Mahatma Gandhi & Karmarkar

ByShriram Khadilkar

Friends (Cement)

Last Sunday was a day of the Mahatma. While oneMahatma is internationally acclaimed as the trailblazer of the Freedom of IndiaMovement, the other of circumscribed renown is Master Sculptor Late ShriVinayak Pandurang Karmarkar – Rodin of Indian sculpture. It wouldn’t be wrongto even call Rodin as the Karmarkar of Europe!

One of the great master sculptors of India, Mr. Karmarkarwas motivated by the thoughts of the Freedom of India Movement. Incidentally, hehelped the movement by giving asylum (space/place to hide from Britishsoldiers) to freedom activists in his studio, which was then situated in Tardeo in Central Mumbai. He became afortified barricade and stood tall between the British and the freedom movementactivists.

Mahatma Gandhi Torso (Bronze) at Mani Bhavan 

This was not enough; he requested Mahatmaji Gandhi to sit in front of him, sothat he could sculpt him. The result – a lofty torso of Bapuji in bronze that occupies pride of place at Mani Bhavan,Mumbai – Gandhiji’s seat of activity in Mumbai between 1917 and 1934 –now converted into a museumand research centre.

Vitthalbhay Patel (Bronze) at Girgam Chowpati 

Mr. Karmarkar gathered Indian sculptors togetherand fought against European sculptors working for projects in India. He askedthe Indian sculptors to show their strength and solidarity against the Europeansculptors. This was also part of the bloodless movement against British rulersin India as far as the field of art was concerned. Another significant aspectof this movement was that it was initiated before the Progressive Groups’ movementin the field of art, in India. This led him to become the Mahatma of Indian sculptors.

Single-piece casting, 13ft tall Shivajion a horse at Shivaji Nagar, Pune

A unique observation between Mahatmaji Gandhi and Mr. Karmarkar is that bothshare October 2 as their birthday.

Lady with cow (Plaster of Paris)

Graceful Worry (Plaster of Paris 1930)

Last Sunday, students and sculptors from Kolhapurand Mumbai were in Saswane, near Alibag (Maharashtra), the ancestral home ofMr. Karmarkar, to salute the great sculptor and to celebrate his birthanniversary. Last year there were around sixty students and staff from Sir J. J. School of Art in Saswane for the same. This year, Mrs. Sunanda Karmarkar,daughter-in-law of the late sculptor, who has been instrumental in reverentlyarchiving and preserving all his work, (a rare gesture in the field of fine art) shared her thoughts with sculptors from Kolhapur and Mumbai.

 

This is now proposed as a regular feature for every October 2, in the name of Shri Vinayak Pandurang Karmarkar. 

Shri V.P. Karmakar