Varma & the Milkmaid

Ravivarma’s pantings have always fascinated me. I remember many a print on the walls of our house & various relative’s houses, especially the Pooja rooms. His paintings mostly reminds one of buxom healthy women and various Indian epics… I had seen many originals in the Shree Chitra Gallery in Trivandrum, but they were when I was not old enough to appreciate art. Since then I read about his interesting life. My interest has not waned, like his paintings have not either, in the public mind.

My favorite – the Milkmaid watercolor




Obviously this picture has a huge fan following and two of them apparently are Sunil Babu (Cine art director) & Santhosh Sivan (the famed cine photographer). They got Kavya Madhavan to pose like the original in the song 'Pinakkamano' for the movie Anathabhadram - a song which portrays five or so of Ravi Varma’s famous paintings.



But, who is that girl (as the Madonna song goes)? The model above is said to be Sugunabai, a lady of Goan Marathi background - Ravi Varma’s muse. They had a fascinating relationship, probably way beyond platonic. The story is classic,
and two filmmakers are already fighting over who brings it to screen first. One of them has Shaji Karun involved (Madhuri is not acting in it though – Ajay Devgan is probably the one playing Ravi Varma). The Mumbaikar’s in those days, went up in arms against Ravi Varma over his picturisation of Suguna, especially those undraped paintings depicting various goddesses, and a case was filed in the Bombay courts against Varma. As no barrister would fight the case, Varma had to fight the case himself and, believe it or not, he won… But tragedy struck, Suguna, they say, left him, where, how…etc I do not know. Hopefully the movie research will bring the story out correctly without too many embellishments, of the times Ravi Varma spent in Maharashtra (Ghatkopar & Malavli) – between 1890 -1901 & the Chitrashala press..Finally he sold it all to his German technician Schleizer for Rs 25,000/- and went back to Kilimanoor.

Nevertheless, Suguna’s picture as the milkmaid remain in many a heart…Just look at her eyes!! Kavya in contrast presents a beauty with slight bitterness in her eyes, not longing & sorrow.
As it seems, after Suguna left Varma, he never painted a goddess again.

For those who want a quick look at Ravi Varma’s paintings, check this site out.

However this site (covering Oleo’s & Lithographs only) seems to be a treasure trove. You can even pick up some of the old calendars that we have in Kerala houses.

Guys & gals - Blogger tells me that this is my 100-th post - Hope I have not bored you all with all this lengthy prose during in the last 10 months ......