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A sculptor’s life
 With
so many temples being constructed or renovated, it is the busy season for
sculptors. One particular community has been involved in this work and have been
doing it for generations. It is knowledge that has been passed down the
generations though there are schools now to teach the art.
Renowned sthapathi (sculptor) S
Sampath Kumar has been fortunate enough to learn from his father as well as get
trained in an art school.
Born in the village
Seyyankuppam, in Marakkanam, he studied in a school in nearby Anumanthai up to
class-10. “My father, Sthapathi Shanmugam, is my inspiration. Our family has
been doing this profession for many decades. But my father is my inspiration.
Seeing my interest in the art, he encouraged me and taught me the basics. All my
four brothers are also sculptors,” says Sampath about his early life.
“I completed the diploma in
the School of Sculpture at Mammalapuram
after that. I learnt to work with wood and cement. Ganesan Sthapathi was my guru
at the school. After finishing the diploma course, I worked with my father for
about a year. In 1984, I took up my first project in Senkazhuneer Vinayagar
temple at Vadakottipakkam, near Tindivanam.”
 His
second project was in his own native place – he renovated the Angalamman
Temple raja gopuram and won everybody’s praise.
His work can be seen in many
temples in Tamil Nadu now. “We usually work on three models, kalvettu,
sirpakattu and vastirakattu. I mostly concentrate on vastirakattu model and on
the basic designing.”
“I have so far completed more
than 50 temple projects in Tamil Nadu,” says Sampath with considerable pride
as he has mastered the intricacies of temple construction. “And they are all
built according to the Agama Sastras,” he avers.
 He
is also famous for making vahanams (vehicles for temple idols) and says he has
made ‘yaanai vahanam’, ‘simha vahanam’, ‘anna vahanam’, ‘gudirai
vahanam’ that are used during temple festivals.
He recently completed work in
Sri Devi Poomari Amman Temple in Chennai at Ramakamathpuram.
He has also trained women in
this profession. He was hired by the Pondicherry
administration and spent four years teaching them how to make paper mache idols.
Kalaivani Sirpa Kalaikoodam, which was started recently, has been training women
in the art of sculpture.
The Sirpa Thozhilalargal Sangam
and Kulalar Sangam have come together to take care of old sculptors or
sthapathis injured in the course of work. They have worked out a pension for
sculptors over the age of 60.
Sampath Kumar has to his credit
working in the Thulukanathamman Temple, Murugan
temple, Durgai Amman
temple, Krishnan
temple, Sivan temple,
Anjaneyar temple and Nagathamman
temple in Chennai.
He was awarded the title Sirpa
Sastra Thilagam by Sivasri K R Vaidyanatha Sivachariar. But the biggest prize of
them all is “getting up early in the morning, doing pooja and starting work. I
am blessed to be making the images of gods who run this world. This gives me
great peace of mind and joy.”
K
T Sri
Translation by N Arun Kumar
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