Cartoon murals tell tales of Mangaluru

Cartoons brightening the walls of restaurants in Mangaluru and Bengaluru have been evoking a feeling of nostalgia among Mangaloreans. These cartoons from the eighties narrate stories of Mangaluru's good old days, with a comic depiction of its landmarks and people.

At one such restaurant, ‘Froth on Top’, in Balmatta, the depiction of traffic in the city and the youth stands out, grabbing the attention of customers.

Sandhir, one of the proprietors of Froth on Top, told DH that the building was a 100-year-old structure when he and his brothers Sudhir and Suman purchased it in 2004. The building with a tiled roof was initially a house and later, operated as a post office. After the brothers took over, they maintained the original structure, while converting it into a restaurant.

There was a need to add a spark, as the place is meant for young people to spend their leisure time. Generally, artworks and landscapes are hung on the walls of hotels, bars and restaurants. When we started the restaurant, we came up with the idea of having some fun images on the walls, which are creative at the same time, he said.

“It was well-known cartoonist Prakash Shetty, who made this happen. Musings of Mangaluru are created on the walls," Sandhir said and added that the idea of wall cartoon, was a first of its kind in Mangaluru.

Cartoonist Prakash Shetty told DH that cartoon murals, as he calls them, are drawn on walls, which act as a canvas. Before drawing a cartoon, he would make sure that the walls are levelled with putty.

“The walls serve as a permanent exhibition space as many people would watch them," said Prakash.

At 'Mangalore Pearl Seafood Restaurant' in Ulsoor in Bengaluru, Shetty's murals portray the rich flavour of the coastal region, including tiger dance and rural life - all in the form of cartoons.

These cartoons also stand testimony to the artist’s creativity and keen observation. In one such cartoon, one can find Mangaluru of yesteryears, with its narrow road, packed buses ferrying passengers, bullock carts carrying goods, Jyothi theatre and so on.

Another cartoon features a kitchen of an undivided Tuluva family, buzzing with activities. After the concept of cartoon murals caught up, demands came pouring in, says Prakash Shetty.

He was asked to create customised cartoon murals at various places including houses and corporate offices.

“People would ask for a wall cartoon on their family members and family tree as well,” Prakash Shetty said and added all that he wanted is to make cartoons reach people. 

“Socio-political cartoons may not have an all-time relevance. But if the cartoons are used as creative entities, they would have a longer shelf life. The memories enshrined in cartoons would linger on in the minds of people,” he adds.

Shetty recollected that during his stay in Mumbai, he had explored various possibilities of wall cartoons.

Shetty says he drew inspiration from a cartoonist of international fame, Mario Miranda of Goa, whose original works are seen in famous places including Mumbai, even to this day.

About Prakash Shetty

Prakash Shetty, a native of Mangaluru, has worked with leading newspapers and magazines for many decades. He is known for his pocket cartoon 'Chinakurali' in Prajavani.

His elder brothers Jeevan Shetty and Harishchandra Shetty (Harini), too, are cartoonists.