Calicut (Kerala): Sitting in a small room crammed with shelves full of mural paintings, Sanam Firoz's fingers delicately manoeuvre a pencil on a small white clay plot. Slowly, the skeletal sketch comprising black lines comes to life as the smiling face of Lord Krishna. Her religious identity never became a barrier in the pursuit of her passion for drawing mural paintings of Hindu deities and the Hindu deity Lord Ganesha is among her favourite activities.
It all started during her childhood when she used to watch with wrapt attention as her parents-Shabir Jaan and Zuhra- brought their creativity to life through paintings. However, Sanam's passion turned into dedication only after her marriage. She took formal training in mural painting from a noted artist Satish Thayat.
Her creativity is not just confined to the canvas but has spilt into other mediums such as bamboo stalks and clay pots as well as sarees, churidars, shirts, and dhotis. Most of her creations are graced with the faces and figures of Hindu deities Lord Krishna and Lord Ganesha.
Describing the act of drawing Lord Krisha as a "different experience", Sanam told ETV Bharat "I enjoy it a lot, I painted various forms of Krishna and realized that it gives me positive energy." She is glad that her religious identity did not become a hindrance to presenting one of her Lord Krishna paintings to the Guruvayoor temple.
However, she is least bothered about fame or money. Having creative satisfaction and spreading the art to others is her top priority. Now, she is planning to depict the incarnation of Lord Krishna through a series of pictures. She shares her creativity with netizens through her Instagram page and has been receiving a very positive response.
An Artisan ID card holder of the Central Government, Sanam also participates in exhibitions across India attracting buyers for her artwork. She just does not sell high-end artworks, but also prepares works which are affordable to the middle class.
Keen on spreading her knowledge of the craft to others, Sanam organizes mural painting classes for women. The training is provided through a six-month course. There is also the option of a two-week crash course. Inspired by her mother, Sanam's daughter, Sanufar Khan, a guest lecturer, also tries her hands at mural painting in her spare time. She has always received the support of her son Fardeen Khan and her husband Firoz Khan in her passion for painting beyond religious boundaries.
