The small group of children watch in rapt attention as Shantilal Lathigra, chalk in both hands, turns to the blackboard in front of him. Within seconds, the portraits of actor Shah Rukh Khan and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar materialise. Simultaneously.The stunned audience has no time to react. Before they know it, Lathigra takes a swift turn. Chalk clutched in his toes this time, he creates a picturesque landscape on the ground. Again he manages it in a matter of seconds, his feet moving nimbly in tandem."All it takes is practice," says the four-limbed artist, gently breaking the spell he has cast over the children. A retired municipal employee of Dhoraji in Rajkot district of Gujarat, he is a big draw in local schools where he is often called to display his unique skills. Give him half a minute and he can sketch at least a dozen portraits. To top it all is the perfection he achieves. Whether it is the Mahatma's ears or Amitabh Bachchan's drooping eyes, the precision of his lines is remarkable. "When I select a new personality, I take about a day perfecting the features," says Lathigra. "After that, it is a matter of five seconds." And lest his work gets outdated, he is constantly adding new faces to his portfolio, the latest being Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj.How did it all begin? The answer comes in Kabir's couplet: "Mujhe dekh ke aave hasein,paani mein bin pyaasi(I feel like laughing when I see the fish in water thirsting for water)." Apparently these lines inspired Lathigra to explore what he could achieve with his limbs. Originally a right-hander, he decided one day to try working with his left.When he found that he was ambidextrous, he tried his feet. In no time, he had mastered the art of drawing with both his feet. Being born in a family of goldsmiths also helped. As a young boy, he used to assist his father in etching gold ornaments. This intricate work demanded that Lathigra acquire great dexterity with his hands.Art, however, is also about feelings. For Lathigra, the mere control over his fingers is not enough; his portraits must emote. When he once sketched two angry faces for a school audience, the excited children were on their feet. "See, see the two will soon be at each other's neck," one of them screamed. "The ultimate pleasure for me," says Lathigra. "is when my sketches evoke such reactions." Anger, laughter, sorrow - Lathigra's portraits are rich with expression. Give lathigra half a minute and he can draw at least a dozen portraits, precise to the last detail and each evoking a different emotion. "He is an inspiration to children who are interested in creative work," says Jagdishbhai Mehta, one of Lathigra's many admirers. Besides displaying his skills in schools and occasionally on television, Lathigra even conducts drawing classes for children on Sundays. He also judges drawing competitions organised by the various schools in the district.A bachelor, the 61-year-old Lathigra finds ample time for other passions too. Fighting an apathetic system is one of them. Two years ago, the Gujarat Electricity Board slapped an inflated bill on him saying it was the result of a defective fuse. Convinced that the board employees were up to some mischief, he refused to pay up. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}He approached the board office and accused its employees of harassing him. The power line to his house was subsequently snapped but Lathigra remained stubbornly unmoved. He went without electricity for a good two years before the board relented and restored the connection to his house unconditionally.Even during his tenure as octroi superintendent in the Dhoraji Municipal Council, he was opposed to taking favours from traders. Every time they offered him tea, he would give them some cloves or dry fruits that he carried with him. It made him feel better.Philosophy, clearly, has been Lathigra's guiding force both in art and life. A P.C. Sorcar he may be dubbed for his "magical" creations but that has not stopped the four-limbed artist from facing reality, albeit with his own set of rules.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 12, 1998--- ENDS ---
