Photography Show on awareness of Eco Friendly GANESHA

Photography Show on awareness of Eco Friendly  GANESHA

Bangalore: The making of Ganesha is photo solo show. Statues are made by artisans put months of effort into making the statues from different parts of the country and brought to the homes, podiums, pandals and install the Ganesha and do pranapritishta and finally immerse in water. The whole process of sequences from statue making till immersion is photographed from different parts of the country Hyderabad, Mumbai, Sangola Maharashtra, and Bangalore by Mr. M. Lokeshwara Rao (IFS ), Principal chief Conservator of Forests (Rtd) and presently Director of Earth Day Network.

Mr. Rao photographed nearly 30 photographs of the Ganesh in different stages. The whole sequence is photographed in different years and exhibited. The whole process of photographing is exciting. 

 Many photos were taken in Hyderabad when i was working in Hyderabad and  want to showcase the work done the process of making Ganesha, hence the exhibition.

Ganesh Chaturuthi in India is celebrated with much pomp and zeal every year. The ten day festival begins with the birthday of Lord Ganesh. On the tenth day the followers bid farewell in a grand procession that ends with Visarjan of the Lord’s Idol in water bodies.

The festival has a special relevance apart from its holy nature. The festival was a special effort to unite people by Mr. Bhausaheb Laxman Javale in 1892 in Pune during the National Movement.  Though the festival is to celebrate presence of Lord Ganesha and unification of people it results in enormous water pollution caused by Ganesh Visarjan.

A lot of waste is left by the end of Ganesh Visarjanin water bodies that leads to water pollution. The residue of flowers, fruits, incense sticks in polythene bags create a dump on the beaches and shores of water bodies. Most of the idols are made with Plaster of Paris that i.e.  Calcium Sulphate hemi-hydrate which takes several months to get dissolved causing prolonged water pollution. The colors that are used for decorating the idols mainly consists of lead and mercury that is highly toxic. It increase acid component in water that destroys plants and marine life disturbing the overall ecosystem.

People are mostly unaware of the water pollution it causes. It is important that we educate people with the alternate methods of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi without water pollution caused by Ganesh Visarjan.

The present show is for celebration of the eco friendly ganesha with clay ganesha. The plaster of paris ganesha are doing much harm to environment and when the immersion of the ganesha and to create awareness.

Sri Rao who is working as Director Earth Day Network at present show case his photograph work to create awareness of pollution of using plaster of paris Ganesh idol and requesting to use clay idol.

The show started on 31 August 2019 will continue till  4th September 2019 11 AM to 7 PM at Navarathans Antique Art, Jayangar Bangalore.

Earth Day: Painting Show on ‘NATURE’

Earth Day: Painting Show on ‘NATURE’ 

Bangalore: Earth Day net work India is presenting the painting show” Nature” showcasing the paintings of M.Lokeswara Rao IFS(Rtd), Retired Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of forest Force, presently  he is Director Protect our species campaign Earth Day Network in  Navaratan  Art Gallery, MG Road  from 20-23 April 2019 on the occasion of Earth Day 22 April 2019.  He is showcasing Buddha paintings semi abstract and abstract paintings relating to nature.

The connection between Buddhism and nature is inseparable. Buddhism was born in nature in the sense that the ascetic Gotham, the founder of Buddhism, attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree in a forest on the bank of the Nerañjara River and he delivered his first sermon in the Deer Park. He spent quite a significant part of his life in natural surroundings.

Nature is never absent from the four main events of the Buddha’s life: birth, Enlightenment, First Sermon and death. Moreover, he always appreciated nature and encouraged others to do the same. Buddha’s message clearly is that caring for nature must go hand in hand with respect for fellow human beings.

From its early days Buddhism proclaimed a prohibition on animal sacrifice. Buddha was a great advocate for animal rights. He tried hard to make non-violence towards animals as widespread as possible. For that purpose, the first of the five Buddhist moral precepts of ‘not taking life’ concerns all living beings not just human beings. The Buddha instead claimed that all beings deserve kindness and compassion. The rationale is that every living being desires happiness and fears death; therefore we should not harm any being. The exploration of nature in art can take endless forms, because nature provides us with such a vast wealth of inspiring phenomena.

There are many different ways to approach the subject of nature in art. Art can open our eyes to the intricacy and beauty of the natural world. It can simply be a pretty picture that appreciates nature for what it is... or it can be a challenging piece expressing our complex human connection to nature. Art can serve a purpose beyond being an object of beauty: it can also address pressing environmental issues and topics about conservation, sustainability, preservation, biodiversity, and threatened habitats. Art has the ability to interact with and educate the viewer about these issues, spreading awareness about such important topics. We feel an instinctual need to take care of the things we feel connected to. Art can help renew, or spark anew, our connection with nature.

Mr M .Lokeswara Rao has exhibited above environmental issues to protect species in different ways in his painting he exhibited Buddha with parrot which shows the “ahimasa” (non violence) and lotus and butterflies in the natural world. He also show cased that animals should not be caged in his painting deer in cage and shows the sorrow of the animal in the cage. Some semi abstract paintings of butterflies.   Nature in art can take many visual forms. Art can mimic nature, by seeking to visually replicate objects as they actually appear in real life. But abstract paintings can also take their visual cue from actual forms in nature; some of his abstract paintings were heavily influenced by his -close observations of plants and insect life.  Some abstract paintings depict the elements of earth - rocks, stones, soil, minerals, and the things that live amongst them. Some of the artwork was based on the forms that the artist observed in nature, which he used as a starting point to create an imaginative, abstract work of art. Through his paintings he is giving the message that everyone has to do his bit to protect the nature and to protect our species.

While speaking on the occasion M Lokeswara Rao who is also Director Protect our species campaign Earth Day Network has informed that Human activity is having a devastating impact on our planet. Sir David Attenborough has witnessed it first hand, and calls “Humans a plague on Earth “encapsulating in just a few words the widespread destruction we are responsible for. As per latest Living Planet(2018) Index reveals just how rapid and dramatic those shifts are, calculating that the population abundance of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish has decreased by more than half in less than 50 years. The report attributes the declines to habitat loss, pollution, climate change, over-exploitation and the spread of invasive species and diseases, underscoring environmentalists’ concerns that human activity is taking a heavy toll. The Living Planet Index (LPI) shows that populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles have fallen by an average of 60% in less than 50 years (1970 –2014)

So everyone should do their bit to protect nature to protect our species and follow green life style to protect our home the planet earth. Earth Day network 2019 campaign theme is Protect our species.

MAKING OF GANESHA’ In M.G. Road Bangalore

MAKING OF GANESHA’  In M.G. Road Bangalore

Bangalore:  The Making of Ganesha is photo solo show by M. Lokeshwar Rao, who is a retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer and an artist & photographer by hobby.

 The show is from 11 to 13 th September 2018 11 AM to 7 PM at Belaku Gallery Rangoli Art centre, next to MG Road Metro station, M.G.Road, Bangalore.

 Statues are made by artisans put months of effort into making the statues from different parts of the country and brought to the homes, podiums, pandals and install the Ganesha and do pranapritishta and finally immerse in water.

The whole process of sequences from statue making till immersion is photographed from different parts of the country Hyderabad, Mumbai, Sangola Maharashtra, and Bangalore.

 Nearly 30 photographs of the Ganesh in different stages is photographed. The whole sequence is photographed in different years and exhibited.

“The whole process of photographing is exciting.  Many photos were taken in Hyderabad when i was working in Hyderabad and  want to showcase the work done the process of making Ganesha, hence the exhibition’ says Lokeshwar Rao.

Sri M.Lokeswara Rao belongs to 1983 batch of Indian Forest Service(I.F.S.) retired as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, Nagaland.

Sometimes certain talents can never be taught. It’s an inborn trait some individuals are blessed with. Ever since M.Lokeswara Rao was a little child he had this different inclination towards drawing and sketching. He always had a different way to look into things with an altered perspective with a different perceptive ability. Imagination has no barrier. It is stronger than anything known to man, faster than the speed of light, deeper than the ocean of thoughts. It is the seed for the basic intellect of creativity & innovation. The displayed works are just some mere examples of reinvention of creative bliss. Every work has a deep thought and meaning supporting its visual description.

He got several awards and appreciation like.Art slant (USA) 4^th Showcase Award 2010for his painting Alladin. Appreciation from  Chitra Santhe 2011 organised by Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore ,Art Majeur Silver Award 2010, Art Majeur Silver Award 2011,Limited edition of selection of work for Miami Show 2010 By Art Slant, Art Slants Most Popular emerging Artist, Art slant 3^rd show case award 2011 for his painting Radha Krishna and 3^rd showcase award 2012 for his painting Universe. Buddha with lotus painting selected for All India Exhibition 2012 by Hyderabad rt Society.

RAo’s s paintings are published in a book International Contemporary Artists Vol-VI 2013 by ICA Publishers, New York, USA. A painting ‘Buddha the Great’ has been selected as popular vote winner by wall art magazine and his paintings are selected for National and International exhibitions.

He participated in several exhibitions nationally and internationally and several reviews about is works in both national and international press. He is a philatelist and got several awards for his philately.

You can visit his Website www.mlrao.com

Sri M. Lokeswara Rao can be reached at: madirajul@yahoo.com, Mobile: 09436215175, 09963026733.

-Nethrakere Udaya Shankara