Painter creates masterpieces in lockdown

Works to adorn gallery of Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba

Balkrishan Prashar

Chamba, June 22

Vijay Sharma, a Padma Shri awardee painter from Chamba, is using the challenging time to create Pahari masterpieces.

He has made six paintings in Basohli and Kangra styles for the Bhuri Singh Museum, where he currently works. His recent creations will adorn the painting gallery of the museum.

If there is a living legend who brings together art and music, history and colours of the Himalayas, it is Vijay Sharma. His works take us back to the hoary days of Pahari painting and remind us of the styles of master painters like Devidas of Basohli and Nainsukh of Guler.

Sharma is skilled in all leading styles of Pahari painting, which include those of Kangra, Guler, Chamba and Mandi. Though he does not come from a traditional Pahari painter family, the Basohli style is his forte.

He is also one of the scholars who know and read the ‘Takri’ script. He is largely self-taught but he is quick to point out that he stands on the shoulders of the masters that have come before him. However, he is especially indebted to late Dr VC Ohri, the eminent scholar.

Sharma has travelled widely in India and abroad and possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of Pahari arts. He is not only a painter but an art critic, art historian, editor and a prolific writer. He has imparted training to scores of junior artists and guided scholars. His opinion is sought by the auction houses abroad and his paintings are in many public and private collections.

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Captions

1) Vijay Sharma at work.

2 ”Dalliance of Krishna”, a Basohli painting by Vijay Sharma.