ಮಣಿಪಾಲದ ಹಸ್ತಶಿಲ್ಪದ ಕನಸುಗಾರ ವಿಜಯನಾಥ ಶೆಣೈ ಇನ್ನಿಲ್ಲ.
ದೇಶ ವಿದೇಶಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸುತ್ತಾಡಿ ಪರಂಪರೆಯನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸುವ ಬದುಕು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃ ತಿಯನ್ನು ತೋರಿಸುವ ಮಹದಾಸೆಯಿಂದ ಶೆಣೈ ಅವ್ರು ಹಸ್ತ ಶಿಲ್ಪಿ ಹುಟ್ಟು ಹಾಕಿದ್ದರು.
Our heritage, for all to see
Asha Krishnaswamy, July 05, 2016
Appreciation, understanding, passion, obsession, institution and disintegration.” Vijayanath Shenoy thus sums up his journey of building Hasta Shilpa Trust’s Heritage Village with museums and art galleries in Manipal, which was thrown open to public formally in May this year. But when he says this, tears well up in his eyes.
It is difficult to read the emotions behind the tears. His mind and words drift from the questions posed to him. After a long pause, seeing the public footfall in the premises, he says, “Relief from pain…”
Vijayanath, who is the face of Heritage Village, has grown up with his dream to establish it, from 1998. Vijayanath, who is in his eighties, explains the tasks on hand for him to take the project to newer heights. He never gets tired of talking about his dream and projects to develop the Heritage Village as a world-class destination. Letting the public visit the Village does not mean it is a picnic spot or a tourist destination, he categorically says. “It is a university to learn the way to respect and preserve heritage and culture, which ultimately have an impact on human bonding,” he says.
The Village was open for public viewing from May 14 to 31. In just 15 days, as many as 215 people visited the Village to see the grandeur of the traditional structures. The guided tour lasts for two hours. Of the 30 structures, visitors are allowed to enter the premises of eight, while 12 can be seen from outside.
It is difficult to read the emotions behind the tears. His mind and words drift from the questions posed to him. After a long pause, seeing the public footfall in the premises, he says, “Relief from pain…”
Vijayanath, who is the face of Heritage Village, has grown up with his dream to establish it, from 1998. Vijayanath, who is in his eighties, explains the tasks on hand for him to take the project to newer heights. He never gets tired of talking about his dream and projects to develop the Heritage Village as a world-class destination. Letting the public visit the Village does not mean it is a picnic spot or a tourist destination, he categorically says. “It is a university to learn the way to respect and preserve heritage and culture, which ultimately have an impact on human bonding,” he says.
The Village was open for public viewing from May 14 to 31. In just 15 days, as many as 215 people visited the Village to see the grandeur of the traditional structures. The guided tour lasts for two hours. Of the 30 structures, visitors are allowed to enter the premises of eight, while 12 can be seen from outside.
ಹಸ್ತಶಿಲ್ಪ ಕೊಟ್ಟು ಹೋದ ಶೆಣೈ ಮಾಮನ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಒಂದು ತಮಾಷೆಯ ನಮನ:
‘ಪಾದೂರು ಹಸ್ತಕ್ಷೇಪ’
ನನಗೆ ಬಡತಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ (೧೯೭೭ ನವೆಂಬರ್ ೧೮) ಮಣಿಪಾಲದ ಸಿಂಡಿಕೇಟ್ ಬ್ಯಾಂಕಿನ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಕಚೇರಿಗೆ posting ಆದಾಗ report ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡದ್ದು, ಬ್ಯಾಂಕಿನ ಪ್ರಚಾರದ ಹೊಣೆಹೊತ್ತಿದ್ದ ವಿಜಯನಾಥ ಶೆಣೈ ಅವರಬಳಿ. ಅವರ ಪಕ್ಕದಲ್ಲೇ ಅದೇ ಉದ್ಯೋಗದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಕೋ.ಮ. ಕಾರಂತರು (ಅವರೂ ಈಗಿಲ್ಲ) ಶೆಣೈ ಮಾಮನ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದ ಒಂದು ತಮಾಷೆಯ ಸಂಗತಿ ಇದು.
‘ಹಿರಿಯ ಇತಿಹಾಸ ಸಂಶೋಧಕ ವಿದ್ವಾಂಸ ಪಾದೂರು ಗುರುರಾಜ ಭಟ್ಟರು ತಮ್ಮ ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಹೊರಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗಲೆಲ್ಲ ಈ ಶೆಣೈಮಾಮ ಅವರ ವಾಹನದೊಳಗೆ ತೂರಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದರಂತೆ. ಯಾವುದೋ ಊರಿನ ಯಾವುದಾದರೊಂದು ಮನೆಯ ಹಳೆಯ ಕಂಭ, ಬಾಗಿಲ ದಾರಂದ ಅಥವಾ, ಮುರಿದ ಕಿಟಿಕಿಯ ಹಲಗೆ ಅಥವಾ ಕಲ್ಲಿನ ಮೂರ್ತಿಯ ಕಾಲು , ಹೀಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲದರ ಎದುರು ಕುಳಿತು ಅವಕ್ಕೆ ಸುಣ್ಣ ಬಣ್ಣ ಬರೆದು, ಅವುಗಳ ಕಾಲವನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸಿ ಭಟ್ಟರು ಹೊರಡುವವರೆಗೆ ಸುಮ್ಮನಿರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಈ ಶೆಣೈ ಮಾಮ, ಭಟ್ಟರು ವಾಹನ ಹತ್ತಿದ ಕೂಡಲೇ, ಆ ಎಲ್ಲ (ದಾರಂದ/ಹಲಗೆ/ಕಾಲು) ವನ್ನೂ ಕಾರಿನ ಡಿಕ್ಕಿಯೊಳಗಿಟ್ಟು ವಾಹನ ಏರಿ ತಣ್ಣಗೆ ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದರಂತೆ. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ, ಶೆಣೈಮಾಮಾರ ‘ಹಸ್ತಶಿಲ್ಪ’ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾದೂರು ಗುರುರಾಜ ಭಟ್ಟರ ‘ಹಸ್ತಕ್ಷೇಪ’ ಮಾತ್ರ ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲವಂತೆ.”