We are deeply humbled by the overwhelming response for the first post. This is only making us to work harder to keep up to your expectations. We appreciate your support and encouragement.
We initially thought of posting some biographical information about artist Maniam. But after looking at the comments, we have changed our mind to try and quench your thirst first.
Take a look at this picture.
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in writing from Mr. Maniam Selven.
This is a two colour illustration that was published in Kalki’s memorial issue after the great writer’s demise. That issue covered major accomplishments by Sri Kalki. The same was published in black and white earlier for the fifth volume of Ponniyin Selvan.
In this illustration, we can identify all the characters in their respective places as described by Sri Kalki. Artist Maniam has daringly attempted to play with perspectives and has very convincingly presented us with a complete finale scene of coronation of Sendan Amuthan .
Observing this composition, our eyes are drawn towards the main white figures. (We are purposefully restraining ourselves from identifying characters and would like the viewers to participate.) After that, our eyes start travelling from the lower right corner towards the top left corner. Details of the decoration outside the palace up until the palace gate, and the elephant going out after the royal procession is shown clearly. A complete scene that can be shown with a panning camera in a movie has been stilled in this composition.
Artist Maniam always chose to handle a very unique perspective for his works. He challenged himself by trying to bring the complete scene into visualisation and has definitely succeeded in giving a feeling of movement to the viewers. He did a lot of studies and researches to achieve this.
His practice of making use of anything or anybody as a subject for his drawing started even before he realised he would become an artist one day. My father recounted this interesting episode from what his grandfather (chinna thatha) had told him.
This happened sometime around 1934. Artist Maniam was studying in Vanniyar Sangam school in Nadu street, Mylapore, Madras. In those days, inspectors from the education department used to come on uninformed inspections to see if the classes were going on properly. It was during one such visit, the teacher of young Maniam’s class dozed off after a lesson and the students were happily chatting with each other. But our budding artist decided to sketch his teacher who was sleeping. The inspector having noticed this through the window, walked inside the class. Sudden silence made the teacher look up with a jerk and realising that the inspector was in, pretended as if he was asking the students whether they have finished the given work.
The inspector walked towards young Maniam and asked for that paper. Returning to the teacher, he showed the drawing and asked, ‘How long have you been sleeping for a student to draw like this?’ . This episode ended with young Maniam’s ears being twisted. I think this was the first reward he ever got for his drawing. 🙂
We welcome your feedback and comments about this illustration. We have left one more aspect of this illustration unexplained. We will discuss that in the next post.
Sabash,
A Challenge to identify the characters of PS. ….Hmm, shall keep quiet for the sake of others.
anbudan
vj
Thanks vijay.
Yes I still remember this drawing in the magazine, Subhashini.
But honestly speaking, i never gave a damn to read the book, but spent hours gazing , gazing, and …..gazing at the illustrations so hard that the pages would have been burnt, or they would have been snatched by my elder sibling, who was more interested in reading the novel.No way I can identify any character, other than identify me emotions while seeing them…..:-)!
My father had religiously collected them and many more novels and bound them into volumes of books, which were lost due to his habit of lending them but not getting them back…..:-(!
The narration is extremely good, and the incident hilarious.But I am really upset about ‘Maniam’s ear’,poor boy!He would have drawn it in a ‘jiffy’!Anyway we are glad that this incident didn’t dissuade him in continuing to draw or indulge in art.
‘Vilayum payir’?
Really feel happy and blessed to know about how you all enjoyed his works back then. Thankyou verymuch.
he perspective and depth in the scene proves what kind of Master, Maniam was….characterisations, postures, interiors everything speak volumes of his artistic gifts. The two color prints of those days needed high technical knowledge for the artist too…you cannot just fill the colours over the ink drawings….The separations in block making of those days was very crude and the block makers had a high hand in bringing out the effects proposed by the artist!!!!!
Thankyou Jeeva sir, you have clearly brought out the technical aspect of the illustration very well. The amount of coordination and understanding between the artist and the block maker should be great to bring out the effect of the illustration on print. With all the advancements in printing today, the process is much simpler.
Wow! Thanks for this wonderful painting! and the incident at school was hilarious… Ok, now my guess on the characters:
Sundara cholar & Sendhan Amudhan on the throne… Ladies side, first is Kundhavai (with her hairstyle like a crown), then Vanathi, the old lady seated is Sembian Madhevi and the other lady standing is Poonguzhali… AMV with folded hands… next to him (right to left) Vandhiyadevan, then Alwarkadiyan, Chinna Pazhuvettarayar… Then the poet Nallan sathanar and other poets in the durbar… Mandhakini aka Umai rani in the small picture inside… :-))))
Am I right with the characters?
Looking forward for more…
Thanks again
Rgds
Vardhini
not sendhan amudhan on the throne .. 🙂
right with Kundavai piratti and Vanathi.It isnt Nallan sathanar.
The girl in the photo is poonkuzhali
Where is Anirudhar?
vj
I think Anirudhar is the one behind Vandhiyathevan, with a turban…
Rgds
Vardhini
This scene is in part 3..i think where Maduranthanka uttama chozhar is on the left side of the royal throne(Who’s in it? not Sundara chozhar) and sembiyanmadevi behind him.
Thirununiyar saivaite is performing and Maduranthakar is irritated.This is before the talk with his mother,Sembiyanmadevi..i think
மணியம் செல்வன் எனது சிறு வயதிலிருந்தே எனது மிகுந்த ஒரு அபிமானத்துக்குரிய ஒவியர். அவரையோ அவரை சார்ந்தவர்களையோ தொடர்பு கொண்டு பேசுவதில் மிக்க மகிழ்சியடைகிறேன். எனக்கு அவரது ஒவியங்களை பார்க்கும்போதெல்லாம் ஒரு கேள்வி எழுவது உண்டு. அவரது மிகுதியான ஓவியங்களில் வரும் பெண்மணிகள் கிட்டத்தட்ட ஒரே சாயலில் மிக அழகாக இருப்பார்கள். யாரிந்த பெண்மணி. எங்கிருந்து கண்டார். சொந்த வாழ்கையிலா? இல்லை கற்பனைதானா?
உங்களது ஆரம்ப திட்டமான் பையோக்ரஃபிகல் விஷயங்களை படிப்பதற்கு ஆவலாயுள்ளேன். குறிப்பாக, அவர், அவரது தந்தை திரு மணியனை பற்றி, மற்றும் அவர் சந்தித்த சுஜாதா, இந்துமதி, சிவசங்கரி போன்ற பிரபல கதாசிரியர்கள், எஸஏபி, சாவி, மணியன் போன்ற பத்திரிக்கையுலக ஜாம்பவான்கள் பற்றியும், இன்றைய பத்திரிக்கையுலக நிலைமை பற்றி அவருடைய கருத்துக்கள் பற்றியும் உங்கள் எழுத்துக்கள் மூலம் அறிய ஆவலாயுள்ளேன்.
நன்றி.
அ. சகன்.
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நன்றி.
Nice to see maniam tatha works on blog……….
i haven’t heard of this school story abt tatha nice one