We lost the Nightingale of India- Lata Mangeshkar last year, but her legacy surely isn’t something generations can forget so easily. Her contribution to Indian music, and her evergreen voice will continue to live with us not only through her voice but through the works and interpretations of millions of her followers, one of whom happens to be artist Ramkripal Namdeo. The artist known for painting numerous pictures of Lata, also holds a Limca Book of World Record entry, and an Asia Book of Records title for painting a picture of the late musician featuring 1436 faces of the artist that come together to make a bigger picture of Lata Mangeshkar, along with a painting of Maa Saraswati. The artist is currently in the city for his exhibition titled Chitralatika, at ICCR and we took the opportunity to speak to the veteran.
What happens to be your first memory of art and how did Lata Mangeshkar become one of the prime themes of your paintings?
I was artistically inclined from a young age as I grew up watching my grandmother creating beautiful designs on the walls of our home with clay. I took inspiration from her and would often find myself trying to sculpt out different shapes from clay, as well as make different shapes out of the rotis I was given to eat by my mother. Back in those times, even radios were quite scarce in village homes and I would be so mesmerised every time I heard Lata Mangeshkar’s voice on the radio. Her voice has touched millions of hearts, and so was mine even though I was young enough to not understand the magnanimity of her artistic contributions. I grew up believing she is the mortal depiction of goddess Saraswati, like many others in our country. Somehow both my passion for art, and awe for Lata ji merged and I ended up painting more than 50 paintings of her up till now.
Take us through your record winning paintings of Lata Mangeshkar.
Out of the 50+ I’ve made of her till now, there is one particular frame where thousands of faces, not more than cm in length have come together to create a bigger picture of the legendary singer, which also constitutes a depiction of goddess Saraswati. There’s another which also includes various pictures of self-accomplished women from our country, along with her pictures that make a bigger picture of the artist. This painting also features the Devanagari script with the words Lata Mangeshkar written on it. I had the opportunity to meet the legend in person for the aforementioned painting back in 2014, which eventually led me to an opportunity for entry in the Limca Book of World Records.
You are exhibiting in Kolkata for the first time.
I have always wanted to exhibit in the City of Joy, and I feel elated to finally come to the city with my exhibition titled Chitralatika. It will display 40+ of my art pieces on Lata ji, and I hope to take this exhibition back home to Jabalpur on a bigger scale around her birthday on 28th September this year. The name has been spun out of the words Chitra meaning paintings, and Latika, which actually happens to be her birth name. They come together to make a larger collage (latika) of Lata Mangeshkar’s pictures.