Do you know about the 18 Siddhars or saints who were geniuses way ahead of their time? They lived during the period of the Indian sage Agastya and were considered the first scientists, doctors, alchemists, astrologists and mystics who knew about all topics, including the future.
Kalaripayattu guru S Mahesh, the managing director of Kalari retreat Agasthyam in Thiruvananthapuram, along with young artist Gokul Prathap, has now created a grand mural of the 18 saints titled ‘18 Siddhar Sameetha Shakthi Panchakshari’.
The eight-foot mural art is on the wall of a 125-century-old Lord Murugan temple situated on the premises of the Kalari retreat. The work depicts Siddhars, along with Agasthya, in the presence of Lord Shiva, goddess Parvathy, Ganesha and Murugan.
Meanwhile, Mahesh who falls in the fifth generation of the Agasthyam Kalari lineage, says, the mural will help spread awareness to the public to understand the talents of these Indian saints. According to him, portraying the Siddhars who excelled in various fields and owned rich Vedic knowledge is part of Indian culture and needs to be preserved.
“Siddhar is a Sanskrit word meaning one who is perfect and accomplished. Agasthya Rishi, being an influential scholar, is also a prolific Siddhar. He is considered the father of the old Tamil language and Siddha medicine. The Siddhars are his disciples and his acquaintances as per the old manuscripts of our ancestors,” says Mahesh.
Gokul’s mural is touted to be the sole portrayal of all 18 Siddhars in a frame. “The features and nature of all of them are different, and Mahesh educated me about them. I painted the work using acrylic colours. It took me 41 days to complete the mural while observing fasting. The family of Lord Shiva is called Shakthi Panchakshari. It was more like a meditation for me to paint the work,” says Gokul, a BFA graduate from the College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram.
It was his love for mural arts and interest in understanding the rich historic vignettes of the country that motivated Gokul to create such mammoth art. Gokul adds that he has followed the traditional mural art style, including colouring the deities according to the principles.
“Lord Shiva is considered a symbol of masculinity and is usually seen in yogic postures with a serious expression. So I gave special attention to his eyes and expression. In traditional mural style, Shiva is depicted in white colour, while goddess Parvathy is in green. She is considered a symbol of nature. Saints like Agasthya, Bogar, Dhanvanthri, Pambatti Siddhar, Thirumoolar and Pathanjali, including Nandeeswarar (vehicle of Lord Shiva), are also part of the painting,” he says. He used references and information shared by Mahesh while depicting Siddhars.