MANGALURU: As the festival of lights is just around the corner and artisans too are reportedly increasing production of earthen lamps (diyas), a second-year student of a private college in Moodbidri is busy giving these earthen lamps a vibrant look by painting them.
The 23-year-old artist, Raksha R Poojary, from Kaup in Udupi district, said she decided to paint diyas and sell them to not only fund her education but also help her younger brother, a diploma student.
She said, “Based on the response received last year, which was beyond expectation, I decided to paint diyas this Deepavali, too. It all began last year, when I brought about 20 diyas from a supermarket, painted them and presented them at an exhibition in Shirva. That time, my intention was not to sell them but these diyas caught the attention of few visitors at the exhibition, who wanted to buy them. Each diya cost about Rs 20 and I charged an additional Rs 5, as charges for my painting. I then bought another set of 25 diyas, which was sold instantly, and I gradually started getting orders. Last year, I ended up painting nearly 2,000 diyas."
Raksha is the daughter of Ramesh Poojary, who is physically challenged, and Shashikala Kotian, who works at a grocery store.
“This initiative is helping me support my studies. This year, too, I received orders for more than 1,500 diyas so far. The diyas that are painted in copper colour, with an antique look, are selling like hot cakes. This time, I have also taken up painting diyas of various sizes and designs. Among designs, the lotus design has good demand. Customers are loving the colour combination. Since the demand is high, I was forced to buy an additional 1,000 lamps from Mumbai. When compared to the plain diyas, I charge an additional Rs 10 for my work,” Raksha said.
