Acclaimed Warli artist Jivya Soma Mashe dead
Palghar, May 15: Internationally acclaimed artist Jivya Soma Mashe -- who catapulted Warli tribal art form to the global stage -- passed away here after a prolonged illness, an official said on Tuesday.
He was 84 and breathed his last Monday night at his home in Dahanu town in the district. He is survived by a daughter and sons Sadashiv and Balu -- both Warli artists.
Honoured with a Padma Shri in 2011, Prince Claus Award in 2009 and National Award for Tribal Arts in 1976, Mashe will be accorded a state funeral later on Tuesday.
In a condolence message, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that with Mashe's demise, "we have lost a dedicated artist who brought the Warli tribal arts form to the international level".
Born in 1934 in Dhamangaon village in then undivided Thane district, Mashe and his family moved to Kalambipada village, now in Palghar, when he was 11.
At age seven, he lost his mother and was in deep trauma, rendering him speechless for several years.
As a young boy, he used to communicate by etching figures in mud, which endeared him to the local tribal community.
Over the years, he developed his rough skills into a specialised art form and developed Warli tribal art to attract global attention.
He made use of mostly white paint on a brown, earthen backdrop joining dots, dashes and lines to bring to life various aspects and themes connected deeply with his tribal culture, background, traditions and the environment.
Mashe liberally -- but with minute details -- drew on his surroundings by painting tribals dances, hunting scenes, birds, animals and insects, forests and forest folk like him who are still masters of the jungles and live in complete harmony with nature.
It was in the 1970s that his art was discovered first by a government team scouting for masters in different forms of traditional arts and to preserve various forms of local artistry for posterity.
In 1975, Mashe's maiden exhibition was held at the Jehangir Art Gallery, which heralded the arrival on the global art scene of the humble tribal artist from a hamlet in Palghar.
There was no looking back. Soon Mashe and his Warli paintings travelled to various countries like the US, earning him accolades and kindling new interest in the hitherto unknown aspects of Maharashtra's tribal culture and arts.
He was awarded several major national and international awards. Top personalities, including then Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, appreciated his arts.
However, he remained unaffected by all the awe, fame, glitter and glamour and retained his simple lifestyle in his village, moving around in a shirt and shorts.
But many international artists, photographers and mediapersons would travel to meet him at his humble abode, where he used to welcome them warmly, take them around to see his art on the walls of his home and other houses in his village, wowing the visitors.
Mashe inspired many youngsters who took to the nearly-dead Warli tribal art form in a big way and many made it even a commercial success.
Mashe's paintings, or by young artists inspired by him, can be viewed in several art galleries, corporate offices and even homes of people in Mumbai and other cities.
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59 percent voter turnout in first phase in J-K, polling peaceful: CEO
Jammu, Sep 18: A voter turnout of about 59 percent -- "the highest in the past seven elections" -- was recorded in the first phase of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said.
However, these are tentative figures and may rise after the final reports are received about postal ballots, and from remote pockets like Marwah, Wadwan, Dachhan and Machail in Kishtwar, the officer said.
Briefing mediapersons here after polling ended at 6 pm, Pole said the elections -- which covered 24 seats in seven districts -- ended peacefully without any untoward incident.
There are reports of some minor incidents of scuffle or argument from a few polling stations but "no serious incident" occurred that could have forced a repoll, he said.
Over 2.3 million voters were eligible to cast the ballot to determine the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 Independents.
"The polling percentage of 59 percent is highest in the past seven elections -- four Lok Sabha polls and three assembly elections," he said, attributing the increase in the voter turnout to various factors including improved security situation, active participation of political parties and candidates and a campaign by the department.
He said Kishtwar district recorded the highest 77 percent turnout, while Pulwama district witnessed the lowest 46 percent.
Doda district recorded a turnout of 69.33 percent, Ramban district 67.71 percent, Kulgam district 61.57 percent, Anantnag district 54.17 percent and Shopian district 53.64 percent.
In the 2014 assembly elections, the district wise poll percentage was: Pulwama 44 percent, Shopian 48 percent, Kulgam 59 percent, Anantnag 60 percent, Ramban 70 percent, Doda 73 percent and Kishtwar 76 percent.
In Kishtwar districts, he said, the Padder-Nagseni segment recorded the highest 80.67 percent voting followed by Inderwal (80.06 percent) and Kishtwar (78.11 percent).
In the nearby Doda district, Doda west segment recorded 75.98 percent, Doda (70.21 percent) and Bhaderwah (65.27 percent).
In Ramban district, Banihal segment recorded 71.28 percent and Ramban 67.34 percent, he said.
Among the seven constituencies of Anantnag district, Pahalgam recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.86 percent, followed by Kokernag (58 percent), Dooru (57.90 percent), Srigufwara-Bijbehara (56.02 percent), Shangus-Anantnag (52.94 percent), Anantnag West (45.93 percent) and Anantnag 41.58 percent, Pole said.
In Pulwama district, the CEO said, the Pulwama segment witnessed 50.42 percent polling, followed by Rajpora 48.07 percent, Pampore 44.74 percent and Tral 43.21 percent.
In Shopian district, the Shopian segment recorded a voter turnout of 54.72 percent and Zainapora 52.64 percent.
In Kulgam district, D H Pora recorded a turnout of 68 percent, Kulgam 62.70 percent and Devsar 57.33 percent, Pole said.
He said seven districts of south Kashmir had been traditionally low poll percentage constituencies and in some of the past elections, the percentage had not even crossed the single digit.
Asked about a social media video purportedly showing a policeman losing temper and aiming his gun before being overpowered by his colleagues outside a polling station in Kishtwar, he said the district election officer and the returning officer concerned have taken note and issue was resolved amicably.
PDP and BJP candidates were involved in an argument at the polling station.
Pole expressed hope that the remaining two phases on September 25 and October 1 will also see high polling percentage.
Meanwhile, the election commission expressed satisfaction over the long queues of voters at the polling stations showcasing the entire world, the deep trust and confidence of the people of J&K in the democratic exercise.
The polling was held across 3,276 Polling Stations in the seven districts and 24 special polling stations set up for migrant pandits in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi.
According to officials, 31.42 percent of the more than 35,000 eligible kashmiri migrant voters exercised their franchise. While 27 percent cast their votes at 19 polling stations in Jammu, 40 percent at four polling stations in Delhi and 30 percent at one polling station in Udhampur.
In each of the seven districts where voting was held in the first phase, the voter participation exceeded the participation during the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, the election commission said in a release.
The performance builds on the trend witnessed during the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir which saw a voter turnout of 58.58 percent at polling stations, highest in the last 35 years.
Voting began at 7 am and proceeded steadily through the day. Men and women, the young and old, some too frail to walk and others patiently waiting their turn, queued up outside polling booths across Kashmir Valley and Jammu.
Security forces fanned out to ensure that there was no trouble. The day was largely without incident except for reports of clashes between political workers in some areas of Bijbehara and D H Pora.
