PRAY, SPRAY

Graffiti in Kolkata bring out not just the city's devotion to its history and traditions, but also its efforts to stay young and vibrant

- BY PREMA RAJARAM PHOTOS BY SALIL BERA

Masked in the glory of Kolkata’s cultural heritage are streets that serve as an artists’s canvas—bridging the past and present. Among the most striking examples are the electricity feeder boxes that have been transformed into vivid portraits of icons with roots in the City of Joy—from filmmaker Satyajit Ray and actor Amitabh Bachchan to cricketer Sourav Ganguly and singer Usha Uthup. These everyday artworks, painted over the past decade, now offer passersby glimpses of history and pride.

Behind many of the colourful feeder-box portraits, including standout ones of singer Bappi Lahiri, is artist Ranjit Das. “Bappi Lahiri’s son, wife and mother-in-law came to meet me,” Das says. “I had painted his portrait near Lake Kali Bari. They visited after he passed away.”

Das has painted nearly 400 feeder boxes, and Lahiri’s family remains the only one to have personally met him. Art has been intertwined with his life since childhood, leading him to study fine arts at Bengal Fine Arts College. With over three decades of experience as a commercial artist—painting outdoor signs and political graffiti—Das’s journey has been one of persistence and struggle.

The heart blockages he suffered a few years ago have not stopped him from his pursuit. Living alone in a rented space, he travels by public transport, carrying paint cans in his hand and bag. “An artist’s life is one of pain,” he says. “If there is no pain, one cannot be an artist. You cannot paint without being in a place of pain. But instead of succumbing to pain, you have to remain happy.”

Despite hardships, his work draws attention. Local people, tourists and curious onlookers often stop to watch him paint.

Each project begins with cleaning the feeder box, removing posters and applying primer. Some comments can be discouraging, but Das remains undeterred. Even when completed works are defaced—which does upset him—he returns, restores and moves on to his next canvas.