JOIN USStriving hard to be seen among the thousands of people, who had come to witness the 11th Chitra Santhe in the City, was a 12-year-old boy holding a pencil sketch of a flower in his hand.
“It is just Rs 300,” said little Tarun, putting his amateur marketing skills to best use. The boy’s simple sketch with fine strokes was worth taking a second look.
A student of the Eshwari English School, Tarun began sketching at the age of nine and is currently being trained by an artist whom he fondly calls “thatha” (grandfather). Tarun is participating in the Santhe for the first time and is accompanied by his elder sister Harshitha, 15, who studies in the same school and cousin Rohit C.
Their father, Venkatesh, is an auto driver while mother, Sharada, works as a cook. Harshitha too displayed her water paint works and other cartoon characters. “They are priced between Rs 50 and Rs 150,” she said, pointing at her works.
Harshitha came to know about the Santhe a little late but managed to draw 18 paintings in a day. She wants to be a doctor in the future but without compromising on her career in art. She participated even last year and said that most of her works were purchased by foreigners.
Her cousin, 15-year-old Rohit from Carmel School, displayed his pencil sketches and rubbing art works. He said he was mainly interested in sketching flowers and birds. With strokes similar to that of the professionals, the little boy who wishes to be an architect quoted a minimum of Rs 300 for his works.