ARUN MEHER – Sculpting Life out of Wood

[ Arun Meher while deeply engrossed on his wood sculpting ]

It’s a long time ever since we have destroyed the forests, killed its creatures and the rivers have been sucked by the industries. But here is someone at Barpali who is attempting to recreate life out of wood. Meet Arun Kumar Meher who is sculpting wood as a hobby to make artefacts’. Though born to a bhulia family, whose prime occupation is weaving of Sambalpuri cloths, but he opted to be a businessman. It was during 1998 when he was barely 25 years old he carved his first ever artefact Bamana avatar of lord Vishnu. From here his long journey into wood carving began. He was not imparted with any elementary training of art or the craft by any one. He is a self exponent of wood carving. While most of his creations are  of Hindu deities, he got many thematic pieces on modern art as well. By now he have created more than a hundred master pieces which include even President of India Smt.Prativa Patil. 

In the year 2007 his efforts were being recognised and he was felicated with  State Design Award by the Chief Minister of Odisha Sh. Naveen Patnaik. Etv Oriya has broadcasted a show for half-an-hour in its program Barnali featuring his works. Beside it, different Oriya news papers have published articles on him.  

[ Viswarupa a master piece by Arun Meher ]

                                     

You would be in a illusion  to see one of his creations titled Viswarupa to be a  piece of ivory.  Rather it has been sculpted on a wood called  gambhari  katha.  It is an amalgamation two block of dry woods and fixed on a platform. In the given picture you would be amazed to find how this Hindu mythological piece was created with minute details. Here is Lord Krishna in Viswarupa with numerous heads while carrying weapons with his twenty hands. On top of him there is a seven-headed serpent called Seshnag. On his feet Arjun sitting with folded hands, while discovering the mighty powers of the Lord Krishna. On its platform he carved the scene of Kurukshetra from the epic Mahabharata. He picturised how Lord Krishna leads the war carrying Arjuna in his chariot pulled by the horses.     

[Barpali a mural by Arun Meher]

This author able to discover yet another master piece which is on the making. It is being carved out of a wood plank titled “Barpali”. He is attempting to showcase  the life and culture of this little town, which happens to be a palli or a village a few decades back.  Here one would find a massive baragacha or a banyan tree at the centre. It is believed this town got the name for this massive tree.  At the top there is Ma Samleswari, the deity of this region. On the right side of the goddess you would find all time great Oriya poet Swavaba Kabi Gangadhar Meher carrying a book in his hand. On the top left to this tree you will  find a terracotta artefact and farmers cultivating paddy in the rice field.  On the right top there are a group of women doing Sambalpuri folk dance.  There are three girls  swinging on its branch as well.

Many of his works answers to the current environmental issues. Like how the abandoned street cows or the bullocks in the cities are being reduced to skeleton by eating scrape papers from the garbage, as because they are being deprived of grass, vegetation and the fodder. 

By vocation he is a businessman and runs one Hero Honda motor-cycle service centre successfully. He manages to find time to experiment with wood while engaged in his motorbike workshop. A person is identified not for the riches he poses, but for his deeds. And definitely in the days to come his creations would be able to survive on this earth.

kiranbima@gmail.com
Cell# +918249314972

E. KIRAN MOHAN(The writer)

C\o. Dr.E.R.Rao (MD)

Main Road, Barpali-768029

Dist-Bargarh, Orissa, India