Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 9: You watch in awe as her hands move expertly over the black canvas. You wait with bated breath as each stroke of her paint brush leave a trail that's hardly perceptible to the untrained eye. And then with a flourish, she brings her creation to life. It feels magical as you find yourself clapping, astonished at the exquisite artwork created to jaw-dropping perfection in a matter of minutes.
Meet Shabari Ganiga, Mangaluru's only female speed painter. While the name of speed painter Vilas Nayak has become a household name, Shabari too has created a niche for herself. But Shabari is not a painter alone, she has a mellifluous voice and has made mark in Coastalwood too. She sings Kannada, Bollywood and English songs with elan, and right from her charismatic appearance, free-flowing speech, and openness, you cannot but admire her.
Shabari's talent as a dubbing artiste was there for everyone to see in Tulu movie, 'Soombe' and Kannada film, 'Kudla Cafe'. Director of the film, Kudla Sayikrishna, noticing her talent, gave her chance to sing for his new film. Shabari has forayed into Bollywood too. She is also adept at classical singing.
Shabari's house at Vyasanagara near KPT in the city has several of her paintings which mesmerize the viewers. She excels in glow art in which singing and painting go hand in hand, where glow is thrown at the painting to complete it at the end when an excellent painting emerges out of the nondescript canvas. Shabari is accustomed to winning prizes for her paintings since she was in LKG, and she has also bagged the state level 'Kalashree' award.
The radiance of her painting, clarity, liveliness, and her ability to draw perfect paintings are simply baffling. So far she has participated in over 500 painting competitions and won over 350 prizes. At 22, she has emerged as the only female rapid painter of Karnataka. Shabari confesses that getting appreciation from Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade after she created his painting at a programme held at SDM College accompanied by singing happens to be most precious moment of her life.
Her talents do not stop at that. She can create artifacts out of clay, do craft and glass paintings, ceramic work, foam works, and drawing. She is equally at ease with oil paintings, charcoal painting, acrylic, Indian ink and water colour. Her paintings command lot of appreciation.
Shabari, daughter of B Yogesh Kumar Ganiga and M Shashikala, is young, and pursuing her education. Yogesh has been providing whatever she needs to hone her talents in spite of poverty, and Shashikala has been fully supportive of her ambitions. She was under the tutelage of Veena Bhandary and Shameer of BGM Art School in painting, and has emerged as a refined painter. She is humble enough to give all credit for her achievements to her parents and teachers. She wants to become a doctor, and at the same time, continue with painting and singing as hobbies. She is very good at studies too. If all prizes she has won so far are taken into account, they exceed a whopping 1,600.
Shabari Ganiga is a gifted talent from coastal Karnataka. Backed by hard work and dedication, she has the capacity to realize her dreams. It need not come as a surprise if she grows into a nationally acclaimed artiste in course of time. Shabari, currently in second year MCA course at Shree Devi College at Kenjar here, wants to represent India in World Art Competition and win recognition for her talent by participating in television programme, 'India's Got Talent'.
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