Pranav Agalgavkar (20) — a mentally challenged youth in Kolhapur’s Chetna Apang Mati Vikas Sanstha — is a fan of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and paints only scenes from his life.
Pranav Agalgavkar (20) — a mentally challenged youth in Kolhapur’s Chetna Apang Mati Vikas Sanstha — is a fan of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and paints only scenes from his life.
One of his paintings depicts a sad Shivaji during his coronation ceremony. “Maharaj was remembering his martyred colleagues like Tanaji Malusare and Shiva Kashid and was, therefore, unhappy,” said Pranav, explaining his painting.
Such thoughts of mentally challenged persons are being brought to life on the canvas, thanks to the Kolhapur-based training and rehabilitation centre, which takes special efforts to nurture their painting skills. While 174 students are currently undergoing training at the institute, around 200 passed out recently.
These paintings are not only being exhibited, but have also found buyers.
"Bringing social acceptance to the mentally challenged is our main objective. We teach them self-dependence and help them earn something in whatever way they can, which is important for social acceptance,” said educationist Pawan Khebudkar, one of the founders of the organisation.
He said painting, music, dance and drama play an important role in fulfilling the emotional needs of the mentally challenged. Painting has been an important activity at the school since 2005.
“Music, dance and drama are activities easily visible to other persons. But paintings remain hidden in notebooks. We, therefore, decided to open these notebooks to the public,” he added.
Ten students of the school, who showed talent in painting, were given six months’ special training by art teacher Bajirao Mane. They learnt art forms like knife paintings and use of rollers.
“These students are good at paintings on notebook size-paper. I was worried how they would work on the canvas. But they did it,” he said.
Forty paintings were done, of which 37 were exhibited at the Nehru Centre in Mumbai in January. Ten paintings were sold for as high as Rs35,000. In Kolhapur, 27 paintings were exhibited last month, of which eight were sold for up to Rs20,000.
“This is a form of social acceptance. At least some people have made a place in their homes for paintings by the mentally challenged,” Khebudkar said.
The students also enjoy painting and are able to explain their art. Ganesh Joshi (30), for example, enjoys nature painting and one of them is on inundated houses.
“My painting reflects the floods that were witnessed in Kolhapur in 2005,” Ganesh said.
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