Cover story of Hortus Malabaricus

KOCHI: The English translation of Hortus Malabaricus, the 334-year-old epic Latin work on the medicinal plants of Malabar region in Kerala created quite a bit of controversy recently. The University of Kerala which published the book refused to give due credit to K S Manilal, a botany scholar who had devoted almost half a lifetime translating the book. Artist Rajeswaran A D, who did the cover design of the work also has the same story to tell. He says, “Hortus Malabaricus, true to what Manilal has written in an article, is a book of sorrows. Even my name has not been acknowledged in the book, though I am personally satisfied to have got a chance to be involved in such a work.”Rajeswaran, an accomplishing artist from Mala is surprisingly a civil police officer by profession. He says, “When I was an apprentice with the Kerala Forest Research Institute, I got the chance to do the cover page. I have drawn a mythological picture which depicts the goddess of gardens. That cover picture was the best I have so far done. It could have given me a break in my artistic career, if they have included my name.”Rajeswaran who concentrates more on the genre of photographic realism was a state winner of oil paintings when he was a college student at Maharaja’s Polytechnic, Thrissur.This artist who does not have any formal art education has drawn the caricature of prominent figures from all walks of life, including K J yesudas, Bhagavatham exponent Malliyoor Sankaran Namboothiri, Oommen Chandi and many others.The self-taught artist draws his inspiration from the works of great artists like Rembrandt and Vincent Van Gogh.“I have been impressed by the light and shade paintings of Rembrandt and the life of Van Gogh which was entirely devoted for art.” So how does this 39-year-old policeman who has been in the police force for the last 11 years manage a balance between his artistic temperament and a profession that requires a completely different skill set? “I take it as a challenge to balance both. Actually I have been doing more works since I  joined the police force. If we have a personal interest, we can balance both.”