Retired lecturer creates intricate sculptures by hand

Latur: At the age of 71, retired chemistry lecturer Dr. Shobha Parshuram Arya continues to transform her passion for art into intricate sculptures and paintings, creating masterpieces without the help of machinery or specialised equipment.

A former lecturer at the Government Women’s Polytechnic, Latur, Dr. Arya has devoted her post-retirement years to sculpture and painting. Working only with her hands, she carves stones into artistic creations that depict emotions, devotion and human expressions. Her sculptures mainly feature themes such as Radha-Krishna and emotional, rather than portraits of renowned personalities or historical figures.

The stones used for her sculptures are brought from Rajasthan, including Vietnam marble and other varieties of marble. The process demands immense physical effort, patience and precision. A two-foot sculpture takes nearly three months to complete, while larger works may require one-and-a-half to two years of continuous dedication, she informed.

Despite the uniqueness of her artwork, Dr. Arya faces difficulties in finding a market for her sculptures. She says there is limited demand for such expensive artworks in the region. Organising exhibitions is also a challenge as the sculptures are heavy and require manpower for transportation and display. Living alone further restricts her ability to showcase her creations on a larger platform.

Dr. Arya’s journey as an artist began during her school days. While studying at Godavaridevi Lahoti Kanya Vidyalaya, she created a Saraswati rangoli for an exhibition in Rajasthan and won first prize. Later, as a Class XI student at Shahu College, she made a rangoli depicting the famous Padmapani painting.

However, she said that at that stage she did not know how to systematically nurture her artistic talent. Her interest in sculpture developed after observing her father’s paintings. Inspired by his creativity, she began making idols using POP (plaster of Paris). In 1990, she created an idol of Michelangelo, which further strengthened her passion for sculpture.

Tribute to Father

Dr. Arya uses her father’s name, Parshuram, as part of her identity as a tribute to the man who shaped her artistic vision.

“My father was a renowned photographer and painter. Whatever I have achieved today is because of the artistic environment he created. I have only carried forward his legacy,” she said.

She recalled her childhood days at Latur’s well-known Shobha Photo Studio, which was once among the city’s prominent photography studios. Several noted artists, including Vasantrao Baraskar, Gangadhar Baraskar and Ware Guruji, used to visit the studio, and she closely observed their paintings and creative work.

“As a child, I repeatedly requested my father to teach me painting. He would simply say, ‘Keep watching. You will learn on your own.’ I did not understand those words then, but today I realise that observation is the first school of every artist,” she said.

Dr. Arya said artistic inspiration develops gradually through life experiences and finds expression at the right moment.

Recalling the creation of her acclaimed Radha-Krishna sculpture, she said the work took nearly 21 months to complete.

“I wanted to portray not just two divine figures, but the spiritual intensity and emotional bond between Radha and Krishna. Their relationship represents pure devotion and eternal love,” she said.

The sculpture depicts Radha moving towards Krishna as he plays the flute, with intricate details such as her lifted heel, flowing attire and wind-swept hair capturing movement and emotion.

“I do not feel that I alone created this sculpture. Giving life-like emotions to stone is an extremely difficult task. I believe some divine force guided my hands throughout the process,” she said.

Dr. Arya believes that art should ultimately contribute to society. She expressed her desire to use the earnings from the sale of her sculptures and paintings to support underprivileged students.