Devalakunda Vadiraj

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Vidyalankara Sastra-chudamani, Sangita-kalaratna Professor SALIGRAMA KRISHNA RAMACHANDRA RAO is a well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well-versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Indian culture, art and literature.

In his professional career, he has headed the department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Callison College Study Centre of the University of the Pacific (USA). At present, he is on the Visiting Faculty of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore.

He has written more than forty books in Kannada, a play in Sanskrit, and a Pali com-mentary on a Buddhist Classic. One of the books on Iconography in Kannada has won the State Sahitya Academi Award, as also another of his books on the Tirupati temple.

Among his numerous English publications are three volumes of Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine, (Popular Prakashan, Bombay), six volumes of Encyclopaedia of Indian Iconography (Pratima-kosha), and eight volumes of Agama-kosha (Kalpatharu Research Academy). Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann, Delhi), Consciousness in Advaita, Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University).

He is also a musicologist, sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows. He presided over the Music Conference of Gayana-Samaja in Bangalore for the year 1990

More often than not, remembering our celebrated artists, writers, sculptors, musicians and dancers, ends with a few customary messages and speeches, as a matter of homage. Rarely are efforts made to translate their dreams and visions into reality, even after their death.

It is in this context. I consider myself privileged to write this foreword to a documentation work titled -"DEVALAKUNDA VADIRAJ" which vividly portrays the man and his mission, thus ensuring a step ahead in making Vadiraj's dream come true. As we all know, Vadiraj always wanted his drawings, sketches and the study of finished sculptures to reach the young generation of artists so that they can study them and, if possible, adopt the same in praise of the tradition.

Most of us know that Late D. Vadiraj was a rare combination of tradition and modernity. Though not born in al sculptor family, he became a legend in his life time. One need not use words to explain his works in detail as his sculptures themselves, both in India and abroad, speak volumes and stand testimony to his ingenuity and skill.

We are fortunate that this book has been authored by Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao, a top ranking art historian and a great artist of our times. Since Prof. Rao knew Shri Vadiraj intimately, the book naturally contains most valuable information about the sculptures of the artist.

Apart from giving a biographical sketch of the artist, Prof. Rao has provided an insight into the philosophy of this towering personality which might have guided him to scale such great heights. This book would definitely serve as a reference book for the students of sculpture as all the sketches have been prepared by the late maestro himself.

It is heartening that Shri Chiranjiv Singh, IAS, evinced keen interest in this publication.

With these few words, I join the thousands in paying homage to Shri D. Vadiraj who has enriched Karnataka by creating innumerable sculptures which are timeless in their appeal.

It was indeed my privilege to have been associated closely with the renowned artist, Vadiraj, for many years. He was undoubtedly an extraordinary artist, probably one of the greatest the country has produced. He sculpted hundreds of exquisite pieces in stone and wood, each of them a model of painstaking perfection. He lived a life entirely dedicated to the traditional idiom of art. Every moment of his waking life saw him as an artist at work. His mind was uninterruptedly preoccupied with matters concerning art, artists, art-education and art-appreciation.

Although temperamentally and professionally wedded to traditional art, he readily responded to the elements of beauty and creativity in the modern trends of art. He was in fact constantly experimenting with forms and techniques and he valued his acquaintance with painters and sculptors of Great Britain. He was appreciative of all forms of art and he had a special fascination for Classical Indian music.

However, what attracted me to him was his qualities as a man. For an artist, he was a perfect gentleman. His childlike simplicity, honest modesty, austerity in life, an utter indifference to the commercialization of his art and devotion to the higher values of life were qualities that were all too evident. Art for him was not a means of livelihood, but a way of life. Art was in fact religion for him. He did not regard art as anything but a spiritual expression.

I was therefore full of admiration for Vadiraj both as an artist and as a man. I had planned to write a book on him even when he was alive. I had succeeded in overcoming his initial resistance, and had prepared the major part of the manuscript, a couple of years before he breathed his last. It is unfortunate that the production of this book was delayed until a year after he disappeared from our midst.

His devoted disciple Smt. Kanaka Murty, who was also closely associated with all his artistic endeavours from the year 1964 right upto his death, has co-operated with me in the preparation and production of this volume, which is our heart-felt tribute to the great soul. She had in fact kept a record of all the important art-events in his life, ever since her association with him began. She also preserved numerous photographs pertaining to his life and sculpture-pieces, which are now scattered all over the country and abroad with private collectors and in art-museums. This was of invaluable help in the preparation of this volume.

Another close associate of Vadiraj., and a valued friend of mine, H. N. Suresh, was the one who constantly, prodded us to undertake this work. Interested in art in its various forms and enthusiastic about exhibitions, seminars and publications in this field, he is also active and knowledgeable about the art of producing art-books. He was a pillar of strength in the activities of Shilpa-Kala-Pratishtana, which was Vadiraj's brain-child. He has helped us at every stage in the production of this volume; and the elegance of the volume is a testimony to his taste, devotion and perseverence.

Shri Chiranjiv Singh, IAS who was the Secretary, Information, Tourism & Youth Services Department, Government of Karnataka, when this volume was taken up as a publication of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, is an unusual administrator. Thoroughly cultured, disarmingly gentle and modest, poctie in disposition and spiritual in orientation, he is also a discerning and keen art enthusiast. It is small wonder therefore, that he became an admirer of Vadiraj and his art. Vadiraj in turn, also valued his opinions, criticism and suggestions. As a person, who was temperamentally and sometimes fiercely averse to approaching any corridor of power or favour, Vadiraj found in Chiranjiv Singh a good and valued friend. After the death of Vadiraj, when Shri Singh learnt that a publication on Vadiraj was being planned by us through Shilpa-Kala-Pratishtana, he offered to take it up as a Project of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, which he was at that time heading. This is how this excellent volume was made possible.