Cherubic faces, portly figures, deep colours and exquisite ornamentation are the defining features of the widely heralded Tanjore paintings — a classical south Indian art that flourished during the time of Raja Serfoji II of Thanjavur, who was its greatest patron. Celebrating divinity as it does, these paintings adorn the prayer rooms of most homes in south India. Imagine our delight when we were ushered in to one section of the palace’s cavernous rooms by none other than the direct descendant of Maharaja Serfoji Rajah Bhonsle II, Sambhaji Rajah Bhonsle. The legacy of his great-great-great-great grandfather rests safely in Sambhaji Rajah Bhonsle’s hands, who has nurtured this art to perfection.
Dressed in a simple white shirt and a gold-bordered veshti, Shambhaji is all affability and warmth. While the native language (Tamil) rolled off his tongue easily, we finally agreed to converse in Marathi, the language of the conquering Maratha rulers, whose southern expedition ended with them staying on and integrating themselves effortlessly into the fabric of this ancient land and culture. While his cousin, Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, the current head of the Thanjavur Maratha royal family, has his hands full with the administration of 88 temples, including the Big Temple, Rajah Shambhaji has for the last 25 years given his undivided attention to this art. “Both my father and grandfather used to paint as a hobby. In time, I got attracted to this art and for four years, I learned the rudiments from palace artist Kuppusamy,” says the Rajah. His tutelage under the latter seems to have paid off for Sambhaji has won the Tamil Nadu State Award for one of his paintings. At present, the scion of Maratha royalty is the director of the Tamil Nadu Handicraft Board (Poompuhar).
A Tanjore painting, as any art lover would tell you, is the creation of painstaking work and attention to minute detail. Sambhaji does the sketches himself, using herbal colours which are also prepared by him. Only teakwood is used. A tamarind seed paste and hard rock powder mixed with gum go into preparing the base cloth. The embedding of Kundan stones and embossing as well as sticking the 22-carat gold foil is all carried out by his helpers, under his supervision, of course. The gold foil is from Jaipur, he reveals. After some more colouring and detailing of form and face, the Tanjore painting is ready.
His work place is just a room away and he gives us a tour of the place. Paintings, big and small, litter the walls, with a cherubic Lord Krishna throwing an innocent glance in our direction, while in another Lord Shiva performs the dance of destruction (tandava). The latter dominates the room, which displays the beautiful Shiva (Natraja) in 108 dancing poses. That painting, he says, took him three months to complete. However, the piece de resistance is the painting of Bhoomadevi (mother earth), with all forms of life manifested in her being, seeking to draw a parallel between that painting and the mythical Kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling tree) — a task which kept him busy for seven long months. These paintings sell for lakhs of rupees, he says.
At present, the bachelor Rajah oversees a thriving business, selling as he does these exquisite art pieces. He also offers free coaching to students who want to learn this art. His exhibitions of Tanjore painting have taken him to almost all the metros of India as well as countries like Singapore. Just last year, he had exhibited his paintings in Chennai, drawing praise for his exceptional work.