UTTARAKHAND: The tale of Jaya Verma’s life is one of remarkable resilience and determination. Growing up in a village in a remote district of Uttarakhand, she faced significant challenges, deprived of the most basic needs. Born into a family bound by conservative traditions, Jaya experienced limited opportunities as a girl child; denied education and discouraged from sports, arts, or even social engagement.
Jaya was born in October 1990, in the remote village of Kanda in Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand, to farmer Devi Lal Verma and mother Prema Verma. The challenging terrain, limited resources and livelihood, deprived Jaya of a childhood like most children. The second among five siblings, she was married off at the young age of 18 in 2008, while she was still in Class 12.
Jaya Verma is now renowned in Uttarakhand for her distinctive leaf paintings, which intricately depict the likeness of individuals on peepal leaves (ficus religiosa) or the sacred fig.
As the first leaf artist in the state, she has gained recognition for her exceptional abilities. In addition to leaf paintings, Jaya is also known for artworks using wheat sticks.
“I have had a deep inclination towards drawing since childhood, but in the last two or three years, I started making portraits on peepal leaves, and through divine grace, I have gained an incredible self-confidence and strength, which now allows me to easily create lifelike portraits of any individual on peepal leaves, “ Jaya tells us.
Jaya, who ventured into the commercial segment with her humble paintings, shares with us, “Over the past three years of creating leaf art, I have been overwhelmed by the incredible love and support from my admirers.”
“This art form is new to both me and the people of Uttarakhand. I never anticipated that it would bring me substantial profits, both financially and in terms of recognition,” Jaya added.
Jaya initially specialized in fabric art, but over time, she shifted her efforts to painting and eventually found her niche in leaf art. In addition to this, Jaya has also gained recognition for her works on canvas, wood, and glass, and is now widely known in Uttarakhand for her artistic creativity.
Jaya Verma, hailing from a rural background, has not confined her art just to the leaves of the peepal tree. She has given her art a new dimension by decorating painting boards with wheat sticks which are usually burned away in the fields. Using these, Jaya has created leaf paintings for President Draupadi Murmu, renowned industrialist Ratan Tata, actor Sonu Sood, and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Thanks to her hard work, Jaya, who has completed her M.A. and B.Ed, also works as a teacher in a school. However, she wants to achieve something new in her paintings. In her art, she has seen an opportunity. Jaya has dedicated herself to teaching her art, especially to the children. She has trained 1,442 children to create art with humble peepal leaves and wheat straws. Many of these children have found in art means of self-employment, their livelihood.
Jaya Verma, the first leaf artist of Uttarakhand, told this newspaper, “There are two ways of working with a leaf. For one, if we want to paint on a dried leaf, we soak it to remove its veins. Then we let it dry before we paint on it. Other times, painting is done directly on green leaves, which are then dried. This process takes 2-3 days to complete.”
Jaya’s marriage is associated with a tragic incident. On the day of Jaya’s wedding, a bus accident near Bageshwar resulted in the death of 21 people, including her aunt Munni Devi, arriving on the same bus to attend Jaya’s wedding. Munni Devi had taught Jaya the intricacies of art, leaf painting.
Jaya says, “Whenever I achieve something, it feels like I am paying tribute to my departed aunt, and every rupee earned from painting feels like a blessing from her.”
The artworks by Jaya, leaf and straw art, sell for prices ranging from `500 to `3000 through various social media platforms and network marketing, making her self-reliant and self-sufficient. Hundreds of admirers and buyers across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh are greatly devoted to Jaya’s art.
Colouring lives
Jaya has dedicated herself to imparting the art to younger generation, training 1,442 children to create art on humble leaves and straws. Many of these children have found in art means of self-employment.