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| Shaji, Venkulam, Nellimood, Neyyattinkara, Thiruvananthapruam |
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Look
at his limbs, and one would notice deformities, but look at his creations
and they would reveal perfection and
symmetry.
Shaji, a native of Venkulam, Nellimood, Neyyattinkara,
Thiruvananthapruam fell victim to polio at the age of 2.
But instead of withdrawing into himself, he wanted to play his part
in the world with his own uniqueness and contribution.
With confidence and will power, he slowly learned drawing.
With self-confidence born of that training he has been creating
temples and other models using the midrib (eerkil) of coconut leaves.
Recently,
after more than 300 days of effort, he has completed the model of a temple
using grains of rice. Shaji, who has used more than 86000 grains for the work,
pasted the grains together to create the 59.5cm perimeter and 33.5 cm high
model of the temple.
Earlier,
he had made many models like houses, flower vase, household articles etc
using midrib of coconut leaves. Though
he has only a modest income from the screen-printing unit, which he is
running since 1997, he is loath to sell his creations in grains or midrib.
He cannot think of losing the result of his months of labour.
Shaji
had learned screen-printing when the need to stand on his own legs
financially became prominent. Thus
he joined the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre, Thalanchi in 1993 and
learned screen printing and drawing.
It
is when he is not busy with his screen printing works that he tries his
hand at artistic endeavours.
Shaji's
temple made of rice grains
Courtesy: Mathrubhumi, April 14, 2004
Contributed by: Administrator
