Meet Anu, lady behind engrossing mural arts in central Kerala temples

KOCHI: Anu Amritha is busy working on murals and scriptures mostly for temples situated in central Kerala. Murals and scriptures these days are common but Anu’s work will stand apart among all her peers, as she is the first woman to take a contract for mural, and scriptures work in temples. Her life is not any ordinary and it was through the ropes of artwork that she got back into life. As of now, she has completed mural work for 14 temples in Kerala.

Her debut work we on the walls of Manigramam Temple in Mammiyur. The work covered an area of 300 square feet in the temple shrine. This was much talked about and she later received contracts in temples including Nedumudi Pooppally Sribhadra Bhagvati Temple, Vaikom Vadayar Temple Auditorium, Nedumbassery Desom Cheriyath Mahavishnu Temple, Aluva Colonypadi Temple, and Chengamanad Parambayam Kaprassery Ayyappa temple.

Anu’s support comes from her husband Shibuchan, a native of Paravur Kedamangalam. Anu’s disciples in mural art are also there to be her helping hands in the work.

It all started during her seventh standard when she immersed her finger in a blue inkpot and then tried an impromptu artwork on white paper. To her surprise, her teacher Chinamma praised her sky-high, which gave her much vigour to delve more into the field of art. Anu who struggled through her childhood had to take up the role of a domestic helper when she was studying in ninth standard.

Even while studying nursing, she did housework for 30 rupees. But her life-changing decision was to work during night shifts and attend a KGTE course in fine arts from eminent K K Warrier. Appukuttan Ashan from Mammiyur also became her guru, and it was Ashan who gifted a prized Rs 20,000 for her to start a school of mural arts. And now, the palate of her life is bright with Anu being a teacher to more than a hundred disciples.