"Indian mythology will always be 'chirokale shotto' (forever true)," says Jayasri Burman

Telling tales through art

"Indian mythology will always be 'chirokale shotto' (forever true)," says Jayasri Burman. The artist who is coming out with an exhibition Fables & Folklore at Jehangir Gallery this week talks about interpreting our tales through art:

Benaras beckons
The idea to do a show like this germinated on a trip to Varanasi. I just fell in love with the place; it was so festive, colourful, vivid, crowded.

There is misery there as well as happiness. The divine is an everyday part of the lives of the people there. I saw the Ram Leela and the ghats and it left an indelible impression. When I painted, it all flowed out of my heart like a river. I've always been interested in our mythology and deities and Varanasi just inspired this whole collection.

Mythology magic
The thing about mythology is that it is so fantastic yet so realistic. All the stories we heard about Rama, Krishna, Kauravas, Durga, Saraswati are still so relevant to our modern lives.

Vibhishan (Ravan's brother who assisted Ram) had two facets to him; while he chose the path of justice, he also was disloyal to his own brother and king. We know Sita was being greedy when she asked Rama to follow Maricha, the golden deer but he still did it.

Look at all the stories about our rivers. A river is like life itselfu00a0-- it keeps flowing; sometimes it runs dry, sometimes overflowing. Our mythological stories have hidden layers of wisdom and will always remain timeless and universal.

Creature comforts
When it rained heavily in Kolkata, my aunt would tell me that it was Durga 'Parvati' sobbing because she longed to see her estranged parents who strongly disapproved of her marriage to Lord Shiva. When I heard such stories, I would just get lost in that mythical world.

I would hear about Saraswati and imagine her as a restless, inquisitive girl 'chanchala' as graceful as a peacock and that's how I have painted her, with a cellphone and a book in her hand. I grew up in an old house in Kolkata; I'd spend my days, eating, studying, reading on the roof of the house.

I spent hours gazing at the clouds imagining different creatures and forms in them. When I observe a girl at the bank of a river, I see not only her physical form looking out at the river, but also her hidden desire to swim. That's what has always inspired my art.

Who: Jayasri Burman
What: Talking about her interpretation of Indian mythology
Where: At Art Musings