A state-run school of ethnic arts in Kerala has sent a mural portrait of him to the US president Barack Obama, hoping the work would give him an idea of the cultural diversity and artistic variety of India.
The portrait, done purely using natural dyes by mural painter Suresh Muthukulam of Vasthu Vidya Gurukulam at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district ,depicts Obama against the backdrop of the Red Fort in New Delhi with the Indian tricolour flying atop it.
According to the Gurukulam CEO P N Suresh, the work had been despatched to the US embassy in New Delhi so as to be forwarded to the White House.
The arrangement for gifting the work to Obama was done by Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, T K A Nair, who is also honorary chairman of the Gurukulam, located in Aranumula on the banks of river Pampa.
"The 55x45 cm portrait was completed in 45 days and was entirely done using natural dyes, made of juices of particular plants and finely pounded stones, as prescribed by the ancient tradition of mural art", Suresh told PTI.
A colourful brochure featuring the unique culture, customs and raditions of Aranmula, still sustained by the people there, had also been sent along with the protrait, he said.
A few years back, a mural painting on the Last Supper of Jesus Christ was sent by the Gurukulam to the previous Pope John Paul, as a gift for Vatican from Kerala, a early home of Chritstianity in the world.
In Kerala, mural paintings had been traditionally done to decorate temple walls, mostly depicting scenes from Hindu epics.
Since its inception 15 years ago as an affiliate of the state Culture Department, the Gurukulam has taken a lot of nitatives to revive and sustain traditional and ethnic art and architectural traditions of India and Kerala.
