Tracing the roots - Dr Kapu Rajaiah - Artist Par Excellence

First a prayer to the Master (The Guru) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJSCXWNYDQg&feature=related

"Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu,
Guru Deva Maheshwara,
Guru Saksha Param Brahma,
Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha"

Meaning:
The teacher is creator Brahma; he is preserver Vishnu; he is also the destroyer Siva and he is the source of the Absolute. I offer all my efforts to that great teacher.



Once we reached Siddipet during our journey, the first stop was at Dr. Kapu Rajaiah's house and art gallery (Kala Bhavan, Siddipet) whom I know as my illustrious Father's teacher and an internationally renowned and acclaimed Folk artist - an artist par excellence. Just googling him threw up a whopping number of pages and sites dedicated to the great artist.



I may not be qualified enough to write about this great artist but pictures are worth a thousand words. Here are some of the many awards and felicitations given to Dr. Rajaiah adorning the walls of his home.

The latest addition to his enviable list of awards includes "Prathibha Rajiv Puraskaram" for the year 2010 from the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh State, India.

The great master who is in the autumn of his life was more than happy for the visit by one of his innumerable accomplished disciples.



The art gallery (Kala Bhavan) which hosts his paintings and doubles up as a museum and his work place was started in the year 1985.







Most of his works concentrate on the rustic, pastoral life and simple village folk.

A painting depicting Lord Krishna with Gopikas in Brindavanam.


Paintings illustrating India's "Unity in Diversity".

An award winning painting?
A Shiva Linga.



Dancing girl during festival in Village (?) and other paintings.

Farmers at work with sickles.
Some more paintings. Toddy collectors climbing on to the palm trees.


More paintings including the one where women folk and an old man is waiting for a bus at a village bus stand.



Some more paintings




And, some more including the one depicting "Seven Hills" (the abode of Lord Venkateshwara in Tirumala)

Some more including a "Cat peeping through a broken wall" and a "woman feeding a baby".

A painting of Maa Kaali (also known as Goddess Durga)

Last but one is the painting called "Deft Fingers" depicting process of preparing warp yarn which is a part of the weaving process on handloom where yarn is weaved into a beautiful Sari.

My father added this laminated print of the painting to our home collection as we belong to the Weavers Community.

And the last of the paintings is an unfinished painting on which work is in progress.

Before leaving it is time for a picture with the caretakers of the Art Gallery.

Then a quick stop for a get together with the extended family followed by early Dinner and then journey back to Hyderabad.

Tracing the roots - Ananda Nilayam

Our next stop on our forward journey to Siddipet was Ananda Nilayam, an old age home started by Ananda Charitable Trust, Siddipet, which consists of a number of philanthropists as members and directors of the trust.

The old age home was very recently inaugurated on 29th of August, 2010 by Smt. Sudha Janardhan of Bangalore - who is the chief Patron for the Trust. Other patrons include Dr.K.V. Ramana Chary, IAS and distinguished Ex EO (Executive Officer) of TTD (Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam).

The old age home is located in Kondapaka, Medak Districk which also happens to be very near to the Komuravelli temple, the abode of Lord Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple (a fierce looking deity, another avatar of Lord Shiva). People also call him "Komuravelli Mallanna" (the temple happens to fall in nearby Warangal district).

We made a quick stop at Komuravelli Mallanna temple before coming to Ananda Nilayam. The road towards the temple was filled with hawkers selling a number of items, material for puja, baubles and trinkets to ward of the evil forces and also to be tied to your vehicles and to put up in front of your homes.

Now some more details and statistics about Ananda Nilayam. The site for the old age home is located on a 100 acre campus amidst nature.


It has plenty of natural resources thanks to the location. There is abundant water (it has two borewells for now to support the needs of the inmates) that is filtered using reverse osmosis process and served to the ones living there. It also has a water tank for storage as can be seen in the picture.

The old age home can currently accommodate 100 persons in 40 rooms approximately. The current building structures were built in a record time of one year by labourers working relentlessly day and night. They require a mention in this article and hope that they got due credit for their hard work. Ananda Nilayam also has its own means of transportation (a used Maruthi Van).


Ananda Nilayam currently has a good sized lunch room (Dining Hall) for dining including enough chairs, plates and other kitchen utensils.


The dining hall also has a large LCD TV for the inmates and guests for watching their favorite vernacular TV channels. The kitchen attached to the dining hall has adequate items for cooking.



Some of the benefits for those living there include a Dhobhi (Washerman/Washerwoman), Sweeper at no extra charges. The monthly charges currently are INR 2000 per head or INR 3000 per couple. Electricity connections are already set up.

Keeping in view the health of the persons residing on campus, there are adequate supplies of medicines provided voluntarily. Any additional medications should be taken care by the relatives of the admitted persons. For those with special needs, additional helpers are available at an extra cost on a monthly basis. A qualified doctor will visit every week and an RMP (Registered Medical Practitioner or a Nurse) visits the premises every alternate day.

Each room can accommodate two persons and it consists of a well ventilated room equipped with a Geyser, Refrigerator, two cots, two almirahs, one writing table (can be used as a dining table for those who cannot walk up to the Dining Hall).

The room has an attached rest-room with a western toilet, shower and space for a wash basin with a mirror for daily ablutions.

The old age home which is currently getting supplies from nearby villages including milk and vegetables plans to grow their own vegetables (organic ?) and become self-sufficient in the near future. Bags of seeds procured for the purpose can be seen in the picture.



There is a modest store room for now for the needs of the residents for their monthly ration including Rice, Oils, Lentils (Dals), Dough, etc.

We were fortunate enough to dine with the caretakers of the ashram and rested for a while on the chairs arranged outside the individual rooms as can be seen.

The daily schedule for all the residents include Tea - 7.00 a.m followed by Tea + Breakfast - 8.30 a.m, Lunch at 12.30 p.m, Tea + Snacks (if any one donates snacks) around 4.00 p.m and Dinner is served around 7-7.30 p.m.

The plans for the future include a well laid lawn, parking area, a Yoga room, Library and a Prayer room. Those interested in admitting their loved ones or to donate money for the Trust can get in touch with Ms. Sravani or Mr. Rajaiah at : 011-91-9391005960 (Mobile Number).