous myriad and vast experiences, made working on the Kendra’s project much smoother. You cannot help but
marvel at the final outcome which is nothing short of spectacular. As you look around,
you notice how much deliberation has gone
into constructing each panel, each yalli,
each motif; much consideration has gone
into designing of the halls, the placement of
the paintings, the symmetry of the hall
ensuring continuity of the theme, efficiently
using lighting to amplify the exhibits, effectively utilising the vertical space, so that
each nook and corner stands out. Pointing
to the amulet worn by Ravana in one of the
paintings, Baskaradoss directs my attention
to an intricate motif on one of the panels -
that is designed based on Ravana’s amulet.
These and many such items - big and small
- have contributed to making the Sanskritik
Kendra a marvellous, novel exposition that
showcases an important part of India’s rich
cultural and courageous milieu. It is these
meticulous details that are one of the highlights of the Kendra, and just by word-ofmouth publicity has been drawing visitors
by the hordes. In a span of an year, the
Kendra has seen over 12 lakh footfalls, and
that is an achievement in itself.
Through detailed paintings that bring to
life Lord Rama’s journey which adorn the
first floor, the Ramayana Darshanam Hall, of
the Kendra, to paintings that portray India’s
freedom struggle and its great warriors -
some celebrated, some unsung; through
intricate motifs and sculptures - each having an in-depth thought behind its design,
each artefact tells a story, celebrating
India’s spiritual and patriotic heritage. And
it took all of three years for T Baskaradoss
to lay down his brush after adding final
touches to the canvases, more than 200 in
number - a few of them truly huge - all of
which are displayed in the two galleries of
the Kendra.
Conceptualised by
Bhartiya Vidya
Bhavan’s Nagpur
Kendra, under the
able leadership of
Banwarilal Purohit,
Trustee, Vice
President, Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan and
Chairman of BVB
Delhi Kendra, the
Bharatiya Sansritik
Kendra, spread over
1.43 hectares with
each floor occupying a
space of 14760 sqft.,
takes us on a journey
that is both enriching
and enlightening.
In the Ramayana
Darshanam Hall, the
epic tale of Ramayana
unfolds through 108
exquisite paintings.
“Each is a masterpiece,” points out T L
Raja, Joint Director
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Nagpur Kendra,
who, along with T Baskaradoss has worked
tirelessly to bring the project to its fruition.
Vividly capturing key episodes in the life of
Lord Rama, the detailed informative descriptions of the episodes, in English, Hindi and
Marathi, provide visitors with a deeper
understanding of the timeless legacy.
Designed to ignite patriotism and celebrate the freedom fighters, the second floor
hall, aptly named Bharat Mata Sadanam,
pays a heartfelt tribute to all those prominent individuals who played a key role in
India’s struggle for freedom. At its heart
stands a magnificent seven-foot brass statue
of Bharat Mata, and the Sadanam, starkly
different from the Ramayana Darshanam
Hall, houses 115 paintings showcasing the
heroic struggles from 1857 to 1947. “The
most unique thing about this exhibition is
that 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees find a
place of pride on the walls,” says T
Baskaradoss, as he proudly points to the
wall and narrates how much thought
process and brainstorming have gone into
each nook and corner, each an architectural
marvel.
It is not only the artefacts inside the
Kendra that take your breath away. Visitors
will be left awe-struck by the 27-foot black
granite statue of Veera Hanuman that greets
them as soon as they step inside the premises of the Kendra; they will be captivated
by the idol of Sri Shuba Drishti Ganapathy
at the entrance, the remover of all obstacles,
the God with whose blessings things were
completed without any major glitches; the
various yallis guarding the entrance; the
patterns on the walls, doors, and ceilings -
all in sync, a continuum of the entire floor.
And the grand paintings in the corridors are
simply astounding.
Mention must be made
of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his throne
and that of Lord Rama and Hanuman
embracing each other. The way Baskaradoss
has been able to capture the emotion in the
eyes of Lord Rama and his ardent devotee is
something that can come only from an artist
who possesses immense faith in the work
that he has undertaken While T Baskaradoss’s pivotal role in the
completion of Bharatiya Sanskritik Kendra is
unparalleled, mention must be made of
Sthapati K Dakshinamoorthi, who managed
the temple architecture. Their expertise and
meticulous attention to detail, visualising
every aspect of the Kendra, and ensuring
flawless execution, have created a unique
masterpiece, one of its kind in the country
that harmoniously blends heritage, design,
and storytelling.
“And this has all come together because
of one man, Banwarilal Purohitji, who
staunchly believes in the preservation and
propagation of our Indian culture and traditions, dreamt and visualised and worked
towards making his dream come alive. For
the future generations to be enriched and
enlightened,” states Baskaradoss, the
genius, on a concluding note.