A regular routine for a young Yasala Prakash (son of artiste, painter Yasala Balaiah) after school hours was to draw outlines of animals in drawing books bought by his father. Balaiah would insist he learn to first draw and paint later; to master the portrait of a lion to begin with as it is believed to be the foundation of the Batik art form. Prakash practiced batik-art on old clothes at home. His father’s encouraging words motivated him; and his art work on Batukamma gave Balaiah an assurance that his budding artiste-son could carry his legacy forward.
Presently Siddipet-born Prakash is the only one in the state to practice Batik art given his father’s focus on canvas now. His house in childhood was a reflection of what he saw in the village, his father’s artworks featured animals, tribal women, Chindu Yakshaganam, Samakka-Sarakka, portraits of Gods and the Buddhist way of life. Some of his father’s works were for the handicraft groups with which he was associated; and served as an alternate source of income (Balaiah was a social studies teacher by qualification). “They were a representation of the society then; what I now draw has become a link to the past. Many other art forms are no longer prevalent, I use my art to let the future generation know our roots,” he says.
Prakash was a science graduate and the desire to sustain Batik art in Telangana made him quit his career in the animation industry. “I didn’t want to be just another cog in the wheel. It’s important for me to be unique and stand out from the rest,” adds Prakash.
The emergence of Telangana state meant that his efforts were met with financial assistance from the Government and his works commemorating the Telangana formation day that captured eminent personalities, art forms and practices of the region gained him recognition. “I make sure I have alternative livelihood. When one begins to think of art form as a means to livelihood, creativity dies. I’m doing my best to leave an impression in the form, by teaching children in my village and Hyderabad. Since each each Batik-art work takes about 15 days,artistes have switched over to other media, mostly due to lack of patience.”
Having displaying his works at an exhibition hosted at ICCR recently, Prakash gets ready for a show at Tirupathi, where he intends to do mural works using the wax-resistant dyeing technique, a first-of-a-kind attempt. “Although the efficiency is better with cloth, we are doing our best to give it a different spin,” he states.
Prakash hopes for a day when Batik art is included in college courses and the government makes efforts to market it.
“In our attempt to produce engineers and doctors, we’ve lost touch with art. We’re gradually realising its value again now,” he reveals. Felicitations by the Hyderabad Art Society and an AP (undivided) state award in 2012 have helped his cause. “I’m the only one among the four sons to take this up as a career; my mother still chides me for the decision (she says there’s no money in it), but my brothers urge me to continue what I do best,” he signs off.
