Padma Shri Awardee Manohar Devadoss is a magnificent gift to the world of art…
Manohar devadoss shares with us about his favourite moments of his life, his loving wife, and his paintings. “Challenges are quite often the important things that keep us pushing till the end. My wife was the greatest influence that made me strong and independent today.”
Subiksha Ramakrishnan.
Chennai, TamilNadu
Translation and input credits- Manoj Prabakaran
“I feel a sacred aura whenever people call me an artist and my most remarkable work of art, as acclaimed, is the numinous art of Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Tamil Nadu, India,” says Manohar Devadoss, an Artist, Scientist, and a Writer. Every artist dwells in the form of art they create through their uniqueness, just like Manohar who dwells on his drawings through his unique vision, inspiration, and his greatest gift, his imagination.
Manohar was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and is currently living in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Pondering over his success as an artist Manohar remarks, “My friends suggested that I apply for the Padma Shri Award, following their encouragement, I informed the selection committee giving the necessary details and one of the members came to verify the details…you won’t believe, he was stunned to hear my story, the obstacle my wife and I had come across, and how we had struggled hard to win over destiny. I will be receiving the award in 2o21.”
The veteran artist is renowned for his remarkable sketches mainly historic, social, and cultural landmarks of Madurai in his books. Honorable mentions would be Green Well Years, A Poem to Courage, Dreams Seasons and Promises, and Multiple Facets of my Madurai. His stories resonate with the traditional and cultural heritage of his beloved Madurai while he draws an aesthetic territory bordered with a unique drawing that has staunch and comforting emotions on his viewers.
Manohar’s reminiscent, delicately executed paintings begin to pull your heartstrings almost as soon as you see them. His drawings are introspective yet so-carefully drawn. It doesn’t take too long to figure out that most of his drawings are based on traditional architectural marvels, natural esthetics of life, and emotional occurrences of his life.
In his conspicuous voice, Manohar remarks, “My parents told me that I started drawing when I was two-and-half-years old and the first picture I drew was a giraffe. My grandfather, who was mesmerised when he saw the picture, said it was my first gift to him.” Ever since art has become Manohar’s passion and he started practicing drawing.
Seeking solace in painting, Manohar says, “Every artist designs an instinctive art most of the time.” He created his art based on the geographical region and landscapes he has been to. Most of his drawings emphasize what he found astonishing. “Back in the days we had no mobile phones or camera but our eyesight to rely upon. I am lucky enough to remember everything I saw.”
Behind every successful person, there is a woman, they say. His voice stumbled upon when asked about his family. “My wife died some years ago but the memory I hold onto is so beautiful to remember.” However, with his successful life, he set new rules when he started losing his eyesight a few years ago but lucky enough to differentiate between black and grey. He doesn't have obsolete drawings but has enough to carry around throughout his life. The tell-tale signal of his illness got evident when he went back to his past and started telling how he looked after his wife while she was on her deathbed. “We wanted to earn money by making Christmas cards and donate the money to charity. Mahima was. very smart, she used to call people and get us good contacts to sell out hand-sketched greetings to people. She was the best part of my life.” With some tears in his eyes, he continued…
In his zealous voice, Manohar continued to say how he met Mahima who was the primary reason for his successful career. “When I first met her, we watched ‘To kill a mockingbird movie,’ when I asked her if she likes teddy bears, she said I never had a teddy bear before but now I am going to live with a bear throughout my life.” He giggled.
Every time he looks at the images on the wall which are hanging around, he said, “One must emancipate the notion of an artist and value an art every bit.” One cannot help it but smile when they see the beautiful collection of paintings hanging on the wall. They are challenging, dynamic, and pensive in all the possible ways.
Straying slightly towards what else Manohar does, he is a scientist who is knowledgeable in the field of mines and mining. It has been his dream since his childhood to become an Electrochemical engineer and has done enormous research in the field. He has also worked as teaching faculty at the Centre Electrochemical Research Institute and the Bureau of Indian Standards. “Even when my wife was hospitalised, whenever I had time, I used to write papers and submit them to the institute.” Apart from that, Manohar is a Mouth Organ instrumentalist and learns Carnatic music weekly.
Among the most notable things, Manohar’s book “Challenges, Resilience, and Triumphs” will be published soon. The book is an autobiography about how despite debilitating disadvantages, they built a beautiful tapestry of life. The most exciting part of all is that most of his drawings are also being added. Well, Manohar hopes that his book will be soon made available for readers.
