Pencil speaks within hidden hand

Pothashang News Service

Imphal, January 23, 2018: He has a smile on his face when he enjoys sketching images during spare hours away from the green field engaged to render a helping hand to his family members residing in the sweet home at Mayanglangjing of Imphal West.

Takhellambam Rishi Mangang

Takhellambam Rishi Mangang, an undergraduate youth, has been concealing bizarre sketches drawn with his talking pencil. Pothashang came across his pictures and reached him to open his hidden talent. He loves drawing since he childhood and learnt the art from his senior school colleagues, whom he regarded as gurus. After crossing the bridge of metric exam he started learning to draw to a teacher at Tera, Imphal West. However, after two months he lost engagements with the teacher due to the health condition of the teacher. Since then he had no regular training. He continues drawing.

Born to late T. Binoyaima and Ashangbi he is the youngest of seven children of which five are girls. His elders are married and he is living together with his brother’s family under strict guidance of their mother. Both the brothers are engaged in the paddy field and green cultivations. His brother is master degree holder but as he couldn’t get a government job works in the vegetation fields together with him.

“I love drawing since my childhood, but I have never attempted to participate in exhibitions and competitions as I cannot afford the required tools. I could hardly acquire costly pencils for good pictures and that too acquire as gifts from friends” said Rishi. And there are also not enough platforms for pencil works in the state, he added. However, I could manage to participate in 2/3 art camp and workshops, said the 32 years old artist.

He cannot even afford the white picture paper and cost of framing his picture that is one of the reasons of not participating in exhibitions and competitions besides being busy in the green fields. “I drew a number of portraits and other realistic art pictures for my friends and relatives and in return get gifts. I got a gift of a packet of 10 pencils that cost about Rs. 600 from a friend. With that I could draw to my expected level. In almost all the times I use pencil that cost Rs. 10” said with a smile.

He thanked his senior friend and teacher whom he called him Oja Basanta for a colour pencil set of 24 sticks. “I seldom draw colour pictures as the pencils are costly”, said Rishi.

This artist not only engages in the green field but works as a mason too.

He has about 70-80 pictures collection of his drawings at his home. “I cannot count exactly how much I have drawn. Friends who love my pictures take with them. And I feel happy as they love my picture” said Rishi.

Rishi has a speed in drawing and loves to post his art on Facebook, which is the only platform for him to display.

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