Wednesday 1 May 2013

कविता संग्रह- "मन पाखरू"


पहिल्या नजरेत, मुख्यपृष्ट पाहता, असे वाटते कि कवी विलास कदम हे इतर कविंप्रमाणे फक्त 'जे देखे रवि, ते देखे कवी' या मुक्त रसिकतेच्या छंदात न्हालेल्या काव्यांचा वर्षाव करणार आहेत. पण कवितांचे वाचन करताच ही धारणा मिटते. असे दिसते कि कवी निसर्ग, मानवीय भावना, आक्रांत  आत्मिक निर्मलता यांची सांगड घालीत आपल्याला त्यांच्या भावविश्वातून सत्य आणि त्यात दडलेले सौंदर्य, उत्कटता आणि जगण्याचा हव्यास याची जाणीव करून देतात
निसर्गाशी असलेले बालपणापासूनचे नाते आणि त्यात रमणारे मन 'मन पाखरू' या 'शीर्षक' कवितेत दिसून येते
कधी उंच झुल्यावर,
मन अथांग सागर… 
असे भुइवर आता जाई गगनी सत्वर
उंडरते जेव्हा तेव्हा 
वार भरलेले वासरु
असेच 'जीवनसागर', 'पाणी', 'जगणे',  या कवितांतील जल, फुलं, वनराई, प्राणीमात्र यांचा आपल्या भावनिक आणि भौतिक जीवनावर होणारा प्रभाव व्यक्त करतात

निसर्गाच्या रम्य वातावरणासोबत कवींना रोजच्या जगण्यासाठी केलेल्या मानवी संघर्षाचाही प्रत्यय आलेला आहे. हा संघर्ष फक्त त्यांच्या निसर्गरम्य आबलोली गावापुरता मर्यादीत नसून शहरातही याचा अनुभव कवी विलास यांना आला आहे, कारण ते समाज कार्यात सक्रीय आहेत आणि त्यांनी आपल्या बांधवांना गरिबी, दारिद्र्य आणि दीन जीवनातून मुक्त करण्याचा ध्यास घेतला आहे, त्यासाठी ते गोरगरीब समाजात वावरत असतातपण कवींना एक गोष्ट जाणविली आहे कि, जगण्यासाठी करीत असलेला संघर्ष, बिकट परीस्थितीबेआसरा असलेल्या आशा, या सर्वांवर मात करता येतेआणि ती मात त्यांनी कवितांतून स्पष्ट केली आहे. ही मात करताना आशेचा सूर्य मनात तळपत राह्तो. 'आशावाद' सर्व दुखी आणि निराश भावना आणि विचारांना घालविण्याचा जालीम उपाय म्हणून कवितांमधून प्रकट होतो. 'नवरी' या कवितेतील निरागस मुलीचा आपल्या गरीब आईला केलेला प्रश्न 'माय कधी आपणचांगल्या घरात जाणार?' तिच्यासाठी तिच्या मातेची आशा कि तिच्या मुलीला हे सुख चांगल्या घरात लग्न केल्यावरच प्राप्त होईल आणि त्याबरोबरच सध्यास्थितितील सारी सत्येजशी, गरीब परिस्थिती, भीक  मागायची लाचारी आणि तोडक्या-मोडक्या घरातही चांगल्या भविष्याची आशा जोपासण्याची हिम्मत सामोरी येते. आशावादी  युवकांना 'पाखरे' असे संबोधून कवी 'घरट्यासाठी' या कवितेत नव- युवकांना नवी घरटी मिळाल्यावर झालेला आनंद व्यक्त करतात. उमेदीं अजून फुलून येतात ठाम होतात. ह्या कवितांनी आपल्यालाही प्रेरणा मिळते, जेव्हा आपण वाचतो:
(6AM Drawing by Tathi Premchand)

'नव्या उमेदीन मारली भरारी
नव्या घरट्याकडे
जेव्हा मिळाले पाचूचे दाणे
रमले सारी आनंदाने नव्या घरट्यात"

किंवा 

जीवनप्रवाहात तुम्ही 
द्या स्वतःला झोकून 
ठेवू नका झाकून आणि 
बघू नका वाकून…. 

सांसारिक सुख, प्रेम, ऋणानुबंध जपताना अनुभवलेले आठवणीतील कित्येक क्षण सुरेख शब्दरूपात मांडून कवी वाचकाला मुग्ध करतात, भारावून टाकतात. दुखी क्षणांत आनंदाच्या आठवणी करून देतात. 'प्रवाह', 'संसार', 'रुपगर्वित' ह्या अशाच काही कविता आहेत.

कवीच्या जीवनातील कडू गोड अनुभव, व्यक्तिगत सामोरी अनुभवलेले प्रसंग आणि लोकांच्या स्वभावांचे झालेले दर्शन मांडतात.  'मन मनातले', 'अंतरीह्या कविता आत्मबोधक वाटतात. काही कविता सुरेख शब्दरूपात असल्या तरी त्या कुणाला उद्देशून आहेत ते स्पष्ट होत नाही,  तरीही त्या वाचनीय आहेत. मला आवडलेली त्यांची 'माता' या कवितेचे वाचन करताना कवी सुर्यकांत खांडेकर यांची कविता 'त्या फुलांच्या गंध कोषी सांग तू आहेस का…" आठवते, जी निरंकाराला उद्देशून, त्याच्या सर्वव्यापी असण्याचा पुरावा देतेतसेच या कवितेतून आईच्या विविधी रूपांचे आणि  सहनशील, प्रेमळ, सामर्थ्यवान स्वभावाचे दर्शन होते.   


कधी कोमल कधी सोज्वळ 
रूप दिसे तुझे मनमोहक 
चाण्डीकाच्या रुपी तुझ्या 
विषारी विकार थरारले… 


एकूणच 'मन पाखरू' कवितांचा संग्रह सर्वतोपरीने आसमंतात भरारी घेणाऱ्या पाखरासारखा आहे. कधी हे पाखरू एकाग्रतेने, शांतचित्ताने आपले पंख फडकवीत आसमंतात विहार करते आणि कधी आपली उद्वेगना स्पष्ट करण्यासाठी पंखांचे आवाज करून चित्कारत झेप घेते

कवी विलास कदम यांच्या कविता पहिल्यांदा प्रकाशित झाल्या आहेत, ही त्यांची पहिली झेप आहे आणि त्यात ते सफल झाले आहेत. ह्या साहित्यप्रकारात त्यांची वाटचाल अशीच होत राहो आणि त्यांनी स्वतःच्या विचारांना अजून कसून आपले विचार काव्य रुपात प्रस्तुत करावे या साठी माझ्या त्यांना अनेक शुभेच्छा.     


मुंबई 
दिनांक: २४ मार्च २०१३ 

"मन पाखरू" -विलास गणपत कदम.

     

   



Sunday 17 March 2013

Gratifying exploration of Self.- Pradeep Nerurkar



(Recent work by Pradeep Nerurkar)
Endurance, patience, no cross-border issues, no discrimination and acceptability are the characteristics of Nature and its resources. I have dedicated myself and my art to explore these secrets and divulging these hidden aspects that guide our existence. The first step for me to realize that painting is not just an action of creating something good and pleasant to eyes; but it is representing ‘the Self’ came from contemplation that there is a valid reason for every action of nature and it is created with complete cognition and sensibility. In fact, it seems as if the Creator of this entire Universe indeed is a sensitive painter and therefore we are mesmerized by its various attractive forms and actions. We attain heavenly bliss from these creations. The Creators must have positioned his own being while creating the soul or a human heart. Therefore every human being has a fraction of painterly spirit, but only a few are able to feel it and keep that spirit alive. Conscious sensitivity for creativity is the essence of this spirit. This consciousness leads to self realization. And only those who genuinely aim to know own self, achieve the ultimate goal. Area of knowledge may differ, it can be philosophy, science, singing, or painting, but in the process to be one with nature, person does achieve freedom. Truly, it is a search for one’s own core of existence. It is a search for constant inspiration from nature and it continues till the person completely merges in it.

I carried on painting with firm belief in the state of oneness with the creation or finding Self. I realized that creating a painting is like ‘living the painting’ and once we start living the painting, it becomes easy to portray our thoughts easily as painting does not remain an isolated idea but we ourselves become that ‘painting’.
 
I am still in the mid- way of reaching the core of Nature. Many secret patterns and convictions of Nature still keep on revealing as I move on to explore its hidden treasure. My investigation of Nature is summarized from time to time in my painting and surprisingly my adventure in nature has started having subtle impact on my artistic impulse. It has broadened the horizons of my painting and continuously provides me with abundant themes.

Before I became firm on my advent into Nature and finding ‘Self’, I was not completely convinced of completeness of my paintings. I felt there was still a void in completely being one with nature or Self and that was the realization that, if I extract my inspiration and themes of painting from nature then why should the medium be artificial? So, it would be the best to use natural medium instead of artificial ones. With this thought I explored the natural mediums for painting and ultimately decided to adopt naturally processed Cotton matt, a pure white and unsullied fiber, as a medium of expression; may be using Cotton matt was nature’s signal to me to dot on it. 

This natural medium captivated me and I discovered its multifarious merits. Cotton matt has all the necessary characteristics that I require for my creation. The important aspects of cotton that attracted my attention were its layers, the ability to absorb colors, liberty to mould it in desired form and ultimate evolution of an idea in the form of painting. 

Cotton matt became a sorted base for my paintings, though it had to be meticulously processed with full concentration and dedication to shape it up. Processing cotton is equal to processing a raw gold chunk. Just like a chunk of raw gold which needs deliberate, meticulous and careful processing to modify its glitter and glaze and give an attractive form; even cotton has to undergo through many complicated maneuvers to have it shaped into a desired painting. But certainly something impossible is made possible.
(Recent work by Pradeep Nerurkar)

The processing is not blunt, but a completely sensitive process, wherein the plain and pure white cotton surface is adorned with colorful drapes, and the after- effects are just mesmerizing, due to the colors, lines and texture and almost have a celestial effect. Many clear and hazed forms establish themselves. Features of visual art (colors, lines and layers) commence their discourse on this base and cotton losses its personal identity to become a ‘painting’.

The process of painting tranquillizes me and offers me the similar sight, feelings and life that I experience while being surrounded by nature. Figures and form become abstract, conveying feelings through sensitive medium of cotton and effects of colors and textures on it. This abstraction indicates wiping out of the distance between me and nature; very naturally I become nature and vice versa.

I think Abstract painting is effective only when it moves beyond being just an art work, when it becomes a ‘state’; sharing thoughts, understanding and imagination of the observer.
(Recent work by Pradeep Nerurkar)

Certainly, Abstraction is not an ‘ism’ or ‘philosophy’ but it is a ‘state’ or ‘entity’. Here the body, mind and soul amalgamate together. At last this state does not remain static and moves towards nothingness and reaches the entity. And this destination is final; it is Abstract.

Abstract cannot be verbalized; it can just be expressed, because the reason for abstraction is truth, leading towards entity. I want to convey my experiences and feelings through my paintings and wish the observers sway in the same emotional state as I do.


by Pradeep Nerurkar
Translated by Pankaja JK


Sunday 3 February 2013

Art Challenges! Complete Acceptance or Rejection –Inspiration for artist. Pankaja JK.




The latest controversy over a movie and Salam Rushdie’s position in India provoked me to write this article. I have tried to probe into psychology of mass and artists, and tried to infer the result of reactions towards art. These are purely my views and readers have all the rights to be with them or vice versa. It would be the best to chill and read it for one view point among many views expressed all over the nation. 

 

What is the role of Art in the society? Art has been an inseparable part of civilization. In fact we observe that the Universe itself was a creative activity by its Creator. Image of ‘The Creator’ mentioned here is ambiguous, and it is done purposely. The reason to do so is, that by very nature human beings distinguish themselves into theist and atheist, and if people are theists they stick to one or the other religion and attribute creation to the particular ‘God’, and atheists are just opposite. Some believe in Nature and creation of Universe as a natural phenomenon. But analysis of this point is not so important in this article. So coming back to the topic, Creativity is the mother of Universe; Creator is the father.

Art needs an inspiration, provoking thoughts or circumstances. It cannot be created in void. So we always find artists ready to explore the core of existence; be it nature (in form of seed) or emotions like happiness or pathos (reason), altered lifestyle (technology, needs and their fulfillment) and so on. And whatever is created after the observation and insight, is the view of that particular artist. Artist is praised or accused for it. So if expression deals with something that ‘exists, then, why do we have racists, extremists and haters of particular creation? There is dual answer to this question. The first answer is that rights from the childhood oppressor have been groomed to have particular belief which they are not able to cast off due to poor or no education. Secondly, they lack healthy environment where they may be routed to think in all-inclusive manner.


But it is not only about ignorant souls but even the intellectuals have their justification. But here the question is not of judging mentality of people, but to know the effects of all these and future possibilities of changes. 

The acceptance and rejection of his/her art proves nutritional for development of art. It is the mental preparation to have firm belief in one’s own reflection of society. There is a dilemma whether to care for sentiments of mass or have the right to express and face the aftermath. Artist can completely practice his freedom of expression and should do so. Art is the unwritten record of history of any country or civilization. There are many instances even in past eras when artists faced the opposition and it is interesting to note that these opposed creation will have parallel importance in future to study art of twenty and twenty first century art history. In India M.F.Hussain is a known example in field of painting, Gulzar’s movie, Libaas was banned in for its bold topic which was non-acceptable in conservative India. Salman Rushdie still faces contempt for ‘Satanic Verses’. Pooja Bedi and Milind Soman were looked down upon because of their nude pose for Kamasutra Ad, and the latest target is Kamal Hassan for ‘Vishwaroopam’. But the reflections in these creations were/ are not fictional. Some give supportive justification and some oppose it as I mentioned the probable reasons in earlier part of this article.

An artist should continue creating without fear despite of negative reactions, because there would not be a sudden awakening in the society. Such activity takes time to nurture and create a so called unconventional environment. Changes in lifestyle, exchange of progressive ideas and most importantly interest to admire art without bias will surely change the attitude of people towards art for the good.
Should Sanity be the prey of sanctity? Answer lies within us.