About the artist
Saraladevi was a born artist!
While she applied for the 5-Year Government Diploma in Arts course in 1936 at the J.J. School of Arts (Bombay), she was admitted to the third year on the basis of her presentation of. Here, she got trained under the tutelage of Shri Jagannath Ahivasi and obtained her Diploma in 1939.
Saraladevi continued her tryst with the brush and painted a number of pictures on various independent themes such as Shiva Mahimna Stotram, Ramayana, Childhood of Lord Krishna etc. She had also prepared pencil sketches and paintings as illustrations for Gujarati magazines such as “Balajeevan”, “Gunasundari” and even a Marathi magazine.
Being deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and having actively participated in the Indian freedom struggle, Saraladevi created a book for children in 1969, highlighting his journey from Mohan to Mahatma. As on date, the book has been translated further into 15 Indian and 3 foreign languages.
To commemorate the year 1975, which was declared International Women’s Year, Saraladevi painted 27 pictures of well-known Indian and International Women from the times of the Upanishads till the 20th century.
Over the years, exhibitions of Saraladevi’s paintings have been held at various forums in Eastern and North-Eastern India, Wardha, Mumbai, Pune, Anand etc. They were a regular feature of the exhibitions held during Sarvodaya Melas in Gujarat. Three of her Paintings have a permanent & prominent place at the Sabarmati Ashram even today.
