Love is bliss …! – Artist Maruthi

It is said that a young bachelor, when asked what his expectation about his wife’s looks was, said that he wanted a girl who would look as beautiful as artist Maruthi’s picture! This bit of news can be accepted as true by one and all when they look at Maruti’s paintings in various Tamil magazines. There’s no single magazine that doesn’t carry his painting. For the past 22 years, he has been painting pictures for the cover as well as the inside stories for a Tamil bi-monthly. This goes to prove his place in the Tamil media as well as in the hearts of the Tamil readers. The ‘Light Foundation’ catches up with this great creator, who has won the position through his relentless efforts and work, overcoming hurdles and facing challenges. He could be considered as a role model for the present youths. Maruti grew emotional when he mentioned that his wife and daughters were mainly responsible for his present enviable position.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: Please tell us about your early days as a painter and the challenges you faced during that period …

A: Though my father was not a great painter, he used to draw the pictures of Goddesses Gajalakshmi and Varalakshmi on the ‘kalasam’ during the ‘Varalakshmi viratham’. And, he would draw the divine feet of child Krishna during the festival of ‘Krishna Jayanthi’. Might be, it was the inspiration for me to try my hands at painting. I started drawing at my tender age of 7 itself. I used to draw the picture of Goddess Lakshmi on the ‘kumbams’ that were kept in the pujas by our neighbors. As it is the rule with the middle class, my father also didn’t agree to my suggestion of my taking painting as my full-time profession. One of my relatives, a graduate, was requested by my father to advice me against my ambition and he told me that I should take up some regular job and keep my painting as a hobby, outside my office hours. But I couldn’t accept that as I was a person who believed in wholehearted and full-time effort for any achievement. On realizing that no one could change my heart, my father gave me the green signal and blessed me. In the year 1959, on completing schooling, I came to Chennai from Pudukottai. I already knew that I would have to face hardships before establishing myself as a painter. During certain days, I had walked through the streets of Chennai for three or four days without food and even a bath. But, I never gave up painting. It was SAP of Kumudam who gave me the first chance for drawing the characters of the stories.