The Painting Journey of Jyotiranjan Gudia
One day, a beautiful opportunity came
into my life. I was in Class V and playing in the backyard of our school. At
that time, I found a box of green colour. I kept it carefully with me for many
days. During the rainy season, when I used to go for tuition, I would always
reserve a sitting place for Sir. One day, I forgot to reserve his seat. A girl
named Tulabati Khila, who was my classmate, was asked by Maheswar
Maharana sir to give him the seat, but she refused and went outside with her
friends. I got angry at her and took her seat to the hostel. There, I broke a
piece of chalk and wrote ‘Maharana Sir’ beautifully on it and kept it where Sir
usually sat.
When Maharana Sir came and saw his
name written so beautifully on a rice sack, he asked everyone who had done it.
All my classmates pointed at me and said, "Jyotiranjan did it." Sir
was pleased and promised to bring me three types of colours and told me to
write moral quotes on the school walls. On Friday, he brought the colours for
me. From that day, I started writing various moral messages on the walls of the
school. Within six months, my handwriting became very beautiful. As my
handwriting improved, I also started practicing how to draw well. Gradually, I
began drawing along with beautiful writing. Maharana Sir started finding small
tasks for me. He told other teachers about my skills and I was invited to draw
pictures and wall art in nearby schools. I started earning some money through
this work.
The first time I earned money was
when I wrote on a banner cloth for Kudumulugumma hospital- I received ₹60.
Slowly, my popularity grew in the region. During weddings, religious events,
Ekusiya (21st-day celebration), anniversaries and school and college festivals
like Ganesh Puja and Saraswati Puja, I started doing artwork and earning from
it. When I was in Class V, I didn’t even have money to buy paints and brushes.
Three months before finishing Class V, I asked my father for ₹300. During the
summer vacation, he gave me the money. I went to the Kudumulugumma market and
bought 12 fabric colors, some brushes and a paint blower (spray pump). At that
time, I didn’t even know how to use the paint blower. I spent sleepless nights
practicing with water in a glass and after two days, I learned how to use it.
The next day, I decided to draw my first painting on the wall of our house. But
I didn’t know how to start. I had heard that one should apply a base coat of
white paint before starting, but I couldn’t afford it. So, I crushed some white
chalk from school and rubbed it on the wall as a substitute. And then, beside
our house, I drew the first picture of Lord Ganesha- my first artwork ever!
From that moment onward, my love for
painting grew stronger every day. Even though I didn’t have formal training, I
learned by observing others and experimenting on my own. Over time, my drawings
started gaining appreciation from teachers, friends and even strangers. Participating
in school-level competitions boosted my confidence and I started dreaming of
becoming a professional artist. That small green paint box I found as a child
had unknowingly opened the doors to my creative journey. Even today, whenever I
hold a brush, I remember that moment- how a forgotten seat, a piece of chalk
and a teacher’s encouragement changed my path forever.
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