"UPAJEEVANAM" ( Livelihood )

•  Category : Landscape
• Title: Upajeevanam (livelihood)
• Medium :Oil
• Theme : womanhood
• Size : 50cm x 40cm x 3cm
• Done on gallery quality stretched canvas

For an artist, there is a story behind each painting. I came across this reference photo as it was tagged on one of my friends Facebook page. Something about the picture caught my eye. My first impression was that it would have been better if it was lush with greenery, but the barren land was the very reason it caught my attention.  As with the progress of my thought process, the lady in the scene became the focus. I was profoundly caught by the confident posture of the lady. The way she walked, holding the staff and leading her cattle, as if she was the master of her trade. "She could be the only bread winner of her family" I thought.

I see lot of successful women and I admire their lives. But seldom do I think about the womanhood of the underprivileged women who works hard in the adverse circumstances but keep their self-respect and dignity. This painting is a tribute to those women to show my solidarity towards their womanhood.

This photograph was taken by Mr.Francis Joseph, a retired professor at Bharat Mata College - Thrikkakkara, Cochin - Kerala. He is a true nature lover, a passionate traveler and a photographer.
As he told me, this photograph was taken 15 years back with his old camera on one of his expedition through 'Attapadi' . (Attapadi Reserve Forest is a protected tribal area in Palakkad district of Kerala.) Thank you sir for graciously allowing me to use the photo.