The waves of the Mayyazhi river splash at the banks. The rays of the setting sun fall on the wall of sculptures on the riverside walkway of Tagore Park, making the beloved characters from the Malayali novel Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (On the Banks of the River Mayyazhi) by M Mukundan, on which the sculptures are based, glow. The sculptural tribute by artist K K R Vengara immortalises the scenes on a 100-feet wall. A walk here is like a journey through the literary classic. The sculptures have been unveiled on the compound wall of the Government House in Mahe, near Kannur in Kerala.
For the first time in the country, a fictional masterpiece has attained a sculptural representation on such a huge scale and dimension, within the lifetime of its author, and at the cradle of its plot.
Revolving around the tragic love story of Dasan and Chandrika, the novel attained a magical charm through the depiction of Mayyazhi’s local life under the French regime. It details the freedom struggle with folkloristic simplicity. Beginning with the scene of the arrival of Moopan Saiv’s car at Mahe in a French vessel, the work ends with the scene of dragon flies at Velliyamkallu representing the souls of protagonist Dasan and his love Chandrika.
After eight months of hard work, Vengara displayed his sculptures that are remarkable for the successful depiction of the dress code and body language of the native and foreign characters. The composure of Kurambiyamma, seated with uncovered breasts; the authoritative air in the posture of Leslee Saiv; the rustic simplicity of Uthaman who performed Gulikan Thira and faced the consequence of breaking the norms of the ritual have been beautifully depicted in the visual narrative. Vengara has earlier sculpted the tallest Hanuman statue in Kerala at Ezhimala, and rendered beautiful sculptural depictions of various Theyyams. “I have tried to focus on the political dimension of incidents in the novel, especially the scenes depicting the struggle against the colonial regime,” says the artist. Modeled in clay, moulded in plaster of Paris and cast in fibre glass, the sculptures were fixed on the compound wall and painted in metallic to give an antique charm.
The journey from text to sculptures wasn’t easy. “Visualizing the characters of the novel in 12 frames was a strenuous task. When I attempted to transfer the minute expressions of characters and details of situations in the novel to the clay moulds, they have attained a different life,” he adds. “Kurambiyamma is Mukundan’s character. But the old woman you see in my sculpture is a form crystallised in the innermost corner of my memory through the figures of many old women I have seen in many villages of north Malabar. Every scene might have undergone some changes.”
The sculptures have changed the Mahe landscape. Viewers Jinos Basheer and Jacob Sudheer say, “The sculpture offers a beautiful depiction of the emotional and intellectual landscapes of the Mayyazhi of the olden days.”
Journey in a mould
■ Modeled in clay, moulded in plaster of Paris and cast in fibreglass, the sculptures were fixed on the compound wall and painted in metallic to give an antique charm.
■ The French Ambassador to India, François Richier, was in Mahe recently to look at the works. He had read Mukundan’s novel in a French translation and it inspired him to visit the place.
■ After eight months of hard work, Vengara displayed his sculptures remarkable for the depiction of local sensibilities.