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{{Short description|Indian artist (1908–1981)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Upendra Maharathi
| image = Upendra Maharathi.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1908}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death year and age|1981|1908}}
| death_place =
| monuments =
| other_names =
| siglum =
| citizenship = India
| education =
| alma_mater = [[Government College of Art & Craft]]
| occupation = Painter, sculptor, illustrator, architect, and graphic and textile designer
| organization =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| style =
| spouse = [[Padma Shri]]
| awards =
| website = 
}}
'''Upendra Maharathi''' was an Indian artist<ref name="B2">{{cite news |last1=Colin Youn |first1=Sean |title=The Gandhian Maharathi |url=https://www.asianage.com/life/art/190919/the-gandhian-maharathi.html |publisher=[[Asian Age]] |date=19 September 2019}}</ref> who worked in various mediums including painting, sculpture, illustration, architecture, graphic design, and textile design. He was born in the village of Narendrapur in [[Odisha]] and received his art education at the [[Government College of Art & Craft]] in Kolkata under [[Mukul Dey]] and [[Percy Brown (art historian)|Percy Brown]]. After completing his studies, he settled in Bihar.<ref name="C3"/> His more than 900 works have been preserved by the [[National Gallery of Modern Art]], Delhi.<ref name="A1">{{cite news |last1=Sinha |first1=Atul |title=गांधी जी की 150वीं सालगिरह पर देश देखेगा उपेन्द्र महारथी का कला संसार, पीएम मोदी कर सकते हैं उद्घाटन |url=https://www.amarujala.com/columns/blog/upendra-maharathi-artist-exhibition-national-gallery-of-modern-art-150th-anniversary-of-gandhi?pageId=2 |publisher=[[Amar Ujala]] |date=18 June 2019 |language=Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Towns Mirror Special: Art for the heart |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/the-towns-mirror-special-art-for-the-heart/articleshow/87765876.cms |publisher=[[Bangalore Mirror]] |date=18 November 2021}}</ref>

== Life and career ==
Born in 1908 in Narendrapur, a small village in Odisha, Upendra joined the [[Government College of Art & Craft|Government College of Art and Craft]] in 1925. He was exposed to a variety of Western and indigenous techniques of art, craft and architecture at the school. His artistic style was shaped by the nationalist movement in Bengal, which supported [[Swadeshi movement|Swadeshi]] values and recognized the resistive, anti-colonial potential of art. Led by [[E. B. Havell]] and [[Abanindranath Tagore]], the movement encouraged students to revive traditional forms of Indian art. His art was also influenced by Gandhi's non-violent politics.<ref name="D4"/>

Maharathi created a diverse body of work that explored themes such as spiritualism, nationalism and self-discovery. He lived as a recluse, wandering around pilgrimage sites like [[Bodh Gaya]], [[Rajagriha]] and [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]] and was known for substituting his canvas with various mediums such as cloth, wood, clay, and bronze.<ref name="C3"/>

As an architect, his notable artworks include the Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir, Japan's Gotemba Peace Pagoda, the [[Mahabodhi Temple]] in [[Bodh Gaya]], [[Nava Nalanda Mahavihara]] in [[Nalanda]], Vaishali Museum and Gandhi Mandap in Bodh Gaya.<ref name="A1"/>

Upendra Maharathi was also known for his innovative use of [[enamel paint]] on wood, a technique inspired by the Japanese style. He applied the tikuli style of art to practical and decorative objects such as coasters, trays and wall decorations. His work reflects the influence of [[Madhubani art|Mithila (Madhubani) painting]] on contemporary tikuli art.<ref>{{cite news |title=Five Lesser Known Handicrafts From Bihar |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/72022/five-lesser-known-handicrafts-from-bihar |publisher=[[Outlook India]] |date=3 October 2022}}</ref>

In 1940, he designed the Ramgarh Congress Nagar Complex,<ref name="B2"/> which included the "Glories of India" series and initiated a new movement in folk art. He was also an active participant in India's independence movement and was influenced by the ideologies of [[Mahatma Gandhi]]. He abandoned the opportunity of an educational tour to Paris in response to Gandhi's call for promoting [[Swadeshi movement|Swadeshi]].

Later, as a special designer in the Department of Industries in the government of Bihar, Maharathi worked to bring together art, craft, and design. Upendra worked to revive the centuries-old tradition of handloom weaving in Bihar. He established an institute in [[Patna]]<ref name="D4">{{cite news |last1=Prasad |first1=Sujata |title=Upendra Maharathi, an artist extraordinaire |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/an-artist-extraordinaire-upendra-maharathi-5992225/ |publisher=[[Indian Express]] |date=15 September 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221125075721/https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/an-artist-extraordinaire-upendra-maharathi-5992225/ |archive-date=25 November 2022}}</ref> for this purpose in 1956, which was later the state government renamed it the [[Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan]] in his honor after his death. He was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], one of the highest civilian honours by the [[Government of India]] in 1969 for his contributions to revitalizing traditional and native arts and handlooms.<ref name="C3">{{cite news |title=Chitracharya Upendra Maharathi |url=https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/district-reopsitory-detail.htm?5720 |work=CCRT, Ministry of Culture |agency=Amritmahotsav.nic.in |date=7 September 2022}}</ref> He died in 1981.<ref name="D4"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.brandbharat.com/hindi/literature/history/art_upendra-maharathi.html Upendra Maharathi] on Brandbharat (Biography)
* [https://umsas.org.in/ Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan]
* [https://www.artsillustrated.in/architecture/who-was-upendra-maharathi/ Who was Upendra Maharathi?]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maharathi, Upendra}}
[[Category:1908 births]]
[[Category:Indian male painters]]
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian painters]]
[[Category:Painters from Odisha]]

Upendra Maharathi - Revision history

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